Apple : Where to buy a webcam: these retailers still have stock |
- Where to buy a webcam: these retailers still have stock
- Zoom is set to massively boost security for paying customers
- PS5 gameplay reveal event set for June 4 will be postponed
- How could Amazon allow Apple AirPods listings to be hijacked by racist imagery?
- New AMD Ryzen 3000XT CPUs spotted, but you can probably ignore them
- Apple Watch sale: the all-new Apple Watch 5 gets a $100 price cut at Amazon
- Microsoft replaces curators with AI workers
- How has the pandemic affected you and your work? $27,000 worth of prizes up for grabs
- Google Pixel phones get small software update as everyone hungers for Pixel 4a
- Best Nikon camera 2020: the 10 finest cameras from Nikon's line-up
- Xbox Series X release date, specs, design and launch titles for the new Xbox
- PS5 release date, specs, news and features for Sony’s PlayStation 5
- Jeff Bezos reveals investment in UK digital freight firm Beacon
- Take-Two CEO says Stadia isn’t the game-changer Google promised
- The best cheap PS4 bundles, deals and prices in June 2020
- The electric bikes that could genuinely replace your car
- The all-new AirPods Pro hit lowest price ever at Amazon
- The best electric bikes 2020
- The cheapest Xbox One bundles, deals and sale prices in June 2020
| Where to buy a webcam: these retailers still have stock Posted: 01 Jun 2020 02:46 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
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 UKWebcams are also thin on the ground in the UK. Here are some that we've found that are still in stock: Webcams on backorderBecause availability for webcams is a little hit or miss right now, many webcams are currently on backorder. That means you probably won't be able to get it within a couple days, but it should arrive within a week or two. We found the best webcams that are on backorder that are actually worth waiting for – having to wait for a piece of hardware is enough without worrying about getting something that is potentially not as good. Where to buy a webcam in the UKStock 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. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Zoom is set to massively boost security for paying customers Posted: 01 Jun 2020 12:17 PM PDT Zoom has revealed its potential plan to boost the encryption of video calls made by its paying customers including businesses and schools. The video conferencing provider discussed its plans to offer improved encryption for premium users during a recent call with civil liberties groups and organizations fighting sexual abuse. In an interview with Reuters, security consultant at Zoom, Alex Stamos said the plan is subject to change and that at this time, it is still not clear whether nonprofits or other users that need additional security such as political dissidents may qualify for access to the company's premium accounts.
During the pandemic, Zoom has attracted millions of free and paying customers as its video conferencing software allows users to join a meeting without registering first. However, this has also led to users of the service having their meetings disrupted through a practice known as 'Zoom-bombing' where hackers and pranksters join public and private meetings they have not been invited to. Increased encryptionWhile businesses, schools and non-profit organizations can benefit greatly from the additional security that encryption brings, safety experts and law enforcement agencies have warned that sexual predators and other criminals are increasingly employing encrypted communications to help avoid being detected online. This could be one of the reasons why Zoom is planning to limit encryption to its paid users. The company recently released a whitepaper titled “E2E Encryption for Zoom Meetings” in which it laid out its encryption plans. These plans have not yet been finalized according to the whitepaper that explains that Zoom is has begun “a process of consultation with multiple stakeholders, including clients, cryptography experts, and civil society” on the matter of encryption. Following a series of security failures earlier this year that led some organizations to ban Zoom, the company hired Alex Stamos and other experts to help. Stamos provided further details to Reuters regarding how Zoom is improving its security, saying: “At the same time that Zoom is trying to improve security, they are also significantly upgrading their trust and safety. The CEO is looking at different arguments. The current plan is paid customers plus enterprise accounts where the company knows who they are.” If Zoom were to add full encryption to every meeting on its service, the company's trust and safety team would be unable to add itself as a participant which would make tackling abuse in real time far more difficult. At the same time, users who call into Zoom meetings from their telephones would be unable to do so if the company adopts an end-to-end model.
Via Reuters This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| PS5 gameplay reveal event set for June 4 will be postponed Posted: 01 Jun 2020 12:06 PM PDT Sony has just announced its decision to postpone its PS5 gameplay reveal in a tweet from its PlayStation Twitter account. The event, which was originally scheduled for Thursday, June 4, is being postponed to ‘allow more important voices to be heard’ amid the chaos and heartbreak happening across the US. Here’s the full tweet for context: Sony has not yet announced a rescheduled date and time for the event, and in the tweet says that it expects gamers to be disappointed by its decision. Healing after heartbreakWhile some might decry this as a polarizing political move – just look at the replies to the tweet – Sony is smartly avoiding launching a new product amid a time of turmoil for many of its customers. In my opinion, it's a decision that's both business-minded and, surprisingly, empathetic. The excitement around Sony's next-gen event is immense, and understandably so – this is going to be our first look at the games of a next-gen console that many of us are wildly excited about. That said, it's unlikely Sony will delay the event for long, and allow other conversations to take place on Twitter is a respectable decision. There will be plenty of time to talk about the next generation of consoles in the near future – for now, perhaps, it's better if we stay focused on what really matters.
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| How could Amazon allow Apple AirPods listings to be hijacked by racist imagery? Posted: 01 Jun 2020 11:35 AM PDT When you’re looking to buy a new pair of headphones from Amazon, hate speech is probably the last thing that you’d expect to see. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened when, in the early hours of May 3, Amazon users in the UK discovered product listings riddled with racist abuse, including listings for the Apple AirPods and other Bluetooth headphones. Nadine White, a news reporter for the Huffington Post, took to Twitter to express her dismay at seeing the hijacked product listings while browsing Amazon, saying that the racist imagery "needs to be acknowledged, removed, explained, apologized for asap. Being Black right now is hard enough; we don't need to be called the N- word while shopping online, to boot". Despite calls for Amazon to remove the listings – which appeared in the first page of results for the AirPods – they remained in place long enough for screenshots to begin trending on Twitter. In an email to The Verge, Amazon said that “Our store maintains content guidelines which third party sellers are required to follow.” “As soon as this issue was raised, we investigated, removed the images in question and took action against the bad actor,” the company explained.
Hack or payback?So, how were these images allowed to be uploaded to Amazon in the first place? And to appear in the coveted first page of results for search terms like ‘Apple AirPods’ and ‘Bluetooth headphones’? Hacktivism could be the answer. Lotem Finkelstein, manager of threat intelligence at Check Point told TechRadar: “As Amazon is not sharing details of the attack specifics, it is hard to tell exactly how hackers were able to deface so many products at once." "Looking at the characteristics of the defaced listings, offering the same products having small number to no reviews or sales, one possible explanation can be hacking into accounts of a single owner and defacing its external images. This is a common way for hacktivists to spread their messages," he explained. It’s not clear whether the ‘bad actor’ was a hacker, a disgruntled former employee, or a rogue third-party seller – but the likelihood is that the perpetrator had insider access to Amazon’s back end, says Jake Moore, Cyber Security Specialist at ESET. “For Amazon to be hacked would be quite a feat but not impossible," Moore explained. "They have many layers of security ring-fencing all possibilities to defend a multitude of different threats that are inevitable. Clearly, however, no company is un-hackable and we mustn’t become complacent to the fact that bad actors come in all varieties with different skill sets. “For an image change to occur, it is most likely someone had back-end access and to only change one image suggests to me that this is an inside job where a begrudged employee, third party or otherwise, has had full access to the image library and decided to change a popular product in high demand to get maximum reach,” he continued. “Insider threats are notoriously difficult to stamp out as the suspects need such access to carry out their roles and therefore a level of trust is adhered to. This simple little trick will most likely be traceable to whomever did it but although embarrassing to Amazon, I would be surprised if this was any more sinister.” So what can be done?Whoever was behind the attack, it’s clear that Amazon needs to do more to ensure that browsing its listings is safe and secure for every user – and it needs to do it quickly. It could be that Amazon needs to improve its vetting process for third-party vendors, which could prove a huge undertaking. As Moore explains, “vetting employees is difficult to do for any large company but when employees start spilling out into third party vendors it becomes an even bigger management task”. Difficult or not, a company with the wealth of Amazon should be able to enact change fairly rapidly, particularly if it turns to image recognition software to prevent the uploading of offensive imagery to its listings. It’s likely that Amazon already has something like this in place, and might have image recognition software in place to mitigate the risk of an indecent image being uploaded, but Moore thinks the offensive text was an oversight in the algorithm. “This is likely to be a big learning curve for the tech giant and won’t be taken lightly." TechRadar has reached out to Amazon, asking how the company intends to prevent this kind of thing happening in the future, however it declined to expand on its previous statement.
Waning trustIt’s not the first time that Amazon has come under fire for the way it handles its third-party sellers, some of which have recently been accused of price-gouging – in other words, raising the price of items far beyond what is reasonably fair. Price-gouging has become a big problem for the retailer in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, with unscrupulous vendors selling products like face masks and hand sanitizer at enormously inflated prices. For its part, Amazon says it has “zero tolerance” for price-gouging and that it strictly prohibits sellers from “charging excessively high prices of products and shipping”. Even so, the practice continues. Not only that, but the US recently added five of Amazon’s websites (including Amazon UK) to its “notorious markets” list, citing the presence of counterfeit and pirated goods among genuine listings – something Amazon dismissed as a “purely political act”. Politically-motivated or not, Amazon clearly needs to address a number of issues that could undermine its reputation as a trusted online retailer, particularly with Amazon Prime Day reportedly going ahead in September. First and foremost however, it needs to ensure that shoppers aren’t subjected to hate speech when they’re simply looking to purchase a new pair of headphones.
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| New AMD Ryzen 3000XT CPUs spotted, but you can probably ignore them Posted: 01 Jun 2020 10:49 AM PDT Fresh off the release of the Ryzen 3 3100 and 3300X, not to mention the new Intel Comet Lake-S lineup, it looks like AMD may be launching some new versions of its hard-hitting Ryzen 3000 CPU lineup. Retail listings for new 'XT' iterations of AMD Ryzen 3000 processors have appeared on French tech retailer Materiel.net, making it more likely that these processors will actually exist. However, as the folks over at VideoCardz point out, it's best to take the prices with a grain of salt. That said, with the AMD Ryzen 9 3900XT appearing at €499 (about $555, £455, AU$820), it would be within the same price range as the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X when that CPU launched back in July 2019.
This new AMD leak doesn't paint a clearer picture of what we can expect from the CPU performance, so it's probably still safe to assume that the Chiphell leak spotted last week is the closest we have to solid information. According to that leak, the Ryzen 9 3900XT will feature a boost clock of 4.8GHz, up from the 4.6GHz that the original 3900X features. That's not a huge jump in specs, but because of the strong IPC (instructions per clock) performance of AMD Zen 2, it should lead to some substantial gains, especially in games. Either way, we won't know whether these chips exist until AMD confirms it, and even if they do exist, they could just exist as an OEM option for prebuilt gaming PCs. So, don't get too excited just yet. Temper expectationsWhile we would love to see AMD provide some more powerful processors, especially if the chips fall within the same price range as the existing silicon, it's important to note that they won't be that much better. A 200MHz jump in clock speed is substantial, but it's not enough to suddenly make anyone's Ryzen 3000-equipped gaming PC irrelevant. According to these rumors, this would be a 4% jump in clock speed while maintaining the same core counts and TDP (thermal design power). So, if you already have a PC with one of Team Red's latest chips, you have no real reason to pick one of these up. However, for folks that were on the fence about upgrading to the most recent processors, these chips, if real, would be an excellent choice – more performance is never a bad thing. Keep in mind that the AMD Ryzen 4000 CPU is likely right around the corner, so investing in what's essentially last year's tech right now may not be the best idea in the world. This all kind of puts these XT processors in a weird spot. If we're to put our speculation hats on for a second, we could see these processors acting as a special anniversary edition of the Ryzen 3000 processors – the only leaks so far have been of the most popular chips in the lineup. All the AMD rumors are pointing to a late 2020 launch for Ryzen 4000, so a limited anniversary run would make a lot of sense. Intel did it last year with the Core i9-9900KS, so this could be AMD taking a similar approach. We'll see what these AMD chips look like when we get a solid announcement, but it's equally possible that these processors will never actually see the light of day.
