Apple : First NVMe 8TB SSD drive gets priced - and it's not as bad as we expected

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• First NVMe 8TB SSD drive gets priced - and it's not as bad as we expected
• The Surface Laptop 4 may be rocking AMD Ryzen 4000 silicon
• Where to buy a webcam: these retailers still have stock
• Best gaming mouse 2020: the best gaming mice we've tested
• Best gaming laptops 2020: top laptops to game on
• We're all using email to share files, despite security risks
• Building custom apps quickly with low-code
• Best laptops for photographers in 2020: Photo editing in Photoshop
• Best Ultrabooks 2020: the top thin and light laptops reviewed
• The best 2-in-1 laptop 2020: find the best convertible laptop for your needs
• Best 15-inch laptop 2020: top picks with 15-inch displays
• Jeff Bezos might have to testify before Congress
• Best mesh Wi-Fi routers 2020: the best wireless mesh routers for large homes
• macOS Catalina is here: everything you need to know about macOS 10.15
• PS5 vs PS4 Pro: will it be worth the upgrade?
• Cyberpunk 2077 release date, price, trailers, gameplay and news
• 6 new TV shows on Netflix, HBO, Hulu and more streamers this week
• Best email service 2020: paid, free and business providers
• Apex Legends Season 5: latest update news, tips, patch notes and more
• This is the first 5G laptop you can actually buy

First NVMe 8TB SSD drive gets priced - and it's not as bad as we expected Posted: 16 Jun 2020 03:00 PM PDT The Sabrent 8TB Rocket Q SSD has finally been given a price tag, and it's cheaper than we expected. The drive is now available from Newegg at $1,499.99 (roughly £1,200/AU$2,200). This might sound expensive, but it's not actually that bad for what is the only SSD to combine this form factor and size. Newegg even allows you to pay for the drive over 12 months if you prefer. 8TB solid state drives have been around for a while, but have never been this cheap. We reviewed the Integral SVR Pro 100 SRI back in January 2017, which was more than twice as expensive. Cheaper drives like the 7.68TB Micron 5210 Ion SSD are available, but are also far slower (because they use SATA interface) and are in a 2.5-inch form factor.  Check out our list of the best portable SSDs on the market Here's our list of the best external hard disk drives of 2020 We've built a list of the best NAS devices and drives around At $187.50 per TB, Sabrent’s drive is 88% more expensive than the Inland Professional 1TB, the cheapest NVMe SSD per unit storage capacity on Amazon. The premium is significant, but worth it if you have a mobile workstation, for example, or for data center use cases. While Sabrent uses QLC technology from Micron, which makes it slower than TLC-based products, it also has its own RKT 303 controller, allowing it to deliver spectacular speeds (3.3GBps and 2.9GBps on read/write speeds respectively) with high IOPS numbers to boot. Combine this with a five year warranty and a 1.8PBW (yes, petabyte write warranty) and you have a seriously capable drive that should fulfill the needs of even the most demanding customers. As always, though, make sure you back up your data. Here's our choice of the best rugged storage on the market Bear in mind If the Sabrent Rocket Q is unavailable in your region, you may need to use a specialist parcel forwarding service to take advantage of the deal. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The Surface Laptop 4 may be rocking AMD Ryzen 4000 silicon Posted: 16 Jun 2020 02:42 PM PDT A leaked 3DMark score for an anonymous Microsoft device appears to indicate that the Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 may be getting an AMD Ryzen 7 4800U CPU.  Hardware leaker TUM_APISAK posted an image to Twitter that shows the results of a 3DMark benchmark using an AMD 4800U processor that lists Microsoft as the vendor, raising speculation that the device in question might be an upcoming Microsoft Surface Laptop 4. Here are the best Ultrabooks Check out our Surface Book 3 review Need one of the best Windows tablets? The Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 was the first Surface product to feature AMD's Ryzen 7 3780U and Ryzen 5 3580U CPUs, which were modified versions of the Ryzen 7 3700U and Ryzen 5 3500U, respectively. And since Microsoft's Surface products have sold very well, it's likely that Microsoft will stick with what's working and go with AMD again.  Even though it hasn't been announced yet, a Surface Laptop 4 is certainly on its way, likely releasing in the latter half of 2020. If the Surface Laptop 4 does get an upgrade to the Ryzen 7 4800U, it will double the number of cores and threads of the Surface 3 laptop, from 4 cores and 8 threads to 8 cores and 16 threads. As we get closer to a possible announcement, we'll likely hear more about what other hardware upgrades its packing, but so far it's looking like a major upgrade over its predecessor. These are the best laptops of 2020 This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Where to buy a webcam: these retailers still have stock Posted: 16 Jun 2020 01:57 PM PDT When you have to work from home, the capability to have an effective video conference is extremely important. And, while a lot of folks may have laptops that have a built-in camera, the best webcam can boost video quality so much that they're essential for anyone having regular video calls.  However, now that the Covid-19 crisis has driven so many people to work from home, supply is running out. Understandably, a lot of people are scrambling to get their hands on a solid webcam so they can keep doing their jobs, even if they have to be remote.  If you're scrambling to get your hands on a solid webcam, however, don't worry – they're definitely still out there, even if they're not quite as easy to find.  Luckily, we here at TechRadar are online shopping pros, and we've found the retailers that still have solid webcams on sale and gathered them all up down below. Just keep in mind that because webcams are moving so fast, there are certain models that may sell out super quickly.   In the UK? We’ve just added some webcams for the UK market as well. Stock is moving really quickly right now, so make sure you jump on what's available now. Check out our best webcams piece also to see the current range and find out which are still in stock in your areas. Where to buy a webcam in the US Shop webcams at Amazon Shop webcams at Dell Shop webcams at Best Buy Shop webcams at Staples Shop webcams at B&H Photo Video Shop webcams at Office Depot Shop webcams at Newegg We scoured the web to find the webcams that still have stock available to buy right now. Because the nature of online shopping, however, we'll likely see some of these sell out in the meantime. Some of these webcams are on backorder right now, but if you do buy one that's affected you should still be able to get it in about a week.  Where to buy a webcam in the UK Stock is currently an issue for webcams in the UK right now with many of the big retailers such as Amazon, Curry's and Argos selling out quickly while people adjust to their new working from home situation. We've still found some cheap webcams that are still available, so don't worry if you're still looking - we can help your search. See more webcam offers with our roundup of the best cheap webcams and see the best webcams 2020: top picks for working from home. You can also shop more deals with our roundup of Father's Day sales and the best 4th of July sales 2020 that are happening now. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best gaming mouse 2020: the best gaming mice we've tested Posted: 16 Jun 2020 01:49 PM PDT The best gaming mouse wireless and otherwise should round out your gaming setup nicely, especially if you’ve got a brand new, souped up PC on your desk. A mouse specifically crafted for gaming gives you that gaming edge that can take you to the top of the leaderboards, as well as quality that’s built to last and excellent ergonomics that will save you from unnecessary chronic pain. And, it simply beats all the other mice out there, even if you’re not gaming competitively. Much like with all other peripherals, the best gaming mouse can make a massive difference in your gaming immersion and experience. Regardless of whether you’re a casual gamer or trying to go toe-to-toe in the latest esports, having one of the best gaming PCs isn’t enough. Luckily, there are many top-notch mice at every price point, so you can find something that delivers durability, performance and speed without blowing your budget.  We’ve rounded up the best gaming mouse, wireless and wired, that we’ve tested here at TechRadar, so you don’t have to scour the web for the most ideal choice for you. We’ve even included our price comparison tool, so you can save some cash as well. Pick up one of the best gaming mouse pads as well, for a truly incredible gaming experience.  The features, balance and performance are all present in equal measure in the SteelSeries Rival 710. When it comes to the best gaming mouse, features, balance and performance are all present in equal measure in the SteelSeries Rival 710, securing it a top spot on our list. This behemoth of a gaming mouse – at least, in terms of power – is a bit expensive, but when you weigh that price against the customizable OLED display, haptic feedback (great for you MOBA players) and excellent build quality, the SteelSeries Rival 710 is still a very solid purchase. The kicker? Everything is modular, even down to the sensor, so you never have to feel like you’re missing out on the latest tech. Read the full review: SteelSeries Rival 710  The Razer Viper is our new favorite esports gaming mouse. There are a couple reasons why Razer Viper is our new favorite esports gaming mouse. Along with its lightweight ambidextrous design, true 16,000 DPI and Razer Chroma lighting, this powerful little mouse also features 1000 Hz Ultrapolling, Optical Mouse Switches rated for 70 million clicks and 8 independently programmable Hyperesponse buttons. If you want a gaming mouse to give you that extra competitive edge, you’ve found it here. Read the full review: Razer Viper The Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless is the poster child for this ideal price-and-performance match. The best gaming mouse is always going to be the one that brings excellent performance at a reasonable price. And, the Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless is the poster child for this ideal price-and-performance match. You’ll have a wireless mouse that has RGB lighting, touts a long battery life and doesn’t at all suck, for less than $50. The ergonomics unfortunately favor right-handed users, but at this price and with this impressive performance, there’s not much else to complain about. Read the full review: Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless Impressive wireless gaming mice are hardly a dime a dozen. Due to their latency, wireless mice are generally not ideal for gaming where every fraction of a second counts. This is why the Corsair Dark Core RGB has impressed us even more. With its sub-1ms speed, incredibly low latency, and reliability, this is truly a mouse we can game with, wireless or otherwise. And, that’s without mentioning its highly customizable RGB lighting and very robust software. There’s one catch: it’s not ideal for claw grip gamers as its palm rest is a bit flat. However, if you’re a palm gripper, you’ll love how it fits in your hand. Read the full review: Corsair Dark Core RGB The SteelSeries Sensei Ten delivers such impressive acceleration and deceleration customization options. Its onboard profile customization and nice matte finish are just two of the things you’ll love about the SteelSeries Sensei Ten. Most importantly, this ambidextrous mouse boasts a top-of-the-line sensor, making it one of the best gaming mice we’ve tested. It delivers such impressive acceleration and deceleration customization options, as well as butter-smooth performance. SteelSeries tops it all off with Tilt Tracking, which essentially keeps tracking consistent and precise even when you’re lifting your mouse and putting it back down at tilted angles. Read the full review: SteelSeries Sensei Ten Razer Basilisk X Hyperspeed boasts excellent performance with 450 IPS tracking speed and up to 40G acceleration. With up to 450 hours in Bluetooth mode, the Razer Basilisk X Hyperspeed is one of the longest lasting wireless mouse on the market. But, it’s got more going for it than just longevity. It also boasts excellent performance with 450 IPS tracking speed and up to 40G acceleration. It’s key feature, however, is the HyperSpeed Wireless, which reduces the time it takes to send data between your mouse and PC so it’s 25% faster than any other wireless gaming technology. Read the full review: Razer Basilisk X Hyperspeed A balanced mid-range gaming mouse that can handle a variety of situations, the MSI GM30 Clutch is an excellent mid-tier gaming mouse that boasts a lightweight build and extra, albeit modest, features. Among those features is the ability to configure up to three separate profiles in MSI's DragonCenter app. This may not be good for input-heavy and fast-paced games. However, if you need an affordable and reliable mouse that can handle serious gaming as well as day-to-day computer usage, this one’s a shoo-in. Read the full review: MSI GM30 Clutch The Razer Basilisk V2 is the only choice if you're looking for a mid-range gaming mouse. A solid gaming mouse at a decent price point, the Razer Basilisk V2 is the only choice if you’re looking for a mid-range gaming mouse. It allows you to effortlessly hop from game to game with minimal fuss, and has 11 programmable buttons, a tactile scroll wheel with a tension dial and up to five different sensitivity levels. On top of that, it has the Razer Speedflex Cable, which boasts incredible flexibility and produces minimal drag. And, for comfort, it’s well-suited for a palm grip, as well as claw and fingertip styles. Read the full review: Razer Basilisk V2 Keep things simple with the Roccat Kain 202 AIMO. The Kain 202 AIMO from Roccat is the perfect mouse for the gamer who likes to keep it simple. No wires, no weight adjustment, no-nonsense. The 202 is easy to set up, works like a charm and comes with a solid battery life, ensuring that you won’t need to be plugging it in too often. Overall sensitivity and physical feedback is good, with particular mention going to the rugged scroll wheel, which feels great to roll and click. It’s not the most portable of mice, but its anti-wear coating ensures that this mouse should remain looking fine for the duration of its life. Read the full review: Roccat Kain 202 AIMO Don't knock the Razer Deathadder V2's simple design. The Razer Deathadder V2 may be a simple mouse with a simple design, but don’t let that fool you. This is one of the best gaming mice out there, touting a response time of 0.2ms, 650IPS tracking speed, 8 programmable buttons and Razer Speedflex Cable. It’s pretty lightweight as well, making it possible to reduce hand and wrist fatigue. And don’t knock that simple design, either, as it only makes this mouse look right at home in the office as much as it does in your gaming setup. Best yet, it boasts a 70M click durability, which means it’ll last you for a long, long time. Read the full review: Razer Deathadder V2 How to choose the best gaming mouse While you’ll definitely find the best gaming mouse of your gaming dreams, doing so might take some time and effort. That’s expected; there’s a ton of complicated technical jargon that goes into the best gaming mice – terms like polling rates and DPI ratings that a regular buyer may not be familiar with. For the record, you’ll want a higher number of both, even though these two terms mean very different things. For newcomers to the world of PC gaming, when you come across the term DPI, that is shorthand for ‘dots per inch.’ The higher the number, the wider the range wherein you can specify how sensitive your mouse is. If you don’t have a lot of desk space available, but you still want accuracy and precision, then opt for the best gaming mouse with a higher DPI rating that can toggle to a lower DPI, in case you get a bigger desk. Meanwhile, a high polling rate means you’re getting faster response times. The polling rate is measured in hertz, and it usually ranges from around 125 to 1,000Hz. The latter means that your mouse’s position is reported to your computer 1,000 times per second. Other key gaming mouse factors you’ll want to keep in mind are ergonomics – particularly if you’re left-handed – and RGB lighting. Gabe Carey and Michelle Rae Uy have also contributed to this article This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best gaming laptops 2020: top laptops to game on Posted: 16 Jun 2020 01:30 PM PDT For an immersive-yet-portable gaming experience, the best gaming laptops are the only way to go. These portables now tout the latest mobile versions of cutting internals like the latest  Intel Comet Lake processors, Nvidia Turing or AMD Navi graphics cards, and speedy SSDs. Because of this, they are now closing that performance gap between them and the best gaming PCs. In terms of sheer power, the best gaming laptops are now capable of giving you an edge over your rival players and helping you get to the top of the scoreboards. In fact, they’re powerful enough to see you through your most graphically-demanding creative tasks. And, they do so without compromising portability and affordability. Whether you’re a casual gamer who plays in your spare time or a competitive pro who requires the most powerful internals, there’s no better investment than one of the best gaming laptops. We’ve tested and reviewed quite a few of them, so to make your search easier, we gathered our top rated ones all in one place. These are the best budget gaming PCs of 2020 Best gaming laptops 2020 at a glance Asus Zephyrus G14 Asus TUF A15 Alienware Area-51m Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701 MSI GS65 Stealth Razer Blade Lenovo Legion Y740 Gigabyte Aorus 17G Alienware m17 (2019) Gigabyte Aorus 5 Best gaming laptops 2020 The Asus Zephyrus G14 is an absolute beast of a gaming laptop. The Asus Zephyrus G14 is not perfect, missing a webcam and a Thunderbolt 3 port. However, it’s damn near close to being one, garnering our coveted yet rarely given five-star rating. We couldn’t resist. This is an absolute beast of a gaming laptop, delivering an incredible performance with its AMD Ryzen 4000 processors and Nvidia RTX 2060 graphics card while touting best-in-class battery life that will last you all day long, a fast display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a lightweight, ultrathin design. The best part is that you’re getting all that without burning a hole in your pocket. Don’t get us wrong; it isn’t cheap. However, for a laptop this impressive, we’re surprised Asus isn’t asking for more. Read the full review: Asus Zephyrus G14  Give us a laptop that touts one of AMD’s stellar Ryzen 400 mobile processors, and we’d be more than happy to try it on for size. What we found in the Asus TUF A15, however, is not just fantastic gaming performance, but a great value gaming rig with a long battery life and military-grade durability as well. With the help of Nvidia’s most powerful 1080p graphics cards, this Ryzen 4000-powered laptop will see you through all your 1080p gaming demands without burning a hole in your pocket. Whether you play a lot of competitive esports, or need a rugged laptop, this one’s a winner. Read the full review: Asus TUF A15 Alienware Area-51m is among best gaming laptops of 2020, packing a hefty punch, gaming-wise. If you fell head over heels upon seeing the Alienware Area-51m’s stunning yet quirky white chassis, you’re not alone. And, if you happen to shell out that couple of thousand dollars based on looks alone, we’d be the last people to judge. Anyway, you’ll be happy to know that it wasn’t all for naught, as this gaming laptop – or rather, the best among the best gaming laptops of 2020 – packs a hefty punch, gaming-wise. This is so far the most powerful gaming laptop on the market currently, and you won’t be able to help but be impressed. Its comfy keyboard and VR readiness are just cherries on top. Read the full review: Alienware Area-51m You can play any PC game under the sun on Ultra on the Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701. These days, the best gaming laptop manufacturers are scrambling to craft the thinnest gaming laptop packing raw power. Right now, the one that might be leading the charge is the Asus ROG Zephyrus GX701. At just 0.7 inches thick, this beast of a laptop boasts an Intel Coffee Lake Core i7 chip, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q graphics and 16GB of RAM. That means you can play any PC game under the sun on Ultra, and also take it with you wherever you go – ideal for travelers with a penchant for gaming. Plus, it’s packed with RGB lighting that’ll dazzle just about anyone. Read the full review: Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701  MSI GS65 Stealth packs a punch in its very thing package. Play some of the best PC games on the move and very discreetly with the MSI GS65 Stealth, which might just be the gaming laptop of your dreams if you’re a traveler. Coming in at just 0.69 inches thick and packing impressive internals like Intel Coffee Lake processors and Nvidia GeForce GTX 10-series – refreshed with RTX 20-series graphics at CES – the MSI GS65 Stealth packs a punch in its very thing package. There’s nothing you won’t be able to throw at this thing that’ll slow it down. And, thanks to the smart aesthetic, you’ll be able to lug this beefy rig everywhere you go, making it among the best gaming laptops to hit the streets.  Read the full review: MSI GS65 Stealth  Razer Blade has constantly been named one of the best gaming laptops on the market. For several years now, the Razer Blade has constantly been named one of the best gaming laptops on the market. For good reason, since it rocks some powerful components and boasts a stunning display in its elegant chassis. That’s true for the 2019 model as well, which now rocks up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080. That is, frankly, a ton of power for a laptop with this thin. If that’s not enough graphics power for you, you can use the Razer Core for future expansion. Make no mistake: it is pricey; but it might be worth it if style and power are equally important to you. Read the full review: Razer Blade Lenovo Legion Y740 is as close to a complete package as you can get. The Lenovo Legion Y740 packs a lot of muscles inside its stylish yet accessible chassis, combining a very high refresh rate, Nvidia Turing graphics and a powerful processor with a gloriously effective thermal cooling, a nifty cable management system and a number of applications to make it truly yours. It’s as close to a complete package as you can get, wrapped in a beautiful chassis that you’d be proud to show off to friends and strangers. It still has the remnants of that gaming aesthetic, but it’s made classy so that you could be gaming in public without anyone knowing. Despite its shortcomings – unfortunate keyboard and webcam placement, as well as its subpar battery life – it’s still one of the best gaming laptops to date. Read the full review: Lenovo Legion Y740 If you want an absolute beast of a gaming laptop, Gigabyte’s Aorus 17G is a worthy candidate both inside and out. While this megalithic portable has a substantial weight of 5.95Ib to match, it’s a small price to pay for such power inside – namely, 10th-generation processors and up to 64GB of memory, as well as Nvidia’s most powerful RTX and Super RTX cards. There’s nothing this laptop can handle (or annihilate), making it a prime example of what a next-generation desktop replacement can be. And, that’s without mentioning its 1080p display touting a whopping 240Hz refresh rate and its solid build. Just be ready to break that piggy bank, as this won’t be cheap. Read the full review: Gigabyte Aorus 17G The Alienware m17 (2019) will let you have the most immersive gaming experience of your life and look good while gaming. Dell has reinvented its flagship gaming brand. The Alienware m17 (2019) touts more powerful internals and a bold new design you won’t see on any other gaming laptop of its caliber. This Alienware gaming laptop looks good inside and out, so you can have the most immersive gaming experience of your life and look good while gaming, whether you’re at home on your couch or at a cafe. That’s not all; it’s impressively portable as well, with a thin and light chassis that’s ideal for gaming on the go. This is a well-rounded gaming laptop that is worth every penny you spend on it, though you will be spending a hefty amount. Read the full review: Alienware m17 (2019) If you’re looking for a desktop replacement gaming laptop that’s easy on the pockets, then the Gigabyte Aorus 5 SB is worth taking a look. It may compromise on a few things – most notably its form factor – in the name of affordability. However, it packs a serious punch with 10th-generation processors, an IPS display with 144Hz refresh rate, and up to a Nvidia RTX 2060 graphics. For the configuration with Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti and 16GB RAM, you’re paying less than the price of the MacBook Pro 13-inch base model, so you’re certainly saving a whole lot for considerable power. This one’s one of the best gaming laptops 2020 has to offer, as long as you’re not looking for something portable. Read the full review: Gigabyte Aorus 5 Choosing the best gaming laptop When choosing the best gaming laptop for you, there are a few things you must take into account. First and foremost, the most crucial thing to consider in the best gaming laptops is how well they play the latest games. When creating this list, not only do we delve deep into the specifications of each gaming laptop to see if they are up to snuff, but we also run benchmarks on each one to check out the raw performance. Benchmarks only tell part of the story however. So, we also make sure we play a number of the latest games on each laptop to see just how well they perform. It's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it. Display, sound quality, keyboard, trackpad and the overall design of the laptop matter as well, so these are definitely things you’d want to check out before hitting that buy button. In fact, if the device scores highly in all these areas, it has a good chance of making it to our best gaming laptops 2020 list. That means you can buy any of the best gaming laptops in this list in full confidence that you're getting a killer gaming device that will last you for years to come. Gabe Carey, Bill Thomas and Michelle Rae Uy have also contributed to this article Want more choices? Check out our list of the best laptop 2020 This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

We're all using email to share files, despite security risks Posted: 16 Jun 2020 12:23 PM PDT Email is the most common method for sharing files between users despite the fact that it poses the biggest security risk, according to new research from NordLocker. The company anonymously surveyed 1,400 people in the UK and US in order to learn more about users' habits when it comes to file storage and sharing to reveal that 58 percent of US and 56 percent of UK users prefer to share files over email. Encryption specialist at NordLocker, Oliver Noble warned about the dangers of sharing files over email, saying: Email is still the biggest security risk around today An unhackable, quantum resistant email technology is on its way These are the best email clients “Even though email is one of the most popular targets for cyberattacks, people still trust it with their personal information. If your email gets hacked, all of your attachments, such as sensitive documents or private photos, can fall into the hands of criminals.” Securing sensitive files In both the US and UK, every second person shares their personal computer with other people including spouses, children or parents. However, security risks increase when more than one person has access to a computer leading users to protect their files in one way or another. Of those surveyed, 75 percent claim they use some sort of protection for their files with passwords being the most popular choice (46%). NordLocker also found that just 16 percent of users use encrypted cloud storage to protect their files while 12 percent hide their files on a computer manually. When it comes to what users consider as private information and how valuable they think it is, results differed significantly in the US and UK. US users value their tax records, personally identifiable information and medical records equally while UK users value their photos more than any other type of files stored on their computers. NordLocker's study also revealed that losing a personal computer or discovering someone else has access to it is almost as concerning as losing a wallet (85%), having important documents stolen (83%) or returning home to find your front door is open (865). In today's digital age, keeping your sensitive files secured is more important than ever as losing them could potentially lead to identity theft or other serious problems down the road. Also check out the best email service of 2020 This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Building custom apps quickly with low-code Posted: 16 Jun 2020 12:00 PM PDT In the era of digital transformation, businesses need to quickly be able to create custom applications to solve the problems they’re facing. Creating programs the traditional way often takes hundreds of hours of programming as well as developers to do the necessary coding. However, the rise of low-code has allowed organizations to create custom apps to meet their needs without sacrificing time or money. With the launch of FileMaker 19, Claris has released its first open platform that enables developers to build sophisticated custom apps by leveraging direct JavaScript integrations, drag-and-drop add-ons, AI using Apple’s Core ML and more. To learn more about the company’s latest release and how low-code can help developers and businesses be more productive, TechRadar Pro spoke with the CEO of Claris, Brad Freitag. Low-code could lead to improved job satisfaction for IT developers The OpenJS Foundation aims to be the home of all JavaScript development Also check out the best web development tools of 2020 We've also highlighted the best laptops for programming This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best laptops for photographers in 2020: Photo editing in Photoshop Posted: 16 Jun 2020 11:40 AM PDT The best laptops for photo editing tick a few boxes other laptops that are just as powerful don’t. That’s because photo editing requires more than just enough horsepower to rival traditional desktop computers. You’re working with high resolution files and utilizing advanced effects that require much more than a powerful processor. For the best laptop for photo editing, you’ll need to have one of the best graphics cards for content creation as well as the fastest RAM. You’ll also need a pixel-perfect display with accurate color reproduction and wide contrast to keep highlight and shadow detail consistently visible. Finally, you’ll need features that will deliver a more seamless workflow – starting with a comfortable keyboard, an extremely reliable trackpad and an abundance of ports – so there’s nothing to distract you from your creative process. While these might be very specific requirements, there’s actually quite a selection of laptops out there that will make the cut. From the crowd-favorite MacBook Pros to their Windows-based rivals, we put together a short list of the best laptops for photo editing. And, it includes some of the best laptops and best Ultrabooks. Whichever photo editor you’re using – whether it’s Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom or GIMP, or a combination of two, your pick is guaranteed to handle your photo editing demands. Best laptops for photographers 2020 at a glance Dell XPS 15 (2020) MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019) Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020) Acer ConceptD 7 Surface Laptop 3 15-inch Microsoft Surface Book 3 Dell XPS 13 HP Spectre x360 Lenovo Yoga C930 The Dell XPS 15 might just be incredible enough to tempt hardcore Mac users. It’s easily the best laptop for photo editing in 2020, and in a lot of ways, the best laptop (period). Combining staggering power in a stylish thin and light chassis, this laptop doesn’t hold back when it comes to internals and features that improve your computing experience overall. Among those amazing features are a gorgeous bright display with 500 nits of brightness, an extremely comfortable keyboard, impressive speakers, and a terrific trackpad. We’re not saying that this laptop is perfect, but our coveted 5 out of 5 rating should speak for itself. Read the full review: Dell XPS 15 The MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019) feels just as compact as the 15-inch MacBook Pros that preceded it. As thin, light and sleek as ever, the MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019) doesn’t actually feel like a 16-inch behemoth. If you’re worried that this was going to be bulky and awkward to use, don’t be. Whether you’re a nomadic photographer or you have your own studio, this laptop will feel just as compact as the 15-inch MacBook Pros that preceded it. Only, you’re still getting that extra real estate on that stunning display, as well as the latest and greatest components behind it. Apple then rounds those out with amazing (and loud) speakers and a much, much better keyboard. This is truly the best laptop for photographers. Read the full review: MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019) Razer took its famous gaming laptop and turned it into one of the best mobile creative workstations. Razer’s idea of taking its famous gaming laptop and turning it into one of the best mobile creative workstations on offer has paid off. Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition takes the mantle from one of HP’s most powerful laptops as among the best laptops for photographers. Without a doubt, this model was designed with photographers – as well as video editors and game designers – in mind, rocking powerful graphics cards and an absolute stunner of a 4K display. You’ll be spending a lot of money to take this laptop home. But, make no mistake, it will be one of the smartest investments you’ll ever make. Read the full review: Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition This 2019's MacBook now boasts 8th-generation processors. The MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020)’s entry-level model may miss out on some of the lineup’s new toys. However, going for the higher-end configurations will get you new (and powerful) Intel processors and improved RAM speeds for better performance, all packed in the 13-inch incredibly svelte body. Apple rounds it all out with that incredible Magic Keyboard from the new 16-inch, finally getting rid of that problematic keyboard. Even if you don’t go for the 10th-generation Intel Core configurations, you might still appreciate the fact that all models come with more storage capacity for the same price as their predecessors. Read the full review: MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020) See more like this: The best Macs and Macbooks 2018 The Acer ConceptD 7 is a formidable laptop capable of handling complex and demanding tasks. For those who think that MacBook Pros are overpriced but still need a powerful mobile workstation, there’s the Acer ConceptD 7. This formidable laptop capable of handling complex and demanding tasks such as photo editing, thanks in part to its Nvidia RTX graphics, was designed specifically with creative professionals in mind. Beyond that sheer power it delivers, it also offers decent port selection, a minimalist solid white design and that stunning Pantone-validated 4K IPS display. Obviously, it’s still pretty pricey, but if you’re looking for a Windows-powered MacBook alternative for video and photo editing, it’s certainly among the best laptops for photographers. Read the full review: Acer ConceptD 7 The Surface Laptop 3 certainly has a lot going for it. With an impressive, reasonable price tag and some of the best battery life we’ve experienced in a 15-inch laptop, the Surface Laptop 3 certainly has a lot going for it. That also includes the fact that it’s got a great look and feel, as well as a weight that surprisingly light for a product its size. Performance-wise, it certainly knocks it out of the park. While it isn’t the most powerful 15-inch laptop out there, it has Intel’s 10th-generation chips and the Iris Plus graphics. That’s more than enough to make it one of the best Ultrabooks out there for 2020. Read the full review: Surface Laptop 3  In many ways, the Surface Book 3 is an example of just how far the best laptops have come in just a few short years. It has an extremely premium piece of kit – with one of the best displays we’ve used in a laptop, a keyboard that will put the MacBook Pro’s new Magic Keyboards to shame, and a hybrid design that’s great for creative tasks. More specifically for what you’re looking for, this follow up to the outstanding Surface Book 2 has configurations with a discrete GPU and more RAM than everyday consumers will ever need. That makes the Surface Book 3 an amazing choice for content creators and one of the best laptops for photographers 2020 has to offer. Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Book 3 Dell XPS 13 boasts a similar resolution and pixel density to the MacBook and Surface Book. This laptop's claim to fame is being the smallest 13.3-inch laptop on the market. It's slim screen bezel helps contribute to a svelte 304mm x 200mm x 15mm form that needs to be held to be truly appreciated. But it’s also among the best laptops for photographers. The XPS 13's screen is touch-sensitive, and it boasts a similar resolution and pixel density to the MacBook and Surface Book. Image quality is more in line with the ZenBook though, falling slightly short on colour and contrast intensity compared to Apple and Microsoft's displays. A highly portable package with little compromise other than battery life. Read the full review: Dell XPS 13 HP Spectre x360 (2019) takes things to another level, power-wise. Sartorially-conscious photographers will love the look of this 13-inch stunner, sure. But the Spectre x360 also takes things to another level, power-wise. With its gem cut design and sleek profile, it’s this one of the most beautiful laptops on the market right now. However, HP also fitted this with powerful Intel Whiskey Lake processors and long battery life, which means that you’re getting one of the best laptops for photographers. Read the full review: HP Spectre x360 (2019) Lenovo Yoga C930 is one of the best 2-in-1 laptops to date. Sleek, slim and with solid specs to boot, the new Lenovo Yoga C930 not only deserves to be voted one of the best 2-in-1 laptops to date, but it’s also a worthy addition in our best laptops for photographers list. That’s without mentioning the fact that it now touts a 4K display model, which is just excellent for editing those high resolution full-frame shots. This 2-in-1 is a strong contender for photographers on the budget, but if you do decide to go for gold, you might have to break the bank. Read the full review: Lenovo Yoga C930 Key things to look out for Watch the video above for the top 7 things to consider when buying a laptop.  It's easy to get bogged down in the tech and spec soup of computer terminology, but there are a couple of key areas photographers need to think about. The first is the quality of the screen. This used to be more eye-sore than eye-candy, with appalling contrast and viewing angles, but thankfully IPS display tech fixes this and you shouldn't settle for anything less. An SSD (solid state drive) is a must as your primary storage in any new laptop. A conventional hard disk drive will bottleneck performance like flat tires on a Ferrari, and while dedicated graphics cards are great for gaming, they're not a necessity here. Today's processors can fill in for them, and they pack enough pixel-pushing punch for photo editing. The MacBook is favoured by many photographers, and for good reason. But don't rule out comparably priced laptop PCs, which can offer more bang per buck with better upgradability. Want more choices? Check out our list of the best laptop This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best Ultrabooks 2020: the top thin and light laptops reviewed Posted: 16 Jun 2020 11:26 AM PDT The best Ultrabooks are more than just status symbols or looking cool. While oozing sophistication and elegance in the design department, these thin and light laptops also do not compromise on sheer performance for the sake of portability and longer battery life. They boast the best processors and SSDs under their svelte hood, allowing them to handle a hefty workload. Powerful enough to get you through the more demanding tasks like photo editing and 3D design, the best Ultrabooks are excellent for professionals and creatives who want to stay mobile or are always on the move. And, they’ve also got that battery life to last a while, so users won’t get caught out with a dying laptop and no outlet in sight. We gathered all the best Ultrabooks on the market to make your search for the ideal one easier. We’ve tested and reviewed every single one ourselves, so you know you can count on whichever one you choose.  The best Ultrabooks at a glance HP Elite Dragonfly Dell XPS 13 Huawei Matebook 13 Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (2019) HP Spectre x360 Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo Yoga C930 Razer Blade Stealth 13 (2019) Microsoft Surface Book 3 HP Spectre x360 (2020) The HP Elite Dragonfly tops many of our lists this year, including the best Ultrabooks list. If you’re a traveling professional, and you’re looking for the best of the best this 2020, then you will be hard-pressed to find anything that will rival the HP Elite Dragonfly. Garnering our coveted five-star rating, this laptop tops many of our lists this year, including the best Ultrabooks list. It’s no surprise, as it delivers a deadly combination of incredible features like a sublime keyboard and amazing speakers, raw power, portability, a beautiful design and a long battery life. Admittedly, it’s pricier than many of its competition; but if you’ve got the funds, it’s worth every penny. Read the full review: HP Elite Dragonfly The Dell XPS 13 has been king of the Ultrabooks for years, and while it’s been unseated by the Huawei MateBook 13, it remains one of the Ultrabooks to beat in 2020. This time around, Dell has moved the webcam from the bottom of the display back to the top, fixing one of the biggest flaws that held back the XPS 13 for years. Add the updated internal components to the mix, and the Dell XPS 13 still makes the best Ultrabooks list – even in the face of tough competition. Read the full review: Dell XPS 13 For some years now, Huawei has been sitting in the shadows, biding its time to take on the best Ultrabooks. But now, their time in the limelight is here. Like the Huawei MateBook X Pro before it, the Huawei Matebook 13 packs a ton of powerful hardware into a gorgeous shell, all while offering it at a price that’s more than reasonable. Those discrete graphics are also worth a mention – the Huawei Matebook 13 may be one of the tiniest laptops out there to come with an MX150 GPU. It’s not hard to see why the Huawei Matebook 13 is the best Ultrabook right now. Read the full review: Huawei MateBook 13 You’ll be hard-pressed to find fault in the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (2019). Design-wise, not only is it incredibly compact and lightweight, but it also boasts that gorgeous responsive display, stunning woven design and delightful to use keyboard. But, it’s more than just looks. It’s pretty impressive as well when it comes to performance, thanks to its 10th-generation Intel Core processors and Intel Iris Plus graphics. If you’re looking for the best Ultrabook with more than enough power, a lot of versatility and a stunning design to boot, you’ll be crazy not to get this. Read the full review: Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (2019)  If an arresting Ultrabook housing 2-in-1 functionality and a ton of power satisfies what you’re looking for, it’s hard to find a better laptop than the HP Spectre x360. This slim and light Ultrabook isn’t just filled with the latest Intel Whiskey Lake processors and plenty of RAM. It also might just be the most exquisite laptop you can buy today. The HP Spectre x360 won’t just get you through your workload, but will also make you smart and stylish in the process – leaving no doubt that it’s well-deserving of its lofty spot on our best Ultrabooks 2020 list. Read the full review: HP Spectre x360 With an impressive, reasonable price tag and some of the best battery life we’ve experienced in a 15-inch laptop, the Surface Laptop 3 certainly has a lot going for it. That also includes the fact that it’s got a great look and feel, as well as a weight that surprisingly light for a product its size. Performance-wise, it certainly knocks it out of the park. While it isn’t the most powerful 15-inch laptop out there, it has Intel’s 10th-generation chips and the Iris Plus graphics. That’s more than enough to make it one of the best Ultrabooks out there for 2020. Read the full review: Surface Laptop 3  The Lenovo Yoga C930 has quite a few of the makings of the best Ultrabook – from an absurd 14.5 hours of battery life and dual Thunderbolt-enabled USB-C ports to internal components that will easily handle those daily productivity tasks. That’s without even considering it’s a 2-in-1 that offers form versatility so you can squeeze in some light gaming and movie-watching once you’re done working. It has a few cherries on top as well, specifically the integrated self-charging stylus and the fab speaker system. Read the full review: Lenovo Yoga C930 The “world’s first gaming ultrabook” doesn't just talk the talk; it also walks the walk as one of the best Ultrabooks 2020 has to offer. Razer has spruced up its Blade Stealth 13 Ultrabook with the latest internal components without affecting its super-quiet operation. Packed with a 10th-generation Intel Core i7 processor and better graphic options, 13-inch laptop delivers and much better than its predecessor. In fact, it might just be the best gaming experience we’ve ever had on integrated graphics with the Iris Plus configuration. Round that out with extremely quiet fans, low thermal power, extended battery life and that delightful Mercury White color, and we are sold. Read the full review: Razer Blade Stealth 13 (2019)  In many ways, the Surface Book 3 is an example of just how far the best laptops have come in just a few short years. It has an extremely premium piece of kit – with one of the best displays we’ve used in a laptop, a keyboard that will put the MacBook Pro’s new Magic Keyboards to shame, and a hybrid design with a removable screen. At less than an inch thick, and only 12.3 x 9.14 inches for its 13-inch model and 13.5 x 9.87 inches for its 15-inch version, this is also among the best Ultrabooks 2020 has to offer. Unfortunately, it’s held back by a weaker processor (next to its rivals), lacklust speakers and a high price tag. Still, it’s an excellent portable, if you’ve got the money for it and don’t. Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Book 3 HP’s beloved and highly praised 2-in-1 is back with a vengeance, this time with more powerful components like the 10th-generation Intel Core processors and Intel Iris Plus graphics. Of course, that impeccable 2-in-1 design and pristine gem-cut chassis are back, as are its security features and Bang & Olufsen speakers. That killer combination makes it, now more than ever, one of the best Ultrabooks out there. Is it a wonder that this is one of our favorite laptops of 2020? If you care about aesthetics as much as you do performance and overall quality, this is the laptop for you. Read the full review: HP Spectre x360 (2020)  Michelle Rae Uy, Bill Thomas and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article Image credit: TechRadar Check out our pick of the best laptops Shop the best cheap laptop deals and sales available now This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The best 2-in-1 laptop 2020: find the best convertible laptop for your needs Posted: 16 Jun 2020 11:09 AM PDT For work and for play, the best 2-in-1 laptops are the perfect tools for the job. Thanks to their versatile design – which gives you both the classic laptop setup and the tablet form factor in a single device – these laptops will get you through your daily productivity needs and help you unwind with a game or a movie post-work. And, since they boast touch displays, they’re also great for creative design work. Alongside the classic laptop form, the best 2-in-1 laptops can convert into a tablet for casual gaming or social networking and even into tent mode for easy, relaxed viewing. In other words, they eliminate the need for two devices, making it easier on your pocket and when you’re the go. Better yet, these laptops are packed with sheer power, fitted with the best processors and best graphics cards, as well as high capacity RAM. That means that they’re more than capable of handling demanding computing tasks and casual gaming. These 2-in-1 laptops have indeed changed the way we use laptops forever, and some of them are among the best laptops 2020 has to offer. We put together a list of the best ones we’ve tested and reviewed. Whatever it is you’re looking for or can afford, you’ll find the ideal match for you here. The best 2-in-1 laptop at a glance HP Elite Dragonfly HP Spectre x360 (2020) Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (2019) Asus Chromebook Flip HP Spectre x360 15T (2019) Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 Microsoft Surface Book 2 (13-inch) Lenovo Yoga C930 Microsoft Surface Book 3 HP Envy x360 13 (2019) The HP Elite Dragonfly tops our list with its combination of portability and power. As far as 2-in-1 laptops go, the HP Elite Dragonfly tops our list with its combination of portability and power. It’s also one of the most beautiful business laptops we've tested in a long time, touting a thin and light design – complete with incredible speakers, a sublime keyboard and the optional 550 nit 4K display – that’s absolutely hard to contend with. This hybrid gets our coveted five-star rating, which already says a lot as we don’t give that out lightly. And, did we mention it also boasts an excellent battery life, which gets you a long way when working on-the-go? Read the full review: HP Elite Dragonfly HP's beloved and highly praised 2-in-1 is back with a vengeance. HP’s beloved and highly praised 2-in-1 is back with a vengeance, this time with more powerful components like the 10th-generation Intel Core processors and Intel Iris Plus graphics. Of course, that impeccable 2-in-1 design and pristine gem-cut chassis are back, as are its security features and Bang & Olufsen speakers. That killer combination makes it, now more than ever, one of the best 2-in-1 laptops out there. Is it a wonder that this is one of our favorite laptops of 2020? If you care about aesthetics as much as you do performance and overall quality, this is the laptop for you. Read the full review: HP Spectre x360 (2020)  You'll be hard-pressed to find fault in the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (2019). You’ll be hard-pressed to find fault in the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (2019). Design-wise, not only is it incredibly compact and lightweight, but it also boasts that gorgeous responsive display, stunning woven design and delightful to use keyboard. But, it’s more than just looks. It’s pretty impressive as well when it comes to performance, thanks to its 10th-generation Intel Core processors and Intel Iris Plus graphics. If you’re looking for the best 2-in-1 with more than enough power, a lot of versatility and a stunning design to boot, you’ll be crazy not to get this. Read the full review: Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (2019)  Budget-conscious buyers may prefer the Asus Chromebook Flip C302. The Pixelbook is downright seductive, but budget-conscious buyers may prefer the Asus Chromebook Flip C302, a worthy pinch hitter. Having introduced a touchscreen hybrid design to Google’s cloud-based Chrome OS, the Asus Chromebook Flip is improved by its compatibility with Android apps. Just like the Pixelbook, you can use the Asus Chromebook Flip for Google Play apps, though after installing an out-of-the-box update. It’s unquestionably one of the best 2 in 1 laptops right now. And, if you're already a fan of Asus laptops, this one will make you a true convert. Read the full review: Asus Chromebook Flip HP Spectre x360 15T (2019) packs an 8th-generation Intel Core i7 CPU, GTX 1050 Ti graphics and 8GB of RAM in its base configuration. For years, HP’s Spectre line of Ultrabooks and 2-in-1 laptops has been about pairing elegance with performance. The 2019 HP Spectre x360 15 is no different. It deserves a top spot on our best 2 in 1 laptops list for packing an 8th-generation Intel Core i7 CPU, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti graphics and 8GB of RAM in its base configuration. This 2-in-1 can tackle just about anything your everyday workload throws at it – and then some (such as a bit of light gaming, for example) – while looking like royalty. Keep in mind that the Spectre x360 is somewhat big and heavy for a 2-in-1, so you likely won’t be using it in tablet mode very often. Put it in tent mode instead, so you can catch some movies on its stunning 4K display. Read the full review: HP Spectre x360 15T (2019) Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 is possibly among the most coveted 2-in-1 laptops. Are you in the market for one of the best 2 in 1 laptops which can provide solid performance and serious horsepower? Well, you’ll find it in the Dell XPS 15, which incidentally also gets our vote as one of the best Ultrabooks you can buy today. This 2-in-1 is possibly among the most coveted 2-in-1 laptops – with discrete class Radeon RX Vega graphics to boot. With it, you get a spectacular convertible that doesn’t sacrifice sheer power. So, while it comes with a price tag that’s a bit on the high end, it’s also completely worth breaking open the piggy bank. Read the full review: Dell XPS 15 2-in-1  Microsoft Surface Book 2 (13-inch) features cutting-edge 8th-generation processors as well as Nvidia 10-series graphics. We had nothing but love for the first Surface Book so when we heard that there was going to be a 15-inch Surface Book 2, we could barely contain our excitement. In the end though, the Microsoft Surface Pro 2 didn’t end up being the best 2-in-1 laptop out there. However, it’s still a notable machine, even if it’s held back by a few compromises that were necessary to begin with. This 2-in-1 laptop features cutting-edge 8th-generation processors as well as Nvidia 10-series graphics for gamers and creatives alike. Combine that with its unique convertible solution, and the Surface Book 2 is an ace in our book. Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Book 2 (13-inch) Lenovo Yoga C930 is a strong contender for consumers light on cash. Sleek, thin and with solid specs to boot, the new Lenovo Yoga C930 is definitely worthy of a spot in the best 2 in 1 laptops list. And, that’s without stating the fact that it now offers a 4K display model, so that high-end viewing experience and decent gaming might be had once users have gotten their day-to-day workload out of the way. This 2-in-1 is a strong contender for consumers light on cash, but if you do decide to go for gold, be ready to break the bank. Read the full review: Lenovo Yoga C930 In many ways, the Surface Book 3 is an example of just how far the best laptops have come in just a few short years. It has an extremely premium piece of kit – with one of the best displays we’ve used in a laptop, a keyboard that will put the MacBook Pro’s new Magic Keyboards to shame, and a hybrid design with a removable screen. This follow-up to the outstanding Surface Book 2 is truly one of the best 2-in-1 laptops 2020 has to offer. Unfortunately, it’s held back by a weaker processor (next to its rivals), lacklust speakers and a high price tag. Still, it’s an excellent portable, if you’ve got the money for it and don’t. Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Book 3 HP Envy x360 (2019) offers a premium build and 9 hours of video playback, to start. Thanks to its sleek, 13-inch design, this 2-in-1 is leaner that you might have expected, which works in your favor when engaging it in tablet mode. There are other compelling reasons why the HP Envy x360 (2019) is worth considering when you’re on the lookout for the best 2 in 1 laptops. This HP beauty offers a premium build, boasts 9 hours of video playback and delivers a performance that will get you through most of your schoolwork and project, at a very reasonable price. Read the full review: HP Envy x360 (2019) Gabe Carey, Bill Thomas and Michelle Rae Uy have also contributed to this article Images Credit: TechRadar Want more choices? Check out our list of the best laptop 2020 Shop all cheap laptop deals available now This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best 15-inch laptop 2020: top picks with 15-inch displays Posted: 16 Jun 2020 11:03 AM PDT The best 15-inch laptops are the Goldilocks of notebooks – they’re not too big, not too small; they’re just right. Sitting between the massive 17-inch notebooks to the more compact 11 to 13-inch portables, these 15-inch laptops boast the perfect size and form factor for most people. And, that’s why they’re incredibly popular, especially amongst professionals and content creators. With just enough display area for productivity and creative tasks, while still staying slim, lightweight and portable, the best 15-inch laptops are the excellent choice for professionals on the go. Their size also affords another advantage: there’s a decent amount of room under the hood to accommodate more powerful components like the best processors and the best graphics cards, which makes these portables capable enough for intensive tasks like video editing and gaming. Take a look at the best 15-inch laptops 2020 has to offer. We’ve tested and reviewed every single one ourselves, so they come with the TechRadar seal of approval. Whether you’re looking for a versatile hybrid laptop, a tough business machine or a lightweight Chromebooks, you’ll find the perfect 15-inch notebook for you on this list. The best 15-inch laptops at a glance Dell XPS 15 Asus TUF A15 HP Spectre x360 15T (2019) Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019) Asus VivoBook S15 (S532F) Microsoft Surface Book 3 Razer Blade 2019 Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch) Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Also check out all the best Windows laptops of 2020 The best 15-inch laptops of 2020 The Dell XPS 15 might just be incredible enough to tempt hardcore Mac users. It’s easily the best 15-inch laptop in 2020, and in a lot of ways, the best laptop (period). Combining staggering power in a stylish thin and light chassis, this laptop doesn’t hold back when it comes to internals and features that improve your computing experience overall. Among those amazing features are a gorgeous bright display with 500 nits of brightness, an extremely comfortable keyboard, impressive speakers, and a terrific trackpad. We’re not saying that this laptop is perfect, but our coveted 5 out of 5 rating should speak for itself. Read the full review: Dell XPS 15 The Acer Swift 3 is an excellent alternative if affordability is a priority. Give us a laptop that touts one of AMD’s stellar Ryzen 400 mobile processors, and we’d be more than happy to try it on for size. What we found in the Asus TUF A15, however, is not just fantastic gaming performance, but a great value gaming rig with a long battery life and military-grade durability as well. With the help of Nvidia’s most powerful 1080p graphics cards, this Ryzen 4000-powered laptop will see you through all your 1080p gaming demands without burning a hole in your pocket. Further bolstering the TUF A15's gaming credentials is its large, 15.6-inch 1080p display with 144Hz refresh rate. Whether you play a lot of competitive esports, or need one of the best 15-inch laptops, this one’s a winner. Read the full review: Asus TUF A15 The HP Spectre x360 15T (2019) delivers versatility in spades. If you want a 15-inch convertible with versatility in spades must consider HP’s popular Spectre x360. It’s a gorgeous-looking laptop with an elegant design, albeit with a few oddities, including an awkwardly positioned trackpad. However, this laptop isn’t just pretty – it backs these good looks with enough power to cut through any computing task you might wish to tackle. Of course, it helps that the very latest incarnation of this hybrid has updated its hexa-core CPU to a 9th-gen Intel Core i7-9750H. Creative types will also appreciate the bundled Tilt Pen that can be used for drawing and designing on its exquisite 4K IPS touchscreen display. This 2-in-1 also packs a discrete GTX 1650 graphics card, which means it can even tackle 1080p gaming to boot. As we said, this 15.6-inch laptop delivers versatility in spades, but it also doesn’t come cheap. At least, it’s more affordable than Microsoft’s Surface Book 2. Read the full review: HP Spectre x360 15T (2019) This year, Apple has boosted the power of the MacBook Pro 15-inch. If you’re after a powerful notebook in a 15-inch form factor which is ideal for creative usage – such as video editing or Photoshop – then you’ll be well served by taking the macOS route rather than Windows, with the larger MacBook Pro. This year Apple has boosted the power of the MacBook Pro 15-inch with new 9th-generation Intel processors, with options that run up to a mighty 8-core Intel Core i9. So you most certainly won’t be left wanting on the performance front, with our review benchmarks showing that this 2019 incarnation is a considerably more powerful MacBook than its predecessor. This 15-inch laptop is ideal for heavyweight editing with a choice of AMD Radeon Pro graphics solutions and the possibility to spec up the notebook to 32GB of RAM. And don’t forget the high-quality Retina display along with that improved Touch Bar which can certainly prove a very useful tool with creative applications. Read the full review: Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019) The Asus VivoBook S15 (S532F) boasts a 15-6-inch display without compromising its slimline design. While Asus VivoBook S15 has been designed to become among the best ultra-portables on the market this 2020, it also aims to provide a large enough display for those who need it. That’s a hard undertaking, but one that this top-performing laptop has achieved with high marks. It boasts a 15-6-inch display and a solid performance without compromising its slimline design. You might not be able to do some heavy gaming on this, but you should get some photo editing done. Read the full review: Asus VivoBook S15 (S532F) In many ways, the Surface Book 3 is an example of just how far the best laptops have come in just a few short years. With an extremely premium piece of kit – with one of the best displays we’ve used in a laptop and a keyboard that will put the MacBook Pro’s new Magic Keyboards to shame – this follow-up to the outstanding Surface Book 2 is truly one of the best 15-inch laptops 2020 has to offer. Unfortunately, it’s held back by a weaker processor (next to its rivals), lacklust speakers and a high price tag. Still, it’s an excellent portable, if you’ve got the money for it. Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Book 3 The Razer Blade 2019 one of the best gaming laptops on the market. Rocking 8th-generation and 9th-generation Intel Core processors – not to mention, powerful graphics and a gorgeous display to boot, the Razer Blade isn’t just one of the best gaming laptops on the market. It’s also one of the best 15-inch laptops to consider, if you’re seeking to update your aging gaming laptop. That’s more than impressive for a laptop this thin that is also upgradeable. Expect to pay a lot for all that, but you’re paying for style and power that will last you a while. Read the full review: Razer Blade 2019 The Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED delivers incredible RTX gaming experience and touting a reasonable price to boot. We didn’t think that gaming ultrabooks were ready for RTX graphics until the Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED proved us otherwise. This isn’t just a solid gaming laptop; this is a solid gaming laptop that delivers incredible RTX gaming experience and touting a reasonable price to boot. It’s not that it’s cheap, especially at higher configurations. However, for what you’re paying, you’re getting a lot of power for your gaming needs. Read the full review: Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED The Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch) will last you the whole work day on a single charge. We hoped for great things in the next Surface Laptop model. However, when the 2019 installment of this 15-inch laptop came out, it fell a bit short on both power and versatility. However, if it’s spec above are satisfactory to you and you require a device that will last you the whole work day on a single charge, then the Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch) might just be the best 15-inch laptop for you. During our review, this device lasted 10 hours and 18 minutes in our TechRadar battery test. As long as you can forgive the lack of ports. Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch) The good news for those after a business laptop in the 15-inch form factor is that there’s an incredible machine available in the form of the ThinkPad X1 Extreme. The bad news, though, is that the price tag is as extreme as the superb performance levels you’ll get with this portable. It’s difficult to know where to start in describing just how good this machine is. Maybe the 15.6-inch multi-touch display, which in the 4K HDR option is simply stunning and benefits from top-notch color accuracy? Or the speedy performance driven by a six-core CPU, GTX 1050 Ti graphics and superfast NVMe SSD? Or just the little things, like the well-featured connectivity, the refined keyboard, or the potential for upgrades with this laptop? As we already mentioned, the price may cause the odd eyebrow to rise or jaw to slacken – possibly both – but some corporate users will doubtless want to own the ultimate business laptop for their mission-critical tasks. And the ThinkPad X1 Extreme definitely fulfils that ‘ultimate’ billing, and arguably not just in the 15-inch world. Read the full review: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme We’ve also selected the best laptops in the world Shop all the cheap laptops on sale this week This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Jeff Bezos might have to testify before Congress Posted: 16 Jun 2020 10:41 AM PDT Amazon's founder and CEO Jeff Bezos has agreed to testify to a congressional panel currently investigating potential violations of US antitrust law by the country's tech giants. The company's attorney, Robert Kelner of Covington and Burling LLP, sent a letter to members of the House Judiciary Committee in which he explained that Bezos would be made available to testify at a hearing, saying: “We are committed to cooperating with your inquiry and will make the appropriate executive available to testify. This includes making Jeff Bezos available to testify at a hearing with the other CEOs this summer. Of course, we will need to resolve a number of questions regarding timing, format, and outstanding document production issues, all necessarily framed by the extraordinary demands of the global pandemic. In addition, we think it bears emphasizing that other senior executives now run the businesses that are the actual subject of the Committee’s investigation.” Jeff Bezos reveals investment in UK digital freight firm Beacon Amazon forbids police from using its facial recognition tech Amazon is reportedly facing an antitrust probe of its cloud business In addition to Amazon, Alphabet's Google, Apple and Facebook are also being investigated by a House Judiciary Committee panel and the US Justice Department. At the same time, the Federal Trade Commission is probing Facebook and Amazon while US state attorneys general are looking into Facebook and Google. Congressional testimony The chair of the committee’s antitrust panel, David Cicilline, beleives that testimony from the CEOs of Amazon, Google, Apple and Facebook is “essential to complete this bipartisan investigation into the state of competition in the digital marketplace”. While the CEOs of the other tech giants have appeared before Congress in the past, this would be Jeff Bezos' first time doing so according to CNBC. Back in May, the committee demanded his testimony following a report that the ecommerce giant uses data from third-party sellers to create competing products which are sold under its Amazon Essentials brand. Amazon has provided the committee’s antitrust panel with over 225,000 pages of documents though the committee has not yet given a “binding commitment” that they would be confidential. We've also highlighted the best ecommerce platforms Via Reuters This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best mesh Wi-Fi routers 2020: the best wireless mesh routers for large homes Posted: 16 Jun 2020 10:40 AM PDT With the best mesh Wi-Fi routers on the market, your network issues will be a thing of the past. A mesh Wi-Fi router is designed to give you a much more reliable and robust signal to every corner of your space, considerably minimizing spotty and inconsistent connections. And, if you’re trying to cover a large space or a busy, multiple-device household, it’s the most ideal and cost-effective solution. Mesh Wi-Fi routers owe it all to their multi-node setup. Typical wireless routers only have a single device providing coverage. Mesh Wi-Fi routers, on the other hand, can have several nodes that you can place around the area you want covered. These nodes take on the job of covering those areas the main router can’t reach, giving you a stable and uninterrupted connection as a result. And, that’s something that you can set up easily enough without help from an IT expert. If you’re having network blues, then investing in one of the best mesh Wi-Fi routers of 2020 might just be the answer to your problems. Whether it's the best value, the easiest to set up, or even the most aesthetically pleasing, you’ll find something you’ll love on this list. We found the best Wi-Fi 6 routers on the market right now For the best Wi-Fi extenders, check out our top picks Best mesh Wi-Fi routers at a glance Google Nest Wifi  Google Wifi Netgear Orbi Netgear Orbi WiFi 6 Netgear Orbi AC1200 TP-Link Deco M5 Ubiquiti Amplifi HD Linksys Velop The Google Nest Wifi kicks things up a notch. What’s better than the best mesh router? Well, a mesh router with a smart speaker, that’s what. Especially if you’re a smart home fiend, you will appreciate the pure genius of this upgrade in Google’s Wifi line. The Google Nest Wifi kicks things up a notch, taking Google Wifi’s incredible yet simple design and performance then merges it with the convenience