Apple : Android 11 update release date, beta, features and what we know so far |
- Android 11 update release date, beta, features and what we know so far
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| Android 11 update release date, beta, features and what we know so far Posted: 10 Jun 2020 02:54 PM PDT While we're still expecting the public Android 11 to roll out toward the end of 2020, everyone can finally get an early look now that the public beta has launched. While developer previews have given app devs early access to Android 11 since February, anyone with a Pixel 2 or newer phone in Google's Pixel family can download the beta and see for themselves what new features are coming. The official reveal of Android 11 was going to happen on June 3, but that date has now been pushed back. Typically it would have landed at Google IO 2020 in May, but that event got canceled. But out of sensitivity for the global protests, Google simply decided to forgo an announcement event and just release the beta online with a blog post. The 2020 Android update is set to be called Android 11 – that’s not speculation, but fact, since Google has confirmed the name itself. This follows, because with Android 10 Google pledged to follow a numerical system of operating system organisation. That means while Android 9 was Android Pie, Android 10 wasn’t Android Quiche, and Android 11 won’t be Android Rhubarb and Custard (sadly) or Android Rocky Road - but it will be packed with updates and, likely, a few long-awaited features. We've already started hearing rumors and news surrounding the upcoming Android operating system. Here we’ll collect everything we know about Android 11. Update: The Android 11 beta has arrived! Now anyone can download the public beta.
Cut to the chase
Android 11 release dateGoogle tends to unveil some of the features of its newest operating system at Google IO in May, before releasing the OS for Pixel phones with an Android 11 release date of sometime in September – in 2019, for example, it debuted on the Pixel 4. We know that Google IO 2020 isn't happening in 2020 thanks to coronavirus concerns. Having originally booked an replacement online event for June 3, Google has now decided that isn't happening either. In the end, the Android team simply decided to release the beta on June 10 via a blog post and a series of developer-focused videos. Subsequent betas will land in July and then August, followed by the finished release probably in September. After that, different smartphone brands will have their devices eligible for the update slowly over time. The OnePlus 7T and 7T Pro were the first non-Google smartphones which came with Android 10 in the box, but it could be a different company for Android 11. Not all smartphone manufacturers upgrade immediately, however, and it’ll likely be some time in 2021 that all smartphones that can upgrade, have had the upgrade made available. Android 11 featuresWhile we've finally gotten our official look at the Android 11 public beta, that version typically doesn't have all the features introduced in previous developer betas. Ergo, we're still examining what's come out of the various Android 11 Developer Previews, the first of which was unveiled to software developers in mid-February 2020. The latest of these previews has highlighted smart home controls, with Android 11 bringing up toggles for all your supported smart home devices with a long press of the power button. You can see how this would look below. Beyond that, an important Android 11 feature seems to be how apps can now find out if you're on 5G, continuing a feature which lets apps distinguish whether you're on 4G or Wi-Fi connection. This would optimize content and performance for however you're connected, likely stopping you draining loads of data unnecessarily. Additionally, it seems that the notification bar in Android 11 will have its own messaging tab, so notifications from ongoing conversations, or from other apps, will be divided to let you ignore some if you want. Some smartphones let you schedule a night shield, so that past a certain time blue light from the screen is reduced. Well, it seems Android 11 will have a similar function but with dark mode, so you can schedule when dark mode is enabled. Hopefully that also means dark mode will be rolled out to far more An Android 11 feature that will please the security-minded is changed app permissions. Typically, for an app to use your camera, access your contacts, or anything else like that, you need to grant it permission. It seems in Android 11 you can choose to give permission 'Just this once', so you know exactly when the app is accessing other parts of your phone. Google Pixel 3a XL As an extension of this, it seems that the option to give an app location settings access will only be available 'just this once', so you won't be able to give an app carte blanche to check where you are all the time. This will stop apps like Facebook checking where you are all the time. The Android 11 public beta introduced other privacy improvements – like if you haven't opened an app in awhile, its permissions will reset, and users will be prompted to select them again. If you often have trouble lining up your smartphone on its wireless charging pad, it seems Android 11 might come with a fix for that. It'll show you an error message when your phone is poorly aligned, so you know you need to shift the device to get the full charge. Another feature that some people might love? Now, when you're connected to Bluetooth headphones and you turn on Airplane mode, the Bluetooth won't disconnect from everything. This'll save some people a lot of annoying hassle. Before the developer preview, Google also confirmed an Android 11 feature called ‘Scoped Storage’, which was initially meant to be available in Android 10, but Google pushed it back due to complaints from Android developers. Scoped Storage is a new way of organizing what information and files your apps can read – in short, it makes memory read speeds much quicker, improves your security, and stops you needing to give every new app permissions. Google Pixel 4 The third Android 11 developer preview also showed us some more features that might be coming in the future smartphone update. The most important new change is that you can now dismiss all notifications, including those you previously couldn't like Bluetooth alerts, charging reminders and more. This is sure to clean up lots of clutter for some people. The Recents menu is seeing some changes too including an undo button for if you accidentally close an app you didn't mean to, a screenshot button so you can capture a screenshot without actually opening the app, and more. Some buttons are having their sizes tweaked, so you don't accidentally miss them, and the 'Volume' menu is getting changed to 'Sound' for some reason. Also there's an option to hotspot your phone via ethernet cable, not Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, for if you have the right cable to do so. The Android 11 public beta also revealed some notification reorganization: in the notifications drop-down, chats have been grouped into a new 'conversations' section, with prompts to either pop them out into 'Bubbles' or set reminders.
What we want to see in Android 11These are the improvements we'd like to see in Android 11, that we still don't have in the latest build of Google's operating system. 1. A new NFC file-sharing alternativeWith Android 10 came the removal of Android Beam, which let phones share files over NFC. All you had to do was tap phones together to share files, but it's gone now. It'd be useful to have some easy-to-use alternative that lets you share photos, videos, music, or other files just by pressing the phones against each other – at the moment it can be quite a hassle to use a specific app to do so, and Apple's Airdrop is a useful feature that has no equivalent in Android. 2. Improved dark modeDark mode isn't for everyone, but those who use it love it – or they want to, at least, but in Android 10 it has a lot of problems. Firstly, not that many apps have their own dark modes, not even all Google apps, so using your smartphone with dark mode on can often see you jumping straight from dark apps to light ones, and back again. Secondly, on apps that do have dark mode some text isn't color-swapped, and can remain invisible – this actually happens on Google search, so you can't see suggested results. For dark mode to be useful on Android smartphones, it needs to actually be usable for most apps, instead of just an optional toggle here and there. 3. Extended chat 'bubbles'One of the new features of Android 10 was the introduction of chat 'bubbles', similar to Facebook Messenger, laid over the top of other apps, that let you see all your conversations over several apps all in one easy-to-access format. Not all apps are compatible though, and while some of those that you use to message people, there are many that aren't, with only the main text app Messages, and Google Hangouts, compatible. That means if you want to have conversations over various apps, for the most part you're still going to be using those apps. It'd be really useful if more apps became compatible – WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Twitter, and perhaps even dating apps! Then, it'd be incredibly easy to keep on top of your various conversations across all the different apps that fill up your phone.
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| Google Pixel 4a release date, price, specs, news and leaks Posted: 10 Jun 2020 02:24 PM 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 been unveiled. While we'd last expected it to come out alongside the Android 11 beta, now that that's officially launched, we aren't sure when we'll see Google's next mid-range device. In any case, it's long past the time last year when Google surprised everyone by releasing the Pixel 3a and 3a XL in the middle of 2019 as affordable versions of the Pixel 3 and 3 XL retaining 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. Since that's less than a month away, we're crossing our fingers. Cut to the chase
Google Pixel 4a release dateThe 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. Google Pixel 4a priceThe 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 design and displayThe 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. Google Pixel 4a specsWe'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. Google Pixel 4a cameraThen 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 The 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 lifeThe Google Pixel 3a XL A 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's main camera The 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 XL (left) and Google Pixel 4 The 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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| Cyberpunk 2077 release date, price, trailers, gameplay and news Posted: 10 Jun 2020 02:12 PM PDT Cyberpunk 2077 is a massive dystopian RPG from CD Projekt Red, the studio behind the acclaimed Witcher series. After a delay, the game is set to launch on Xbox One, PC, and PS4 on September 17, with a Google Stadia release coming later in the year. Although its release comes towards the end of the current-generation, it looks like Cyberpunk will also move into the next generation, with an Xbox Series X release confirmed and a PS5 one highly likely to follow. Set in Night City, a corporations-controlled metropolis in the Free State of California, Cyberpunk 2077 is set to be a vast open-world game that allows players to play through numerous branching storylines and experience the neon-drenched, gritty cities and futuristic gadgets and weapons associated with the the cyberpunk sci-fi genre. Through an extended Cyberpunk 2077 trailer as well as a hands-off demo at E3 2019, we've had the chance to see some of the scale of the game. But we're likely to get our best look at Cyberpunk 2077 yet during CD Projekt Red's Night City Wire stream that's taking place on June 25. While we wait for that, here's all the news, trailers, and announcements we've had on Cyberpunk 2077 so far. Or, if you can't take the anticipation ahead of the game's 2020 release, check out our thoughts on the Cyberpunk RED tabletop role-playing game instead. Cut to the chase
What is Cyberpunk 2077?Cyberpunk 2077 is a neon cyberpunk game that has The Witcher 3 developer CD Projekt Red moving from a gritty, high fantasy world to an equally gritty, science fiction world metropolis. It's based off the pen-and-paper RPG of the same name, but plays a hell of a lot like The Matrix game we've always wanted. We caught our first peek at the game behind closed doors at E3 2018 – you can check out what we saw in the 48-minute walkthrough video below (in the trailers section). Cyberpunk 2077 is a game that looks vastly different from its developer's The Witcher series, with towering neon skyscrapers, bionic enhancements and a focus on vertical movement rather than wide open plains. It's also all in first-person. At E3 2019 we learned a lot more about the plot of the game, which features the one and only Keanu Reeves. Reeves plays a character named Johnny Silverhand who's embedded in a biochip that's placed in the main character's brain. In order to unlock the secrets to the biochip, what basically becomes the main thread of the game, Silverhand will guide you to Alt Cunningham, the most legendary net runner of all-time. The only problem? She’s dead. But her consciousness lives on the web and you’ll need to do whatever it takes to track her down – including, but not limited to, befriending or eliminating leaders of the biggest gangs in Night City. Cyberpunk 2077 release dateThe Cyberpunk 2077 release date is September 17, 2020. It wasn't always that way, as the game's first official teaser trailer stated it would come out “when it’s ready.” It didn't have a solid date attached to it until the E3 2019 trailer, which gave it an April 16, 2020 launch date. That was the constantly touted Cyberpunk 2077 release date for six months until the latest (and hopefully last) delay. The reason for the Cyberpunk 2077 delay to September isn't because the game isn't done. CD Projekt Red says it's finished, but more time to fine-tune the expansive game is necessary. It is, after all, a massive RPG. Cyberpunk 2077 trailersThe latest Cyberpunk 2077 trailer is a 15-minute deep dive into the game's lore, world, and gameplay. If you don't mind spoiling some of the visual treats in store – including what it's like to actually step into cyberspace – check out the video here. E3 2019 gave us an incredibly slick trailer, with a look at some new characters, weapon-play – including Keanu Reeves, who will be playing the rock star Johnny Silverhand. Get your fix in the trailer below. In March 2019, we got yet another video, this time of the development team gearing up for the E3 2019 showcase event. Those hoping for a 2019 release may want to start to brace themselves however – though the game remains without a release date, the suggestion of the video below is that development is still in full swing, and a release date may be some time away yet: After a veritable truckload of hype, CD Projekt Red released 48 minutes of gameplay footage, based on the demo journalists saw at E3 2018. In it, you'll see what gunplay looks like, character creation and backstory assignment, plus how you'll upgrade yourself via cybernetic enhancements. You'll meet some of the characters in Cyberpunk's seedy crime circuit and explore the city on foot and in vehicles. (Quick warning: the trailer contains nudity, violence and swearing.) We were treated to a Cyberpunk 2077 trailer during E3 2018 which you can watch below:
Cyberpunk 2077 news and featuresComing to Stadia later Cyberpunk 2077 will not be available on Stadia when it launches on Xbox One, PS4 and PC on September 17. This was revealed in an unrelated press release (via ArsTechnica) which states that the Google Stadia version is "set to launch in the same year". Though there's no solid date attached to the Stadia launch, this at least tells us it'll be between September 17 and December 31 2020. Night City Wire The stream was originally scheduled to happen on June 11 but was postponed by CD Projekt Red. M for Mature PS5 and Xbox Series X set to get 'full-blown next-gen' Cyberpunk 2077 – but not at launch “In terms of Microsoft’s console, like I said, we have officially confirmed both the update and the cross-gen availability, meaning that you’ll be able to play the game from the get-go on the next-gen,” CD Projekt SVP of business development Michal Nowakowski said during the call. “However, when it comes to a proper, full-blown next-gen version, that’s going to come later, we haven’t announced when and I don’t have a new comment here on that." So far, Cyberpunk 2077 has only officially been confirmed for Xbox Series X. CD Projekt Red previously confirmed that Cyberpunk 2077 will make use of the Series X's Smart Delivery feature, offering players the chance to upgrade their Xbox One version of Cyberpunk 2077 to an Xbox Series X version for free – and now that decision makes a bit more sense. A CD Projekt Red spokesperson has confirmed to VGC that the “full-blown next-gen version” Nowakowski referred to is the previously announced Xbox Series X upgrade. But what about Sony? CD Projekt seemed to suggest during the earnings call that Cyberpunk 2077 will be coming to PS5 – we can't see why it wouldn't – but that the company is waiting for Sony to make the announcement first. “There’s no official announcement coming from PlayStation so we really can’t confirm or deny anything,” Nowakowski said. “It’s PlayStation that first needs to address these issues and then we’re happy to make a comment, but we can’t jump the gun ahead of them.” Committed to no further delays Hopefully the studio's efforts will be as successful as it hopes and will avoid any delays but, of course, the health and safety of the studio's employees is far more important than that. Submitted for age rating This is an exciting reveal to fans after the game's five month delay and Badowski notes teasingly that the game is "looking better and better with each passing day". Based on ratings for The Witcher 3 and what we know already about Cyberpunk 2077, it seems likely that the game will receive a high age rating. Who are the Tyger Claws? The gang, which also exists in the tabletop RPG of the game, is described in the video as being “a Japanese booster gang" which "settled in the district of Westbrook, also known as ‘Japantown,’ the part of the city where people go when they’re looking for thrills. As they are the protectors of the Japanese community at large, it is thought they are backed up by one of the most powerful megacorporations of Cyberpunk 2077: Arasaka.” The contents of the video haven't been confirmed by CD Projekt Red but adding some credence to it is a Tyger Claws poster over on the official Projekt Red store