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| Apple Watch sale: the all-new Apple Watch 5 gets a $100 price cut at Amazon Posted: 01 Jun 2020 10:18 AM PDT A fantastic deal for the feature-packed Apple Watch 5, you can save an additional $84 when you add the all-new smartwatch to your cart at Amazon. That brings the cost of the Series 5 watch down to $299.99, which is the lowest price we've seen for the best-selling Apple smartwatch. The Apple Watch 5 is packed with new features, as well as an upgraded design. The smartwatch features an Always-On Retina display, which allows you to easily read the time, messages, and other important notifications. The Series 5 smartwatch includes an updated ECG app and new safety features that allow you to make emergency calls. The waterproof smartwatch also tracks activity, workouts, and calories burned and provides up to 18 hours of battery life. Apple Watch 5 deal:Learn more about the upcoming Amazon Prime Day 2020 event. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Microsoft replaces curators with AI workers Posted: 01 Jun 2020 10:11 AM PDT Microsoft is planning to not renew the contracts of dozens of journalists in the US and UK who select which new stories are featured on MSN. Instead, the software giant will use artificial intelligence (AI) to select the news stories that appear on its site according to the Seattle Times. In a statement, Microsoft provided more details on its decision to replace human curators with AI, saying: "Like all companies, we evaluate our business on a regular basis. This can result in increased investment in some places and, from time to time, redeployment in others. These decisions are not the result of the current pandemic."
Just like some other tech companies, Microsoft pays news organizations for the right to use their content on its website. However, the company employs its own team of journalists to decide which stories are shown on MSN and how they are presented. Automated curationAt the end of June, close to 50 contract news producers will lose their jobs at MSN while a team of full-time journalists will remain at the site. According to The Guardian, 27 of these news producers are employed by the UK-based company PA Media. Some of the curators whose contracts will not be renewed warn that inappropriate stories could end up on the site as AI may not be familiar with MSN's strict editorial guidelines. Since its launch as Microsoft Network in 1995, MSN has undergone a number of changes. The site started out as a web portal and internet homepage that offered original content and links to news, weather and sports. However, in 2013, MSN rolled back its original news content and began laying off employees. In 2014, Microsoft launched a redesigned version of the site that partnered with other news outlets to distribute their content. By not offering its own original news content, the company may have laid the groundwork for an automated system to curate the news shown on its site.
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| How has the pandemic affected you and your work? $27,000 worth of prizes up for grabs Posted: 01 Jun 2020 10:01 AM PDT 2020 will be remembered as the year that changed everything, with the ongoing pandemic likely to leave a legacy that will affect generations to come; it has changed the way we live, learn and work. With this in mind, we want to find out more about your experience, as part of the Future audience. How well have you managed to embrace remote working in the last few months? What have been the primary roadblocks and main facilitators? We've put together a few questions and would love if you could provide us with some insights into your daily working life. >>>ENTER THE SURVEY HERE<<<The survey takes no more than five minutes to complete. To say thanks, you’ll be entered into our fantastic prize draw with a total value of more than $27,000, to be scooped up by a single reader. If you want to be in with a shout of winning the prize, as well as sharing your opinion on your future and remote working, make sure you take part today before the survey closes on June 30th. Good luck! The prize chest contains all the basic ingredients any business (or freelancer) needs to be successful online and much more. Here's the entire list: T&Cs apply, over-18s, prizes may be replace with items of similar value at our discretion. See here for details: https://www.futureplc.com/competition-rules/ This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Google Pixel phones get small software update as everyone hungers for Pixel 4a Posted: 01 Jun 2020 10:00 AM PDT While we all wait for Android 11’s official launch, and perhaps even word of the Google Pixel 4a, Google has announced a small software update with new features that have begun rolling out to Pixel phones. Almost all of these updates are coming to the full line of handsets, from the newest Google Pixel 4 to the Google Pixel 2 – sorry, original Pixel owners. They aren’t exactly a preview of all the exciting features we expect to see in Android 11, but they’re at least quality-of-life upgrades on features like battery, bedtime activity monitoring, and the Recorder app. Pixel 2 phones and newer get improvements to their Clock app for late-night activity monitoring: if you stay up past your set bedtime, the app will track what apps you’re using and how long as a gentle nudge to stick to your sleep schedule. You can also set ‘calming sounds’ to fall asleep to, limit interruptions while sleeping, and set either a wake-up tune or a gradually brighter screen with the new Sunrise Alarm. Google phones will also get an upgrade to Recorder app that integrates it with Google Assistant, letting you “Hey Google’ to start recording or intelligently search for keywords or subjects along with saving directly to Google Docs. Google Pixel 2 phones and newer will get improvements to Adaptive Battery that predicts when you’ll run out of juice and further reduces background activity to keep your phone on longer.
Personal Safety app expanding to other Pixel phones - and getting Safety CheckAt long last, the Pixel 4’s neat Personal Safety app is now available on the Pixel 2 and newer phones. The app's crash detection feature is also headed to the Google Pixel 3 (but sadly, not the Google Pixel 3a), allowing the older phone to detect collisions and automatically contact emergency aid. The Personal Safety app is also getting a new feature called ‘safety check’ that will schedule check-ins with phone owners when they’ve engaged in potentially risky activity – for instance, if you go on a hike and don’t respond to the check-in, your phone will reach out to emergency contacts and share your real-time location via Google Maps. Another new feature, ‘crisis alerts,’ will sign you up for notifications about nearby natural disasters or other public emergencies.
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| Best Nikon camera 2020: the 10 finest cameras from Nikon's line-up Posted: 01 Jun 2020 09:49 AM PDT Choosing the best Nikon camera for you has become a bit trickier in recent times, because Nikon has introduced exciting new options in both its mirrorless and DSLR stables. Luckily, we're here to help you choose the right model for you, whether you're a complete beginner or a more advanced photographer. A couple of years ago Nikon moved away from its Nikon 1 mirrorless system, but it's now right at the forefront of mirrorless cameras thanks to the full-frame Nikon Z6 and Z7, plus great mid-range options like the Nikon Z50. Not that it's thrown the towel in on making new DSLRs – the Nikon D780, which is in many ways a hybrid of its best DSLR and mirrorless camera tech, arrived recently to give full-frame traditionalists a camera that feels like a classic, familiar Nikon, but with some of the latest shooting tech. Right now, that camera is a little on the pricey side, so we've also included some great value older models like the Nikon D7500 and Nikon D750, which remain greats buys for APS-C or full-frame fans despite their age. For complete beginners, there's also our favorite starter DSLR, the Nikon D3500. Whatever your photographic tastes, there's a great choice for you – here are the best Nikon cameras you can buy right now. Best Nikon camera 2020 at a glance:
Best Nikon cameras in 2020:Nikon’s previous 1 system never really made much of a mark on the mirrorless landscape, but its newer full-frame Z system has got off to a sterling start with the Z6 and Z7 (see below). We reckon the Z6 is hard to beat for the price, offering a great blend of features and performance that should keep both pros and enthusiasts happy. The 24.5MP full-frame sensor is capable of delivering excellent results, while the 273-point AF system (while not quite as sophisticated as the 693-point AF in the Sony A7 III) and 12fps burst shooting should mean you'll never miss another shot. Handling is polished too, while the large and bright electronic viewfinder is a joy to use. Excellent.
The mid-range mirrorless market has never been more crowded. Does that make Nikon’s first foray into the APS-C arena any less enticing? Not at all: with fantastic handling, a compact build and plenty of features, the Z50 offers excellent value for Nikon fans. It’s not as small as some rivals, but a deep grip and a good spread of buttons make it a lovely thing to hold and operate – though a joystick would allow quicker AF point selection when looking through the viewfinder (which you’ll do often, given how comfortable it is to use). Supported by an Expeed 6 processor (as found in the Nikon Z6/Z7), the 20.9MP sensor performs well. Besides facilitating 4K video recording, it helps produce images with vibrant but realistic colors and a good level of overall detail. Low-light performance could be much worse and, while it’s certainly not a sports model, the AF does a decent job with eye-detection. There are compromises, of course – such as the single SD card slot which only supports slower UHS-I cards – but the Z50 should nevertheless be on the radar of anyone looking to switch from a Nikon DSLR.
Much like the company’s D850 DSLR (below), the Z7's ace card is that it manages to blend a high-resolution sensor with fast burst shooting and a fleshed-out 4K video recording option, making it versatile enough to be used for all kinds of applications. Key advantages over its D850 cousin include 493 phase-detect AF points that stretch right across 90% of the vertical and horizontal axes, together with 5-axis Vibration Reduction that can be used with all kinds of lenses. As we found in our review, handling is great and the 3.69-million dot viewfinder is a joy to use, while video quality is also very strong. Only a few native lenses have been developed so far, although you can use F-mount optics through an adapter, and while some may be put off by the presence of a single XQD card slot, this shouldn’t realistically be a deal-breaker when you consider just how much Nikon has managed to get right here.
Still arguably Nikon’s most desirable DSLR, the D850 is a robust, full-frame powerhouse that has proved to be smash among wedding, landscape, portrait and wildlife photographers among others. Its key highlights of a 45.7MP back-illuminated full-frame sensor, 7fps burst shooting, a 153-point AF system and 4K video recording are supported by a solid secondary set of specs, from the 1,840-shot battery life and dual cards slots (one being the speedy XQD type) right down to illuminated controls for the benefit of those working in darker conditions. Clunky SnapBridge functionality and slow live view autofocus speeds mean that it’s not quite a flawless performer, and it’s now somewhat overshadowed by the newer and flashier Z7 mirrorless camera, but for those after something a little more traditional the D850 remains a stellar option.
The company’s most junior DSLR blends a capable imaging core with a light body and a fuss-free interface, and delivers it all with modest price tag. While we don’t expect many extras at this level, we’re lucky enough to get a handful, including a 1,550-shot battery life that is significantly better than every other camera in its class. Compatibility with decades' worth of F-mount lenses and a 24.2MP sensor that loses its anti-aliasing filter to better capture fine details sweeten the deal further, although the lack of built-in sensor cleaning is a shame. The fact that there's no touchscreen may also displease those used to jabbing away at their phones and tablets, although on such an affordable model, it’s easy to understand Nikon’s decision to go without this.