of a smart speaker so you’ve got a two-in-one device in an even sleeker and more attractive package. And, if you’re tired of the color white, this one also comes in Mist and Sand colors. As far as the best mesh Wi-Fi routers go, the original Google Wifi is still the one to beat. This one just gives it that extra oomph. Read the full review: Google Nest Wifi With Google WiFi, Google has taken dominion over the mesh WiFi world. (Image credit: Google) The Google Wifi tops, possibly, the best wireless mesh routers we’ve ever used, and we’re not saying that casually. In fact, we’d even go so far as to say that it may be the best wireless mesh router, at least to date. Not only does it have the power to push fast Wi-Fi throughout your house – an even more impressive feat considering its diminutive size, but it’s also fairly cheap and not that hard to set up. Setting up is so simple that all you have to do to configure Google Wifi is to download an app to your smartphone, scan some QR codes and just place the nodes where you want around your house. With Google WiFi, the company has taken dominion over the mesh WiFi world. Read the full review: Google Wifi  The Netgear Orbi boast more than enough Ethernet ports. (Image credit: Netgear) If you have deep pockets, then check out the Netgear Orbi, which may be one of the best mesh Wi-Fi routers money can buy this year. Instead of something like the Google WiFi, which uses three identical nodes to create the network, you’ll get one main router and several satellite nodes to plug into power outlets around your home. In addition, the Orbi touts more than enough Ethernet ports, making it an exceptional option for anyone with a number of devices that need a hardwired connection. This mesh router is the best choice for consumers who use their network mostly for gaming, particularly across multiple devices. Read the full review: Netgear Orbi  The Orbi WiFi 6 is your best bet when it comes to getting the best mesh Wi-Fi routers. If you’re ready to jump on the Wi-Fi 6 bandwagon, the Orbi WiFi 6 is your best bet when it comes to getting the best mesh Wi-Fi routers. It’s not by any means a casual purchase, with its steep price tag, but if you’re looking to upgrade to a faster and more reliable router to cover a massive space – like your countryside mansion, perhaps, or your crowded smart home – then this one’s absolutely worth the money. Plus, it’s easy and straightforward to setup, making it great for people who don’t have too much experience with Wi-Fi networks. Read the full review: Netgear Orbi WiFi 6 The tri-band Orbi Whole Home AC1200 offers solid performance at a reasonable price. The tri-band Orbi Whole Home AC1200 offers solid performance at a reasonable price, and will be a good choice for most small and medium-size homes that need to improve their Wi-Fi coverage. It’s simple to set-up and use for newcomers, although Netgear’s decision to use Disney’s subscription-based Circle service for parental controls is discouraging, considering that rival routers and mesh systems have often provided better parental controls for free. The lack of Ethernet ports for wired connections as well as more advanced features in the Orbi app might turn off experienced users as well. The TP-Link Deco M5 is an affordable way to spread Wi-Fi throughout your home. (Image credit: TP-Link) If you’re looking for a way to spread Wi-Fi throughout your home without having to spend a lot of dough, then look into the TP-Link Deco M5. It’s not as speedy as some of the other best mesh Wi-Fi routers on this list, but if you’re not too concerned about getting the maximum theoretical throughput, which you probably won’t be able to take full advantage of anyway, this shouldn’t be too much of an issue. Setup, similar to the other devices here, is a breeze, even if you’re not tech-savvy. The TP-Link Deco M5 is among the best wireless mesh routers for those who don’t want to get too technical. Read the full review: TP-Link Deco M5 You'll find a lot to love in the Ubiquiti Amplifi HD. (Image credit: Ubiquiti) If you love Apple’s design philosophy, enjoy having attractive gadgets set up around your home and have more than enough extra money sitting around, then the Ubiquiti Amplifi HD is the perfect mesh router for you. You’ll find a lot to love with this device, especially if you live in a large house and can take advantage of the full power that this mesh Wi-Fi setup provides, as it’s capable of a very large amount of throughput. You might find that the value diminishes quite a bit when you live in a smaller space however, since there are more affordable alternatives on hand for small to medium homes. The Ubiquiti Amplifi HD may be pricey, but you’re paying for a piece of tech that both exudes style and a ton of substance. That’s more than enough to justify the price tag, making this a great addition to the best wireless mesh routers list. Read the full review: Ubiquiti Amplifi HD There's something to be said about the simplicity that the Linksys Velop delivers. (Image credit: Linksys) While it’s expensive and not quite as powerful as the other Wi-Fi mesh routers on this list, there’s something to be said about the simplicity that the Linksys Velop offers. It might come with a heftier price than the competition, but the Velop will appeal to people who need to create a Wi-Fi network and want to avoid setting it up. More tech-savvy users will most likely look elsewhere – why spend money when you can do the work yourself for free? However, for most users, the Linksys Velop is among the best wireless mesh routers because of the convenience it offers from the start. It’s also completely modular, so you only have to pick up as many nodes as you actually need – one node will cover up to 2,000 square feet. Read the full review: Linksys Velop  These are the best routers of 2020 This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

macOS Catalina is here: everything you need to know about macOS 10.15 Posted: 16 Jun 2020 10:34 AM PDT Apple’s latest macOS, macOS Catalina, is officially here. Also called macOS 10.15, the operating system that Apple launched at WWDC 2019, is now available for everyone to download on their Mac. And, it’s bringing in a slew of new features and fresh skills, as well as quite a few necessary updates, to improve your Mac experience. macOS Catalina brings in exciting new features like Sidecar, which gives Mac users the ability to use newer generation iPads as a secondary screen, as well as "Project Catalyst,” which allows iOS 13 and iPadOS developers to easily port their work over to the macOS. Sadly, we’re saying goodbye to some older and beloved features like iTunes. However, this new macOS also rolls in new-to-Mac apps like Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Apple TV and Apple Books.  The macOS Catalina comes with a slew of features that Mac users will appreciate and love, and it’s time that we run through all of them here. Whether you’re thinking about upgrading from the previous macOS or looking to make the most of Catalina, this should help you make sure that this OS is what you want on your Mac. For macOS Catalina issues, check out our common macOS Catalina issues fix guide for help instead. For Macs that won't start, on the other hand, here's how to fix it. Cut to the chase What is it? macOS 10.15 Catalina, successor to macOS 10.14 Mojave When is it out? Out now How much will it cost? Nothing. Apple software updates are always free The macos 10.15 features Sidecar so you can use your iPad as a secondary screen. macOS Catalina release date Apple held its iPhone 11 event on September 10, but the show came and went without so much of a mention of macOS 10.15. Still, Apple's macOS 10.15 Catalina page was updated with an "October 2019" release window. Apple didn't share any more specifics about the release, so when it launched it caught us all by surprise. Fortunately, this does mean you can now download macOS Catalina, so long as you have a compatible Mac. You might want to wait until the next update comes out, just to ensure that any serious bugs are squashed. You see, updating your operating system is definitely a large undertaking, and you could possibly break something, losing a lot of valuable data. So, if you don't absolutely need the new software, waiting may be your best bet. We'll update this hub as soon as we know a new update is on its way, but if you want to live on the edge, go ahead and hit that download button. We'll show you how. macOS Catalina compatibility If you want to get your paws on the latest macOS update, you'll have to make sure your Mac can really support it. Fortunately, if you already have macOS Mojave installed, you're probably in the clear. Unless, of course, you circumnavigated Apple's restrictions. 12-inch MacBook (2015 and later) MacBook Air (2012 and later) MacBook Pro (2012 and later) Mac mini (2012 and later) iMac (2012 and later) iMac Pro (2017) Mac Pro (2013 and later) Goodbye, iTunes – hello, Apple Music, Podcasts Books and TV It's official, iTunes is no more. From its ashes, however, rises a unique collection of magnificent apps for macOS: Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Podcasts and Apple Books – and they will be polished versions of those already found on iOS. Apple Music gives macOS Catalina users access to their entire music libraries regardless of whether the tracks have been downloaded or are being streamed. This also holds music that's been ripped from CDs, incorporated into the same libraries. Apple TV, on the other hand, is home for the app's channels and offers more than 100,000 iTunes movies and TV shows that you can browse to buy or rent. And, content will be available in 4K HDR video and Dolby Atmos audio wherever it’s offered. Apple TV+ can also be accessed courtesy of this app now that the service has rolled out. At the same time, Apple Podcasts brings the service's more than 700,000 podcasts, as well as new episode updates, to the Mac in a totally fresh interface. This rendition of the app also offers better search functions that can pull up episodes by hosts, guests or even discussion topics. Finally, Apple Books is the portal to all the audiobooks you would want to purchase, download and listen to. Similar to the other new apps, it also features a familiar interface for anyone who is used to iTunes. Concerned about all your existing music and playlists, as well as iTunes gift cards and credit? Don’t worry. All your music and playlists will be transferred over to the Apple Music app in macOS Catalina. Plus, any iTunes gift cards or unspent iTunes credits are still valid to be used in these new apps. In macOS 10.15 Catalina, the iTunes Store, which is accessible through the Sidebar in the Apple Music app, is still available to buy new music. And of course, you can also subscribe to the Apple Music streaming service using the app – if you do, you can hide the iTunes Store for a cleaner, more minimalist interface. You'll sync your devices via Finder in macOS Catalina. With iTunes making its exit, syncing devices in macOS Catalina is now taken care of courtesy the Finder app. It can back up and sync those devices. According to Apple, it will be easier to drag and drop files for quick transfers as well. Apple Sidecar at work in macOS Catalina.  Sidecar turns your iPad into another display This is perhaps the most thrilling update that macOS 10.15 Catalina offers: the ability to extend your Mac's display to a nearby iPad, whether wired or wirelessly. A good amount of MacBook users are already own an iPad, so this essentially means that a significant number of mobile workers just received a secondary display for free. Possibly even more notable for designers is that this connected iPad can also be used as a drawing tablet with specific supported apps. Final Cut Pro X, Adobe Illustrator and iWork are the first apps listed that support this capability. The Sidecar feature is supported by those models that can also run the new iPadOS, specifically the iPad Pro (all models), iPad (6th generation or later), iPad Mini (3rd generation or later), and the iPad Air (3rd generation). Apple says that the following Mac apps will support Sidecar's Apple Pencil input and other enhanced features: Adobe: After Effects, Illustrator, Premiere Pro Affinity Designer & Affinity Photo Cinema 4D CorelDRAW DaVinci Resolve Final Cut Pro & Motion Maya Painter Principle Sketch Substance Designer & Painter ZBrush Screen Time for macOS has a special "One more minute" feature. Screen Time comes to macOS One of Apple's most meaningful changes to iOS 12 was Screen Time, an app that tracks your iPhone or iPad usage time and offers insights into the trends. This time around, this feature will not only come to macOS with Catalina, but also offer a new “One more minute” feature, giving you more time to save your work or finish up a game. This information will also be synced across your other Apple devices, so that you have a complete profile of how often you look at your collective screens, as well as get tips on what to do with that information. Additionally, it will also include parental controls on time spent using a Mac, as well as with whom kids are able to interact with on those devices. Twitter's return to macOS was made possible by Project Catalyst. Project Catalyst Thanks to Apple's new Project Catalyst initiative, macOS 10.15 Catalina will soon be populated with a slew of iOS and iPadOS apps. There are a number of them available at launch, but the real potential of this initiative is that it opens up the floodgates for all kinds of apps to come over to the Mac. For developers, it all seems to start with simply checking off a box within the Xcode app in macOS 10.15 Catalina. A series of new features and protocols then become available to the app in the development phase, from which the developer can choose to add to their apps – presumably with additional yet lighter coding. It looks to make the process smoother and even quicker, with even the likes of Twitter using the tool to more effortlessly bring its native app back to macOS from iOS. Other fun improvements Safari browser now has a new startup page that uses Siri Suggestions to surface commonly visited websites, bookmarks, iCloud tabs and more. Mail now lets users block messages from senders, mute message threads from issuing push notifications and send unsubscribe requests from within the app to mailing list providers. Lastly, Reminders gets an overhaul in the visual interface so that it will allow users to more easily create, keep track and organize their reminders. This is the new Mac Pro for 2019 This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

PS5 vs PS4 Pro: will it be worth the upgrade? Posted: 16 Jun 2020 10:25 AM PDT PS5 vs PS4 Pro: which should you buy? As the PS5 launch date approaches, there's still the current mid-gen refresh, the PS4 Pro, to consider. This beefed-up PlayStation 4 released in 2016 and represents a decent chunk of the 100 million PS4s sold this generation. Plenty of base PS4 owners upgraded to the Pro for the 4K-ready horsepower, and it remains the best way to play exclusives like God of War, Uncharted 4, and Horizon: Zero Dawn. But will that be the case in a few months when the PS5 arrives? How do the two consoles stack up? And where is your money better spent? The PS4 Pro vs PS5 dilemma is something a lot of gamers are facing right now so, to help you sort it out, here's a breakdown of what we know about the two consoles so far, including their prices (or rumored prices), specs, and flagship games. PS5 vs Xbox Series X: what we know so far Best PS4 Pro games: push your console to its 4K HDR limits PS5 wishlist: the features we want to see PS5 price: how much will the new console cost? PS5 vs PS4 Pro price The most difficult thing about weighing up the PS5 price is that even Sony doesn't know it yet. That said, there are some ideas out there.  It looks like the PS5 price won't be as bad as you think. PSErebus, who correctly estimated The Last of Us 2 release date, claimed in November 2019 that the PS5's RRP would be $499 (about £380 and AUS$745). And, while Sony admitting it didn't know the price of its upcoming box in February 2020 somewhat undermines the leak, this certainly wouldn't be a bad price considering the power of its rumored components. The leak puts the PS5 price at $100 more than the PS4 Pro launch cost of $399 (£349, AU$559), but Amazon currently lists the Pro for around $320, £300 and AU$484 in the US, UK, and Australia, respectively. That said, you can still do better than that. The PS4 Pro plunged to just £299 in the Black Friday PS4 sales when bundled with Death Stranding. Either way, the PS4 Pro is highly likely to be the cheaper option, and its price will tumble even more once its big brother releases later this year. Best PS4 Pro deals: snag the premium box for cheap PS4 Pro vs PS5 specs There's still plenty to find out about the PS5's internals, but here's what we know so far: GPU: 10.28 TFLOPs, 36 CUs at 2.23GHz (variable frequency) with RDNA 2 architecture CPU: AMD Zen 2-based CPU with 8 cores at 3.5GHz (variable frequency) Memory: 16GB GDDR6, 256-bit interface, 448GB/s bandwidth Storage: Custom 825GB SSD with 5.5GB/s (raw), typical 8-9GB/s (compressed) Expandable storage: NVMe SSD slot, USB HDD support (for PS4 games only) Optical: 4K UHD Blu Ray drive Visuals: Native 4K 120Hz + 8K Audio: Temptest 3D One of the highlights is the AMD GPU and CPU pairing. We've now learned officially that these will be a combination of eight Zen 2 CPU cores running at 3.5GHz and 36 compute units running at 2.23GHz to handle the graphics. The GPU will be capable of 10.28 TFLOPs.  