which describes Tyger Claws as a Night City gang hailing from Japantown. Another gang poster features a group called the Valentinos from the barrio. Grimes tells all in apparent gameplay leak Grimes appeared on a live stream in late February, and spoke about her involvement in Cyberpunk 2077 as the singer / performer Lizzy Wizzy, possibly revealing more than she was meant to, with mention of how her in-game character appears and the rather sci-fi situation she finds herself in. Spoilers below, obviously. The YouTube video was quickly pulled, but this thread on Reddit features a "summary" of what was mentioned (meaning this may not be perfectly verbatim): "I did my voice acting for Lizzy Wizzy, that game is going to be fucking good. I mean I haven’t played it, but I saw someone play an hour of the game. The game was fantastic, and I play a pop star who committed suicide on stage, and they had to quickly come and preform emergency surgery and replace her whole body with cybernetics while she was dead for an hour and then she finished the show as a cyborg. One of the greatest pieces of performance art ever made." Confirmed for Xbox Series X – as a Smart Delivery title The official Twitter account for the game responded to news of Microsoft's new Smart Delivery feature – which allows Xbox owners to access souped-up versions of previously-purchased games, even after switching to a next-gen console – stating that anyone buying Cyberpunk 2077 on Xbox One would get the game for free on Xbox Series X. It's a big incentive to buy early, rather than wait for the improved graphical power of the next-gen console. We doubt PS5 will have the same feature, though you can be sure we'll get official word on the game coming to the next-gen PlayStation console too. As to when the next-gen versions will land? The tweet only says "when available", though we expect it will happen some time in 2021. Nvidia GeForce Now support You'll have to buy Cyberpunk 2077 on Steam before playing it on GeForce Now but this is a big win for Nvidia after losing Activision Blizzard's games. VR not happening Mamais wasn't particularly forthcoming on the topic of a port for Nintendo Switch, either, saying it's unlikely but that similar things had been though of The Witcher 3. “I don’t know if Cyberpunk 2077 would work on the Nintendo Switch. It might be too heavy for it. But then, we did put Witcher 3 on it and we thought that would be too heavy too, but somehow we pulled it off.” Big names on the soundtrack Game map Reddit Q&A reveals more details According to the poster, the game's day and night cycle will have an impact on quests; at certain times of day, for example, a location may be more or less guarded which could impact your likelihood of success. Weather, though, won't have an impact quite so severe although in-game characters will react to it. The game's crime system has been revealed as being similarly dynamic— so police won't jump on you for a small crime like, say, assault on a particular individual. But they will "absolutely try to fry your ass" for more extreme things like causing harm to large groups of people with a gun or vehicle. Quests in the game will be wide-ranging, branching and evolving, even impacting one another. And the game won't necessarily end with the completion of the main story; you can opt to keep playing. Replayability is said to be higher with this game than The Witcher 3. As far as customization goes, the developer has acknowledged that players are interested in car customization but has asked for more patience before saying anything with regards to any plans, while, interestingly, there won't be an option to buy a new apartment. Instead V's apartment will evolve and change depending on the paths that players take when playing the game and it'll feature options within it for customization and expression though what they are has not been confirmed. Post-launch content In an interview with GameSpot at PAX Australia, the head of CDPR's Krakow office, John Mamais said “I think it’s a bad idea to do microtransactions after you release a game. It seems like it’s very profitable, though. It’s probably a hard decision for the guy that runs the business to decide if we should do it or not. But if everyone hates it, why would we do something like that and lose the goodwill of our customers?” As far as Mamais is concerned, the Witcher 3's model which saw free DLC launched with big paid expansions was "a good model" which "worked pretty well." As a result, Mamais added "I don’t see why we wouldn’t try to replicate that model with Cyberpunk 2077. We’re not talking about that yet, but it seems like that would be the smart way to go.” Photo mode? The video shows a scene of the Night City skyline while the symbol of a camera shows briefly. The hashtags on the tweet itself read Capture Cyberpunk and Photos From Night City. This makes a photo mode seem very likely and given it's a feature found in most big budget games these days that may not be entirely surprising. However, the game's first person perspective may present some challenges if CD Projekt Red wishes to allow players to take pictures which will include their fully-customised avatars. No Reeves romance for you What about multiplayer? Character creation will be gender fluid Jonkers said that "you don’t choose your gender anymore. You don’t choose, ‘I want to be a female or male character’ you now choose a body type. Because we want you to feel free to create any character you want." GTA-style radio Coming to Stadia Spin-off card game “The game thrusts players into the dark alleyways of Night City, where ruthless gangs clash with corporations in an endless war for money, power, and control. “In Cyberpunk 2077: Afterlife, players become Fixers, the data brokers and masterminds in Night City that recruit cyberpunks, equip them with gear, and send them out on missions. But nothing's free in Night City. Players need to balance between what they want and what they can actually afford. Using an innovative drafting mechanic and special dashboard, players must decide which cards they want to buy, and which to sacrifice for funds in order to purchase new ones. Each successful mission raises the player's Street Cred, with mission survivors becoming Veterans, imparting their knowledge and experience to newer recruits. In this chrome-infused world, Street Cred is the only currency that truly matters.” Hardcore mode that says goodbye to UI Of course, it’s not just the hardcore players that are being catered to in Cyberpunk 2077; Liu revealed that there will also be modes for those who are less experienced with first person games and shooters and wish to enjoy a more laidback experience. “If you want to play more casually for the story and maybe you’re not experienced with shooters, which was a real big concern for us. We want to tell a story and maybe you’re a big fan of The Witcher and you’re not comfortable playing a shooter, we have settings available for that.” Liu explains that as well as settings for less experienced players, there will also be weapons. The smart gun, for example, will help players to aim. Though it comes at the cost of the smart gun being a weaker and slower weapon. It will, however, be a good start for those looking to get to grips with the aiming system. For those unfamiliar with first person games, there’s also going to be a Field of View slider. Making more of the game world visible through the eyes of the avatar should alleviate that sense of tunnel vision that comes from trading third person view for first person and the potential for nausea this can cause some players. Environmental hazards Settings available for those uncomfortable with FPS Cyberpunk 2077 will look just as good on console as PC "Actually no, we have a very custom engine, the RED Engine," Liu responded. "And actually, we’re targeting consoles as first-class platforms and it looks amazing there. So obviously, if you spent, you know, $2,000 building your PC rig, it’s going to look better on that. But the graphics are quite amazing for what you’re going to get from Cyberpunk 2077 on consoles and low-end PCs." Could we see a movie adaptation in the future? "I can’t really say anything on that," Pondsmith told VGC in response to whether he is optioning the Cyberpunk movie rights. "But with Keanu Reeves being tied up in things, it’s become much more of a possibility." "At this point we are teaching people about this new kind of cyberpunk. My favorite film is Blade Runner, but I recognise inherently that it’s a cerebral film and 2049 was even more cerebral. A cerebral film is not necessarily going to allow other people to enter that space and understand it, but at the same time you don’t want to do it totally action." Keanu Reeves' band gets its first single There may or may not be three games in development Take your pick of protagonists There will be romance There will be no morality system There's more than Night City In an interview with VG247, the Lead Quest Designer, Pawel Sasko, revealed that players will be able to go beyond the walls of the metropolis and explore an area known as the "Badlands". Largely desolate and populated by Nomads, this area will have its own quests. You can even start the game as a Nomad and begin your story outside of the city. Multiple Endings New Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay shown at E3 2019, but not playable Inside Pacifica, two gangs – The Animals and The Voodoo Boys – are fighting for supremacy. In order to meet Bridgitte, the head of the Voodoo Boys, you'll have to first deal with her lieutenant Placide, who wants you to infiltrate The Animals' hideout. Your goal, at least you're told, is to find a high-tech van that's monitoring all the network traffic in Pacifica. To get to this van, you'll have to make your way past The Animals' crew. The reason they're called The Animals, it turns out, is because they take a drug that enhances their muscle mass. To get through them you'll either need to fight your way through – a risky proposition – or sneak your way into the hideout. Customization: perks, skills and attributes The choices are vast, and while they're not completely limitless, CD Projekt Red doesn’t want to confine you to a single play style or set path. The reasoning behind that, it seems, is to better mirror the game’s source material – a 30-year-old tabletop role playing game called Cyberpunk (however, there was also a later edition called Cyberpunk 2020). Behind all of the hacking and gunplay lies a fairly complex RPG – the perks screen we saw during our demo had more than 20 perks to choose from and level up. These perks impact how your character plays, but can also impact what choices you have in conversations with the world’s NPCs. Image Credit: CD Projekt Red Vampire Bloodlines and Deus Ex were inspirations for the game Tomaskiewicz said that games such as Deus Ex, Vampire Bloodlines and Elder Scrolls had influenced him in his work on Cyberpunk 2077's quests. He cites the original Deus Ex as a particular influence and praises the ways in which it gives players the freedom to complete missions in multiple ways. This suggests we can expect a great deal of freedom and complexity and non-linearity in Cyberpunk 2077’s missions as well as in the protagonist you'll be using to cause havoc in the game world which is something quite different from the tight gameplay-loop found in The Witcher. CD Projekt Red is working on two AAA titles – both to be released by 2021 This release window was reaffirmed on the official CD Projekt Red forums, with moderator Donata Popławska confirming the studio is sticking to its original roadmap. "As far as the strategy of the CD Projekt Capital Group for 2016-2021 is concerned, its plans to release the second AAA game by 2021 remain unchanged," the moderator wrote (translated via Resetera user Antiax). However, Popławska did not expand on what the second AAA title to be released in this time frame could be. "We are currently focusing on the production and promotion of Cyberpunk, so we do not want to comment on further projects," they continued. Lady Gaga could be making an appearance? In addition ActuGaming claimed the collaboration would be officially announced at E3 2019, with Gaga rumored to be making an appearance at the gaming convention however that didn't happen. In 2018 Gaga tweeted a strange mix of letters and numbers, which the official Cyberpunk 2077 Twitter account replied to with "Of course! Of course we will!", suggesting the A Star is Born actress would be involved with the game in some way or another. E3 2018 confirmed features It's a first person RPG set in a huge open world known as Night City – a metropolis split into six districts, each offering a different environment to explore. During the demo we only saw a small part of one of them. Players can create their own character called V and embark on their journey to crawl up from the criminal underbelly. This is a dark game and though The Witcher series is mature, this takes it to a new level. As you'd expect, the game lets you augment your body using various bits of tech – illegal or otherwise – and you can use drugs to enhance your combat, or a kind of digital brain-hack called 'Braindance'. We know weapons are wide ranging and seriously creative, with smart guns and bullets as well as terrifying Mantis Blades for melee. There are no loading screens in Cyberpunk 2077 and the story and side quests are branching and numerous, and your choices genuinely impact the outcome. You can read more about how impressed were were by what we saw. Image Credit: CD Projekt Red It will be on Steam It’s going to be bigger than The Witcher 3 In fact, he said that The Witcher 3 was being treated as a learning experience and that they could do better. To do better, the studio has doubled in size with studio head Adam Badowski saying that after The Witcher 3, Cyberpunk 2077 needs to be “even better, even bigger, even more revolutionary” than what had originally been planned. There may be multiplayer The company president said in March 2018 that these elements are not on the table right now, so it's possible that they'll be introduced after the game's release in a sort of online world like GTA Online. There will be online Whether or not the online elements will feed into the multiplayer is unclear. But there won't be microtransactions It appears that while many studios are feeling the need to move to a service model to ensure their titles make money, CD Projekt is staying committed to the story-driven single player experience with Cyberpunk 2077, one which served them very well with The Witcher. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Android 11 beta launches – here are the new features Posted: 10 Jun 2020 01:48 PM PDT The Android 11 beta is finally here for everyone to download, providing an early look at what’s coming when the next big Android update drops for everyone later this year. After cancelling Google IO 2020 over coronavirus concerns, which had been slated for May, the company then planned to unveil the Android 11 beta during an online-only event on June 3 – but that event was postponed due to the Black Lives Matter protests across the world. In the same spirit, Google has foregone an event and quietly launched the Android 11 beta with short-form videos and web pages that users can peruse instead, the Android team explained in a blog post. To download it, click here. Just be aware that the Android 11 beta is only for owners of the Pixel 2 and newer: for the first time, original Google Pixel and Pixel XL owners have been left out. This makes some sense – the Android team only made those phones compatible with last year’s Android 10 (then called Android Q) due to popular demand. In other words, if it’s the end of the road for the original Pixel line’s Android upgrades, this is the first we’re seeing of it. What didn’t we end up seeing? The Google Pixel 4a. After Google IO 2020 was cancelled – which is when we expected the mid-range handset to launch – a rumor suggested it could arrive alongside the public reveal of Android 11. No such luck, and the Pixel 4a remains MIA.
What’s in Android 11?We got our first look at Android 11 when its first developer preview launched in late February, which was earlier than last year. As was introduced then, the public Android 11 beta has made an effort to highlight messaging chats so they don’t get lost in your deluge of alerts. The notification drop-down will get a dedicated ‘conversations’ section, which will have shortcuts to set reminders or even break the chat out in a pop-out ‘Bubble.’ Android 11 also improves keyboard suggestions with apps that use Autotfill and Input Method Editors. Voice control accessibility gets a bit smarter by generating labels and access points that are relevant to what’s happening on the screen. For anyone who commands a bunch of smart home devices from their phone – or even just switches between headphones and speakers – Android 11 has centralized everything under a Device Controls hub, which you can access quickly by long-pressing on the power button. And it wouldn’t be an Android update without tweaks to privacy. By default, if users haven’t fired up an app in awhile, Android 11 will automatically reset its permissions and ask users their preference upon opening next. That’s pretty much it for consumers who download the current build of Android 11 beta, though there’s plenty more for developers in terms of back-end streamlining and other improvements. If you want to dive into the wonky stuff, the Android team has uploaded a series of introductory videos on YouTube that dive into what’s changed in the beta. Want a preview? Here’s an overview of what’s changed for Android devs: This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| PS4 vs Xbox One: which gaming console is better? Posted: 10 Jun 2020 01:03 PM PDT PS4 vs Xbox One: it's a battle that's been going for an entire console generation but which is the winning console for you? If you're looking for a current-generation console but you're not entirely sure what separates Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4 other than their names and some fairly obvious design differences then we're here to help. It's not a straightforward decision, especially as a lot has happened since the current generation of consoles started in 2013 that complicates matters. The mid-generation refresh that added the Xbox One S, Xbox One X and PS4 Pro into the mix gave us a lot more to think about, for one thing—especially those who own 4K TVs. Then there's the next-generation of consoles that's fast approaching in the form of the PS5 and Xbox Series X. They're due to launch at the end of 2020 and are guaranteed to offer a serious power boost over the current-generation. If, however, you've decided that you'd like to take advantage of the still-powerful and increasingly reasonably-priced systems in the current-generation, rather than hold out for what's next, then this is the article you need.