A DSLR/mirrorless crossover that offers the best of both worlds for full-frame first-timers, the Nikon D780 resembles a traditional DSLR but packs plenty of the tech you’ll find in its mirrorless Z6 cousin. A hybrid of sorts, the D780 handles like an old-school DLSR. Its magnesium body is heavy in the hand, but a big grip that makes it satisfying to hold. The optical viewfinder and top-plate LCD will be familiar to DSLR users, too, yet the tilting touch-sensitive display is more of a mirrorless mainstay. Either way, the D780 is no anachronism. It borrows a metering and scene recognition system from the more advanced D850, shares a 273-point on-chip phase detection autofocus system with the Z6 and deploys Nikon’s EXPEED 6 image processor to support the 24.5MP full-frame sensor. As a result, image quality is truly fantastic, with nicely balanced exposures, excellent dynamic range and brilliant noise control at mid-high ISOs. Battery life is outstanding, too, while autofocus is predictably fast and reliable when using Live View. It’s an impressive package with just one major snag: the cost. Right now, it's a bit pricey, but with time that price will come down and make the D780 an even better buy.
With its 51-point AF system and video recording topping out at Full HD quality, the D750 may be looking a little dated next to some of its newer rivals. That said, it was always intended as a more compact, lighter and more affordable full-frame solution to the likes of the D800 series, and if you’re not fussed about 4K video there’s much to love. The sensor delivers great dynamic range and noise control, while the AF system delivers a wonderful performance against static and moving subjects alike, continuing to work well when lighting conditions worsen. The viewfinder is nice and large while the 3.2in LCD screen tilts to help you shoot from all kinds of positions, and while the body is smaller than other full-frame cameras, this has no adverse effect on handling. Supported by a respectable 6.5fps burst mode, two card slots, Wi-Fi and excellent in-camera Raw processing, the D750 would serve well as a primary body, but is also a logical choice as a backup to a camera like the D850 or Z7.
While Nikon’s D500 may appear to have a few advantages over the D7500 on paper, the fact that this newer model borrows many key features from its sibling and costs significantly less makes it a better proposition overall. Crafted with the sports, action and general outdoors shooter in mind, the D7500 uses the same 20.9MP DX-format sensor as the D500, and also pinches its 180k-pixel metering sensor, with 8fps burst shooting, 4K video and a robust, weather-sealed body as further highlights. The focusing system isn’t quite as advanced as the 153-point systems seen in other Nikon models, but we still found it to be a commendable performer in our review, while images also impressed. Some may prefer an additional card slot as the body has only been designed with one of these, but this is very much a nicety rather than an essential feature.
We had mixed feelings about Nikon’s recent P1000 superzoom camera, with its monstrous 125x optical zoom presenting just about as many challenges as advantages. So it’s the more affordable and considerably smaller P900 that deserves consideration if high-zoom photography is your thing. The Nikon P950 is more recent, but this model packs the same 24-2000mm focal range (in 35mm terms). With a slightly more sensible 83x optical zoom range than the P1000, the camera is easier to work with at its telephoto extremes, with effective Dual Detect VR on hand to stabilize compositions and an autofocus system to works well in bright light. The lack of a touchscreen does show its age somewhat, although this was also omitted from the P1000 and it's arguably less of a priority on a camera likely of this sort. It’s a shame there’s no Raw capture too (which you do get on the P950), but full manual control over exposure does at least give you the flexibility to get it right in camera for ready-to-use results, and it's better value than its newer sibling.
Nikon’s flagship waterproof compact manages to partner its well-rounded spec sheet with a design that’s thankfully a lot more sober that what we normally find in this category of camera. Built around a 16MP back-illuminated sensor and 24-120mm (equivalent) lens, its rugged credentials include 30m/100ft waterproofing and 2.4m/7.9ft shock-proofing, with a GPS system, compass and an altimeter alongside. The further bonus of 4K video capture also means that it competes well with models like the Olympus Tough TG-5 and Panasonic FT7, although we would have loved to see it pack Raw shooting so allow users to hone their masterpieces later on.
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| Xbox Series X release date, specs, design and launch titles for the new Xbox Posted: 01 Jun 2020 09:40 AM PDT Xbox Series X is the new Xbox that is due for release in late 2020. So far we know when the next-gen Xbox will release, its official name, some of the games we'll be playing, as well as information on backwards compatibility, and how cross-gen game ownership will work under the new Smart Delivery feature. We also know that it will have a slightly redesigned controller that should be more accessible, and offer 1TB SSD upgrades from Seagate. From what we've seen so far, it looks like the Xbox Series X will sport a blockier style that's similar to that of a small gaming PC. More importantly, we now know what's inside the console, thanks to Microsoft giving us the Series X's full specs, and we can say for sure that the new Xbox is going to be an absolute powerhouse. But the Xbox Series X won't be the only next-generation hardware on offer from Microsoft. The company has confirmed that the next-generation family of consoles will be called 'Xbox' and that 'Series X' is just one of the consoles within that family, which is likely to include a cheaper disc-drive free version as well. So what exactly has Microsoft got to offer with the new Xbox? And how will it compare to the PS5? Let's break down everything we know about the Xbox Series X. [Update: Sony says PS5 might not have the 'lowest price' in battle against Xbox Series X. Read on to find out more.]
Microsoft has given the release window of "Holiday 2020" - which means we'll likely see the Xbox Series X release between October and December this year. We're expecting a November release date as, historically, that's when Microsoft has released its consoles. It's possible that the release date will be November 26, 2020 (AKA Thanksgiving in the US). An image stating the Xbox Series X is "coming Thanksgiving 2020" (shown above) appeared on a number of product pages around the world briefly before being reverted back to to the previously announced Holiday 2020 release window. A Microsoft spokesperson responded to TechRadar to clarify, saying: "An Xbox product page in some regions inaccurately listed the launch date for Xbox Series X as Thanksgiving 2020. We are committed to launching Holiday 2020.” Despite concerns that the Xbox Series X will be delayed due to Covid-19, Microsoft is still citing the same release window and Xbox boss Phil Spencer told IGN: "We have nothing right now that says that we're not going to make the dates that we've been planning." However, we are expecting the Xbox Series X launch to be digital event as a Microsoft spokesperson told Eurogamer that the company is adjusting its event calendar due to the pandemic, stating that: "For the remainder of 2020 we are embracing the opportunity to experiment with new platforms to provide our partners, customers and developers the highest quality, digital-first experiences."
Microsoft won't be pinned down on an Xbox Series X price point quite yet – unsurprisingly, given what a sore spot the price of the Xbox One was for fans. At launch, the original Xbox One cost a whopping $499 / £429 / AU$599, which was quickly reduced when Microsoft realized people weren't forking out. Microsoft has at the very least promised that it's learned from this pricing mistake, with Phil Spencer stating that this time "we will not be out of position on power or price.” That doesn't mean that the new Xbox will be cheap, mind you, it just means the price point will be better aligned with the console's power and the price points of the competition. After all, Jason Ronald, director of the Xbox platform, gave only a vague reassurance when speaking to Windows Central, saying that Microsoft knew "what reasonable price points are for a console and kind of what customers expect about that". Price will at least in part be determined by the cost of the components going into the console: Xbox Series X is going to be a lot more powerful than either the Xbox One S or Xbox One X, and that will likely mean we're looking at an even higher price tag on any bundles and Xbox Series X pre-orders. It could be a while before we get confirmation of the Xbox Series X price - possibly months. Historically we've seen both Microsoft and Sony reveal their console pricing around June or July, but this time things are a bit different. The hot topic of pricing has many on the edge of their seats, as we see just how powerful the PS5 and Xbox Series are, and wonder how expensive the technology will be. However, it does look like the Xbox Series X could be cheaper than the PS5. Sony Interactive Entertainment's president and CEO Jim Ryan has hinted that the PS5 might not have the 'lowest price' in battle against Xbox Series X In a wide-ranging interview with GamesIndustryBiz, Ryan addressed speculation around the PS5 cost. While not revealing the price, Ryan suggested the PS5 price could be a significant hit on gamers' savings, and certainly not committing to beating the Xbox Series X on price. Speaking on whether the potential for a Covid-19-related recession will affect sales of the PS5, a high-value gadget, Ryan said: "I think the best way that we can address this is by providing the best possible value proposition that we can. I don't necessarily mean lowest price. Value is a combination of many things. In our area it means games, it means number of games, depth of games, breadth of games, quality of games, price of games... all of these things and how they avail themselves of the feature set of the platform." It seems like we're currently in something of a standoff, with both companies waiting to see what the other will price its next-gen hardware at - possibly so they can undercut each other. It looks like Sony and Microsoft will be waiting until the last possible moment to set their pricing, with plenty of time before then to make adjustments. Still, enough time will need to be set aside before the consoles release between October and December for people to get those pre-orders in.