PS5 lead system architect Mark Cerny has also confirmed to Wired that the new hardware is capable of ray tracing. Seen in some of the prettiest PC games around, like Control, Metro Exodus, and Battlefield V, ray tracing is an innovative means of rendering light and shadows. But since every 'ray' of light has its own simulated source, only now has the power required been viable in a console. In other words, ray tracing is going to make the rumored God of War 2 and Horizon: Zero Dawn 2 look properly next-gen. And if that wasn't treat enough for your corneas, there's word of 8K support, too. But when it comes to whether you should choose between the 4K vs 8K consoles, know that 8K won't be a mainstream prospect for some years yet. Excellent news for PlayStation players is the PS5's solid state drive (SSD) – a long overdue upgrade that PC players have enjoyed for years. Games are claimed to load 19-times faster. And, although the SSD coming in the PS5 is only 825GB, Cerny noted that the faster speeds of the SSD mean developers won't need to duplicate data onto multiple parts games' files, thereby cutting down on wasted space.  Meanwhile, the PS4 Pro is still held back by its ageing mechanical HDD. While the PS4's UI design felt seamless as you could easily pick up a game where you left off from standby or after visiting other apps, you'll eventually be envious of the few loading screens PS5 players will be enjoying. Even if you upgrade the PS4 Pro with an SSD, it won't be able to offer the same bandwidth available in the PS5. The Pro also doesn't have the 4K Blu Ray player that the PS5 will. Cerny also made clear to Wired that the PS5's audio will reach a new "gold standard" thanks to its upgraded audio engine. Sony is using the Tempest 3D audio tech to power the sound experience. It will be capable of handling hundreds of sound sources for impressive spatial audio, so you're going to want to invest in the very best gaming headsets. Cerny did mention that Sony is working on virtual surround sound for speakers as well, though. Meanwhile, here are the PS4 Pro's specs: CPU: eight-core x86-64 AMD Jaguar GPU: AMD Radeon with 4.2 teraflops RAM: 8GB GDDR5 Storage: 1TB HDD The refreshed mid-gen model proved a decent jump on the base PS4: it supports 4K streaming from Amazon and Netflix, but native 4K gaming isn't possible on all titles, and only then at 30fps.  Naturally expect the PS5 to be a healthy power jump over the Pro, but if you're all about the best graphics, don't want a PC, and are platform agnostic, it's worth considering the most powerful console on the market today, the Xbox One X. PS4 Pro vs Xbox One X: which 4K console is better? PS5 vs PS4 Pro games If you buy a PS4 Pro now, we hope you've got some time off sorted: Bloodborne, God of War, Uncharted 4, The Last of Us, The Last Guardian, and Marvel's Spider-Man are exclusive to Sony's box, along with other killer multi-platform experiences like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Control. The good news? Nearly all of those games are backward-compatible on PS5. Some, like GTA 5, Madden 21 and Destiny will even get big PS5 overhauls, and should be a free upgrade once the console comes out. That said, not every game is coming to both consoles, and the PS5 will have a number of games that will be exclusive to next-gen. Marvel's Spider-Man Miles Morales might be one of the games as could Horizon Forbidden West, the follow up to Horizon: Zero Dawn. Gran Turismo 7 definitely looks like it will be next-gen only and it's hard to imagine Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart running on PS4 hardware. What else can you play? Here are all the PS5 games confirmed (so far): Godfall Gothic Rainbow Six Siege Outriders WRC 9 Horizon Forbidden Dawn Demon's Souls Battlefield 6 Stray Tribes of Midgard The Pathless Goodbye Volcano High GTA 5 Gran Turismo 7 Ghostwire: Tokyo Returnal Marvel's Spider-Man Miles Morales Dying Light 2 Project Anthia Sackboy: A Big Adventure Destruction All-Stars Kena: Bridge of Spirits Oddworld: Soulstorm Solar Ash Hitman 3 Astrobot's Playhouse Little Devil Inside NBA 2K21 Bugsnax Resident Evil 8 Deathloop Pragmata Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart Lord of the Rings: Gollum Watch Dogs: Legion Gods and Monsters Rainbow Six Quarantine PS5 vs PS4 Pro verdict While there's still plenty more to learn about the PlayStation 5 – the price being arguably the most crucial point – there's little reason to buy a PS4 Pro right now. Not only will the PS5 be the more powerful, faster box, but Sony's efforts to enable backwards compatibility means that even if you buy a PS5, it's likely you won't miss out on the PS4's finest experiences, and probably those older than that, too. If you've been waiting this long to buy your first PS4, you might as well do so a little longer and either skip a generation and buy a PS5, or take advantage of an even cheaper PS4 Pro once the newer console launches. That said, upgrading from a Pro is a tougher dilemma. The Pro already supports native 4K for many games at decent performance, and you'll need deep pockets for an 8K TV to fully benefit from the PS5's power. And that's only when 8K gaming is fully supported. As ever, early adopters pay a premium, so it's worth waiting for the next-gen exclusive you really can't do without. PS4 Pro vs PS4: what's the difference? Best games console 2020: the best entertainment boxes around Best 4K TVs for gaming: treat your eyes This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Cyberpunk 2077 release date, price, trailers, gameplay and news Posted: 16 Jun 2020 10:16 AM 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 hoping we'll 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. [Update: Fans have discovered that the Cyberpunk 2077 special edition Xbox One controller features a nice easter egg. Read on to find out more.] Cut to the chase What is Cyberpunk 2077? A brand new IP from CD Projekt Red starring Keanu Reeves  What's the Cyberpunk 2077 release date? September 17, 2020 What systems will Cyberpunk 2077 be released on? PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, GeForce Now, Google Stadia and PC Will it come to next-gen consoles too? Confirmed for Xbox Series X, while PS5 seems likely - there will even be a "full-blown next-gen" version of the game after the consoles launch Is it not coming to Switch? Sorry, Nintendo fans – while the Witcher 3 was somehow ported to Switch, it seems unlikely the hardware could cope with what Cyberpunk is promising 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 date The 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 trailers The 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 is the game that could make me leave meat space for good We played Cyberpunk Red ahead of Cyberpunk 2077's release - and it was a disaster Have you checked out the Witcher TV show yet? Cyberpunk 2077 news and features Xbox One controller easter egg The Cyberpunk 2077 Xbox One controller is apparently hiding a fun easter egg for fans. As reported by Reddit user UglyDucklingTaken, the back of the controller features a QR Code which, when scanned, takes players to an unlisted video of a track from the game's soundtrack: "The Ballad of Buck Ravers" by in-game band SAMURAI.  This comes after those who purchased the special edition Cyberpunk 2077 Xbox One  X console discovered a hidden message on its back that can only be discovered using UV light. The message was found to read (via VG247) "Many languages, one message" followed by Thank You in multiple languages.  Coming 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 CD Projekt Red has announced that there will be a special Cyberpunk 2077 announcement stream taking place on June 25, called Night City Wire. We currently don't know any details about the stream, or what exact time it will take place, but we're expecting to see more gameplay footage from the upcoming dystopian RPG. The stream was originally scheduled to happen on June 11 but was postponed by CD Projekt Red. M for Mature It looks like Cyberpunk 2077 will have a Mature rating. Alongside its rating the ESRB has given some information on what aspects of the game have led to that rating, citing "blood and gore, intense violence, nudity, strong language, strong sexual content and use of drugs and alcohol." PS5 and Xbox Series X set to get 'full-blown next-gen' Cyberpunk 2077 – but not at launch That's according to CD Projekt, the parent company of Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red, which suggested during a recent earnings call (via VGC) that, while the game will still release in September and will be available on Xbox Series X "from the get-go", an enhanced, next-gen version will be released at a later date. “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 CD Projekt Red has it is aiming to avoid another delay to the game's release despite the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. In a message posted to Twitter, the developer has said it's upgraded its equipment and infrastructure so that its staff can work from home "for as long as it is needed" adding that "while this all is a bit new to everyone, we are rising to the challenge and showing no signs of stopping in our effort to bring you some kick-ass role-playing action in September." 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 Cyberpunk 2077 has reached an important stage: it's been submitted to age ratings agencies around the world. The news comes from CD Projekt Red Head of Studio Adam Badowski who tweeted that the game has now been sent out to PEGI, ESRB and others, adding that while the team awaits the rating it is "polishing technical aspects and playtesting it".  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? As we're approaching the release of Cyberpunk 2077 new information on the game has been a little limited and CD Projekt Red has been keeping quiet. But a recent video posted to YouTube by Madqueen Show (via VG247) is purporting to reveal one of the gangs that will roam Night City when the game is released: 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 So, we knew that the pop star Grimes was going to feature on the soundtrack, but she'll also be voicing a character within the game – a character we now know a decent bit about. 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 We've been speculating about Cyberpunk 2077 coming to next-gen consoles for a while now, but this is the first time we've had official confirmation.  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 Nvidia has announced that it will support Cyberpunk 2077 on its GeForce Now streaming platform when the game launches in September 2020. This is good news for those who can't stretch for a brand new expensive gaming PC but would like to enjoy the game's promised ray-traced visuals as they'll be able to play it with RTX On. 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 It seems that a virtual reality element was considered by CD Projekt Red for Cyberpunk 2077 but was ultimately found to not be viable. In an interview with OnMSFT, producer John Mamais said that VR is "very experimental and niche" and therefore just wasn't a great fit for the game. “We tried," he explained, "We were thinking about VR but, yeah, we’re not doing anything with VR.” 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 CD Projekt Red used The Game Awards to give players a better idea of the music that will feature in Cyberpunk 2077 and set the tone for exploring Night City. A behind-the-scenes segment confirmed that artists including Run the Jewels, Refused, Grimes, A$AP Rocky, Gazelle Twin, Ilan Rubin, Richard Devine, Nina Kravitz, Rat Boy, and Tina Guo will appear and there are more to be confirmed. You can watch the segment for yourself below: Game map An official art and lore book for Cyberpunk 2077 has appeared on Amazon and its cover gives us a look at part of the game's map of Night City. The map shown on the cover isn't massive but it is dense and it looks like it doesn't cover the whole game world—cutting off at the edges suggests that exploration will extend beyond the city walls, correlating with earlier interviews with Pawel Sasko which revealed an external area known as the Badlands will be explorable. Not only that, the fact that we've previously had a glimpse at a city metro map makes us think Night City will be about exploring vertically as well as horizontally.  Reddit Q&A reveals more details More has been revealed about the depth of Cyberpunk 2077 in a recent Reddit Q&A in which a user has recounted information from their attendance at a Q&A day with CD Projekt Red in Poland. 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 We're still a long way away from any kind of post-launch content for Cyberpunk 2077 but fans have been thinking about how CD Projekt Red may consider monetising it. Well, the studio doesn't seem to have locked down any definite path just yet but it is being considered and the most likely scenario appears to be that the game will follow in the post-launch content footsteps of The Witcher 3. 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? Let's face it, we all want to take pictures of Night City and there have been hints that this may be possible when the game launches. The developer told fans previously that there were plans to include a photo mode in the game and a recent video posted to Twitter has suggested that may still be the case.  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 We know, you're devastated. We all are. But it's now been confirmed that Keanu Reeves is not a character you'll be able to romance during Cyberpunk 2077 (via PCGamer).  What about multiplayer? After repeatedly stating that multiplayer elements were in R&D but saying nothing more, CD Projekt Red has confirmed on Twitter that it's definitely in the works. So far, the plan appears to be to release the game in September as a single-player experience and then follow this up with various single DLCs that will be free to download and play, after which players will begin to be invited for "some multiplayer action." Multiplayer is, then, slightly down the road but it is coming.  Character creation will be gender fluid In an interview with Metro, senior concept artist Marthe Jonkers clarified that players would be able to customize their characters's gender expression in a much more fluid way than traditional RPGs – with two masculine / feminine body types and voices you can mix and match as you please. 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 You can listen to some music GTA-style while cruising about in your vehicle. Coming to Stadia Cyberpunk 2077 has been announced for the Google Stadia streaming service for games. Spin-off card game Forget Gwent—Cyberpunk 2077 is getting its very own spin-off card game called Afterlife that will launch sometime in 2020. The game is being made in collaboration with board game publisher Cmon, whose listing for the game reads: “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 In an interview with Wccftech, CD Projekt Red’s Alvin Liu discussed hardcore mode, revealing that it will get rid of the game’s UI to provide a “real challenge” for players. That means there’ll be no markers or indicators telling you where things are or what level of enemy you’re going up against. It’s real immersion in Night City and the desert beyond with the potential for real frustration.  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 In an interview with Wccftech, UI director Alan Liu revealed Cyberpunk 2077 will feature dynamic weather such as acid rain and other environmental hazards. Settings available for those uncomfortable with FPS The game includes a number of difficulty levels for those who may struggle to adjust to playing an RPG in the style of an FPS. Cyberpunk 2077 will look just as good on console as PC In an interview with Wccftech, UI director Alan Liu was asked about the challenges of optimizing Cyberpunk 2077 for low-end hardware.  "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? In an interview with VGC at E3 2019, Pondsmith admitted that Keanu Reeves' involvement in the game has made the possibility of a Cyberpunk movie adaption much more likely. "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 If the appearance of Keanu Reeves in Cyberpunk 2077 as a rock star wasn't enough, punk band Refused are creating the music for his in-game band (named Samurai). And if that wasn't enough, Samurai have released their first single, Chippin' In – presumably something to do with microchips – so you can start getting a sense of Night City's soundscapes already. There may or may not be three games in development Polish news site Bankier reported that CD Projekt President Adam Kiciński had confirmed the existence of yet another AAA game set in the Cyberpunk 2077 universe, likely being the planned follow-up to next year's game – with a secondary team apparently working on a multiplayer mode too. CD Projekt has refuted the claims, while refusing to be drawn on whether a sequel could appear down the line. To be fair, they're probably focused on getting the main title out first. Take your pick of protagonists Instead of a set lead character like the Witcher, it sounds like we'll have a few options to choose from. Cyberpunk 2077's lead quest designer, Paweł Sasko, has commented that "The player in Cyberpunk 2077 can create a custom character that has one of three origin stories, that we call Lifepaths," each with their own "starting location and story background that are strongly connected with the origin story" (via VG24/7). The three choices are Street Kid, Nomad and Corporate. There will be romance Fans of The Witcher 3's romantic sub-plots will be happy to hear that CD Projekt is bringing something similar to Cyberpunk 2077. In an interview with GamesRadar, the game's Quest Designer, Mateusz Tomaskiewicz, confirmed that players will be able to have relationships with different "entities", all of whom will have their own stories, goals and ideas for you to engage with. He stopped short of confirming just how many romance threads players will have the option to pursue and whether or not one of them will be with Keanu Reeves. It seems unlikely, though. There will be no morality system Players won't be constrained by any kind of morality system in Cyberpunk 2077 it has been confirmed by Mateusz Tomaskiewicz in an interview with GamingBolt. Given the complex nature of the decisions players made in The Witcher 3, this decision to favor the grey probably won't come as much of a surprise. This means that if you want to play through the entire game without killing anyone you absolutely can. Or if you want to be the next Angel of Death you can do that too. You just have to invest in the right in-game skills to do so.  