Currently, there are two versions of the PS4 on offer from Sony—the standard slim version, which is capable of HDR playback, and the more expensive 4K-capable PS4 Pro. Microsoft, on the other hand, is now offering three Xbox One consoles: the 4K HDR-ready Xbox One S, the disc drive-free Xbox One S All-Digital Edition, and the ultra-powerful Xbox One X—a console that's not only capable of 4K HDR native gameplay but, in some cases, plays games at 60 frames-per-second too. What that means is if you already own a 4K HDR TV, you should probably opt for a PS4 Pro or Xbox One X to really get the highest visual fidelity from your console. If you're gaming on a 1080p TV, however, an Xbox One S or PS4 Slim make more sense and will cost you less. But what about games themselves? And the entertainment options you've got? How's the online reliability and how are the respective marketplaces? Which platform is easier to get around? Which has better first-party applications? So that you can choose the console that's right for you, we've put the PS4 and Xbox One head to head and will answer these questions and more below. PS4 vs Xbox One price comparisonThe PS4 and Xbox One prices seem to change by the week, with price drops and bundle deals coming and going faster than handheld PlayStation systems. Add in special events, such as Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday, and dedicated storefront sales it can be hard to keep track. While all of these bundles are great for consumers, it can be hard to keep up with the latest pricing info. So, in an effort to cut through the noise, here are the latest prices and bundles for each console. While the original iterations of the Xbox One and PS4 launched in the same month, the console upgrades have been more staggered, adding a little bit more confusion to the Xbox One vs PS4 question. The Xbox One X is the newest and most powerful console, with fewer discounts available. The PS4 Pro, however, is a little older and is therefore easier to pick up at a reduced price. If you want to dial back the cost of either console, check out the latest prices for the Xbox One S and PS4 Slim. Look, we want to save you some time here in your PS4 vs Xbox One deliberations. So the box on the right will take you through some of the finer details of each console with their upgraded models, if that's what you're after. Otherwise, we'll be comparing the ecosystems of each platform in the rest of the article below.
Xbox One vs PS4: hardware and design
Both the Xbox One and the PS4 have different versions that you can buy right now. The PS4 has two and the Xbox One has three. This is different than in the past, when each console existed on its own, and lasted an entire generation. The Xbox One S improved on the design of the original Xbox One by cutting down a lot of the heft, and removing the gigantic power brick, making use of an internal power supply instead. It measures 11.6 x 8.9 x 2.5 inches, and unlike the previous version includes a 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray player – it will even upscale 1080p games to 4K, as long as you have a TV that can support it. However, if you prefer a more streamlined version of the Xbox One S then the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition may be more your cup of tea. The 1TB disc-less console looks and performs like its predecessor but lacks a disc drive - so that means no Blu-ray or physical discs. The Xbox One X might be heftier than the Xbox One S, but it’s still considerably smaller than the original Xbox One, coming in at 11.81 x 9.44 x 2.36 inches and weighing around 8.4 lbs (this console also has an internal power supply). This is the high-powered version of the Xbox One, with native 4K gaming as well as a 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray player (something not even the PS4 Pro can boast). Which console has better specs under the hood?
Starting out on the PS4 side of the equation, the PS4 Slim is straight up the smallest of the major consoles available right now, measuring in at 10.4 x 11.3 x 1.5 inches and serving as the baseline PS4 for most consumers – a complete replacement for the original PlayStation 4. It doesn’t give you 4K resolutions, even for video, but it can still play every game in the impressive PS4 library. The PS4 Pro was the original 4K console, coming out an entire year before the Xbox One X – even if Microsoft's box eventually outpowered it. It measures 12.8 x 11.6 x 2.1 inches. While the PS4 Pro does to at least some extent support native 4K gaming, it doesn’t include a 4K Ultra-HD Blu-Ray Player, an omission that has attracted some flak for Sony. The PS4 Slim is the smallest of the major consoles.
Xbox One vs PS4: connectivity
Depending on how your gaming setup is organised, the connectivity of your console could be an extremely important detail. Both the Xbox One S and X have identical ports, each including two HDMI ports, one for receiving an input from a cable or satellite box, and one that inputs to your TV. On top of those, they’ve each got two USB 3 ports, IR outputs, optical audio out, Ethernet ports and, of course, the power cable – which is compatible with both versions of the Xbox. However, due to the quick and tragic downfall of Kinect, if you want to use a Kinect with either version of the Xbox One you’ll have to go out and get an adapter. The PS4 Pro and PS4 Slim have similar inputs, although they are slightly different. Each has a single HDMI out, a single USB port in the back (two in the front), an Ethernet port, and power. The only difference between the Pro and the Slim is that the Pro has an Optical Audio out, while the Slim drops it. One of the most compelling things about the connectivity of the PS4, however, is that both versions allow users to swap out the internal hard drive with another one of their choice. All versions of both the Xbox One and PS4 support 802.11 ac Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet – so no matter which console you decide on, you won’t have to worry about network compatibility. The Xbox One S now requires an adaptor for the Kinect, though you're unlikely to need one. PS4 and Xbox One are devoid of remarkable characteristics on the front. There's a Blu-ray/DVD combo drive to the left (which can play Ultra HD Blu-rays on the Xbox One S and Xbox One X) and their respective, muted-color logos to the right. PS4 has a pair of USB ports tucked between its sandwich-like halves next to where the disc drive is located. One thing the Xbox One pulls ahead with is smart home integration. 2018 saw Microsoft announce support for Amazon's Alexa voice assistant, meaning your Xbox One can communicate with Amazon's line of Echo smart speakers or other Alexa-enabled devices – and might be a practical alternative to using voice commands through the Kinect. Xbox One vs PS4: is PS4 or Xbox more powerful?
PS4 and Xbox One multiply the power of Xbox 360 and PS3. More importantly, they're built with smarter internal designs, learning from some of the mistakes of last-generation consoles. Chip manufacturer AMD is behind most of these upgrades. Both the original Xbox One and the Xbox One S have a custom, 1.75GHz AMD 8-core CPU, while the Xbox One X bumps that up to a 2.3GHz 8-core chip. The base PS4 CPU remained clocked at 1.6GHz and contains a similar custom AMD 8-core CPU with x86 based architecture, while the PS4 Pro bumps that clock speed up to 2.13GHz. PS4 CPU The original PS4 boasts a 1.84 teraflop GPU that's based on AMD's Radeon technology. Meanwhile the original Xbox One graphics chip, also with an AMD Radeon GPU, had a pipeline for 1.31 teraflops, although this increased to 1.4 teraflops with the Xbox One S and to a whopping 6.0 teraflops on the Xbox One X. The PS4 Pro, meanwhile, has a GPU with a considerably increased 4.2 teraflops of graphical horsepower. When it came to the original consoles, the PS4 won out in terms of raw power, although the Xbox One S closed the gap considerably. Microsoft, with the release of the Xbox One X took the title of "most powerful console" from Sony. PS4 vs Xbox One: RAM
Even more controversial is the memory under the consoles' matte black hoods. It's not the amount of RAM at issue – both are future-proofed with 8GB of RAM – it's the type of RAM used. Both the PS4 and PS4 Pro have a distinct advantage with faster 8GB GDDR5 memory, while both the original Xbox One and the Xbox One S went with the slower bandwidth of the 8GB DDR3 variety. But, wait, there's more to it. Neither system allocates all of that RAM to game developers – some is reserved to run their respective operating systems. PS4 reserves up to 3.5GB for its operating system, leaving developers with 4.5GB, according to the documentation. They can sometimes access an extra 1GB of "flexible" memory when it's available, but that's not guaranteed. God of War (PS4) Xbox One's "guaranteed memory" amounts to a slightly higher 5GB for developers, as Microsoft's multi-layered operating system takes up a steady 3GB. It ekes out a 0.5GB win with more developer-accessible memory than the PS4 consoles, unless you factor in Sony's 1GB of "flexible" memory at certain times – then it's 0.5GB less. Then, you get to the Xbox One X, which blows away the other consoles by offering a drastically higher 12GB of RAM, meaning that game developers have access to a whopping 9GB of RAM for games (which is necessary when playing in native 4K). The consoles currently on the market now have similar AMD architecture at their core, but contrast like apples and oranges when it comes to memory. PS4 vs Xbox One: graphics comparisonIn this section we'll be comparing the graphical performance of the Xbox One S with the base PS4, as well as comparing the more powerful Xbox One X and PS4 Pro consoles. Xbox One X vs PS4 Pro: graphics comparison
FIFA 18 FIFA 18 does very well on the PS4 Pro and the Xbox One X, with native 4K video output available on both. Despite the differences in the specs of the two machines, there isn't too much to separate the two versions of the game. Digital Foundry's analysis of the two versions suggests that the only real difference is a slightly better draw distance for the grass on the Xbox One X version of the game. We'd be wary about drawing too many conclusions about what this says about the relative capabilities of the two consoles. We'd say this is probably a matter of EA having not quite pushed the Xbox One X to the limits of what it's capable of. Middle-earth: Shadow of War It's a completely different story when it comes to Middle Earth: Shadow of War. Although the game doesn't run at native 4K on either console, it runs at a slightly higher resolution of 1980p on the Xbox One X compared to the PS4 Pro's 1620p. Beyond resolution Digital Foundry notes that there are a number of other improvements present on the Xbox One X version of the game. This version has much better textures thanks to the improved memory bandwidth the hardware offers. The overall result is an image that's much clearer overall on Microsoft's console. The Xbox One X version is also more configurable, with the option to turn its Dynamic Resolution mode on and off. We're not sure why you would, since this negatively impacts frame rate in favor of resolution, but it's nice to have the option. Diablo 3 Diablo 3 is another game where Digital Foundry has noted the Xbox One X scores another performance win over the PS4 Pro. Both versions are capable of 4K, but the PS4 Pro dynamically scales down significantly more in outdoor areas. Dynamic scaling is something both consoles do, but it's more of a issue on the PS4 Pro. That said, beyond resolution both games come packing exactly the same textures. Conclusion Overall, the Xbox One X is certainly capable of much better graphics and much greater visual customization than the PS4 Pro thanks to its greater power. Looking at FIFA 18 and Shadow of War together, however, shows that better graphics won’t necessarily be the case across every single game – it's really down to the individual developers. That said, the Xbox One X is certainly the more future-proofed option for those interested in getting the best 4K assets. PS4 vs Xbox One S: graphics comparison
While the Xbox One X appears to have the edge over the PS4 Pro, it's a different story when it comes to the Xbox One S and PS4. A gameplay video on YouTube of GTA 5 pans between the two next-gen versions of the game with a definitive answer. The base PS4 GPU is able to handle more foliage in environments than the base Xbox One. Yes, you literally have to get into the weeds to see the differences, though both the PS4 and Xbox editions of GTA 5 look stellar compared to their last-gen counterparts. In the Metal Gear Solid 5 comparison, there's slightly more clarity to the PS4 version. Specifically, distant textures and moving objects appear softer among the otherwise identical Xbox One visuals. It's a trend we're seeing from PS4 games that achieve a 1080p resolution at 30 or 60 frames per second, when their Xbox One counterparts run at 720p or 900p at 30 or 60 fps. This is a trend that's continuing today, with video analysis, such as the one below, indicating that Battlefield 1 runs at a consistently higher resolution on the PS4 than the Xbox One, with both consoles hitting the same variable 60 fps frame rate. It's a similar story when it comes to Titanfall 2, which likewise runs at a lower resolution on the Xbox One. Overall, the PS4 appears to have the edge on the Xbox One, but both are left in the dust by their more powerful younger siblings. Xbox One vs PS4 price difference
On release, the PS4 price was the more tempting deal: $399 (£349.99 / AU$549) for the console and DualShock 4 controller. The Xbox One was relatively expensive, at $499 (£429 / AU$499) for the system, Xbox One controller and Kinect. But now, after several price drops from both consoles (not to mention now that the Xbox One has dropped its compulsory Kinect peripheral), the two consoles are much more evenly matched. Typically we'll see the PS4 priced at around $299/£249 and the Xbox One S at around £149/£199. In the most recent Black Friday sales, we seen the Xbox One S All-Digital hovering around the $100/£100 mark while the PS4 remained around $100 more expensive at $199. However, these prices are often in flux and, with the next-gen consoles releasing in late 2020, we expect to see Xbox One bundles and PS4 bundles dropping considerably over the next year. In terms of the more powerful PS4 Pro and the Xbox One X, the Xbox One X is more expensive, with an RRP of $499 rather than the PS4 Pro's $399. Xbox One vs PS4 What's in the box?