We now know what Xbox Series X looks like and what it's packing under the hood, and it's going to be an absolute beast of a console.The next Xbox's gaming PC design is pretty apt, considering the next-gen console's internal hardware is comparable to one - so make sure you check out our Xbox Series X spec analysis. Microsoft has finally revealed the Xbox Series X specifications in full, leaving no one in doubt about how powerful its next-generation games console will be. The folks over at Eurogamer’s Digital Foundry got a close look at the hardware, and alongside Microsoft have announced the hardware that will be powering the Xbox Series X. According to Digital Foundry, the specs confirm that the Xbox Series X will indeed be twice as powerful as the Xbox Once X… in practise. Digital Foundry saw an unoptimized version of Gears 5 running on the Xbox Series X running at the equivalent of ‘Ultra’ graphics settings on PC, and it comes with enhanced shadows and ray tracing. Where the cut scenes ran at 30FPS on the Xbox One X, Digital Foundry reported that on the Xbox Series X, it runs at a ‘flawless’ 60FPS. Also, this is an early port – on release we should see even better results. As expected, the Xbox Series X processor is built into a custom Project Scarlett SoC (System on Chip), which uses an enhanced version of TSMC’s 7nm process. That seven nanometers is important. The smaller the process, the more efficient the chip can be. That means it can provide more performance for less power. Making sure the chip inside a games console can perform well without using lots of power (and getting hot) is incredibly important. Based on the prototype hardware Digital Foundry seen, the Xbox Series X reportedly ships with a 315W power supply - delivered internally but the console is also equipped with parallel cooling architecture, allowing cool air in and letting that cool air stream through separate areas of the console. The processor is a customized AMD Zen 2 CPU with eight cores and 16 threads, with a peak speed of 3.8GHz, and a base speed of 3.6GHz. As Digital Foundry reveals, these frequencies aren’t completely locked, which suggests the Xbox Series X could adjust the power of the CPU based on workload and thermals. So, if you’re playing a game that needs a lot of processing power, the Xbox Series X can give its CPU a boost, and then slow it down when you don’t need it. Meanwhile, the GPU of the Xbox Series X is revealed as a custom design with 12 teraflops of compute performance, with 3328 shaders allocated to 52 compute units, and runs at a locked 1,825 MHz. Interestingly, there’s no boost clocks for the GPU. It will always run at that speed. It also uses AMD’s RDNA 2 architecture, and offers ray tracing for photo-realistic lighting. What does this mean in the real world? It seems the Xbox Series X will have the graphical power acquirement to a gaming PC with an Nvidia RTX 2080 graphics card. So, a very capable device indeed, but maybe not able to compete with the most powerful gaming PCs. The Xbox Series X also gets 16GB of GDDR6 memory – an upgrade from the Xbox One X’s 12GB GDDR5. That won’t all be used in games, however. Games will get a total of 13.5GB – 10GB of GPU optimal memory and 3.5GB of standard memory, while the remaining 2.5GB is reserved for the operating system. The faster GDDR6 memory should also offer a big leap in performance. Match that with a super-fast NVMe SSD, and the Xbox Series X should feel very spritely when used. There’s still a lot of questions over what kind of performance we can expect from the Xbox Series X, but this is by far the best look at the hardware we’ve seen. But what else do we know about the Xbox Series X's specs? Well, Microsoft is aiming to get Xbox Series X games to run at 60 FPS in 4K, calling the challenge a "design goal". The console will support up to 120 FPS too. Despite 4K being the aim, Microsoft has said the Xbox Series X has 8K capability. Phil Spencer even changed his Twitter profile photo to (what appeared to be) a picture of the next-gen Xbox Series X's processor. It said 'Project Scarlett' on it, and was marked with '8K' (pictured above), suggesting Microsoft plans on doing more than simply talking the talk when it comes to 8K. The Xbox Series X will also feature Variable Rate Shading, which prioritizes effects on different in-game characters and objects for a "more stable frame rate and higher resolution", according to Microsoft. Not only will games look better, they could be bigger. In an interview with PCGamesN, Samsung revealed that it's talking with Microsoft and pushing the gaming behemoth to adopt ultrawide support for the Xbox Series X. The Xbox Series X will make good use of having an SSD – a 'Quick Resume' feature for the console will let you "almost instantly" continue with multiple games, without the need to sit through load screens. Microsoft also aims to improve latency through features such as Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR). According to Microsoft, "ALLM allows Xbox One and Xbox Series X to automatically set the connected display to its lowest latency mode". While "VRR synchronizes the display’s refresh rate to the game’s frame rate, maintaining smooth visuals without tearing". These features aim to minimize lag and make gaming more responsive. However, don't expect video to do the Xbox Series X's power justice. Xbox boss Phil Spencer believes that it’s been challenging to demonstrate just how much of a leap Xbox Series X will be over Xbox One, as faster and more stable frame rates aren’t something that really comes across in videos. Speaking to ex-Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-aime on his new podcast (thanks, GameSpot), Spencer lamented the fact that gamers might not appreciate the power of Xbox Series X just yet. "One of the things I've talked about publicly ... but it's hard to come across, is the way it feels to play games on a box where frame rates are higher, frame rates are more stable," Spencer explained. "The fluidity of it, showing that in video form, is just impossible. How do you show how something feels?" He went on to add: "We're getting to the point where the immersion feel that you get through fluidity and other things is now up to par with the visual capabilities that we have. How do you share that with people in this kind of world?" If you're less bothered about the specs and more concerned about whether you can still play physical games on the next Xbox, then you'll be pleased to know that Xbox Series X has a physical disc drive. Microsoft has also confirmed that all your current Xbox One accessories will work with Xbox Series X, including existing controllers and headsets. But we'd doubt that also includes the ill-fated Kinect motion tracker. That means that the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 will be forward compatible with Series X, but Microsoft is also launching a next-generation wireless controller to accompany the new console. But don't expect the Xbox Series X to launch with VR support as, according to Xbox boss Phil Spencer, Microsoft is waiting until VR on Xbox becomes a "no brainer". However, right now, the company doesn't see the feature as "so important" on its next-gen hardware.
Xbox Series X has a completely different design to its predecessors. For a start, the next-gen console has an upright tower design - similar to that of a gaming PC. However, Microsoft has confirmed Series X can sit horizontally or vertically. From what we've seen in the Series X reveal trailer, the console is black with slightly indented cooling vents on the top (with what seems to be a green light inside). The Xbox logo sits small on the top left hand corner of the console and there's still a disc drive - which is placed vertically on the left hand side also. The Xbox Series X has the following ports: HDMI 2.1 output port, three USB 3.2 ports, one networking port, an expanded storage slot and a power input port. The console reportedly measures 15.1cm x 15.1cm x 30.1cm and weighs 4.45kg/9.8lbs. While these images have been circling for a while now, we still weren't entirely sure what that mystery port was - until now. Thurrott claims that sources "familiar with the company's plans" have identified the port as being for storage expansion. Microsoft hasn't confirmed it this is the case, but we wouldn't be surprised if it was seeing as external storage was supported with the Xbox One - but whether we see it included in the final Series X product is still uncertain. In addition to the console design, we also know what the new Xbox logo will look like. Spotted on Reddit by Windows Central, an official trademark listing for the Xbox Series X logo was filed on April 16, 2020, showing a very different look to what we've seen for Microsoft's consoles to date. The logo shows the word 'Series' in a vertical formation, next to a stylized 'X'. It's a more mature and minimalist design for Xbox, but it's somewhat simplistic and – in our opinion – looks more suited to a sports brand. According to the patent, this is the Xbox Series X logo we'll see on everything from the console itself to clothing, keychains, toys and even kitchen utensils. Although, we think Microsoft is just trying to cover all bases and it's unlikely we'll see an Xbox Series X spatula anytime soon. Microsoft is releasing an Xbox Series X controller to accompany its next generation console. The new Xbox Wireless Controller will apparently be more accessible to everyone, as Microsoft has made an effort to refine the size and shape. This shouldn't be too surprising to anyone that's been following the tech giant, as it's been making waves for accessibility in gaming for a while now with products like the Xbox Adaptive Controller. Along with enhanced accessibility, we'll also be getting a dedicated share button (finally) that will let you share screenshots and videos with your friends. Microsoft has also revealed that it is optimizing latency in the "player-to-console pipeline" starting with our Xbox Wireless Controller, through a new feature called Dynamic Latency input. According to the company, this feature "synchronizes input immediately with what is displayed", making controls "more precise and responsive".
We got our best look yet at the upcoming Xbox Series X games lineup during the Xbox Series X gameplay reveal on May 7, with Microsoft revealing a roster of third-party games coming to the new Xbox including Dirt 5, Scorn Madden 21 and more. We also got to see gameplay for Assassin's Creed Valhalla for the first time. All of the games shown are optimized for the Xbox Series X (and will therefore make the most of its powerful specs). But what else do we know about Xbox Series X games so far? During the Xbox Series X's official reveal, Phil Spencer said Series X games will be "more lifelike, immersive and surprising" and that the Xbox Series X will "lead us into the future of gaming". He also stated that 15 Xbox Game Studios are building a huge next-generation library that includes Hellblade 2: Senua's Saga and Halo Infinite. Not a Halo fan? Don't worry, Xbox Series X will be capable of four generations of backwards compatibility - with the feature available from launch. That means the Series X will be able to play existing Xbox One games, including backward-compatible Xbox 360 and original Xbox games. Not only that, but these games will "play better than ever before" thanks to Microsoft's new HDR reconstruction technique and the Xbox Series X's Quick Resume feature - without requiring additional work from developers. In addition, the Xbox Series X's powerful specs will enable select backwards-compatible titles to run at higher resolutions or double the frame rate. Not only is Microsoft doubling down on backwards compatibility, but the company is also introducing a new system called Smart Delivery to the Series X that, in some respects, could be seen as forwards compatibility. During the May 7 reveal, Microsoft revealed just some of the games which will make use of this feature. With the Xbox Series X, Smart Delivery will seemingly ensure that you have the right version of a game, no matter which Xbox console you’ve bought it on. CD Projekt Red has confirmed that Cyberpunk 2077 will make use of Smart Delivery and will offer those who own Cyberpunk on Xbox One the ability to upgrade to the Xbox Series X version for free. In addition, the company has revealed that, while Cyberpunk will be available on Xbox Series X "from the get-go", a "proper, full-blown next-gen" version of the game will come at a later date. This is apparently the upgrade the developer was referring to. In addition, Microsoft will avoid siloing by taking a cross-generation approach to its first-party games. Talking to Stevivor, Phil Spencer said Microsoft wants to create a console that utilizes Xbox Play Anywhere so you can move seamlessly between devices: "Our goal for our first-party games is that your entitlements will be cross-generation and your Achievements will move effectively with your save game because that’s where they stand.” In addition to the Xbox Series X games announced at the gameplay reveal, we already have confirmation of a number of other third-party games making their way to the Xbox Series X including a remake of THQ Nordic's cult classic Gothic, Battlefield 6, Gollum, WRC 9, Dying Light 2, Cyberpunk 2077 and Outriders will land on Xbox Series X. In addition, Ubisoft has confirmed that Watch Dogs: Legion, Rainbow Six Quarantine, Gods and Monsters and Assassin's Creed Valhalla are coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X - with a new Far Cry also rumored to be coming to the platforms. Ubisoft has even said it could delay these games if the next-gen consoles miss their launch window. We also know Rainbow Six Siege will be available on Xbox Series X and PS5 from launch. We're also expecting Microsoft's game-streaming service Project xCloud to be out of public testing by the time Xbox Series X releases (with a launch date slated for this year) so we should hopefully be able to enjoy Series X games on-the-go. For those who aren't quite sold on upgrading to Series X quite yet, but still want to check out the best upcoming games, Microsoft has stated that there won't be Xbox Series X exclusive games for at least a year and, for the foreseeable future, new games are planned to work across the Xbox family of devices. That means you'll still be able to play them on Xbox One.
We knew what the Xbox Series X will look like, a few of the features on offer, and a good deal about specs the next Xbox is boasting. But May 7 was when we first saw Xbox Series X gameplay revealed. According to Microsoft, this event would see us fans getting a first look at next-gen gameplay, trailers and sneak peeks from Xbox's third-party partners, an update on how devs are utilizing the Xbox Series X and, finally, confirmation of the Xbox Series X games that will use Smart Delivery. With no look at the console itself, or its interface features, this was all about third-party titles – and ultimately we felt it was a little underwhelming, with no standout titles to shout about. However, this May 7 event is only the start of Microsoft's next-gen reveal plans. According to the company, this event will kick off Xbox 20/20, a stream which will take place each month throughout the rest of the year in the lead-up to the launch of the next-gen console. "Starting with the May 7 episode of Inside Xbox, we will be showcasing what happens next in the world of Xbox, every month, which is why we’re calling it 'Xbox 20/20'," Jerret West, CVP of gaming marketing at Xbox wrote on Xbox Wire. "These monthly moments will take place throughout the rest of the year and will be a way for us to engage, connect and celebrate with you about what’s in store for the next generation of gaming, including what’s next for Xbox Series X, Xbox Game Studios, Xbox Game Pass and Project xCloud. Every month will bring something different." Microsoft has already confirmed we'll be seeing more of Xbox Series X first-party games at Xbox 20/20 in July, including Halo Infinite. We expect that these streams will entirely replace the Xbox's presence at E3 2020, which Microsoft was confirmed to be attending until it was cancelled – given the circumstances right now, a remote event makes a lot of sense. The Xbox Series X will not be the only new Xbox in Microsoft's next-generation lineup. While we were all pretty excited when Microsoft unveiled the next Xbox at the Game Awards 2019, it appears that the upcoming console's name isn't quite what we thought - and it will belong to a family. While we assumed that the new Xbox is called 'Xbox Series X', Microsoft has clarified that, in fact, the family of consoles will be called 'Xbox' and that 'Series X' is just one of the consoles within the family. This clarification from Microsoft serves to further fuel rumors that another new Xbox console is on the way. Rumors have circulated for some time about a lower-cost next-gen Xbox console that would sit just below the high-end Xbox Series X - codenamed 'Project Lockhart'. Project Lockhart will allegedly be disc-less console - a trait that it will carry forward from the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition - but Kotaku's sources believe it will be substantially more powerful than Microsoft’s current disc-less box, and will come with both a solid-state hard drive and a faster CPU than any current game console. The report goes on to say that Microsoft told developers to shoot for a 1440p resolution and 60 frames-per-second frame rate with Project Lockhart and 4K/60 with Xbox Series X, and those same developers have likened the performance of the lower-end console to the PS4 Pro.