There's more than Night City From what we've seen so far, the setting of Night City in Cyberpunk 2077 looks like a mighty impressive, expansive and very neon place to explore. But it won't be the only location in the game to explore.  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 In an interview with CD Projekt, YouTuber Yong Yea got confirmation that Cyberpunk 2077 will have multiple endings. It's not been confirmed just how many there will be but this ties in with the expansive image of the game that's being presented and the idea that players are crafting a highly personal story. New Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay shown at E3 2019, but not playable At E3 2019 we got the chance to see Cyberpunk 2077 at a behind-closed doors demo centered around Pacifica – the southern-most region of Night City – and Keanu Reeves' character, Johnny Silverhand. The weirdest part? Keanu may in fact be the key to immortality. Yes, you read that correctly. 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 You’ll customize your character’s look; you’ll customize their backstory; you’ll customize their base skills and you’ll give them perks that make them who they are. If you want a ninja samurai who came from the streets and is skilled in firearms and hand-to-hand combat, you can make that. If you want a net runner super hacker that can take over turrets and jack into enemies, you can make that, too.  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 Given it’s based on a tabletop roleplaying game and Cyberpunk is already a massive sub-genre in science fiction, we knew Cyberpunk 2077 hadn’t been totally pulled from the ether without any kind of influence. But we’re always interested to find out about some of the more subtle influences on the game and the way it plays, some of which Quest Director Mateusz Tomaskiewicz has revealed in a recent interview with gaming publication AreaJugones. 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 CD Projekt Red has confirmed it still plans to release two AAA titles by 2021. While we know one of these titles will definitely be Cyberpunk 2077, we're still in the dark about what the second title could be. 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? According to french site ActuGaming, Lady Gaga and CD Projekt Red are collaborating for Cyberpunk 2077 and the artist has already visited the Polish studio to take part in motion-capture – suggesting she will have a character role in the game itself. 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 We got to spend some time watching a demo of Cyberpunk 2077 during E3 and we learned some interesting things about the game.  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 Good news Steam fans: Cyberpunk 2077 will definitely be coming to the platform. At the Pareto Securities Gaming Seminar (via PCGamesN) the studio’s CEO Adam Kiciński gave a presentation in which he confirmed that the game would not be exclusive to GOG. There's been a lot of furore over the Metro Exodus being 'removed' from Steam and onto the Epic Games Store, but it looks like CD Projekt Red is steering clear of that minefield. It’s going to be bigger than The Witcher 3 It would have been a pretty safe guess to say that Cyberpunk 2077 is going to be a big game, but in an interview with MCV in 2015 visual effects artist Jose Teixeira said it’s going to be “far, far bigger” than anything the studio has ever done.  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 It was confirmed years ago that the game would have multiplayer elements but what exactly they’ll be is unclear. It was said, though, that the game would mainly focus on single player.  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 As well as multiplayer, CD Projekt's CEO has confirmed that there will also be online elements to the game. In an interview with Polish tech site Strefa Inwestorow Kiciński stated that “Online is necessary, or very recommended if you wish to achieve a long-term success. At some point, we have mentioned that there will be a certain online element related to Cyberpunk.” Whether or not the online elements will feed into the multiplayer is unclear. But there won't be microtransactions CD Projekt Red tweeted to quell fears over microtransactions in online components, stating that Cyberpunk 2077 will be "nothing less than" the Witcher 3, adding that players will "get what [they] pay for" with "no hidden catch." 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.  Read more: Waiting for Cyberpunk 2077? Here are nine games to play until then This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

6 new TV shows on Netflix, HBO, Hulu and more streamers this week Posted: 16 Jun 2020 10:00 AM PDT This time of year was once known as a dead zone for TV, but thanks to Netflix, other streamers and a general uptick in quality TV over the past decade, that's no longer the case. This week, for example, Netflix releases a second season of one of 2019's much-hyped debuts, while HBO looks set to steal the show with another expensive-looking and star-filled period drama.  Below, we've rounded up a few highlights of what to watch this week on Netflix and other streaming services.  Best Netflix shows Best Netflix movies The best streaming services compared Perry Mason (HBO/Sky) The obvious highlight from the week is this latest big HBO drama, a new miniseries adaptation of the pulp fiction novel character Perry Mason, a criminal defense attorney. Set amid the Great Depression, Mason is drafted in to help solve a child kidnapping case.  This show has been in the works for years, with executive producer Robert Downey Jr originally set to star when it was announced in 2016. Instead, Mason is played by The Americans' Matthew Rhys, while Orphan Black's Tatiana Maslany, Joker's Shea Whigham, John Lithgow co-star.   Perry Mason arguably looks a little more HBO drama by-the-numbers than recent hits like Watchmen and I Know This Much is True, but the trailers look enormously promising, and there's no faulting the cast list. Streaming on HBO Max from May 21 and Sky/Now TV from May 22 in the UK The Politician season 2 (Netflix) TV empire overlord Ryan Murphy's first Netflix series returns for a second season this week, with Payton Hobart (Ben Platt) now running for senate against an incumbent (played by Judith Light). This season looks like it'll focus on a bitter, bratty campaign between the two. The first season of this comedy-drama drew mixed reviews, but clearly Netflix saw enough interest for a follow-up. Gwyneth Paltrow co-stars. Streaming on Netflix from June 19 Mr Iglesias (Netflix) Starring comedian Gabe 'Fluffy' Iglesias as a history teacher, this education-themed sitcom returns for a second season on Netflix this week. Mr Iglesias is a pretty broad-looking laughter track sitcom, with our snooty prestige TV hats on, but critics really liked season one, and praised how inclusive it is. Maybe consider it if your usual comedy favorites are out of action for the time being.  Streaming on Netflix from June 17 Love, Victor (Hulu) Love, Victor is a spin-off of the highly-praised Greg Berlanti-directed 2018 movie about a young gay man grappling with his feelings, while also contending with the possible threat of a public outing. This sequel series, which was curiously moved from its original home of Disney Plus to Hulu, is about another young man in the same high school who's coming to terms with his feelings and sexuality. Characters from the original movie reappear here, too, and both projects share the same writer.  Streaming on Hulu from June 17 Yellowstone season 3 (Paramount Network) Quietly one of the most popular cable series in the US right now, Yellowstone is the creation of talented writer Taylor Sheridan (Sicario, Hell or High Water, Wind River). Starring Kevin Costner, this drama returns for a third season this weekend. It's about the Dutton family, who are owners of the largest ranch in the US and plagued by a murky history. The show's drama comes from the tensions between the family and surrounding forces in the fight for what they believe is theirs.  Yellowstone can't be streamed on any services right now, but it is coming to NBC's Peacock when that launches in July. In the UK, Yellowstone airs on the Paramount Network, but no release date has been announced for it yet.  Airing on Paramount Network from June 21 Bully. Coward. Victim: The Story of Roy Cohn (HBO) HBO's latest documentary is about attorney Roy Cohn, who played a key role in Joseph McCarthy's persecution of suspected communists and communist sympathizers during the Cold War, including the trial and execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. A much-despised figure, this documentary will touch upon the ways Cohn apparently influenced at least one key political leader to this day as a power broker. Streaming on HBO Max from June 18 The best Netflix documentaries This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best email service 2020: paid, free and business providers Posted: 16 Jun 2020 10:00 AM PDT If you're looking for the best email service providers around today, you've come to the right place. Getting hold of the best email service providers today can be easy. Sign up with an ISP and you’ve got one account for starters. Creating an account with Google, Microsoft or other big names will get you more. Buy a decent web hosting package and you'll probably get enough email addresses to power a large business, all for no extra charge. But picking the best email service providers for you can be more difficult, as there's a lot to consider - especially in these days of remote working. What are the spam filters like? How easy is it to keep your inbox organized? Can you access the account from other email clients? And what about using the service with a custom domain and address of your own (yourname@yourdomain.com)? Keep reading and we'll highlight some of the best email service providers around. All have decent free services, perhaps with ads and some limits, but we'll also talk about their business-friendly commercial products which deliver the power, functionality and enterprise-level extras that demanding users need. Want your company or services to be added to this buyer’s guide? Please email your request to desire.athow@futurenet.com with the URL of the buying guide in the subject line. Check out the best email hosting providers Discover the best business VPN for you  The best email service providers of 2020 are: Image credit: Proton Technologies Signing up with an email provider will often involve some privacy compromises. Yahoo Mail asks for your name and mobile number, for instance. Gmail and other services might scan your messages to carry out useful actions (such as adding events to calendars), and just about everyone serves you with ads. ProtonMail is a Swiss-based email service which focuses on privacy above all else. You can sign up anonymously, there's no logging of IP addresses, and all your emails are end-to-end encrypted, which means there's no way ProtonMail (or anyone else) can read their contents. Also, address verification (which allows you to be sure you are securely communicating with the right person) and full support for PGP email encryption is available. In late April 2019, elliptic curve cryptography was introduced, which adds additional security and faster speeds. There are some significant limits. The free product has a tiny 500MB storage space, only supports sending 150 messages a day, and is distinctly short in terms of organizational tools (no folders, labels or smart filters). As the end-to-end encryption is specific to ProtonMail, it also ensures that you can't use the service with other email clients. Still, it seems a little unfair to complain about a service which is no-strings-attached free, and doesn't even show ads. In reality, ProtonMail is a specialist tool which is intended for use alongside services like Gmail – not to replace them – and overall it performs its core tasks very well. If you do need more, ProtonMail's $5 (you can choose to pay in USD, Euro and CHF) a month (or $48 yearly) Plus account gives you 5GB storage, a 1,000 message-per-day allowance, custom domains (you@yourdomain.com) and support for folders, labels, filters as well as some addition features like contact groups. A further Professional plan brings more storage, email addresses and a second custom domain, as well as adding a catch-all email address and multi-user support. It's priced from $8 per month per user (75$ yearly), which is reasonable if you need ProtonMail's security, although it's also notably more expensive than the business accounts of the big-name competition. You can sign up for ProtonMail here Image credit: Google First released back in 2004, Google's Gmail has become the market leader in free email services with more than a billion users across the globe. Gmail's stripped-back web interface is a highlight. Most of the screen is devoted to your inbox, with a minimum of toolbar and other clutter. Messages are neatly organized via conversations for easier viewing, and you can read and reply to emails with ease, even as a first-time user. There's plenty of power here. Dynamic mail makes Gmail more interactive, with the ability to take action directly from within the email, like filling out a questionnaire or responding to a Google Docs comment. Messages can be automatically filtered into tabbed categories like Primary, Social and Promotions, helping you to focus on the content you need. Leading-edge spam blocking keeps your inbox free of junk, you can manage other accounts from the same interface (Outlook, Yahoo, any other IMAP or POP email), and there's 15GB storage for your inbox, Drive and photos.  You can also access Gmail offline, although you'll need Google Chrome for that to work. Furthermore, there is a neat snooze feature that allows you to, well, snooze an email for a specified amount of time (it also automatically labels that email as important). Other features are more questionable. Instead of organizing messages into folders, for instance – a simple metaphor which just about every user understands – you must filter them using a custom labelling system. This works, and has some advantages, but isn't popular with all users. Still, Gmail is an excellent service overall, and a good first choice for your email provider. Google makes a paid business-oriented version of Gmail available in the shape of its G Suite product. This more professional product drops the ads and allows using a custom email address on your domain (yourname@yourcompany.tld). Business-oriented migration tools can import mail from Outlook, Exchange, Lotus and more. Storage space doubles to 30GB on the Basic plan, and you get unlimited group email addresses, 99.9% guaranteed uptime and 24/7 support. G Suite is Google's answer to Microsoft Office, so of course you also get apps for working with documents, spreadsheets and presentations. Shared calendars keep you better organized, there's video and voice conferencing for online meetings, and again, there’s 24/7 support to keep your system running smoothly. This more Office-like power makes for a more expensive product than the email-only competition, with prices starting at $6 a user for the simplest plan. You're getting a lot for your money, though, and if you'll use G Suite's features then it could be a smart choice. A 14-day free trial provides an easy way to help you find out. You can sign up for Gmail here Check out the best web hosting services for 2020 Image credit: Microsoft Outlook's web interface follows the same familiar style as its desktop incarnation, and most other email clients: folders and organizational tools on the left, the contents of the current folder in the center, and a simple preview pane on the right (with adverts in the case of the free account). A toolbar gives you speedy access to common features, and right-clicking folders or messages shows you just about everything else. If you've ever used another email client, you'll figure out the key details in moments. Despite the apparent simplicity, there's a lot going on under the hood. The service automatically detects important emails and places them in a Focused Inbox, keeping any distractions out of sight. Events including flights and dinner reservations can automatically be added to your calendar. It's easy to share that calendar with other Outlook.com or Office 365 users, or you can save your events to a Family calendar that everyone can access. In addition, there are some interesting features too, like the ability to add polls directly to your Outlook emails. Excellent attachment support includes the ability to directly share OneDrive files as copies or links. You can also attach files directly from your Google Drive, Dropbox and Box accounts, and a chunky 15GB mailbox allows storing plenty of files from other people. This all worked just fine for us, but if you're unhappy with the service defaults, there's a chance they can be tweaked via Outlook.com's Settings dialog. This doesn't have quite as many options as Gmail, but they're well organized and give you plenty of control over layout, attachment rules, message handling and more. If that’s still not enough, Microsoft offers a bunch of app-based integrations to take the service further. You get built-in Skype support via the beta, and apps give you easier access to Evernote, PayPal, GIPHY, Yelp, Uber and more. Upgrading to Office 365 