At launch, Xbox One came with the console, a controller and the Kinect camera – which bumped up the price while annoying many who weren't impressed by the motion capture tech. Subsequent Xbox One bundles included Forza Horizon 3 or FIFA 17 for the same price, while newer, cheaper systems have eliminating Kinect completely while promoting the latest Xbox games – such as Forza Horizon 4. Both the Xbox One S and Xbox One X boxes contains an HDMI cable and 14-day free trial for Microsoft's Xbox Live Gold online service. There's no USB charging cable, as the Xbox One controller uses batteries out of the box. However, while the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition box comes with all this, it also includes three digital game downloads and a free trial of Xbox Game Pass - Microsoft's game subscription service. Inside both the PS4 and PS4 Pro boxes are the consoles and a single DualShock 4 controller. Wires include an HDMI cable (Sony learned its lesson after backlash for not including one with the PS3) and a micro-USB cable for the controller. Don't throw out the box right away. Tucked inside is a 30-day subscription to PlayStation Plus and a wired mono earbud. You'll get much better sound out of a full-size gaming headset, but it's nice to have a basic one included. Xbox One vs PS4: the controllersXbox One
When you’re comparing controllers between the PS4 and Xbox One, you should consider size, comfort, and battery life – but, even beyond these aspects, personal preference is going to go a long way. The good news is that both conform to your hands better versus the less ergonomic Xbox 360 and PS3 versions. Microsoft, even further from just improving on the Xbox 360 controller for the Xbox One’s basic controller, released the Xbox Elite Wireless controller back in 2015. This gamepad, directed towards pro gamers, includes four back pedals, two settings for the left and right shoulder buttons, swappable analog sticks and a new and improved D-pad. All of these amazing features come at a premium though, costing $149 or £119. There's also a newer version of the pro gamepad available with the Xbox Elite Wireless Series 2 controller, which improves greatly on its predecessor but will cost you £159 or $179. Sony's DualShock 4 also improves on the previous generation. The handles of the PS4 controller are a lot easier to grip and are more comfortable when playing for extended periods. Plus, the analog sticks now have a nice divot, making precise movements a lot easier. PS4 DualShock 4 Controller With the newer DualShock 4 that's come out alongside the slimline PS4, the controller has seen a further improvement with the addition of a wired connectivity mode, which eliminates the input lag associated with Bluetooth connections. The PS4 controller's front touchpad and mono speaker are a unique way to interact with games, and developers are starting to find ways to adopt this technology into their control schemes. Which controller is better? There's a lot of satisfaction with the PS4 gamepad, but that may have more to do with people's surprise at how much more comfortable the DualShock 4 is compared to the DualShock 3 – that wow factor may eventually wear away. It also comes with a rechargeable battery pack, rather than relying on AA batteries, as the Xbox One controllers do. The Xbox One vs PS4 controller comparison ends up being a matter of taste. Some gamers are accustomed to Sony's parallel dual analog sticks, while plenty of others opt for offset analog sticks that have been part of the Xbox universe since the beginning. PlayStation Camera and Kinect Xbox One Kinect vs PS4 Camera
Back when the PS4 and the Xbox One launched, their respective cameras were hailed as being one of the most important aspects of the machines. However, in the years that followed, both Microsoft's Kinect and Sony's PS4 Camera have fallen out of favor and popularity. The latter has gained a new lease on life as an essential part of the PlayStation VR ecosystem, but outside of this remains almost entirely unused. That's a shame because, at one point, the new Kinect technology looked very promising, tracking up to six skeletons at once and processing 2GB of data per second. It could even pick up heart rates, facial expressions and 25 joints, thumbs included. The camera's 60% wider field of vision compared to the Xbox 360 Kinect remedied the annoying "stand 6 feet away" error messages we experienced last time around. Xbox One Kinect was certainly powerful, it just needed more games. Right now, there are few reasons to keep the 1080p camera plugged in, especially since the whole platform has been shuttered. Xbox One and Kinect camera The PlayStation camera doesn't have as much to offer at this point either, but it's hard to find in stock. Formerly called the PlayStation Eye, it features two 1,280 x 800-pixel cameras in a body that's slimmer than the Kinect. The included robot mini-game The Playroom has been updated since the console launch, but little else besides the Just Dance series requires the device. You will, however, need a PlayStation camera if you want to use a PlayStation VR, since the headset uses the camera to know where your head is. With the PSVR, the camera has fast-changed from an optional accessory to an essential piece of kit. - though you'll find it comes bundled in with a PSVR starter pack. The best PS4 and Xbox One games
Both the PS4 and Xbox One now have substantial games libraries. The PS4 has just over 2,000, of which over 299 are PS4 exclusives, while the Xbox One has about nearly 2,000 games – with less half the number of exclusives the PS4 has. The Halo and Gears of War series stand above all others on Xbox One if you're into shooter games, and Cuphead features some fantastic, colorful boss battle action. Halo: The Master Chief Collection lets us relive all the old classics, although the experience was somewhat spoiled by a number of technical problems that have never been fully solved. But, it’s with its exclusive racing games that the Xbox One really excels, with the Forza Motorsport and Horizon titles being excellent entries in the series. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare One Xbox One game on the horizon that we're excited to play is Halo Infinite, which is sure to be one of the best games on the Xbox One. Microsoft's number of exclusives pales compares to Sony, though the former is clearly making a concerted effort to amend this with the creation of five new gaming studios and numerous acquisitions. Either way, the quality and quantity of Sony's exclusives have really impressed us this generation. We awarded Uncharted 4 a 'Play it Now' rating, the highest on the previous TechRadar scoring system. More recently, the thought provoking The Last Guardian and the gorgeous Horizon Zero Dawn also impressed. Finally, remasters of The Last of Us and Shadow of the Colossus round out what is a very impressive series of PS4 exclusives – but, trust us, there are plenty more where those came from. Want to say up-to-date on the latest top titles on each platform? Don't miss our round-ups of the Best PS4 Games and Best Xbox One Games! Fez (2012) Indie games on PS4 and Xbox One
Our most-wanted PS4 games list doesn't end there, because Sony got out in front of supporting independent game developers. Octodad: Dadliest Catch (Young Horses) and Transistor (Supergiant Games) came to Sony's console years ago. Meanwhile, the Xbox One has also seen some excellent smaller games, including Ori and the Blind Forest. Xbox Game Pass has also give these indie gems a much bigger platform that allows players to try out titles they maybe wouldn't have otherwise. Indie games have exploded on each console over the last few years, thanks to both Sony and Microsoft enacting policies and releasing tools that all but eliminates the barrier to entry of developing for each system. Xbox One vs PS4: media
In the past with Sony’s PS2 and PS3 consoles, they built a huge audience just by virtue of those consoles doubling as DVD and Blu-ray players that were priced competitively with standalone devices at launch. That's what makes it so shocking that Microsoft has beaten them to the punch this time around, with the Xbox One S and Xbox One X being the first consoles to feature Ultra-HD Blu-ray compatibility . Ultra HD Blu-rays are the latest and greatest disc format, and offer the best audio and video quality if you're looking to watch movies at home. The amount of discs available is slightly thin on the ground as it currently stands, but the situation is sure to improve in the future as the number of 4K releases ramps up. Of course, streaming is now the dominant way of consuming media at home, and the Xbox One S, the Xbox One X and the PS4 Pro are all able to handle 4K streams from the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime. The limitations of streaming mean that the image quality won't quite be as good as physical media, but it's a much cheaper way to access 4K content. We'll delve into more detail about the availability of apps for each console below. Xbox One UI Xbox One vs PS4: apps
The Xbox 360 and PS3 proved to be more than just gaming machines, and Xbox One and PS4 are no different. Of course, most third-party apps are shared across both platforms. One key difference between the consoles as they currently stand is access to 4K streaming services. While you'll have to opt for the more expensive PS4 Pro if you want 4K streaming services on a Sony console, both the Xbox One S and X are capable of 4K streaming. In terms of the apps themselves, all next-gen gamers have access to Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Spotify, Hulu Plus, Crackle, Vudu and Redbox Instant as well as baseball subscription service MLB.TV. Xbox One corners the app-filled market with ESPN, Fox Now, FX Now, NFL, TED, The CW, Twitch, Univision Deportes, Verizon FiOS TV and YouTube. It also has Microsoft's own OneDrive, Skype and Xbox Music and Xbox Video services. That contrasts with PS4. Sony's console features Crunchyroll, Epix, NBA Gametime, NHL GameCenter Live, YuppTV, the WWE Network, VidZone, and Sony’s own foray into being a cable provider with PlayStation Vue. Initially, Xbox One had first access to HBO Go before PS4, but now both consoles have the premium channel as an app – at least, if your cable provider in the US isn't Comcast. And, even if it is, both systems now support HBO Now, which lets you view HBO programming without a cable subscription. More niche apps are expected as time goes on, so this is hardly the final list of apps for Xbox One and PS4. Are PS4 and Xbox One backward compatible?
The Xbox One vs PS4 comparison first got really interesting at E3 2015. After teasing Xbox 360 emulation, Microsoft announced Xbox One backward compatibility for Xbox 360 games. This was expanded to original Xbox games at E3 2017. "We won't charge you to play the games you already own," jabbed Microsoft at Sony during its E3 press conference. Over 400 disc and downloadable Xbox 360 and Xbox titles will work on Xbox One, and the features of the newer console – like streaming and taking screenshots – crosses over to older games. Microsoft launched Xbox One backward compatibility in November 2015, and a recent update saw its functionality expanded to include multi-disc games. Since then, the manufacturer has continued to bring more and more games to the console. Microsoft's game subscription service, Xbox Game Pass, has allowed subscribers to delve into hundreds of Xbox games from past and present, bringing a large number of Xbox titles to one platform. Sony's PlayStation Now service, meanwhile, is a streaming service that costs money to rent games. That's a bummer if you already paid for The Last of Us, God of War: Ascension, Dead Space 3 and Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes on the PS3. It also relies on streaming, meaning that the quality of your gameplay experience will vary based on the bandwidth of your internet connection. Sony has expanded its video game streaming service to PS Vita, PC and PlayStation TV, and has even stretched to include Sony and Samsung made TVs. The service now includes PS1, PS2 and PS4 games in addition to the previously PS3-only lineup. None of these options are foolproof yet. That means you'll need to keep your Xbox 360 and PS3 in order to play more niche games that haven't been made backwards compatible on Xbox One or haven't been added to PlayStation Now. You can't sell the old systems, and that means people won't be able to readily buy them – they're more likely to purchase them directly from Microsoft and Sony. This is something both companies seem to have taken on board as backwards compatibility as become a vital element of next-gen consoles. PlayStation Now Xbox One vs PS4: other differences
The look of the console, the feel of the controller and the appeal of the games list are the main differences from which consumers will decide between the PS4 and the Xbox One. However, there are other factors at play one should consider before buying into a new system. At the top of that list is a significant question: where do most of your friends play? While limited cross-platform multiplayer options are rolling out, you don't want to be split up from your friends when playing the top titles on either platform. Both Microsoft and Sony are charging for multiplayer this console generation, whereas PS3 gamers got to log into matches scott-free. Sony sadly moved closer to Microsoft in this way, while Microsoft moved closer to Sony by tearing down the Xbox Live app paywall. You no longer have to subscribe to stream Netflix and other apps. The PS4 vs Xbox One comparison has evolved in the past few years, mostly because Microsoft's plans have shifted: from Xbox One price drops to more lenient paywall policies to graphics specs upgrades. These two current-gen consoles are now on a more even playing field, making the choice harder. PS4 vs Xbox One: make your choiceNow that we've taken you through the positives and negatives of each console you've probably got a good idea of which is the one for you. If we go by numbers, the PS4 has won this console war, selling 102 million units and becoming the second best-selling console behind the PS2. Meanwhile, Microsoft won't reveal the Xbox One sales, but they're predicted to be between 30 and 70 million. The PS4 may not be as powerful as the Xbox but, for its game library alone, we would say it's the better of the two. But really it comes down to your priorities when it comes to a console. Fortunately, we're not going to leave you hanging there – further down you'll find the best deals available for each console to help you take your decision to its final destination. Decided that the PS4 and Sony's attractive exclusives are perfect for you? Below you'll find the best PlayStation 4 deals you can get at the moment. Is it the Xbox One that's won you over? We understand, that 4K Blu-ray player is hard to resist. There are some fantastic deals on the latest model of Microsoft's consoles and below you'll find the latest and greatest: This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| LG's latest Cinebeam projector is ultra-affordable – but there's a catch Posted: 10 Jun 2020 12:57 PM PDT LG is expanding its Cinebeam line of home cinema projectors with the new LG PH30N that will launch on June 10 for just $399 (around £300, AU$600). The LG PH30N joins the rest of the Cinebeam lineup that includes the excellent LG HU70, HU80 and HU85 – but differs from them all in one key area: resolution. While all of the other Cinebeam projectors offer 4K at a resolution of 3840 x 2160, the PH30N will only do a 1280 x 720 HD resolution up to 100 inches with a lower peak brightness of 250 lumens. That said, considering that the LG HU80 and LG HU85 costs £2,000 (around $2,400 / AU$3,600) and $6,000 (around £4,860, AU$8,750), respectively, you’re saving a boatload of cash by buying the newer, cheaper model. The other positive aspect about the LG PH30N is that, while it can’t contend with its 4K brethren in terms of resolution or brightness, it can operate on battery power for around two hours before needing to be recharged and, at 1.1 lbs, it can be transported fairly easily. A projector for every budgetThe latest LG Cinebeam projector is all about affordability and creating a product that fits every kind of customer – some stuff for the hardcore cinephiles and others for the home entertainment enthusiasts looking to get their feet wet for the first time with projection equipment. The LG PH30N is definitely the latter than the former. We'll have to test the projector out in our own homes before we can make any sort of conclusion about its performance, but for those looking for a cheap, portable projector for an outdoor movie night, this very well might work.
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| Best all-in-one printer of 2020: top printers with scanning, faxing and more Posted: 10 Jun 2020 12:38 PM PDT With many of us now needing to work from home, getting your hands on one of the best all-in-one printer options around today could solve a number of issues. Due to the current coronavirus (aka COVID 19) lockdown, a lot of companies have arrangements to accommodate remote working, helping reduce the spread of the coronavirus while also limiting the impact on productivity. Here we feature the best all-in-one printers of today, but if you're looking to spruce up your entire home office, check out our full guide to everything you need when working from home. So if you're on the hunt for the best all-in-one (AIO) printer on sale in 2020, then you've come to the right place. The best multi function printers (or MFP) you'll find on this page prove that these devices aren't just jacks of all trades. In fact, the best all-in-one printers are adept at printing, scanning, photocopying and even faxing and emailing, while saving you space and money by only needing to buy one device. The best all-in-one printers, therefore, are ideal for small and medium businesses where office space is a premium. These devices are able to handle the jobs that used to require three or more separate units, and modern all-in-one printers can handle each job as well as a standalone device would. The best integrated printers may also be good choices for domestic users as well. They are ideal for home offices, but they can also help the kids with their homework as well. In this list, you'll find compact and affordable devices that are ideal for home use, as well as more powerful products that can handle large workloads, which is essential for modern offices. Each product on this best all-in-one printer guide does an excellent job of all the tasks it's built for, be it printing off documents, photo copying files or scanning images to edit on a PC. You'll still get excellent print, scan and fax quality, and our list of the best all-in-one printers will make sure you get the perfect device for your needs. Best all-in-one printer at a glance
Best all-in-one printer 2020Like many of Canon’s inkjet printers, this compact all-in-one device uses five separate ink cartridges to deliver vivid and natural-looking photographs on glossy paper. It also has a handy SD Card reader for photographers. But it is also well equipped for use in the office. There’s a fax facility for those that need it, an automatic document feeder and high-res scanner. The print speed is a little slow, even for an inkjet, but it is very easy to use thanks to its large touchscreen interface and both Bluetooth and Wi-fi connectivity. All this in a unit that could fit inside a filing cabinet.
This boxy all-in-one won’t win any beauty contests, but the impressive feature set is more attractive. It can hold 150-sheets of paper with another 35 in the automatic document feeder and it can churn them at a faster rate than many laser printers. Being an inkjet, its colour and photo performance is strong and also economical, particularly if you upgrade to Epson’s high capacity cartridges. Every feature we can think of, from faxing to cloud printing is covered by this competent four-in-one.
This all-singing all-in-one comes with a long list of features and equally impressive specifications. The paper tray can hold 250 sheets and the automatic document feeder, another 50. It’s maximum print speed can rival laser printers and the cost per page is only a little higher if you buy the high capacity inkjet carts. Colour prints look bold and bright, but this machine’s party trick is its ability to print on A3-size paper.
If you have the space for it, this multifunction device will serve a small business well thanks to its consistently crisp print quality, useful 35-sheet automatic document feeder and automated photocopying skills. This is a mono machine and it’s not the fastest laser on the block, but it’s quicker than any inkjet and offers an attractive blend of features and performance.
This compact and affordable all-in-one can print, scan and photocopy, but its real strength is in printing photos on photo paper. To meet the price point, it’s fairly light on features, so there’s no Ethernet port, or front USB port for example and it prints very slowly, but the results are rather good when it comes to full colour photos. The supplied starter cartridges are rather light on ink, but if you replace them with high-capacity carts, then the running cost is fairly competitive too. Lexmark’s heavy duty all-in-one is a reliable workhorse for the busy home office, or small business. There’s plenty of room for paper and toner, so the recommended monthly duty of 250-2,500 is realistic. With duplex scanning as well as printing it makes a first class photocopier. It’s not the fastest laser printer out there, but a wealth of security features and an easy interface more than makes up for the shortfall. Brother’s broad range of business-like all-in-ones includes both laser and inkjet models and sometimes the line between them is blurred. This feature-packed four-in-one device prints as quickly as a laser and has a high capacity for ink and paper, but being an inkjet, it’s also very good at printing photos. It’s also a little smaller than an equivalent laser model and you’d be hard pressed to find a laser at this price that can handle A3 paper.