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| PS5 release date, specs, news and features for Sony’s PlayStation 5 Posted: 01 Jun 2020 09:28 AM PDT The PS5 (or PlayStation 5) is the next-generation PlayStation, with a release date planned for late 2020. Although Sony has remained tight-lipped about its new console, it has drip-fed us a few juicy details on what we can expect from its next-gen offering, and we now know we'll finally hear about the PS5 games line-up on June 4. We've already had our first look at the DualSense PS5 controller, which boasts some impressive-sounding features such as haptic feedback, adaptive triggers and a built-in mic. But what is arguably most interesting about the DualSense controller is its radically different look and space-age black-and-white color scheme, which suggests the PS5 design will look something similar – and will be a big departure from its predecessors. Just as important as the DualSense Controller are the PS5 specs discussed at Sony's March reveal event. Lead system architect Mark Cerny provided us with a deep dive into the PS5's system architecture, revealing the technical inner workings of the PS5. We'll cover them in more detail down below, but for now know that the PS5 is rocking an AMD Zen 2-based CPU with 8 cores at 3.5GHz, 16GB of GDDR6 memory and a custom RDNA 2 AMD GPU that puts out 10.28 TFLOPs of processing power. In terms of features, we know the next-gen console will have ray-tracing, a super-fast SSD, a built-in 4K Blu-ray player and will be backwards compatible with a huge swathe of the PS4's game catalogue. Heck, it might even have voice assistant capabilities to tell you how long it will take to beat levels. So far, the PS5 is living up to the hype. Want all the juicy details? Here's everything we know about the PS5 so far – and what we hope will be revealed the closer we get to launch. [Update: Sony says PS5 might not have the 'lowest price' in battle against Xbox Series X. Read on to find out more.]
After much rumor and speculation, Sony has confirmed it's hosting a PS5 games reveal event on June 4. The PS5 game reveal event will be an hour-long presentation, called the 'Future of Gaming', and will give us our first look at the PlayStation 5's game line-up. The presentation will air on June 4 at 1pm PT / 4pm ET / 9pm BST (or on June 5 at 6am AEST). Fans will be able to watch via Twitch, YouTube or the official PS5 website. We've been expecting that Sony will host another PS5 reveal event sometime in the near future, but we weren't quite sure when. In a corporate strategy meeting earlier this month, Sony president and CEO Kenichiro Yoshida stated that we will be seeing the "compelling" PS5 games line-up "soon", leaving many to speculate about a potential PS5 games reveal event date. Bloomberg recently reported that a PS5 reveal event was planned for June 3, but did add the caveat that plans could change, given the current circumstances. While VentureBeat’s Jeff Grubb, who spoke to sources under the condition of anonymity, uncovered Sony's plans to host big PS5 showcase sometime in the first two weeks of June – suggesting a (what we now know to be correct) date of June 4. It seems this event will only focus on PS5 games, with Grubb claiming the showcase will include both first-party titles and third-party titles from Sony’s trusted partners. So don't expect any hardware. God of War (Image Credit: SIE) Sony has officially confirmed that the PS5 will release "in time for Holiday 2020", so likely some time between October and December 2020 - putting it in direct competition with the Xbox Series X, which is releasing in the same window. A leak has suggested that the release date will be November 20, 2020 but that's yet to be confirmed. However, this date would be in the right window, as we're predicting the PS5 will release in November, 2020. November is historically when we've seen PlayStation's launch and it would leave time before Christmas to get those orders in. AMD, the tech giant that’s been commissioned to make the processor and graphics chips in both the PS5 and Xbox Series X next-gen consoles, is “ramping up production” to prepare for their respective launches, AMD CEO Dr Lisa Su confirmed in early May 2020. This timing too is also suggestive of a November launch window. Sony has frustrated some fans with the way it's drip fed information regarding the PS5. Sony CFO Hiroki Totoki seemingly isn't worried about the competition, though, and is confident the PS5 will beat the Xbox Series X in sales. Despite rumors, a Sony has confirmed the PS5's release date has not been delayed by Covid-19 so we should still see the next-gen console release in late 2020 - even if we're not sure exactly when that will be. We're expecting to find out the PlayStation 5's official release date in the coming months, having not been revealed at the March 18 technical talk.
Death Stranding Sony hasn't officially confirmed a PS5 price yet and, last we heard, that's because it hasn't actually decided how much the next-gen console will cost. In a quarterly earnings call (via Spiel Times) back in February, Sony's chief financial officer Hiroki Totoki revealed the company still hasn't nailed down the PS5 price. "What is not very clear or visible is because we are competing in the space, so it’s very difficult to discuss anything about the price at this point of time, and depending upon the price level, we may have to determine the promotion that we are going to deploy and how much costs we are prepared to pay," Totoki explained. “It’s a balancing act it’s very difficult to say anything concrete at this point of time," Totoki said. But we do know that Sony is aiming for "the best balance so that we will be profitable in the life, during the life of this product." However, Sony Interactive Entertainment's president and CEO Jim Ryan has hinted that a PS5 price tag may be closer to being decided and that the PS5 might not have the 'lowest price' in battle against Xbox Series X In a wide-ranging interview with GamesIndustryBiz, Ryan addressed speculation around the PS5 cost. While not revealing the price, Ryan suggested the PS5 price could be a significant hit on gamers' savings, and certainly not committing to beating the Xbox Series X on price. Speaking on whether the potential for a Covid-19-related recession will affect sales of the PS5, a high-value gadget, Ryan said: "I think the best way that we can address this is by providing the best possible value proposition that we can. I don't necessarily mean lowest price. Value is a combination of many things. In our area it means games, it means number of games, depth of games, breadth of games, quality of games, price of games... all of these things and how they avail themselves of the feature set of the platform." While Sony may not have confirmed a price yet, there have been rumors about how much the PS5 could cost. While the latest PS5 price leaks are wild – and can't be trusted - some predictions seem a bit more feasible (even if they're not reliable). One rumor has suggested that the console will cost $499 in North America when it launches. Naturally this should be treated with skepticism, but it would be welcome news if the console did launch at this price, as it's only $100 more than the launch price of the PS4 and PS4 Pro. We think this could be the most likely price for the console, however, that could be wishful thinking. A recent report by Bloomberg claims that Sony will not be making as many PlayStation 5 consoles for launch as it did for the PS4's launch back in 2013, despite no delay to production or on sale date being expected. According to the report, Sony is simply anticipating less demand. This is likely due to what is expected to be a higher asking price for the PS5 than the PS4 launched with. The PS5 is expected to really push the boat out in terms of high-end components, and as such will be met with a higher price tag. Microsoft’s plans for the Xbox Series X are key here, and Sony could well decide to sell the hardware at a slight loss to stay competitive with the other console. The PS4 benefited from a lower cost than the Xbox One, and Sony likely won’t be keen to reverse that for this generation. We hope. However, speaking on an episode of Geoff Keighley’s Bonus Round (via PushSquare), industry analyst Michael Pachter suggested that it could be Microsoft that considers taking a significant loss on the Xbox Series X to undercut the PS5's price. We can only speculate about whether this will happen. But, while we can expect that the PS5's price will be in line with the technology it uses, Sony will also have to be aware of its competition. It's unlikely, with the Xbox Series X, that Microsoft will repeat the mistake it made by launching the Xbox One at a prohibitively high price point, so Sony will have to ensure that it doesn't make a similar mistake by making the PS5 too expensive. It could be a while before we get confirmation of the PS5 price - possibly months. Historically we've seen both companies reveal their console pricing around June or July, but this time things are a bit different. The hot topic of pricing has many on the edge of their seats, as we see just how powerful the PS5 and Xbox Series are, and wonder how expensive the technology will be. It seems like we're currently in something of a standoff, with both companies waiting to see what the other will price its next-gen hardware at - possibly so they can undercut each other. It looks like Sony and Microsoft will be waiting until the last possible moment to set their pricing, with plenty of time before then to make adjustments. Still, enough time will need to be set aside before the consoles release between October and December for people to get those pre-orders in.
Ghost of Tsushima (Image Credit: SuckerPunch)
Sony finally lifted the hood on the PlayStation 5 during its first official PS5 reveal event, giving us a better idea of the specs the next-gen console will offer. But what do we think? What's interesting so far is Sony's commitment to custom silicon, with a full focus on raising gaming capabilities to the next level, without alienating developers now comfortable with developing on the PS4. Custom hardware in the PS3 proved to be a difficult element for devs to get their heads around, but the PS5 aims to be as developer-friendly as possible.
The importance of the SSD SSDs don’t just load faster, but allow for bigger open worlds, theoretically. Developers don’t need to make games with smaller worlds due to the limitations of mechanical hard drives, while SSDs will also allow system memory to be used more effectively. SSDs have more bandwidth, so data can be loaded from the SSD when it’s needed, rather than heaps of potentially needless data being loaded into RAM. In pure gameplay terms that means that games will suffer less from texture pop-in, while load times will be hugely reduced when using a game's fast-travel option. Booting up from standby should be generally much faster, too. You'll also have more control over how you install and remove games, meaning you could just install a game's multiplayer mode rather than the full block of data. This will allow for launch of direct gameplay, allowing players to jump straight into aspects of different games (such as match-making, continue save game etc) without having to boot up the full game. As for expandable storage, Sony appears to be allowing for off-the-shelf NVMe PC drives, rather than proprietary storage systems that Xbox will primarily be relying on. However, there aren't many drives on the market right now that use the PCIe 4.0 interface required – they need to be capable of at least a 5.5GB/s transfer speed. "NVMe PC drives will work in PlayStation 5," said Cerny. "The only problem is that PC technology is significantly behind PS5. It'll take some time for the newer, PCIe 4.0-based drives with the bandwidth required to match Sony's spec to hit the market." PS4 games on the PS5 will work just fine if saved to a regular HDD, however, so you won't need to tap into that precious SSD space unnecessarily. When asked about the PlayStation 5’s speed compared to its current-gen console at a corporate strategy meeting, Sony made the bullish claim that PS5 will “revolutionize the game experience for users” in an official Sony document. Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida added that the PS5’s custom-built SSDwill enable processing speeds that dwarf those found on PlayStation 4. “In order to further enhance the sense of immersion in games, we expect to improve not just the resolution, but the speed of games,” the Sony document reads. “For example, through a custom-designed high-speed SSD, we plan to realize game data processing speeds that are approximately 100 times faster than PS4. Game load times should be much shorter, and players should be able to move through immense game worlds in almost an instant.” A custom processor and GPU – what that means for backwards compatibility Move over to the GPU, and you're looking at the AMD RDNA 2 GPU, itself customized. It makes use of 36 compute units capped at 2.23GHz. A compute performance peak of 10.28TF was stated. What's smart is that the combination makes it simple for the PS5 to easily handle PS4 backwards compatibility – through GPU architecture rather than hours of coding. Almost all of the top 100 PS4 games will be fully compatible at launch. PS4 games will be supported natively on the GPU silicon, but here the GPU seems to be emulating PS4 and PS4 Pro graphics chips, which is a strange solution, and not as interesting as Xbox Series X's method, which will also be capable of upscaling previous Xbox generation games and adding HDR to previously HDR-less titles. Tempest 3D audio tech The example Cerny used described it in terms of rainfall. Today, the sound of rain in a game is a single audio track, but the PS5 would theoretically be capable of letting you hear individual raindrops, in relation to where the player character is. "Where we ended up is a unit with roughly the same SIMD (single instruction, multiple data) power and bandwidth as all eight Jaguar cores in the PS4 combined," said Cerny. The amount of attention Sony is heaping on its Tempest Audio Engine suggests it may be the secret weapon in the PlayStation 5 arsenal. At a corporate strategy meeting for Sony, a slideshow called the PlayStation 5 an "evolution of sound". "By installing a customized 3D audio processing unit in PS5, we have made it possible to deliver diverse and sophisticated 3D audio experiences," the slide read. "Players can experience sound that moves in from front to behind, above to below, and all around them." "If we were to use the same algorithms as PSVR, that's enough for something like five thousand sound sources – but of course we want to use more complex algorithms, and we don't need anything like that number of sounds." Perhaps best of all is the way you'll get to experience this – even a lowly pair of headphones at launch will be able to take advantage of the sense of presence and directionality Sony is promising here, with the company also committing to later support multi-speaker surround systems with the tech. But this is an ongoing project for Sony. To accurately model surround data positioning, Sony needs to create a Head-related Transfer Function, or HRFT, map. Essentially, that's a distinct algorithm that works best if the system knows the precise shape of your ears. "Maybe you'll be sending us a photo of your ear, and we'll use a neural network to pick the closest HRTF in our library," Cerny teased. "Maybe you'll be sending us a video of your ears and your head, and we'll make a 3D model of them and synthesize the HRTF. Maybe you'll play an audio game to tune your HRTF, we'll be subtly changing it as you play, and home in on the HRTF that gives you the highest score, meaning that it matches you the best. "This is a journey we'll all be taking together over the next few years. Ultimately, we're committed to enabling everyone to experience that next level of realism."