gets you an ad-free inbox, 50GB mail storage and a vast 1TB of OneDrive storage. Extras include offline working, professional message formatting tools, phone or chat-based support, file recovery from malicious attacks like ransomware and more. Oh, and the latest versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint. All this can be yours for the equivalent of $7 a month on the single user Office 365 Personal plan or you can pay 70$ for a year. You can sign up for Outlook here Image credit: Yahoo Yahoo Mail doesn't make the headlines so much, these days, but its latest version is a polished and professional service which stands up well against the top competition. The well-designed interface resembles Gmail, at least initially, with a large view of your inbox, one-click filters for common messages and content (Photos, Documents, Travel), and easy browsing of all the emails in a conversation. But you can also organize mails into custom folders, and the layout can be tweaked to display a message preview in a couple of clicks. Mobile users have some additional features like the option to unsubscribe to newsletters and such, without ever leaving the Yahoo Mail inbox. A powerful underlying engine can integrate with Facebook, supports sending SMS and text messages, is accessible via web, POP and (in some situations) IMAP, and can forward email to another address. Valuable extras include disposable email addresses to protect your privacy, and a mammoth 1TB of mailbox storage means you can keep just about everything you receive, for a very long time. Demanding users might find issues, over time. Mail organization can't quite match the flexibility of Gmail's labelling scheme, for instance, and there aren't nearly as many low-level tweaks, settings and options as you'll often see elsewhere. But overall, Yahoo Mail is an appealing service which needs to be on your email shortlist. As with other providers, Yahoo offers a Business Mail plan with more features. The highlight is an option to use the service with a custom domain (yourname@yourdomain.com), although there are other advantages, too. The service can import contacts from Facebook, Gmail, Outlook and more. You can view all your mailboxes on the same screen, and there are all the usual business-friendly productivity tools (multiple calendars, document handling, analytics and more). Prices start from $3.19 per mailbox per month, billed annually, and they drop as you add mailboxes – $1.59 for 5, $1.19 for 10, and for 20+ you'll need to contact them. Additionally, another pricing plan called Yahoo Mail Pro is available at $3.49 per month. This gives you ad-free inbox, priority customer support and additional features. There's even a free domain name included, and not just the initial registration: Yahoo will also renew it for as long as your subscription is active. You can sign up for Yahoo Mail here Image credit: Zoho Zoho Workplace is a business-oriented email service which throws in an online office suite, document management, and a host of collaboration tools and other extras. Zoho's free plan supports up to 25 users, although there's an extra 25 available if you can refer others to the service (update: Zoho is currently remodeling the referral program so this isn't available at the moment), each with 5GB of mailbox storage, and can be used with one domain of your own. These are features you'll normally only find in commercial products, and when you factor in the spreadsheet, word processor, presentation and other tools, it looks like a real bargain. The email service is easy-to-use, and provides a decent set of features to help organize your emails: folders, tags, filters, smart searches, and more. You can also create custom hotkeys to expand and replace easy abbreviations of your choice with full words and phrases as you type. Zoho also has an offline mode, which allows you to read and respond to your emails even when your internet connection fails you. The free plan is still a little basic. It gives you web access only, for instance, and there's no support for email forwarding. Fortunately, the Zoho Standard plan fixes that. A mere $3 per user (paid annually) gets you IMAP and POP access, email forwarding, active sync, multiple domain hosting, domain aliases, 30GB storage, a 30MB attachment limit (up from 25MB with the free plan) and some major improvements elsewhere (the ability to send cloud files to non-Zoho users, for instance). You also have Lite plan which is a cheaper Standard plan ($1 per user) with less features, and a Professional ($6 per user) plan which adds more features. A number of these features are available elsewhere for free, of course, but businesses or anyone who will use the custom domain support or Office tools will find a lot to like here. Well worth a closer look. You can sign up for Zoho here Also check out our roundup of the best WordPress hosting providers This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Apex Legends Season 5: latest update news, tips, patch notes and more Posted: 16 Jun 2020 09:50 AM PDT EA surprised many with the sudden announcement of Apex Legends back in February 2019, a free-to-play battle royale shooter that sees the publisher going toe-to-toe with genre mammoths PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds and Fortnite Battle Royale. Developed by Respawn Entertainment and set in the Titanfall universe, Apex Legends is a squad-based battle royale shooter where teams of three go up against 57 other players to try to gather loot and be the last person (or squad) standing. However, unlike Fortnite and PUBG, Apex Legends sees players take on one of eight classes, each represented by a unique character (imagine Fortnite mixed with Overwatch and you’ll be on the right track.)  Apex Legends has now sailed past its one year anniversary and is into its fifth season, Fortune's Favor, which began on May 12 2020 and is expected to run until some time in August. If you're new to Apex Legends and looking to see what you're missing or you've dropped off the map for a while and you'd like to catch up on the latest, we're here to keep you up to date on what's fresh in Apex Legends.  Apex Legends review: the official TechRadar verdict As we said in our full Apex Legends review: "Truth be told, the Battle Royale movement has never quite grabbed me. I dabbled in PUBG and spent a dozen hours or so with Fortnite, yet nothing ever quite stuck the landing. Apex though, has got me hook, line and sinker. Featuring intuitive controls, an outstanding comms system and remarkable rogue’s gallery, Respawn has created what feels like the AAA outing for the genre."  Apex Legends update news What's new? EA Play is coming and a leak suggests those King's Canyon bunkers will be opening soon EA Play 2020 is coming Like many publishers in the absence of E3 2020, EA has announced it'll be taking its annual Play conference online this year and the stream will be taking place on June 18. Although EA hasn't confirmed exactly what will be shown during this event, it's very possible that we could see some Apex Legends-related updates.  Perhaps we'll get some answers with regards to that next-gen port rumor or an update on the mobile release. Apex Legends was present during 2019's EA Play so it would be surprising if it didn't appear in some capacity this year too.  King's Canyon Bunkers Since the start of season 5 players have noticed four bunkers on the King's Canyon map. According to a recent leak from data miner Shrugtal, these bunkers each contain some gold loot and they're expected to open one-by-one on set dates across June and July. According to the leak, the first bunker is expected to open on June 16.  Apex Legends Fortune's Favor As of May 12 2020, Apex Legends: Fortune's Favor is underway. So what's new? Well, there's a new Legend, some map changes, an all new Battle Pass and the first ever season quest to get stuck into. Read on for a rundown of what to expect.   New Legend As with previous seasons, Apex Legends Season 5 has introduced a brand new Legend. This time, it's Loba. Described by Respawn as a High Society Thief, she's expected to bring a touch of class to proceedings. Loba, last name Andrade, is seeking revenge against last season's new Legend, Revenant, for the murder of her parents when she was just 9 years old. According to Respawn, "Left with nothing, Loba survived by picking pockets. As her skills improved, Loba used every tool at her disposal to lift herself from the gutter. Everything changed when she broke into a supposedly impenetrable facility and got her hands on the Jump Drive tech stored inside. With her new teleportation bracelet, the most secure and unattainable items were within her reach. So was her dream of living the high life." As far as Loba's abilities are concerned, her Tactical Ability is Burglar's Best Friend which enables her to teleport to hard-to-reach places or quickly escape trouble. Her Passive Ability is Eye for Quality with which she can see epic and legendary loot through walls. Finally, her Ultimate Ability is Black Market Boutique with which you can place a portable device that allows you to teleport nearby loot to your inventory.  Map Changes Season 5 has brought some map changes, which see some big alterations in Kings Canyon due to ongoing excavations. Respawn has called it "a new beast, forever changed by the actions of Loba and the Syndicate." So what's changed? Well, both Skull Town and the Thunderdome have been removed with the hope of making other parts of the map stand out as, now, The Broken Coast stretches from Octane’s Gauntlet through to the cliffs that lead into Water Treatment. A place of interest called Salvage has been added to the Broken Coast and players will find some high-tier loot and a two-way zipline balloon for a speedy way to move around the bay. Also uncovered on the Broken Coast is a part of the underground network Loba snuck through. Another change has been made to the upper east corner of Kings Canyon. Respawn has added more land mass and created more playable space in order to "bring more balance to how players flow through the map."  A new zone called The Offshore Rig is a large addition, connecting to the former Relay and Wetlands, which has been replaced by the excavation of the Capacitor with an underground pathway to Singh Labs.  There are also some new camps around the Capacitor area where players should be able to take a moment and re-stock to decide what path they want to take next.  Players will also noticed the Reclaimed Forest looks a little different with some new routes leading through the area and the expanded exterior of Singh Labs.  Charged Towers are another interesting addition uncovered in the excavation. At these glowing towers spread across the map, players can mess with a control panel and set off a blast that restores the ultimate of every player on the Charge Tower platform. For the first two weeks of the new season Kings Canyon will be the only map available so that players can get used to it. After this, map rotation will start again and bring World's Edge back in.  Brand new season quest For the first time, Season Quests have come to Apex Legends and this one is called The Broken Ghost. Players embarking on this quest will spend the season searching for nine pieces of a strange artifact. They'll be able to collect Treasure Packs in competitive matches once per day in order to unlock rewards and Hunts for the pieces. Though players can only unlock one Treasure Pack per day, those who fall behind can purchase them for 25-ac. There are 45 Treasure Packs to collect which could contain Crafting Metals, BattlePass XP, Apex Packs, or the ability to play a new weekly Hunt for the next piece of the artifact. There will be nine weekly Hunts in Kings Canyon at Night in order to retrieve pieces of the artifact which players can do solo or with their squad. Succeeding in a Hunt will yield a weapon charm and unlock chapters that reveal the full Broken Ghost story.  Hunts that have been unlocked will be re-playable and the first will be available on May 19 after players have five Treasure Packs.  Battle Pass It wouldn't be a new season of Apex Legends without a brand new Battle Pass. For 950 Apex Coins you can pick up this pass which offers 110 levels to climb by completing daily and weekly challenges, with more than 100 exclusive items including Legendary Skins, Apex Packs, Loading Screens and Music Packs to earn.  Players who pick up the battle pass immediately unlock the Legendary Hemlock Retrofitted skin and three new Rare Legends skins. Getting through the rest of the levels could see you earn Rare and Legendary rewards like the Fool's Gold Mirage, Sky Marshal Bangalore, and the Precision Caliber Reactive Wingman. Ranked League Series 4 Alongside Season 5, Ranked League Series 4 has also launched.  Largely, things are looking the same for Series 4 Ranked League, with none of the huge changes that were introduced last time. Respawn has decided Splits are working well and that these won't be changing. This series will start with Kings Canyon before moving to World’s Edge on June 23. Scoring, the RP cost of entry and assists will also remain unchanged.  In order to help players who find their progress frustrated by things out of their control like crashes and internet outages, Respawn has said it's introducing a new feature called Reconnect. With this, players who have been disconnected by accident can simply restart and, if their session is still going, they'll be reloaded back into the session.  Apex Legends tips and tricks Apex Legends can be difficult to get to grips with. There are a lot of different characters each with their own abilities and skills, plus this battle royale arguably leans more heavily on strategy and teamwork than some of its competitors.  Get ahead of the pack with our selection of Apex Legends guides, designed to help you become a champion. Apex Legends beginners: essential tips and tricks Apex Legends characters: which Legend is best suited to your playstyle Apex Legends solo: here's how to win without a good team Apex Legends landing spots: here's where your Jumpmaster should touch down Apex Legends loot map: here's where to find the best in-game gear How to download Apex Legends Apex Legends can be downloaded for free from the PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, Origin Store or Apex Legends website. Simply search for the title, download the game and enjoy!  But do keep in mind that a good internet connect and subscription to either PS Plus, Xbox Live or Origin Access is required to play. The good news is that Apex Legends is also coming to mobile in the future, following in the footsteps of Fortnite and PUBG. Apex Legends roadmap - what's next? Respawn Entertainment shared a roadmap for the first year of Apex Legends which showed players its plans for the first four seasons. Now that we're into season 5, that roadmap has expired. Respawn hasn't confirmed if it will release a similar roadmap for year 2 but we'll be keeping our eyes peeled.  Is Apex Legends coming to mobile? Yes. In EA’s quarterly earnings report, the publisher announced that it’s looking at bringing the Respawn Entertainment-developed game to mobile platforms and to both South Korea and China.  “We’re in advanced negotiations to China and mobile”, EA’s CFO Blake Jorgenson stated, before later mentioning South Korea as another expansion point.  We shouldn't expect to see Apex Legends on mobile for at least a year, though. According to EA Chief Executive, Andrew Wilson, the game won't launch until the fiscal year 2021. Read more: Apex Legends Battle Pass - price, release date and roadmap This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

This is the first 5G laptop you can actually buy Posted: 16 Jun 2020 09:32 AM PDT Lenovo has announced that the Flex 5G will arrive on June 18th as the world’s first 5G laptop.   First shown off at CES 2020, the Lenovo Flex 5G is also one of the first laptops available with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx chipset, which Lenovo claims will equip the device with an impressive 24 hours of battery life from a single charge. This processor comes paired with Qualcomm’s X55 5G modem, which means the laptop supports both sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G. While this theoretically means the Flex 5G supports all the main 5G bands currently used in the US, the laptop will only be available through Verizon – at least to begin with. We've rounded up the best Lenovo laptops of 2020 Your next Intel laptop could be 5G-ready thanks to MediaTek  Best 5G phones 2020: the top handsets with next-gen connectivity  Lenovo claims this built-in support for 5G connectivity will enable the laptop to reach download speeds of around 4Gb/s, which – if it manages – means you'll be able to download a full movie in just seconds.  Elsewhere, as its name suggests, the Lenovo Flex 5G uses Lenovo's 360-degree hinge, enabling it to transform through laptop, tent and tablet modes. The Windows 10 device also sports a 14-inch 1920x1080 IPS touchscreen, 8GB RAM, 256GB of storage, two USB-C ports and a built-in fingerprint scanner.  The laptop also packs Qualcomm Adreno 680 graphics and user-facing stereo speakers powered by Dolby Atmos, which means means the Flex 5G should be a decent entertainment machine as well. The Lenovo Flex 5G, known as the Yoga 5G outside of the US, is available to pre-order from Verizon starting today. It’s priced at $1,399.99 (around £1,112, AU$2,033) or at $58.33 (£46, AU$84) per month through Verizon's Device Payment program. It won’t just be limited to the Verizon network and it’s mmWave-only network, though. Lenovo is also partnering with EE in the UK, Sunrise in Switzerland, and CMCC in China for additional launches later this year. Windows 10 May 2020 Update is causing big problems for some Lenovo laptops  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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