Aimed at the small to medium business, this feature-packed all in one feels well made and looks great on paper too. The print speed is impressive and there’s room for 250 sheets of paper in the main tray, plus 50 more in the multipurpose tray. It makes a fine photocopier with dual-sided scanning and duplex printing and though it might seem expensive, it comes with enough toner to keep your workforce printing for up to 6,300 mono, or 5,000 colour pages.
If you can find room in your office for this substantial four-in-one laser device, it will almost certainly meet your printing, scanning and copying requirements. It has a very high capacity for toner and paper, with room for 550 sheets in the main paper tray and another 150 in its multipurpose tray. It photocopies and prints very quickly and the large touchscreen interface is the most sophisticated you will find on the front of any printer.
This large black box contains everything a small business could need from a multifunction device. Aside from faxing, printing, scanning and copying, it has a fast and reliable automatic document feeder and a large colour touchscreen. The two paper trays can hold 500 sheets of paper making it ideal for high workloads and for an inkjet, it can churn them out at a remarkable rate. The print quality in both colour and mono is equally impressive.
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| All mobile networks vulnerable to DoS, impersonation and fraud attacks Posted: 10 Jun 2020 12:24 PM PDT As a result of security vulnerabilities in the GTP protocol, all mobile networks are vulnerable to denial of service (DoS), impersonation and fraud attacks based on new research from Positive Technologies. The firm's new Vulnerabilities in LTE and 5G networks 2020 report highlights the cybersecurity risks to networks that utilize the GTP protocol which is used to transmit user data and control traffic on 2G, 3G and 4G networks. However, non-standalone 5G networks are also vulnerable. Tests conducted by Positive Technologies' experts show that network equipment used in these networks are vulnerable to DoS attacks. DoS attacks against network equipment are far worse than those targeting specific users as a large number of people could lose connectivity following a successful attack. These attacks could be especially dangerous for 5G networks as IoT devices including industrial equipment, smart homes and even city infrastructure will also be affected.
GTP protocolThrough the GTP protocol, networks were also vulnerable to impersonation attacks where a cybercriminal assumes the identity of a subscriber to get authorized access to online services in order to bypass two factor authentication. At the same time though, fraudsters can also launch these attacks to perform mobile traffic drain for fake roamers and make a network operator pay for it. Faults in the GTP protocol directly impact most 5G networks because they are non-standalone and deployed on the EPC core network meaning they have the same vulnerabilities. The GTP protocol will also be used in standalone 5G architecture, so even when new networks are developed, security will remain a key issue. Positive Technologies' CTO Dmitry Kurbatov provided further insight on the report's findings in a press release, saying: “Every network tested was found to be vulnerable to DoS, impersonation and fraud. In practice, this means that attackers could interfere with network equipment and leave an entire city without communications, defraud operators and customers, impersonate users to access various resources, and make operators pay for non-existent roaming services. Moreover, the risk level is very high: some of these attacks can be performed using just a mobile phone.” This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best workgroup printer 2020: the top printers for busy offices Posted: 10 Jun 2020 11:32 AM PDT If you're looking for the best workgroup printers for your busy office, then you've come to the right place. The best workgroup printers are ideal for large networks in offices, where a large number of PCs need to connect to the printer. This means the best workgroup printers are faster and powerful, with plenty of on-board memory to store jobs as they are queued. Having a decent amount of RAM, and a fast processor, means they can handle even the most demanding of workloads throughout the day. Of course, because they are best suited to busy offices, they also need to be able to handle printing out large numbers of documents every month as well. So, speed is important, as well as large trays to hold paper, and they need to be able to offer top-notch print quality as well. Of course, all the best workgroup printers will have network connections, either wired via Ethernet or Wi-Fi (or preferably both for maximum flexibility). So, read on for our pick of the best workgroup printers, and let our built-in price comparison tool help find you the best deals as well. With a print speed of 55 pages per minute and room for a whole ream of paper on board, this compact device can keep a large work group printing continuously. While the initial outlay for this monochrome device is high, its running costs are impressively low, so you should find you save money in the long run. Although it only prints in black and white, the print quality is superb.
Who says a workgroup printer has to be big and bulky? The Brother HL-L5100DN is a compact printer, but don't be put off – this little workgroup printer can handle plenty of jobs, with a high print speed and large paper capacity. It does lack some features, however, such as Wi-Fi, so you'll need to make sure you can plug it in to your wired network. But for small offices where space is a premium, this is one of the best workgroup printers you can buy – and it's pretty cheap to run as well!
It might seem expensive for a desktop device, but this colour laser printer comes with impressive specifications and a slick smartphone-style interface. It already has a huge capacity for paper thanks to the 550-sheet tray, but you can double that by adding a second tray. Xerox includes a generous amount of toner too, enough for 2,000 colour or 3,000 mono pages. The five-inch touchscreen makes setup and operation simple and while Wi-Fi is not fitted as standard, it’s a simple £50 upgrade. Most importantly, the print quality is excellent with the Pantone-approved colours really making your documents stand out.
Kyocera’s printer comes with a capacity for 500 sheets of paper and large toner cartridges, which makes it suitable for a big workgroup or a busy home office. It prints quickly in duplex mode and runs very quietly too. If you're expecting your office to go through a lot of printouts every month, then the fact that the Kyocera Ecosys P6230cdn is built to handle large volumes without you having to restock either paper or toner makes this one of the best workgroup printers money can buy.
The HP LaserJet Pro MFP M227fdw is a brilliant multifunction device that's one of the best workgroup printers for small and medium-sized businesses. It boasts excellent print quality and very fast print speeds, plus the 300 sheet paper capacity should mean even the busiest of offices shouldn't have to keep refilling the printer too often. It only prints in mono, however, and it's not the fastest laser printer in the world, but it offers a good selection of features for the price.
Canon’s multifunction laser printer has great build quality, a stylish design (as far as printers are go, anyway), and offers plenty of features for printing securely in a large workgroup. You can also scan, copy and fax wirelessly from this device as well. The large touchscreen control panel makes it easy to set up and use, and while it is quite noisey, the print speeds are nice and fast. Though the initial cost is high, it comes with enough toner for up to 6,300 mono, or 5,000 colour pages. This means you shouldn't have to refill for a while.
This unassuming square box provides an affordable means of churning out monochrome pages in a busy small office atmosphere. It can hold 250 sheets of paper and a toner cartridge capable of delivering up to 6,000 printed pages, which makes it one of the best workgroup printers around, especially for smaller offices where you don't want to spend a fortune on a printer. The included starter cartridge can manage only 700 pages, but by including all of the key features, such a Wi-Fi, duplex printing and robust security at a competitive price, we can strongly recommend it. Ricoh’s colour printer comes with the essential features, such as Wi-Fi connectivity, duplex mode and secure printing built in, which makes it an ideal workgroup printer. Speed isn't the fastest, nor is the 250 sheet capacity the largest, but print quality if fantastic – and don't forget this printer will print in both mono and color.
If you need an all-in-one device to serve a small workgroup in a small office, this inexpensive laser printer makes a lot of sense. If it looks a little top-heavy, that’s because the impressively small footprint isn’t much larger than a sheet of A4. But that doesn’t stop it from swallowing 250 sheets of paper and offering an automatic document feeder that can hold 50 more. Lexmark includes enough black toner for a somewhat stingy 700 monochrome prints, but high capacity replacements are available that can print 6,000 pages. With duplex printing, Wi-Fi and security features included, it can do nearly everything a much more expensive MFD can.
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| Best wireless printers of 2020: top picks for printing from your smartphone Posted: 10 Jun 2020 11:25 AM PDT If you're looking for the best wireless printers of 2020, then you've come to the right place. On this page we've listed the top Wi-Fi and Bluetooth printers that allow you to set them up anywhere in your home or office and print from your mobile devices. So, while the best wireless printers can be used by your laptops and PCs, they are also great for printing directly from your smartphone or tablet as well. The best wireless printers are also easy to setup and install, as you don't need to wire them up to your devices, so there's no trailing cables throughout your building. Of course, by being connected to your network - albeit wirelessly - these printers benefit from advanced network features as well. So, every PC on your network can print to them, making them ideal for businesses, and many allow you to scan and email documents directly from the wireless printer itself. So, read on to find out our choice of the best wireless printers money can buy, and thanks to our very own price comparison tool, you'll also get the best prices.
Canon’s compact small-in-one hides a wealth of features from a fax, to a 20-sheet automatic document feeder. It’s exceptionally well connected too with both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth built in, so that you can quickly connect a mobile device and print or scan using the excellent companion app. Printing and scanning via the cloud has never been so simple and photos look satisfyingly vivid with Canon’s five-cartridge system.
With all the functionality a small business could need, this feature-packed inkjet can do anything from sending a fax, to saving a scan to the cloud. Most surprisingly, given its A4-size footprint, is its ability to print on A3 paper. Wi-Fi is built in and Brother’s companion iOS/Android app makes wireless printing a breeze. It prints clearly in monochrome, while colour photos look quite vibrant on photo paper. The touchscreen is rather small and it’s not as fast as a laser printer, but it strikes a good balance between performance and features.
If you have the space for it, this multifunction device will serve a small business well thanks to its consistently crisp print quality, useful 35-sheet automatic document feeder and automated photocopying skills. With both Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity built in, it makes mobile printing via the excellent HP mobile app especially easy. This is a mono machine and it’s not the fastest laser on the block, but it’s quicker than any inkjet and offers an attractive blend of features and performance.
Despite being the worlds smallest A3 laser printer, this groundbreaking device is loaded with features including Wi-Fi and NFC wireless connectivity. It’s small enough to sit on a desk and yet, big enough to hold 300 sheets of A3 paper in its main paper tray. It can even accept rolls of banner paper 1.3 meters long via a rear input slot. As you might expect from a laser printer with LED technology, its fast and economical to run, if a little expensive to buy. With such consistently high print quality, however, that price is fully justified.
This satisfyingly small and attractively designed all-in-one inkjet offers everything you are likely to need in your home office. It can print and scan at a high enough resolution to provide crisp and accurate colour photocopies using five inkjet cartridges instead of the usual four. The extra one is a pigment black, for more durable mono prints. It’s also blessed with a touchscreen interface and not only Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct connectivity, but Bluetooth as well. Duplex A3 printing is not something many affordable inkjet printers can manage, but this capable device does it well and it can hold a whole ream of paper in its dual paper trays. It also boasts Wi-Fi Direct and NFC connectivity for making a quick wireless connection and printing via your smartphone. It’s a pity the supplied Epson Durabright startup ink cartridges are rather limiting, but when you switch to XL capacity replacements it becomes more economical to run. It certainly has a high capacity for paper with room for a whole ream on board.
Brother has endowed this hefty laser printer with all the features a small business might need. It can hold 300 sheets of paper and turn out mono or colour pages at the rate of 31 per minute. There’s a fax facility and electronic document feed for automated tasks. It also makes wireless printing from a mobile device, or scanning documents to the cloud very easy using its built in Wi-Fi and a slick iOS/Android companion app. Both Google Cloud Cloud and AirPrint are covered.
Laser printers tend to be a lot larger than their inkjet cousins, but HP has turned that on its head with this toaster-sized device. It can only print single-side mono pages, but it can do it more quickly and economically than most inkjets and it’s small enough to carry around with you. You can connect via Wi-Fi, or Wi-Fi direct for wireless printing via AirPrint, or Google Cloud Print. The slick iOS/Android app by HP can help you with this.
At less than £40 (around $52), this three-in-one printer is something of a steal. Of course the catch comes with the relatively high price of the inkjet cartridges, but if you take out HP’s Instant Ink subscription, even this cost drops. The printer itself is rather flimsy, but it’s well kitted out with Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct built in for easy wireless access via the rather good HP companion app.
Epson’s conveniently compact three-in-one printer includes useful features like an SD Card slot, duplex printing and Wi-Fi Direct (as well as Wi-Fi) at a very reasonable price point. Expensive inkjet cartridges make it uneconomical for the busy office, but for occasional use, this is a very easy and reliable wireless printer that can turn out black and white pages surprisingly quickly.
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| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Season 4 start date, delay and battle pass Posted: 10 Jun 2020 11:12 AM PDT Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Season 4 was supposed to begin on June 3, however, publisher Activision briefly delayed the content update due to the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests in America and across the world. Now, thanks to a new tweet from Infinity Ward, we know that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Season 4 will officially start on June 10th at 11pm PDT or 7am BST. That's just a few hours before Sony's PS5 games reveal, though, so don't stay up too late playing and miss it. When does Call of Duty Season 4 start?Thanks to a new tweet, we can confirm that the new season drops on June 10th at 11pm PDT or 7am BST. The content for the update was finished a few weeks ago and is now ready to go live. What will Call of Duty Season 4 include?A few days before Season 4’s previous release date of June 3, Call of Duty’s official Twitter account shared a new teaser trailer which appeared to show additional story content for Modern Warfare’s single-player campaign. Season 4 is also set to introduce new weapons and operators for players to enjoy (most notably series’ stalwart, Captain Price), along with a plethora of unlockable customization items for the game’s popular Warzone mode. We got a glimpse of a potential new multiplayer map, too, and there are various rumors that the Vector SMG will return, which was first seen in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. How much is the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Season 4 battle pass?If previous seasons are anything to go by, the battle pass for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Season 4 should cost $9.99 or 1,000 COD Points. The pass tends to offer 100 tiers for players to work through, and it’s filled with new operators, customizations and timed XP boosts to unlock. You can also earn COD Points from the battle pass itself, which means you can essentially re-earn the money you paid for the pass. Want to get a head start? There’s usually a battle pass bundle for $19.99 or 2,400 COD Points which lets you skip 20 tiers and unlock some unique skins and items in the process. Honestly, though, it’s easy to make your way through the tiers without much trouble, particularly if you’re a half-decent player. The wait for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Season 4 might be frustrating for some fans to endure, but it looks like it will be a sizable update that should keep players entertained for many hours to come. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Email is still the biggest security risk around today Posted: 10 Jun 2020 10:30 AM PDT New research from Mimecast has revealed that 60 percent of organizations expect to suffer an email-borne attack in the coming year, highlighting the fact email continues to be the most popular attack vector among cybercriminals. To compile its fourth-annual State of Email Security 2020 report, the email and data security company surveyed 1,025 global IT decision makers on the current state of cybersecurity. The report also contains Mimecast's analysis from the first 100 days of the coronavirus outbreak to show how cybercriminals have leveraged the public health crisis for their own gain. Of those surveyed, 77 percent of respondents said that they have or are currently rolling out a cyber resilience strategy at their organizations. Despite this though, more than half (60%) believe they will experience an email-borne attack in the coming year.