There's still been no official PS5 design reveal, but the reveal of the DualSense PS5 controller has given us a fairly good idea of what we can expect the next-gen console to look like (we've even created our own PS5 render, which you can see above, based on what we know so far). While we're mostly dealing with speculation, we can assume that the PS5 console's design will match (or at least be similar to) that of its controller. To date, PlayStation controllers have always matched their console counterparts – it would be odd for this not to be the case. And, what's immediately striking about the DualSense controller is its new design; and, in particular, its two-tone white and black color scheme. This suggests that we could see a two-tone white and black PlayStation 5 console, similar to the controller, with the console itself boasting a primarily white design with black lining or sections. Not only is the DualSense controller's color scheme different from what we've seen in previous PlayStation gamepads, but its overall shape and design is also a huge departure. Sony has gone futuristic with the DualSense's design. And, while we know that the PS5 won't look anything like the dev kits we've seen so far, the alien-futuristic design may be in the right vein. The controller is white (as we've discussed) but looks pretty simple and sleek. With a boomerang-like rounded shape, no definition in the button colors, and a blue light on either side of the touchpad, it looks like Sony is aiming for a minimalistic, futuristic design for the PS5. As we pointed out with the color scheme, PlayStation controllers often match their counterpart consoles, so we can expect a similar minimalist design for the PS5 – likely with blue lighting, slightly rounded edges and little definition when it comes to buttons and ports. PS5 design render However, all of this is mere speculation and we won't know for sure until Sony official unveils the PS5 design. We're expecting Sony to host another PS5 reveal around June or July to reveal the console's price and design - similarly to how it did with the PS4. While we may not know exactly what the PS5 will look like, Sony did reveal the PS5's official logo at CES 2020. It's essentially just the PlayStation 4 logo with a '5' replacing the '4'.
The PS5 will come with a new gamepad, one that Sony is dubbing the DualSense PS5 controller, not the DualShock 5, like you'd expect. Also a departure is the black-and-white color scheme that is bold – and likely to be divisive. That's the confirmed design in the picture above. The two-tone PS5 controller color scheme extends to the four face buttons, which still consist of Triangle, Circle, Square and Cross (or X), but they're devoid of color. There is a pop of color around the side of the central touchpad, as the PS4 Lightbar has moved from the top of the gamepad on the PS5. The PS5 controller includes haptic feedback in the L2 and R2 shoulder buttons that are going to be adaptive. Sony explains that these adaptive triggers are important to let players feel the tension of their actions, like drawing a bow to shoot an arrow. This will let developers program the resistance of the triggers to simulate actions more accurately. The DualSense will include a microphone inside of the controller, allowing gamers to ditch their headset to communicate with friends. And the 'Share' button is dead. Long live the 'Create' button. That's what Sony is calling the the button that's in the same spot and still intended for gameplay content to share with the world. Sony is teasing more details about this button ahead of the console launch.
We will finally get our first look at Sony's "compelling" PS5 games line-up on June 4, with announcements expected from both first and third-party developers. But what do we know about PS5 games so far? Well, for a start, we know that an "overwhelming majority" of the more than 4,000 PS4 games available will also be playable on the PS5, including PSVR games, through backwards compatibility. While "almost all" of the top 100 PS4 games will be playable on the PS5 at launch, this backwards compatibility library may be extended through regular system updates. Not only will we see backwards compatibility with PS4 games, but expect any first-party PS4 game in the pipeline – from Ghost of Tsushima to The Last of Us 2 - to be cross-gen titles. In addition, any new first-party PS4 games submitted to Sony for certification after July 13 have to be PS5 compatible - essentially making them forwards-compatible titles. We've also heard enough chatter around a Horizon Zero Dawn sequel and new God of War game to assume we'll be seeing both land on the PS5 console. But what about third-party titles? We've had confirmation that Gearbox's new IP Godfall is coming exclusively to PS5, as is a title from Bluepoint Studios that's rumored to be a Demon's Souls remake. We will also see a remake of THQ Nordic's cult classic Gothic, Gollum, WRC 9, Battlefield 6, Dying Light 2 and Outriders land on PS5. In addition, Ubisoft has confirmed that Watch Dogs: Legion, Rainbow Six Quarantine, Gods and Monsters and Assassin's Creed Valhalla are all coming to Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 - with a new Far Cry also rumored to be coming to the platforms. We also know Rainbow Six Siege will be available on PS5 and Xbox Series X from launch. However, Ubisoft has said that it could delay these games if the next-gen consoles don't make their launch window. It's likely that we'll see the likes of Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6 coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X, too. While this is a good start, we're expecting plenty more third-party games to be announced on June 4 - as well as confirmation on some of the PS5's first-party games and launch titles. But if you're holding out hope that any of Sony's PS5 exclusives that are revealed during the showcase will come to the PS4 too, you might be disappointed. In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Sony Interactive Entertainment's president and CEO Jim Ryan seemed to shoot down the possibility of PS5-exclusives games coming to PS4 in the future. "We have always said that we believe in generations," Ryan said. "We believe that when you go to all the trouble of creating a next-gen console, that it should include features and benefits that the previous generation does not include. And that, in our view, people should make games that can make the most of those features. "We do believe in generations, and whether it's the DualSense controller, whether it's the 3D audio, whether it's the multiple ways that the SSD can be used... we are thinking that it is time to give the PlayStation community something new, something different, that can really only be enjoyed on PS5." Sony has also confirmed that the PS5 will prioritize AAA games over indie games in an effort to focus on "serious gamers". We've also seen a little of what the PS5 is capable of in Epic's Unreal Engine 5 reveal. This tech demo is running on PS5:
Rumors have cropped up suggesting that Sony will double down by launching the PlayStation 5 Pro at the same time as its base-model PS5. Spotted by Wccftech, noted Japanese games journalist Zenji Nishikawa made the claim in a video on his YouTube channel, and while that kind of thing wouldn't normally be considered a rock-solid lead, Nishikawa has been proven correct in the past with his predictions about the PS4 Pro and Switch Lite. According to Nishikawa, the PS5 Pro will cost around $100-$150 more than the basic PS5 console. The report states that Sony is taking this approach because it has "acknowledged the interest in a high-end model and wants to give players what they want right from the beginning of the generation". NeoGaf user FXVeteran (via TweakTown) has since added fuel to the fire by claiming Sony plans to release two PlayStation 5 models at the same time: a PS5 Pro and a PS5, with the PS5 Pro being "top of the line" to compete with the Xbox Series X's potential iteratively more powerful versions. While a PlayStation 5 Pro is likely on the cards, we don't think it'll release at the same time as the regular PS5. In our opinion, it's more likely that Sony will wait around three years (2023) before giving the console an upgrade - usually this happens mid-cycle and the PS5 lifecycle is estimated to be around six to seven years.
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| Jeff Bezos reveals investment in UK digital freight firm Beacon Posted: 01 Jun 2020 09:26 AM PDT Amazon Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos has revealed he will invest in British startup Beacon. The startup, which is a digital freight forwarder, says it managed to raise over $15 million in recent Series A fundraising from some top-notch investors, including Bezos and venture capital firm 8VC. Based out of London, Beacon is also a supply chain finance firm that also provides real-time data of cargo delivery and a marketplace view of global shipping costs and prices.
Futuristic productFreight forwarding remains a trillion-dollar industry, and Beacon, founded by two former Uber executives two years ago, has already received investments from Uber founders Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp, along with ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt. According to CEO Fraser Robinson, digitalisation has been on a steady upcurve due to the global pandemic situation. The company stated that its goal is to disrupt the trillion-dollar freight forwarder market by vastly improving the experience for importers and exporters with a more transparent and smarter shipping product. Robinson has however, expressed his apprehensions about the future scenario of the industry stating that the traditional freight forwarder remains more precarious than ever. Amazon’s Bezos has invested in numerous startups over the years, with this move possibly looking to boost his firm's logistic services, which currently include global ocean, air and truck freight, and which is on a mission to be a global leader in logistics and trade finance. The funds raised by the company would be suitably allocated towards investing in new hires, technology and market expansion, stated a representative from Beacon.
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| Take-Two CEO says Stadia isn’t the game-changer Google promised Posted: 01 Jun 2020 09:24 AM PDT Google "overpromised" on what it could deliver with its Stadia game-streaming technology, according to Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick. Though Take-Two has a number of games available on the Google Stadia platform, including Red Dead Redemption 2, Zelnick hasn't been wowed by the supposedly "game-changing" technology so far. “The launch of Stadia has been slow," he said, speaking at the Bernstein Annual Strategic Decisions Conference, as per GameSpot.
“I think there was some overpromising on what the technology could deliver and some consumer disappointment as a result,” he added. This is likely a reference to Google's initial claims that games would be running in 4K and at 60fps, as it was soon after revealed that many games, including Take-Two's own Red Dead Redemption 2 and Bethesda's Doom Eternal, was instead rendering at 1080p and then upscaled. Takedown TwoZelnick notes that Take-Two released three titles for Stadia at launch and it will continue to support streaming services "as long as the business model makes sense." However, he expressed concern that the target audience of people who want to play video games but don't own a console isn't very large. “Anytime you broaden distribution you potentially broaden your audience, which is why we supported the release of Stadia with three titles initially and will continue to support high-quality streaming services as long as the business model makes sense. Over time I believe streaming will work…" “The belief that streaming was going to be transformative was based on a view that there were loads of people who really had an interest in interactive entertainment, really wanted to pay for it, but just didn’t want to have a console. I’m not sure that turned out to be the case.” Though Stadia has got off to a rocky start, the cloud-based service continues to add new titles; Google claims it will add another 100+ games to the Stadia library this year. The service could soon be available on a lot more devices, too. While it's currently limited to a small handful of smartphones, including Google's newer Pixel devices, recently-spotted code in the latest Stadia app for Android suggests support for devices that haven't yet been "certified" is on the way. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The best cheap PS4 bundles, deals and prices in June 2020 Posted: 01 Jun 2020 09:13 AM PDT The latest PS4 bundles and PS4 Pro deals are offering up some fantastic discounted games with your purchase of a console. Not only are we seeing stock holding steady on a range of well recognisable offers - Marvel's Spider-Man, God of War, Nioh 2, for example, but the brand new Last of Us Part 2 PS4 Pro is also now available for pre-order. These PS4 deals are coming from Currys, Very, and AO mostly at the moment, so expect speedy shipping and excellent value. The cheap PS4 bundles this week include some of our current best PS4 games - Death Stranding, Nioh 2, and Marvel's Spider-Man to name a few. With one or two of these excellent games thrown in, we're sure you'll find the antidote to your lockdown induced boredom. With the PS5 price yet to be revealed, now's a great time to pick up a cheap PS4 deal, as older games are expected to crash in price once the new console is on the street. Plus, the PS4 can also double up as a powerful virtual reality machine, and for less than you'd expect to pay for an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive, thanks to the latest PlayStation VR deals. This page lists the best cheap PS4 prices in the UK, but we also have dedicated guides for US readers and our Australian ones too. Below you'll find a comparison chart that automatically pulls in the freshest and cheapest PS4 deals from UK retailers, followed by our hand-picked selection of the best PS4 bundles that offer the best value discounts on the additional software or accessories. After those deals you'll find we've also covered the same options for the PS4 Pro prices. Looking to get more from your PS4? Check out the latest PS Plus deals for cheaper online play and access to free monthly games as well. Or, head over to our round up of cheap PS4 games for the lowest prices on top titles this week. Or, if you're undecided which console to pick up for less, take a look at this week's best cheap Xbox One bundles and prices. The PS4 Slim is... slimmer, quieter and smaller The PS4 Slim launched (with no games included) in September 2016 for around £259 (500GB) or £310 (1TB) and has now replaced the original fatter PS4. The new console is smaller, lighter, more power efficient and cheaper than the remaining stock of the older PlayStation 4 deals nowadays, so you're not paying more for the refined tech. We'd advise you check out the cheap PS4 bundles further down this page as many of them are cheaper than buying the console on its own or you can get a lot more for a spending a bit extra on top. You'll often find that the most attractive way to get a cheap PS4 is with a bundle with extra hardware or extra games. These are the best PS4 bundle prices currently available in the UK – we update these deals on a regular basis. Extra PS4 retailer links:Want to look through some more cheap PS4 deals? It's ok, you're only hurting our feelings a little. The links below will take you straight to the PS4 console deals section of the following websites, just in-case you fancy digging out a bargain of your own.
The PS4 that offers 4K HDR gaming and Netflix Essentially, the PS4 Pro is a 4K upgrade of the current PS4, rather than a 'next-gen' console. The keywords to take in from the PS4 Pro are 4K and HDR. The new machine allows game developers to include 4K resolution and High Dynamic Range options in their games, so expect the like of Death Stranding, Red Dead Redemption 2, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, God of War, Uncharted 4, Horizon: Zero Dawn and more to look even better on a HDR-enabled 4K TV. You'll also be able to stream 4K content from Netflix and YouTube. Want to get the right TV? Then check out our cheap 4K TV sales and deals page. We've seen big discounts as Sony fights off the latest Xbox One X deals too.
PlayStation recently released this DualShock 4 back button attachment to add extra functionality to its collection of PS4 controllers. So far, the add-on has proven popular, so we're currently seeing stock shortages in the US. As soon as it's back on the shelves, you'll see the best prices below, so be sure to check back soon. If you're buying a PS4, you'll probably need a cheap PlayStation Plus deal too. PlayStation Plus (aka PS Plus or PS+) allows you to play PS4 games online, along with access to the Instant Game Collection, a bunch of free games for PS4, PS3 and Vita each month. The default price for a year is £50. We can do better than that though, so check out our selection of the best PlayStation Plus deals. If you've got your eye on a few PS4 bundles, but don't know if they represent good value for money, you can always find out how much the included game is separately. Most PS4 bundles retail for the same price as the console by itself or less - £249 for a PS4 Slim and £349 for a PS4 Pro, so if you see one on sale above that price point, make sure you're saving cash by comparing the value of the extra goodies included. That said, even at the £249 price point, there are some PS4 bundles that are better than others. If you're in full-on savings mode, you'll want to find the bundle that offers the most expensive game included at that price point. There are some about offering cheaper games at the standard mark that represent less value than a recent release. In that situation, you may be better off picking up the PS4 bundle with the most recent or most expensive game bundled in and simply grabbing the cheaper game separately. Need an extra cheap PS4 controller? Don't forget to check our Best DualShock 4 deals. Or maybe a cheap PlayStation VR deal? If you're still torn, maybe you'd prefer one of our Xbox One deals? This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The electric bikes that could genuinely replace your car Posted: 01 Jun 2020 09:06 AM PDT Demand for electric bikes is on the rise, which is hardly surprising for all sorts of reasons. Many of us are keen to do our bit for the environment, especially when it comes to cutting emissions from our own vehicles. Add to that an increasing push towards reducing traffic congestion, especially in towns and cities, plus our desire to get some exercise into the bargain means these are boom times for bicycle retailers. It’s Covid-19 though that has been the real game-changer. In fact, because of the coronavirus pandemic our hunger for owning electric bikes has been increasing so much that many cycling outlets are reporting that they can't get new stock fast enough. A recent survey of 20,000 motorists by the Automobile Association in the UK revealed that 40% of people intended to drive less in the foreseeable future. Meanwhile demand on the other side of the Atlantic appears similarly enthusiastic. The US is obviously a bigger and more complex nut to crack, but progress is being made as city planners see the potential. Owning an electric bike can help you social distance and having your own machine, rather than sharing or renting one, means you can keep tabs on the all-important cleanliness aspect. Sanitizing handlebar grips and other areas of a bike that tend to get grubby when being ridden by multiple users in cycle sharing schemes is immediately less of a worry. Growing appealAlso helping to persuade us to leave the car behind is an increasing number of cycling initiatives and incentive schemes, plus an improving bike infrastructure. The UK government, for example, announced £2bn would be invested into new cycling and walking projects. Meanwhile, the long-running Cycle to Work scheme is still ticking over and that now includes electric bikes as part of a tax break opportunity for employees. While we’re nowhere near a country like the Netherlands with their forward-thinking cycle strategy, things are getting better. More recently, we’ve even seen pop-up cycle lanes appearing as a short-term measure during the coronavirus pandemic. And, looking to the future, with many inner-city areas becoming harder to access by car, getting there and back on two-wheels might end up being your best bet anyway. Decision timeSo which one to buy? Picking the right electric bike for your needs can be tricky. This basically boils down to what you plan to do with your e-bike and where you want to cycle. Some us will want an e-bike for commuting, or perhaps town and country use, while others might fancy a bit of off-roading. You might want an e-bike that can do all of the above. There are plenty of recent additions to the ebike marketplace, including the funky folding bike that is the GoCycle GX, the great Ampler Curt all-rounder or the beefy Specialized Turbo Vado 4.0 that can justify you leaving the car at home altogether. If keeping costs down is the main issue for you then something like the Gtech Sport or the Gtech eBike City are good value starting points. But let’s take a look at some specific electric-bike segments for additional suggestions. The Batch Bicycles E-Commuter looks much like a standard hybrid bike, but has an extra kick from its electric motor Electric hybridAn electric hybrid bike is perhaps the best one to go for if you're looking for a bit of an all-rounder. The styling will be a little more conventional and much akin to a regular non-battery cycle, but a hybrid electric-bike will do everything you need it to do with, naturally, the benefit of battery power. Take the Batch Bicycles E-Commuter for example, which has almost humdrum styling but quality components and a solid build. It’s a great example of a middle-ground electric-bike. Spend more and you’ll get more though, as witnessed by the Gazelle Ultimate T10+, which comes with a beefy spec and more radical styling. This is a bustling area of the electric-bike market though, so you won’t have to look hard to find plenty more examples to suit all wallets. The folding GoCycle GX is a great choice if your journey also involves public transport Commuter bikesIf you’re a commuter and want an electric bike that you can take on public transport, or use for parts of your journey rather than the entire leg to and from work a folding electric bike is a good bet. British brand Brompton has made folding bikes for years and now they have an e-bike version too, the Brompton Electric no less, which has all of the usual trademarks plus battery power. We tried it during a previous look at the best electric bikes to buy. The Gocycle GX mentioned earlier is a folding model that’s guaranteed to turn heads and, as a result, possibly gain the attention of thieves too. Instead, the Blix Vika+ sports more conventional looks but still folds neatly in the middle. Remember though that due to the battery pack folding electric bikes can feel bulky, so while they have their place, you’ll want to be spending more time riding one than carrying it. The Specialized Turbo Levo Comp proves that electric bikes aren't limited to city streets Mountain bikesFancy going off-road and don’t want to do it in your 4X4 or SUV? There are plenty of e-mountain bikes on the market, with the likes of the Spectral:On from Canyon, the Merida EOne-Sixty 800 and the Specialized Turbo Levo Comp, which are all very good. However, just like every other area of the electric bike marketplace, the range is growing all the time and there are e-MTBs to suit any kind of budget. It has to be said though that if you can pay more it’s worth it, especially if you're serious about going off-road as the build quality and components are generally better as a result. Hard riding in harsh conditions will soon take its toll on cheaper models that might look okay initially, but often lack staying power in the long run. Older alternativesThe good thing about new models coming to market is that it often means you can get older model electric bikes for less money. So, the likes of VanMoof’s high-end Electrified X2 might appeal, as there are now the new VanMoof Electrified S3 and X3 models to set your sights on. Similarly, the Haibike Sduro Hardnine 2.5 Street and the Volt Infinity, that we’ve reviewed previously, might be a good way to invest in the appeal of an electric bike. Carrying capacityOne of the main arguments for people wanting to stick with their cars is that they're able to carry more. However, there are a few bike manufacturers who have addressed this issue. The solution? Cargo bikes. These are admittedly bigger and bulker than regular electric bikes but they can generally handle more payload. Take a look at the likes of the Rad Power RadWagon, Tern GSD or Reise & Muller Load 60 for some examples of prime heavy haulers. You get all of the benefits of an electric bike, plus the added ability of being able to carry lots more stuff. The longer wheelbase of these machines might look a little daunting, but the battery power compensates for any unwieldy handling characteristics. With its fat tires and powerful motor, the Rad Power RadRhino is a whole lot of fun Electric fat bikesMeanwhile, while they’re not made for cargo, electric fat bikes (so-called because of their chunky tyres) are a bit of a curiosity but battery power makes them a blast. We tried out Rad Power’s brace of RadRhino offerings and loved their performance and OTT styling. However, Addmotor’s Motan is a premium bruiser while the Wildcat Fat Tire Electric Bike is pretty cool too. Another growing sector of the electric bike market. Budget electric bikesHowever, given the way things are right now you might also be looking for a budget way to enter the electric bike market. If so, there is help at hand, thanks to the Swytch electric bike conversion kit. We looked at an early incarnation of this innovation that can electrify any bike with the addition of an easy-fit conversion kit. There are numerous other variations on the theme too, many of which can be fitted to a bike you already own. Electric bike securityBuying the best electric bike for your needs is one thing, but it’s also worth considering security if you’ve chosen a model you like. By their very nature, electric bikes are infinitely more appealing to thieves due to their eye-catching looks and high value. They can and indeed do tend to attract attention and while some of this will be from admirers, there could be others who’d love to relieve you of your property. So you’ll need a lock. Two or three might be even better. A popular choice is the Abus Granit X-Plus 540, the Abus Granit 59 Extreme D-Lock, or anything by the Abus brand in general. Kryptonite Kryptolok’s are good too and, as many a Dutch person will tell you, a selection of locks is much better; even more so if each one requires a different tool to compromise it. If a bike thief has to take time to work on multiple locks they might hopefully give up and try elsewhere. And anyway, with battery power at your disposal, a little extra weight from lugging all those locks around isn’t really a hassle, right?