The IT decision makers that participated in Mimecast's survey cite data loss (31%), a decrease in productivity (31%) and business downtime (29%) as a result of a lack of cyber resilience preparedness at their organizations. Email-based threatsWith more employees working from home than ever before as a result of the pandemic, cybercriminals have seized this opportunity to launch attacks on remote workers and their organizations. According to Mimecast's report, domain-spoofing and email-spoofing have both become mainstream attack vectors. Nearly half (49%) of the organizations surveyed report anticipating an increase in web or email spoofing and brand exploitation in the next 12 months. At the same time, impersonation attacks, phishing attempts and ransomware continue to be a major problem for businesses. Of those surveyed, 72 percent said phishing attacks remained flat or increased in the last 12 months while 74 percent said the same about impersonation attacks. Ransomware also continues to be a huge problem for organizations as just over half of respondents (51%) said that a ransomware attack had impacted their organization. Vice president of threat intelligence at Mimecast, Joshua Douglas provided further insight on the report's findings and stressed the need for greater cyber resilience in a press release, saying: “We’re seeing the same threats that organisations have faced for years playing out with tactics matched to world events to evade detection. The increases in remote working due to the global pandemic have only amplified the risks businesses face from these threats, making the need for effective cyber resilience essential. It’s likely that cyber resilience strategies are lacking key elements, or don’t have any at all, depending on the organisation’s maturity in cybersecurity. Security leaders need to invest in a strategy that builds resilience moving at the same pace as digital transformation. This means organisations must apply a layered approach to email security, one that consists of attack prevention, security awareness training, roaming web security tied to email efficacy, brand exploitation protection, threat remediation and business continuity.”
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| Best colocation providers of 2020 Posted: 10 Jun 2020 10:05 AM PDT While it's initially cheaper to rent your own IT hardware and infrastructure in the short-term (think traditional web hosting), as your business needs grow there comes a point when it becomes more economical to buy your own server hardware. However, you then need a data center to host your equipment. This is where colocation services come into play, where racks and cabinets are leased to you, enabling you to set up your own server hardware in the heart of a data center. Making a decision on which provider to use is far from easy. If your business has mission-critical needs then you'll want to reduce latency. Additionally, you may need to look for hosting on the west coast for optimal Asian connections, east coast for European ones, or mid-state for the best general connectivity across the US. However, you need to ensure that the geographic siting works for you, by balancing a combination of network connectivity, resiliency, and disaster recovery considerations, as well as ease of access. The good news is that there are a wide range of options. There are a lot of data centers available, with good networks across the US, and the industry is highly competitive. That means pricing will tend to be very affordable according to your needs. All providers should be able to offer different cabinet sizes to suit you, plus different power configurations according to needs, on top of standard security and redundancy measures across the data center itself to protect client hardware and ensure it runs even in the event of a power outage. The question of which operation to pick might seem overwhelming, so here we'll feature some of the best in the industry. Some of these colocation services are provided directly by the data center, but others are companies that lease cabinets from them while offering additional support options for added value.
Image credit: Equinix Equinix boasts one of the biggest worldwide distributions, with over 200 data centers across 58 markets and 27 countries in 5 continents. This provider also offers 2,500+ network connections and an industry-leading uptime of over 99.9999%. In terms of choice, Equinix has plenty. You can configure and support your deployments according to power needs in cage, suite, or server cabinet solutions, or even colocate in pods that act as dedicated rooms. There are other options for mitigating risks for financial services companies, and a range of virtualization opportunities. Overall, the number of options could be potentially overwhelming, and as with many big service providers, small business customers may not feel they get the same personalized support that other SMB-focused colocation providers can offer. Image credit: Cyxtera Cyxtera boasts over 60 data centers across four continents, with the backbone of these being spread across the US. This impressive coverage is partly due to its purchase of CenturyLink's hardware assets, though CenturyLink still provides the network connections. In terms of options, Cyxtera offers plenty, as you'd expect from a big company. It also provides multiple levels of support and specifications according to individual business needs. It's also worth noting that the Cyxtera data centers are really nicely spread out across the US, which means that you should be able to minimize latency and lag issues across the country. A nice extra touch is that you can actually use your own cabinets if you'd rather not go with those provided, which could be important if you have a particularly customized server setup and configuration – though note that for security reasons Cyxtera technicians will need to install it. Overall, this is another major provider that should be able to deliver on the hardware support you need. Image credit: Tierpoint Tierpoint is another major provider, with over 40 data centers across the US. The central point to bear in mind here is that these tend to be in eastern states, which means in terms of connectivity they are ideally optimized for US and European operations, but latency issues may be a concern if connecting to Asia. There are plenty of options for colocating available, as might be expected. One particularly nice feature is a business continuity workspace, so that if you face a major task or recovery process, you can plug yourself into a private area while you try to get everything sorted out. Tierpoint also advertises migration services, to make any move to Tierpoint from another provider as seamless as possible. Tierpoint offers a standard range of options that mean it should be easy to accommodate and support you. This company is one of the major players so should be able to deliver, just keep an eye on a location that works best for you. Image credit: Iron Mountain Iron Mountain is one of the mid-range providers, having a string of 15 data centers across the backbone of America, running from coast-to-coast, along with a handful more in Europe and Asia. This presents a strong level of global connectivity alongside its network providers, even though it has fewer data centers than those providers we have covered above. However, Iron Mountain is an experienced and established company, and claims to host a large number of Fortune 1000 organizations. It puts a particular emphasis on compliance and reliability. Where Iron Mountain particularly distinguishes itself is in its colocation options: the company doesn't simply talk about cabinets, cages, or suites, but of building custom modular solutions across the floorspace of its data centers. Overall, while Iron Mountain may seem to offer less geographic options than the companies above, that doesn’t mean it won't deliver the highest standards. Image credit: Data Foundry Data Foundry is a major player in Texas, owning a handful of data centers across Austin and Houston. While this makes the company seem a little limited geographically, Texas has proven to be a strong center point for data operations across America. Using carrier-neutral data centers means that whichever US states your customers are in, you should be able to reach them with minimal lag or latency. A particular selling point Data Foundry advertises is that not only has the company custom-built its data centers itself, but that all technicians are company employees rather than contractors, which means you should expect all the expertise you need to already be onsite. The one caveat is to keep an eye on contract lengths, as you may want to avoid signing multi-year commitments if you find your IT needs change during the contract period. Image credit: Digital Realty Digital Realty is one of the biggest players when it comes to data centers, with a truly global presence through a mixture of partnerships. The company owns over a dozen data centers that serve the east and west coasts, as well as central regions such as Houston, Dallas, and Chicago. It also owns data centers in Europe, as well as having partnerships in South America, East Asia, and Australia. Connectivity is a particular strong point, geared towards supporting mission-critical applications for finance, healthcare, and even social media companies. While it offers the usual range of cabinets and cloud options, Digital Realty further makes an effort to ensure its data centers are as green as possible, winning various awards for the use of environmentally-friendly technology to minimize power and energy waste. Although Digital Realty positions itself as a global player, another strength is local support, so you don't have to feel overwhelmed if you're a small business looking for a solution. Image credit: CoreSite CoreSite is another significant player in the US market, with over a dozen data centers across America, especially on the seaboards, but also with some central locations in-between. This positions the company as especially optimized not just for the US market, but also Europe and Asia. While it offers standard colocation packages of cabinets, cages, and private suites, CoreSite also allows colocating companies to interconnect their hardware across multiple data centers, making them especially useful for cloud and network providers, as well as enterprises. Overall, CoreSite is a solid provider backed up by excellent network hardware and IT infrastructure, with a good spread of locations and an impressive range of colocation options. Image credit: Flexential Flexential was formed in 2017 through the merger of both Peak 10 and Viawest, both of which were already established providers. The result is a network of 41 data centers across the US, with the caveat being that most are in mid-state locations. Also, these tend to be small data centers rather than regional behemoths, meaning that while Flexential has a good geographic spread, it may not be the best choice if you have mission-critical applications connecting to Europe and Asia. That's also a strength, though. While a number of data centers offer to monitor and manage your hardware, Flexential is one of those companies where you can realistically do so yourself without living on the eastern or western seaboards. However, not all of Flexential's data centers are available for colocation, so you'd need to check availability first. Otherwise, Flexential is a company that will particularly appeal to smaller and mid-range companies, and could be a very good place to grow, especially if you don't plan on needing a large volume of server hardware in the short-term. Image credit: CDNetworks CDNetworks is a global network provider with over a dozen data centers, of which more than half are located in eastern Asia. While it does have US data centers, both of these are in California, again making these optimized for Asian connections. That doesn't mean to say that CDNetworks would not be useful for US companies looking to reach US customers, but rather that it has a global reach with a focus on Asian markets. Of course, even if you wanted to reach the latter from the US, it might be difficult to be hands-on with server hardware without incurring significant costs. However, CDNetworks offers managed solutions so that you can delegate these IT tasks directly to the company. This has pluses and minuses in that it should help reduce costs, at least in the short-term, especially for smaller and mid-sized companies. However, it does also mean that you have less direct control over your servers. Overall, CDNetworks offers good connectivity globally, but you're probably going to get the most out of this provider if you're aiming for Asian markets in particular, and are happy to delegate a lot of your IT management. Image credit: DataBank DataBank offers colocation from 16 data centers situated across nine US states, making it a particularly attractive provider for colocation services between the seaboards. Even better, it provides managed solutions so you can delegate your IT management to DataBank's own technicians. As mentioned previously, this comes with positives and negatives, and you'll need to balance them in terms of ease-of-use versus less control over your hardware management. The latter, of course, may make DataBank particularly attractive if your business is too small to have an expert IT team. Even if you do have one, the data center locations are among the most accessible of the companies featured here. As expected, DataBank offers a range of options, not least in terms of cabinets, cages, and custom suites, as well as cloud options. With good connectivity across the US, this could make DataBank an especially attractive colocation provider. UK colocation hosting optionsImage credit: Netcetera Netcetera is an experienced web host that has been providing data center solutions for more than 20 years to businesses all around the world. The company's Isle of Man-based data center may not be the most convenient place to colocate your server, but it does provide reliable power, high security, and support to handle reboots, upgrades, backups, restores and other essential maintenance tasks. As a surprise green bonus, a carbon offsetting scheme means Netcetera's data center is 100% carbon-neutral. Colocation prices start at just £35 per month for a single server with 1U to 5U and 0.5 amp power. Network uplink is 1Gbps with 500GB bandwidth – you also get 5 IP addresses, setup is free, and, in a very generous move, there's unlimited Remote Hands support. Netcetera also offers quarter, half and full rack plans priced from £300, £500 and £900 per month. Bandwidth is a chargeable extra, but this does allow you to define more precisely what you'll need, a flexible approach which could save you money overall. Image credit: Netwise Hosting Founded in 2005, Netwise Hosting is an experienced provider with its own data center in central London, and partner centres in Docklands. Colocation plans start at just £49 a month. This only gets you a minimal 1U of space, 0.5 amps conditioned power and a single IP address, but your data transfer allowance is reasonable at a monthly 1TB. Netwise Hosting clearly believes in choice, because that's just the start. You also get 2U and 4U plans, as well as quarter, half or full rack space (all lockable for extra security), and multi-rack options are available if you need them. There are plenty of advanced options here. Are you using MPLS (Multi Protocol Label Switching) to connect your systems, for instance? Netwise Hosting can support L2 and L3. The company also provides a very complete set of colocation services, including migrating your server from another location, racking equipment for you, managing systems or providing 24/7 support. If you're unsure about the options, the website has a Colocation Calculator where you're able to choose the plans and features you need, and get a price right away. Image credit: Zen Zen Internet is best known as one of the UK's first ISPs, having been providing web access to the masses since 1995. But the company uses its networking expertise to support other services, too, including colocation in its Greater Manchester data center. Simple shared rack plans were priced from £59 a month, with 1U of rack space, 0.5 amps of power, and your choice of a data transfer allowance or an allocation of fixed bandwidth allowance. Now, you pay a monthly cost based on how much space, power and bandwidth you require and you'll need to get in touch with them for further information. Still, you are covered by a generous service level agreement which guarantees 100% power availability, 99.999% for network and 99.97% HVAC (heat, ventilation and air conditioning), with a one hour 'at rack' guarantee in the event of any problems. If any issues crop up, Zen's Remote Hands support service can check status indicators, reset or reboot your hardware, replace circuit patch leads and patch panel connections, and even change hot-swappable components, if you've provided spares. You get up to a generous five Remote Hands sessions a month, each lasting up to one hour – some hosts might restrict you to a single session of just 30 minutes. Image credit: Claranet Claranet is a top European provider with more than 20 years’ experience in delivering managed IT services to businesses around the world. The company manages multiple data centers, with five available for colocation. Your London options are Global Switch London East, Telecity Harbour Exchange Square and Telecity Sovereign House, and there are also centres in Hoddesdon (Hertfordshire) and Manchester. Claranet doesn't try to compete with others for the lowest advertised price (in fact, it doesn't advertise a price at all – you have to contact the company and ask for a quote). There are no almost useless 1U plans, for instance: you must choose a quarter, half or full rack. As of late, the colocation page redirects to Hybrid Cloud section, so there might be some changes for colocation services. Still, there's plenty to like here. Cabinets are all lockable to keep your hardware secure. Flexible power options ensure you get exactly what you need. You're able to access your server 24/7. There are flexible contracts available from a minimum of 30 days, with some benefits if you opt for longer terms (you get free installation if you sign up for three years). Well worth a look if you'd prefer to colocate with a big-name provider. Image credit: Fast2host Colocation is often marketed as a high-end hosting solution for big corporations only, but the reality is very different. Even the smallest business can benefit from the extra speed and control you might get with a colocation plan, and if you choose the right provider, low prices and contracts as short as a month allow almost anyone to try the service out. Fast2host won't be the most convenient colocation host for everyone. It only has a single data center in St Ives, Cambridgeshire. Customers with lesser plans (1U-3U) don't get 24/7 access to their hardware, and standard Remote Hands support is limited to a miserly 45 minutes a month (30 minutes for 1U-3U), even for full rack plans. On the plus side, Fast2host offers real value, especially with the starter plans. 1U of rack space gets you 0.8 amps of power, rather than the 0.5 amps typically provided elsewhere. The data transfer allowance is a generous 1.2TB a month. ICMP and HTTP monitoring, often an optional extra with other providers, comes for free here. A 100% SLA on power and 99.99% SLA on network availability will be good enough for most users, yet all this can be yours from as little as £45 a month. If you need more, Fast2host's website makes it very easy to explore your options. There's no bulky comparison tables, and the company doesn't force you to contact them to get a quote: just click a plan (1U-5U, quarter, half or full rack), then you can instantly view the details and place your order in a couple of clicks. You might also want to check out our other website hosting buying guides:
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| Xbox Series X release date, specs, design and launch titles for the new Xbox Posted: 10 Jun 2020 09:43 AM PDT Xbox Series X is the new Xbox that is due for release in late 2020. So far we know when the next-gen Xbox will release, its official name, some of the games we'll be playing, as well as information on backwards compatibility, and how cross-gen game ownership will work under the new Smart Delivery feature. We also know that it will have a slightly redesigned controller that should be more accessible, and offer 1TB SSD upgrades from Seagate. From what we've seen so far, it looks like the Xbox Series X will sport a blockier style that's similar to that of a small gaming PC. More importantly, we now know what's inside the console, thanks to Microsoft giving us the Series X's full specs, and we can say for sure that the new Xbox is going to be an absolute powerhouse. But the Xbox Series X won't be the only next-generation hardware on offer from Microsoft. The company has confirmed that the next-generation family of consoles will be called 'Xbox' and that 'Series X' is just one of the consoles within that family, which is likely to include a cheaper disc-drive free version as well. So what exactly has Microsoft got to offer with the new Xbox? And how will it compare to the PS5? Let's break down everything we know about the Xbox Series X. [Update: Destiny 2 is coming to Xbox Series X in 4K at 60fps and will be available via Smart Delivery for current-gen owners.]
Microsoft has given the release window of "Holiday 2020" - which means we'll likely see the Xbox Series X release worldwide between October and December this year. That's right, the new Xbox will release worldwide in this window, including in Japan where the Xbox brand has previously had poor sales. We're expecting the Xbox Series X to release sometime in November as, historically, that's when Microsoft has released its consoles. It's possible that the release date will be November 26, 2020 (AKA Thanksgiving in the US). An image stating the Xbox Series X is "coming Thanksgiving 2020" (shown above) appeared on a number of product pages around the world briefly before being reverted back to to the previously announced Holiday 2020 release window. A Microsoft spokesperson responded to TechRadar to clarify, saying: "An Xbox product page in some regions inaccurately listed the launch date for Xbox Series X as Thanksgiving 2020. We are committed to launching Holiday 2020.” Despite concerns that the Xbox Series X will be delayed due to Covid-19, Microsoft is still citing the same release window and Xbox boss Phil Spencer told IGN: "We have nothing right now that says that we're not going to make the dates that we've been planning." However, we are expecting the Xbox Series X launch to be digital event as a Microsoft spokesperson told Eurogamer that the company is adjusting its event calendar due to the pandemic, stating that: "For the remainder of 2020 we are embracing the opportunity to experiment with new platforms to provide our partners, customers and developers the highest quality, digital-first experiences."
Microsoft won't be pinned down on an Xbox Series X price point quite yet – unsurprisingly, given what a sore spot the price of the Xbox One was for fans. At launch, the original Xbox One cost a whopping $499 / £429 / AU$599, which was quickly reduced when Microsoft realized people weren't forking out. Microsoft has at the very least promised that it's learned from this pricing mistake, with Phil Spencer stating that this time "we will not be out of position on power or price.” That doesn't mean that the new Xbox will be cheap, mind you, it just means the price point will be better aligned with the console's power and the price points of the competition. After all, Jason Ronald, director of the Xbox platform, gave only a vague reassurance when speaking to Windows Central, saying that Microsoft knew "what reasonable price points are for a console and kind of what customers expect about that". Price will at least in part be determined by the cost of the components going into the console: Xbox Series X is going to be a lot more powerful than either the Xbox One S or Xbox One X, and that will likely mean we're looking at an even higher price tag on any bundles and Xbox Series X pre-orders. It could be a while before we get confirmation of the Xbox Series X price - possibly months. Historically we've seen both Microsoft and Sony reveal their console pricing around June or July, but this time things are a bit different. The hot topic of pricing has many on the edge of their seats, as we see just how powerful the PS5 and Xbox Series are, and wonder how expensive the technology will be. However, it does look like the Xbox Series X could be cheaper than the PS5. Sony Interactive Entertainment's president and CEO Jim Ryan has hinted that the PS5 might not have the 'lowest price' in battle against Xbox Series X In a wide-ranging interview with GamesIndustryBiz, Ryan addressed speculation around the PS5 cost. While not revealing the price, Ryan suggested the PS5 price could be a significant hit on gamers' savings, and certainly not committing to beating the Xbox Series X on price. Speaking on whether the potential for a Covid-19-related recession will affect sales of the PS5, a high-value gadget, Ryan said: "I think the best way that we can address this is by providing the best possible value proposition that we can. I don't necessarily mean lowest price. Value is a combination of many things. In our area it means games, it means number of games, depth of games, breadth of games, quality of games, price of games... all of these things and how they avail themselves of the feature set of the platform." It seems like we're currently in something of a standoff, with both companies waiting to see what the other will price its next-gen hardware at - possibly so they can undercut each other. It looks like Sony and Microsoft will be waiting until the last possible moment to set their pricing, with plenty of time before then to make adjustments. Still, enough time will need to be set aside before the consoles release between October and December for people to get those pre-orders in.
We now know what Xbox Series X looks like and what it's packing under the hood, and it's going to be an absolute beast of a console.The next Xbox's gaming PC design is pretty apt, considering the next-gen console's internal hardware is comparable to one - so make sure you check out our Xbox Series X spec analysis. Microsoft has finally revealed the Xbox Series X specifications in full, leaving no one in doubt about how powerful its next-generation games console will be. The folks over at Eurogamer’s Digital Foundry got a close look at the hardware, and alongside Microsoft have announced the hardware that will be powering the Xbox Series X. According to Digital Foundry, the specs confirm that the Xbox Series X will indeed be twice as powerful as the Xbox Once X… in practise. Digital Foundry saw an unoptimized version of Gears 5 running on the Xbox Series X running at the equivalent of ‘Ultra’ graphics settings on PC, and it comes with enhanced shadows and ray tracing. Where the cut scenes ran at 30FPS on the Xbox One X, Digital Foundry reported that on the Xbox Series X, it runs at a ‘flawless’ 60FPS. Also, this is an early port – on release we should see even better results. As expected, the Xbox Series X processor is built into a custom Project Scarlett SoC (System on Chip), which uses an enhanced version of TSMC’s 7nm process. That seven nanometers is important. The smaller the process, the more efficient the chip can be. That means it can provide more performance for less power. Making sure the chip inside a games console can perform well without using lots of power (and getting hot) is incredibly important. Based on the prototype hardware Digital Foundry seen, the Xbox Series X reportedly ships with a 315W power supply - delivered internally but the console is also equipped with parallel cooling architecture, allowing cool air in and letting that cool air stream through separate areas of the console. The processor is a customized AMD Zen 2 CPU with eight cores and 16 threads, with a peak speed of 3.8GHz, and a base speed of 3.6GHz. As Digital Foundry reveals, these frequencies aren’t completely locked, which suggests the Xbox Series X could adjust the power of the CPU based on workload and thermals. So, if you’re playing a game that needs a lot of processing power, the Xbox Series X can give its CPU a boost, and then slow it down when you don’t need it. Meanwhile, the GPU of the Xbox Series X is revealed as a custom design with 12 teraflops of compute performance, with 3328 shaders allocated to 52 compute units, and runs at a locked 1,825 MHz. Interestingly, there’s no boost clocks for the GPU. It will always run at that speed. It also uses AMD’s RDNA 2 architecture, and offers ray tracing for photo-realistic lighting. What does this mean in the real world? It seems the Xbox Series X will have the graphical power acquirement to a gaming PC with an Nvidia RTX 2080 graphics card. So, a very capable device indeed, but maybe not able to compete with the most powerful gaming PCs. The Xbox Series X also gets 16GB of GDDR6 memory – an upgrade from the Xbox One X’s 12GB GDDR5. That won’t all be used in games, however. Games will get a total of 13.5GB – 10GB of GPU optimal memory and 3.5GB of standard memory, while the remaining 2.5GB is reserved for the operating system. The faster GDDR6 memory should also offer a big leap in performance. Match that with a super-fast NVMe SSD, and the Xbox Series X should feel very spritely when used. There’s still a lot of questions over what kind of performance we can expect from the Xbox Series X, but this is by far the best look at the hardware we’ve seen. But what else do we know about the Xbox Series X's specs? Well, Microsoft is aiming to get Xbox Series X games to run at 60 FPS in 4K, calling the challenge a "design goal". The console will support up to 120 FPS too. Despite 4K being the aim, Microsoft has said the Xbox Series X has 8K capability. Phil Spencer even changed his Twitter profile photo to (what appeared to be) a picture of the next-gen Xbox Series X's processor. It said 'Project Scarlett' on it, and was marked with '8K' (pictured above), suggesting Microsoft plans on doing more than simply talking the talk when it comes to 8K. The Xbox Series X will also feature Variable Rate Shading, which prioritizes effects on different in-game characters and objects for a "more stable frame rate and higher resolution", according to Microsoft. Not only will games look better, they could be bigger. In an interview with PCGamesN, Samsung revealed that it's talking with Microsoft and pushing the gaming behemoth to adopt ultrawide support for the Xbox Series X. The Xbox Series X will make good use of having an SSD – a 'Quick Resume' feature for the console will let you "almost instantly" continue with multiple games, without the need to sit through load screens. Microsoft also aims to improve latency through features such as Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR). According to Microsoft, "ALLM allows Xbox One and Xbox Series X to automatically set the connected display to its lowest latency mode". While "VRR synchronizes the display’s refresh rate to the game’s frame rate, maintaining smooth visuals without tearing". These features aim to minimize lag and make gaming more responsive. However, don't expect video to do the Xbox Series X's power justice. Xbox boss Phil Spencer believes that it’s been challenging to demonstrate just how much of a leap Xbox Series X will be over Xbox One, as faster and more stable frame rates aren’t something that really comes across in videos. Speaking to ex-Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-aime on his new podcast (thanks, GameSpot), Spencer lamented the fact that gamers might not appreciate the power of Xbox Series X just yet. "One of the things I've talked about publicly ... but it's hard to come across, is the way it feels to play games on a box where frame rates are higher, frame rates are more stable," Spencer explained. "The fluidity of it, showing that in video form, is just impossible. How do you show how something feels?" He went on to add: "We're getting to the point where the immersion feel that you get through fluidity and other things is now up to par with the visual capabilities that we have. How do you share that with people in this kind of world?" If you're less bothered about the specs and more concerned about whether you can still play physical games on the next Xbox, then you'll be pleased to know that Xbox Series X has a physical disc drive. Microsoft has also confirmed that all your current Xbox One accessories will work with Xbox Series X, including existing controllers and headsets. But we'd doubt that also includes the ill-fated Kinect motion tracker. That means that the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 will be forward compatible with Series X, but Microsoft is also launching a next-generation wireless controller to accompany the new console. But don't expect the Xbox Series X to launch with VR support as, according to Xbox boss Phil Spencer, Microsoft is waiting until VR on Xbox becomes a "no brainer". However, right now, the company doesn't see the feature as "so important" on its next-gen hardware.
Xbox Series X has a completely different design to its predecessors. For a start, the next-gen console has an upright tower design - similar to that of a gaming PC. However, Microsoft has confirmed Series X can sit horizontally or vertically. From what we've seen in the Series X reveal trailer, the console is black with slightly indented cooling vents on the top (with what seems to be a green light inside). The Xbox logo sits small on the top left hand corner of the console and there's still a disc drive - which is placed vertically on the left hand side also. The Xbox Series X has the following ports: HDMI 2.1 output port, three USB 3.2 ports, one networking port, an expanded storage slot and a power input port. The console reportedly measures 15.1cm x 15.1cm x 30.1cm and weighs 4.45kg/9.8lbs. While these images have been circling for a while now, we still weren't entirely sure what that mystery port was - until now. Thurrott claims that sources "familiar with the company's plans" have identified the port as being for storage expansion. Microsoft hasn't confirmed it this is the case, but we wouldn't be surprised if it was seeing as external storage was supported with the Xbox One - but whether we see it included in the final Series X product is still uncertain. In addition to the console design, we also know what the new Xbox logo will look like. Spotted on Reddit by Windows Central, an official trademark listing for the Xbox Series X logo was filed on April 16, 2020, showing a very different look to what we've seen for Microsoft's consoles to date. The logo shows the word 'Series' in a vertical formation, next to a stylized 'X'. It's a more mature and minimalist design for Xbox, but it's somewhat simplistic and – in our opinion – looks more suited to a sports brand. According to the patent, this is the Xbox Series X logo we'll see on everything from the console itself to clothing, keychains, toys and even kitchen utensils. Although, we think Microsoft is just trying to cover all bases and it's unlikely we'll see an Xbox Series X spatula anytime soon. Microsoft is releasing an Xbox Series X controller to accompany its next generation console. The new Xbox Wireless Controller will apparently be more accessible to everyone, as Microsoft has made an effort to refine the size and shape. This shouldn't be too surprising to anyone that's been following the tech giant, as it's been making waves for accessibility in gaming for a while now with products like the Xbox Adaptive Controller. Along with enhanced accessibility, we'll also be getting a dedicated share button (finally) that will let you share screenshots and videos with your friends. Microsoft has also revealed that it is optimizing latency in the "player-to-console pipeline" starting with our Xbox Wireless Controller, through a new feature called Dynamic Latency input. According to the company, this feature "synchronizes input immediately with what is displayed", making controls "more precise and responsive".
We got our best look yet at the upcoming Xbox Series X games lineup during the Xbox Series X gameplay reveal on May 7, with Microsoft revealing a roster of third-party games coming to the new Xbox including Dirt 5, Scorn Madden 21 and more. We also got to see gameplay for Assassin's Creed Valhalla for the first time. All of the games shown are optimized for the Xbox Series X (and will therefore make the most of its powerful specs). But what else do we know about Xbox Series X games so far? During the Xbox Series X's official reveal, Phil Spencer said Series X games will be "more lifelike, immersive and surprising" and that the Xbox Series X will "lead us into the future of gaming". He also stated that 15 Xbox Game Studios are building a huge next-generation library that includes Hellblade 2: Senua's Saga and Halo Infinite. Not a Halo fan? Don't worry, Xbox Series X will be capable of four generations of backwards compatibility - with the feature available from launch. That means the Series X will be able to play existing Xbox One games like Destiny 2 as well as backward-compatible Xbox 360 and original Xbox games. Not only that, but these games will "play better than ever before" thanks to Microsoft's new HDR reconstruction technique and the Xbox Series X's Quick Resume feature - without requiring additional work from developers. In addition, the Xbox Series X's powerful specs will enable select backwards-compatible titles to run at higher resolutions or double the frame rate. Not only is Microsoft doubling down on backwards compatibility, but the company is also introducing a new system called Smart Delivery to the Series X that, in some respects, could be seen as forwards compatibility. During the May 7 reveal, Microsoft revealed just some of the games which will make use of this feature. With the Xbox Series X, Smart Delivery will seemingly ensure that you have the right version of a game, no matter which Xbox console you’ve bought it on. CD Projekt Red has confirmed that Cyberpunk 2077 will make use of Smart Delivery and will offer those who own Cyberpunk on Xbox One the ability to upgrade to the Xbox Series X version for free. In addition, the company has revealed that, while Cyberpunk will be available on Xbox Series X "from the get-go", a "proper, full-blown next-gen" version of the game will come at a later date. This is apparently the upgrade the developer was referring to. In addition, Microsoft will avoid siloing by taking a cross-generation approach to its first-party games. Talking to Stevivor, Phil Spencer said Microsoft wants to create a console that utilizes Xbox Play Anywhere so you can move seamlessly between devices: "Our goal for our first-party games is that your entitlements will be cross-generation and your Achievements will move effectively with your save game because that’s where they stand.” In addition to the Xbox Series X games announced at the gameplay reveal, we already have confirmation of a number of other third-party games making their way to the Xbox Series X including a remake of THQ Nordic's cult classic Gothic, Battlefield 6, Gollum, WRC 9, Dying Light 2, Cyberpunk 2077 and Outriders will land on Xbox Series X. In addition, Ubisoft has confirmed that Watch Dogs: Legion, Rainbow Six Quarantine, Gods and Monsters and Assassin's Creed Valhalla are coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X - with a new Far Cry also rumored to be coming to the platforms. Ubisoft has even said it could delay these games if the next-gen consoles miss their launch window. We also know Rainbow Six Siege will be available on Xbox Series X and PS5 from launch. We're also expecting Microsoft's game-streaming service Project xCloud to be out of public testing by the time Xbox Series X releases (with a launch date slated for this year) so we should hopefully be able to enjoy Series X games on-the-go. For those who aren't quite sold on upgrading to Series X quite yet, but still want to check out the best upcoming games, Microsoft has stated that there won't be Xbox Series X exclusive games for at least a year and, for the foreseeable future, new games are planned to work across the Xbox family of devices. That means you'll still be able to play them on Xbox One.
We knew what the Xbox Series X will look like, a few of the features on offer, and a good deal about specs the next Xbox is boasting. But May 7 was when we first saw Xbox Series X gameplay revealed. According to Microsoft, this event would see us fans getting a first look at next-gen gameplay, trailers and sneak peeks from Xbox's third-party partners, an update on how devs are utilizing the Xbox Series X and, finally, confirmation of the Xbox Series X games that will use Smart Delivery. With no look at the console itself, or its interface features, this was all about third-party titles – and ultimately we felt it was a little underwhelming, with no standout titles to shout about. However, this May 7 event is only the start of Microsoft's next-gen reveal plans. According to the company, this event will kick off Xbox 20/20, a stream which will take place each month throughout the rest of the year in the lead-up to the launch of the next-gen console. "Starting with the May 7 episode of Inside Xbox, we will be showcasing what happens next in the world of Xbox, every month, which is why we’re calling it 'Xbox 20/20'," Jerret West, CVP of gaming marketing at Xbox wrote on Xbox Wire. "These monthly moments will take place throughout the rest of the year and will be a way for us to engage, connect and celebrate with you about what’s in store for the next generation of gaming, including what’s next for Xbox Series X, Xbox Game Studios, Xbox Game Pass and Project xCloud. Every month will bring something different." Microsoft has already confirmed we'll be seeing more of Xbox Series X first-party games at Xbox 20/20 in July, including Halo Infinite. We expect that these streams will entirely replace the Xbox's presence at E3 2020, which Microsoft was confirmed to be attending until it was cancelled – given the circumstances right now, a remote event makes a lot of sense. The Xbox Series X will not be the only new Xbox in Microsoft's next-generation lineup. While we were all pretty excited when Microsoft unveiled the next Xbox at the Game Awards 2019, it appears that the upcoming console's name isn't quite what we thought - and it will belong to a family. While we assumed that the new Xbox is called 'Xbox Series X', Microsoft has clarified that, in fact, the family of consoles will be called 'Xbox' and that 'Series X' is just one of the consoles within the family. This clarification from Microsoft serves to further fuel rumors that another new Xbox console is on the way. Rumors have circulated for some time about a lower-cost next-gen Xbox console that would sit just below the high-end Xbox Series X - codenamed 'Project Lockhart'. Project Lockhart will allegedly be disc-less console - a trait that it will carry forward from the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition - but Kotaku's sources believe it will be substantially more powerful than Microsoft’s current disc-less box, and will come with both a solid-state hard drive and a faster CPU than any current game console. The report goes on to say that Microsoft told developers to shoot for a 1440p resolution and 60 frames-per-second frame rate with Project Lockhart and 4K/60 with Xbox Series X, and those same developers have likened the performance of the lower-end console to the PS4 Pro.
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| God of War 2 PS4: everything we know about the rumored God Of War sequel Posted: 10 Jun 2020 09:39 AM PDT It's now been two years since the PS4's amazing God of War reboot was released, but we're already looking to the future. Despite Sony remaining tight-lipped on the subject, the success of God of War means a sequel is probably on the way (perhaps another God of War 2?). In addition, Sony Santa Monica has posted job listings for a number of roles across its teams - with one listing clearly citing the God of War reboot. At this point, it's most likely that God of War 2 will come to PS5 than the PS4 but, in the interest of not getting confused with the other God of War 2, we've opted to refer to it as God of War PS4. So, with that out of the way, we've gathered together all the rumors and news surrounding the God of War sequel for your perusal right here. [UPDATE: We're hoping God of War 2 will be announced at the Future of Gaming Event on June 11. Read on to find out more.] God of War 2 release dateImage credit: SIE Santa Monica Studio Sony Santa Monica hasn't officially confirmed God of War 2 (or whatever the name will be) is in the works but we expect that a sequel won't release until after the "Holiday 2020" release of the PS5 - unless it releases as a launch title for the next-generation console. We're not expecting this one until 2021 or 2022. Either way, we're expecting God of War 2 will be coming to Sony's PlayStation 5, probably exclusively. God of War 2 news and rumorsImage credit: SIE Santa Monica Studio PS5 games reveal event Job Listings Applicants for Senior Combat Designer "Must have knowledge of God of War (2018) and be able to speak in depth about the combat systems, mechanics and enemies". A listing for Facial Blend Shape Character Artist also specifically mentions "next-gen videogame platform experience" for the role: something that should whittle down prospective applicants to relatively few animators, given that the next generation of consoles have yet to launch. The waters are muddied slightly with a Senior Gameplay Animator posting, which asks for someone "to help us push the boundaries of action and combat movement and set the bar for gameplay feel on the PS4". God of War PS4 theme The boat the pair are rowing in has runes etched on its side which translate (in English) to "Ragnarok is coming". Could this be hinting that the God of War sequel will be focus on Ragnarok (essentially the Nordic mythology version of the apocalypse)? No God of War DLC God of War 2: what we want to seeImage credit: SIE Santa Monica Studio [Warning: spoilers for the ending of God of War ahead.] Exploring that ending further Hopefully God of War 2 will explore this further and we'll find out more about Faye's secret past, as well as why she kept it all a secret in the first place. We're also hoping Atreus will embrace the shape shifting abilities that Loki is notorious for instead of simply standing on the sidelines firing arrows at enemies. Atreus isn't a boy anymore Next-generation
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| Sony's WF-1000XM3 noise canceling earbuds hit lowest price ever Amazon Posted: 10 Jun 2020 09:30 AM PDT If you're looking to snag (and save) on a pair of wireless earbuds with top-of-the-line noise cancelation technology, then you've come to the right place. The top-rated Sony WF-1000XM3 are on sale for $178 at Amazon right now. That's a $52 discount and the lowest price we've seen for the true wireless earphones. As we mentioned above, this is the lowest price we've seen for the Sony 1000XM3 and a fantastic deal for a pair of top-rated noise canceling earbuds. Plus, with Amazon Prime Day still up in the air, there's no guarantee you'll find a cheaper price any time soon. See more of the best noise-canceling headphones and shop more of the cheapest noise canceling headphone deals that are currently available. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| PS5 listed on Amazon for an outrageous price – but it's clearly just a placeholder Posted: 10 Jun 2020 09:28 AM PDT A placeholder PS5 price was briefly listed on Amazon UK as £599.99 (around $765), and one person was reportedly able to buy the console before the item was removed. Hot UK Deals screengrabbed a dummy ASIN page for the PS5, which listed the price in question, while a user called ashmac managed to pre-order the console before the listing vanished.
This listing isn't worth taking too seriously. The model ordered included 2TB of storage, which is not in line with the PS5's specs reveal earlier this year, where it was explained the base console comes with an 825GB solid state drive (with the option for an additional external hard drive). The word 'dummy', too, obviously indicates a placeholder. At £599.99, it would theoretically be the most expensive PlayStation console in UK history, beating the PS3 by £175. We expect the console to officially cost around $500/£500, but that's just our prediction. The PS5 Future of Gaming event is coming up on June 11, and we expect this to focus exclusively on software, and not the price of the console. That's likely to be revealed as we get closer to the PS5's launch in the 2020 holiday season. Other PS5 dummy listings are making the roundsAccording to a tweet by the Wario64 games news account, various dummy listings have been unearthed for PS5 games, too. We were able to find this one for a Koch Media game (yet another Darksiders re-release, anyone?) at the time of writing, but others have already been removed from Amazon UK. Other publishers mentioned in dummy listings include Konami, Warner Bros, Namco Bandai, Bethesda and Take-Two Interactive. Again, it's not worth reading anything into those until we know which games are actually planned for next-gen consoles from the major publishers. And news on this is about to accelerate, after a long period of waiting.
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| Garmin launches king-sized camping sat-nav with giant screen and voice controls Posted: 10 Jun 2020 09:16 AM PDT Garmin has released a new standalone sat-nav specially designed for camping and hiking – particularly handy while overseas vacations are off the cards. The Garmin Camper 890 is specially designed for use in camper vans, with lots of thoughtfully designed features to make your journey safer and more fun. A secure ball-and-socket mounting to hold it steady in either portrait or landscape orientation in your camper's cab, while smart route plotting that takes into account the weight and height of your vehicle so you aren't led to a weak bridge or narrow crossing that you can't pass.
You'll be warned about potential hazards like sharp turns and steep gradients along the way, and use directories of camping facilities to find electric hook-ups, showers, internet access points and other amenities. The eight-inch touchscreen makes waypoints easier to see, but you can also use voice commands to control the device while keeping your hands on the wheel. You can even use it to make hands-free calls via Bluetooth. Find your wayRelying on your phone's GPS when camping isn't a great idea; not only could you end up at an impasse, it will drain your battery quickly, which could leaving you without enough juice to make a call in an emergency, the relatively small screen can make it tricky to make out small details, and you'll have a very limited selection of offline maps. The Garmin Camper 890 comes with full European maps pre-installed, and extra maps for North America, South America, the Middle East and North Africa, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand can be downloaded before you head out. Garmin has yet to announce an on-sale date, but the Camper 890 has a suggested retail price of £479.99 (about $610 / AU$870).
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| How AI-driven remote healthcare monitoring improves health and peace-of-mind for vulnerable patients Posted: 10 Jun 2020 09:14 AM PDT Many people are familiar with the medical alert systems used by elderly or vulnerable people to contact urgent healthcare support by pressing a button. They were invented back in the 1970s and, until relatively recently, there were few other tech solutions available to help bridge the gap between living at home and being in the hospital. However, in the last 10 years, we have seen an explosion of innovation in digital healthcare technology that has enabled people to take far more control of their health and their lives - and to live independently for longer through remote support from clinicians and caregivers. Detecting emergencies before they happenOne of the most exciting areas is artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning-driven remote healthcare technology, which is already improving health outcomes and quality of life for patients and leading to improved efficiencies in capacity and reduced costs for healthcare providers. This technology doesn’t replace emergency alert products and, in fact, it works well alongside them. Whereas emergency alert technology provides patients with a much-needed helping hand after an accident, the new generation of remote monitoring solutions are designed to detect deterioration in health before it becomes critical. And, as health academics agree, early treatment improves outcomes. My own organisation, Vtuls, uses AI technology to track 40+ vital signs of patients, including blood pressure, blood oxygen, heart rate, temperature and many many more - these are taken daily and five of them are captured in just 30 seconds by holding our Biosensor device in the palm of your hand, with the rest captured by a mobile app or connected medical devices. Using AI and Machine Learning technology, the platform analyses the captured data and then presents it to the nurse or caregiver in the form of a dashboard, with a red signal highlighting any vital signs that are above the selected threshold, which can then be acted on through a virtual or telephone appointment with the patient. To be clear, this technology is not designed to provide support in an emergency. Rather, it enables healthcare providers to act on deterioration more quickly and administer earlier treatments, preventing some of those emergencies happening in the first place. Improved outcomesClinical trials undertaken with universities have shown that remote monitoring improves patient outcomes by around 20%, as it empowers clinicians to deliver earlier treatment of worsening conditions. For example, heart surgery might be avoided completely by administering preventative treatment early or its necessity might be discovered earlier, which will improve its outcome. The flexibility of this technology has enabled it to be used to monitor patients for conditions including heart failure, diabetes, COPD and even Covid-19, but the techniques could really be applied to any condition that has an impact on the body’s function, while the Machine Learning capabilities mean that its ability to respond effectively to deteriorating conditions is increasing all the time as our growing datasets fuel its understanding. Reducing time spent in hospitalsAnother big benefit of remote healthcare technology is that it reduces time spent in hospital. In the current situation that’s important for both individuals and healthcare providers. It has been reported that, around the world, people are dying at home because worries about being infected with Covid-19 are causing the seriously ill to avoid hospitals, while reports show that, in some countries, the impact of Covid-19 on hospitals has been worse than expected. Reducing time spent in hospital is great for quality of life in normal times and, applied to our current situation, it reduces exposure to Covid-19 for patients and healthcare providers and protects clinicians’ capacity. In the UK, around 40% of Covid-19 deaths have occurred in care homes and there have been reports that some families now see sending relatives to a care home as ‘a death sentence,’ which is incredibly sad. That’s why my organisation is now providing its technology for free to care home providers, so they can uncover cases of Covid-19 more quickly and also speedily identify cases that occur after testing has been carried out, allowing for earlier treatment and faster isolation to prevent outbreaks. It is likely that, in the future, we may see an increase in seniors wishing to stay in their homes for longer as a direct result of the outbreaks that have already taken place in care homes. Studies have shown that major barriers to independent living for elderly people include worsening subjective health, having diagnosed disease or health problems and feeling sometimes lonely and dejected. Remote healthcare monitoring can address issues like these because tracking vital signs enables earlier action to be taken when conditions deteriorate and also increases peace of mind as we know we're in good hands when being tracked by a clinician or caregiver. In addition, mobile app questionnaires that can be built into this technology track mental health and mood, enabling interventions such as videocalls from clinicians. Furthermore, if patients are happy to give permission, the data collected can also be accessed by relatives, which provides another avenue for support, as a family member may respond to data showing a low mood by making a phone call or paying them a visit, depending on what the social distancing regulations might be at that point. Prior to Covid-19, 85% of home care providers said they expected their business to grow and I expect that to remain the case now, so supportive healthcare solutions are vital. Protecting the lives of vulnerable patientsIt’s clear that AI-driven remote healthcare technology has an important role to play in protecting and improving the lives of vulnerable patients. These platforms provide a much-needed middle ground between medical alert technology that provides a last-minute helping hand in an emergency and in-person healthcare that requires individuals to be away from their home and their loved ones. It allows elderly and vulnerable patients to stay in their own homes for longer, safe in the knowledge that their health is being monitored and deterioration is acted on early to improve outcomes. That feels especially important right now, when seniors are keen to stay out of hospital to minimise their chances of infection, but it will remain so even after all of this is behind us as we begin to see even greater value in maintaining good health and in our quality of life. Dr Jas Saini is the Chief Executive Officer at Vtuls
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