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| The all-new AirPods Pro hit lowest price ever at Amazon Posted: 01 Jun 2020 09:02 AM PDT Right now at Amazon, you can snag a rare price cut on the all-new AirPods Pro. You can save an additional $6.96 when you add the AirPods Pro to your cart, which brings the price down to $227.97. That's a $21 discount and the lowest price we've found for the wireless earbuds. If you're looking for a cheaper price tag, Best Buy has the 2019 Apple AirPods with charging case on sale for $139.99. The 2019 AirPods Pro feature Apple's H1 chip, which offers voice control with Siri so you can get directions, skip songs, and make calls completely hands-free. The wireless earbuds now include Active Noise Cancellation to block out unwanted noise, and the Transparency mode allows you to let outside noise in. The sweat-resistant AirPods also come with new silicon tips in three different sizes to provide a more comfortable and secure fit. Apple AirPod deals: Learn more about the upcoming Amazon Prime Day 2020 event. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 01 Jun 2020 08:56 AM PDT The right electric bike can transform your daily commute, and make getting from A to B effortless. Like the freedom of cycling but sometimes wish your panniers seemed lighter, the headwind less stiff, and the hills not quite so steep? Fancy arriving at your destination fresh and presentable rather than sweaty and rumpled? Then you’re already lusting after an e-bike. For commuting, grocery-getting, or leisure riding, electric bikes deliver on the promise of carefree cycling that geography and fitness sometimes conspire to derail. Combining transport and exercise, a little electric assistance can keep the balance right, ensuring your new electric bike is an ever more viable alternative to public transport or hopping in the car.
Allowing riders to tailor the assistance they receive, from a gentle push to a full-on shove, the majority of electric bikes work on a pedal-assist basis. Meaning there’s no throttle, you’ll need to turn the cranks before the motor adds in the extra power. Assistance is also limited to modest speeds, above which you’ll need to do all the work yourself. Coming in a range of different styles, unless you’re already into road racing or mountain biking, some form of hybrid electric bike will suit most riders. With versatile types, most are happy on tarmac or gravel paths, instantly comfortable to ride, and will fit accessories like racks and mudguards. From fast city commuters to multi-terrain capable machines and innovative electric folders, in no particular order, we’ve rounded up five of our faves. Gocycle GX Where to start with the radical Gocycle? For one, it folds, but it’s not a standard ‘folding bike’, being good enough to ride that we’ve put it in with these full-sized alternatives. Then there’s the radical frame that includes a mono sided fork and rear swingarm. With hydraulic disc brakes, magnesium spoked wheels, enclosed chaincase, tiny front hub motor, and internal three-speed gearing, none of these are gimmicks. Adding up to one incredible electric bike, even without the power on it rides nicely. Switched on, its motor assist is excellent, while the bike’s app lets you customise its performance to the Nth degree. About the only downsides are the slightly idiosyncratic handling created by the small 20-inch wheels, along with the way some of the tech may baffle home-mechanics.
Easy to mistake for a conventional bike, the Curt features stylish looks, great extras, and a superb kit-list. With a hub motor and concealed battery, the bike’s lights are also neatly integrated. Using skinny racing tyres and a fairly low front end, this electric bike is ideal for nippy city riding, or longer trips where efficiency is a concern. Its parts all back this up, with light wheels, superb hydraulic disc brakes, and great contact points. Also available with derailleur gears, we were happy enough with this single-speed version. Even with one gear, the Curt is so fast it sometimes seems to be playing against type, and we often found ourselves pedalling faster than the limit imposed on UK e-bikes, causing the motor to cut out.
Almost like a small electric scooter, the Turbo Vado is fully equipped to take the place of a car or motorbike. Equally good on the commute or the grocery run, its rack, lights, and mudguards combine to help you carry your kit in comfort and safety. With a huge battery and mid-mount motor, this electric bike’s handling is exemplary, as is the assistance provided. Heavy to carry, riding on road or trail is nevertheless a joy thanks to its multi-terrain capable tyres and suspension fork. Far outdistancing the other bikes here, the Vado’s huge capacity battery will likely do multiple commutes before needing a recharge. Still, it’s not quite the longest-running on the market; something worth considering if range is your prime concern.
Looking much like a conventional hybrid, the Gtech’s rear hub motor and bottle-style battery are the only hints it’s packing extra electrical assistance. Using a simple single-speed drive, it employs a carbon belt rather than an oily chain to keep the user clean and maintenance to a minimum. With no display or app connectivity, you push the on-button, select one of two assistance modes, and off you go. Weighing very little, it’s a fun electric bike to ride, even if the extra assistance is more subtle than on some models. A great first e-bike, about the only misstep in its spec is the v-style brakes, which will require more regular attention than more modern disc callipers.
Designed to tempt the urban crowd away from motor vehicles or public transport, this VanMoof electric bike is suitably urbane. Stylish, and with a host of smart features including automatic lighting and an anti-tamper alarm, it can also recognise its owner via their phone or a key fob. Incredibly slick to use, VanMoof even offers a bike retrieval service should yours go missing. Stately and powerful-feeling to ride, it also manages a decent range. However, its battery is fixed in the frame, meaning you’ll need to bring the whole bike within reach of a plug socket to recharge. It’s also by no means cheap, with a few basic parts on the spec seemingly out of keeping with its high price tag.
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| The cheapest Xbox One bundles, deals and sale prices in June 2020 Posted: 01 Jun 2020 08:55 AM PDT Our Xbox One bundles will get you up and gaming in no time with one of the best game consoles you can buy right now. This week especially is a good time to be perusing as stock has returned to the official Microsoft store, meaning you've got quite a few Xbox One bundles to chose from. They've all been rounded up below along with all the best other Xbox One deals that are available this week, so just scroll down to see what's on offer. Highlights include a selection of Xbox One bundles at Microsoft offering a free copy of Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order, Forza Horizon 4, or the brand new Roblox bundle. All this week's Xbox One prices are sitting at the standard £249.99 or less, meaning that while you're not saving big bucks here, you are managing to avoid any inflated surcharges that may result from the current increased demand. If you've decided it's finally time to shop for some sweet Xbox One deals, you're in luck. Most of these Xbox One bundles include the 1TB consoles now, which are much more accommodating for your library of games and their large install sizes than the 500GB models, which are now mostly discontinued. Whichever Xbox you're looking for, you'll be sure to find it here, so scroll on down and see what we've got on offer this week. Finding the best Xbox One bundles and dealsRetailers are stocking some cheap Xbox One deals as standalone purchases, but the best value is to be found with bundles offering extra Xbox One games. Xbox One bundles often cost less than the prices of the standalone consoles too nowadays, so be sure to check out our hand-picked list of the best Xbox One deals below. Or maybe you're looking for a 4K upgrade? Then you'll want to take a look at the latest Xbox One X bundles. Looking to buy in the US or Australia? You'll want to head on over to our US page or AU page. As the name suggests, this version of the Xbox One does not come with a disc drive. So you will not be able to play physical games or blu-rays on this version. The Xbox One S All-Digital Edition costs £199 in the UK and comes with codes for Forza Horizon 3, Minecraft and Sea of Thieves, or Minecraft, Sea of Thieves and Fortnite DLC depending on which version you pick up. To be honest, we're not entirely convinced at that price point as you can get the regular version for a similar price and with newer games. Actually, we regularly see standard Xbox One S bundles on this page go for even less, so be sure to check out the offers further down the page before jumping on this. That said, we're seeing prices creep closer to £150 for Xbox bundles now, so it does represent a cheap way to get into the Microsoft ecosystem and start reaping the rewards of Game Pass for less. The slimmed-down design of the Xbox One S looks much better than the original chunky box and the power brick is now a thing of the past. The main draw though is 4K visual support meaning you'll be able to watch specialised Blu-Ray and Netflix content in 4K on your new 4K TV. As we turn the corner towards Series X, we'll be seeing better and better Xbox One bundles as retailers start to shift their stock ahead of the new console. That, and the fact that games are about to get real cheap for this system, means it's not too late to bag yourself a brand new Xbox One S deal in 2020.
What is the Xbox One S price?The Xbox One price sat at a very different figure on the console's launch in 2013. Since being twarted in the initial console race by Sony, Microsoft have since brought that RRP down considerably, and in recent months we're seeing plenty of Xbox One S price cuts as the console enters its final phase. Right now, you're likely to find an Xbox One bundle for around £249 - the standard console price with a free game included. There are some Xbox One prices that sit below that point, and they shouldn't be ignored as lower value, but they are offering cheaper games bundled in. More Xbox One dealsStill not found your ideal Xbox One deal in our highlights of the best offers out there? Why not check out more Xbox One bundles directly from the retailers from our list below? When to find good Xbox One salesThe best Xbox One sales usually happen around key release dates and shopping periods. That means you'll find new Xbox One bundles with the launch of first party exclusive games and hot timed-exclusives as well. That may all go out the window, however, with the upcoming launch of the Xbox Series X. With the new console due out within the year, Microsoft and retailers alike are going to be keen to shift as much stock of the older consoles as usual. That's good for shoppers for two reasons; a) it means you'll pick up Xbox One sales far cheaper, and b) the games you'll be playing on your new console will be reduced in price even more. The Xbox One X is capable of displaying games in glorious HDR 4K and is the most powerful console ever made. Sadly, it has the price-tag to match too as it's way more expensive than the Xbox One S. The comparison chart below is mainly full of prices for the new console on its own. However, we're starting to see better offers appear online where you can get discounted and free games included too. For more details, head on over to our extensive Xbox One X bundles page for the best value deals. If you're looking to play your Xbox games online or take advantage of the free Games with Gold initiative, you'll want to check out our cheap Xbox Live Gold deals page where we've found prices considerably cheaper than the default price. If you're looking to play more games on your Xbox One S but don't want to splash on full purchases, you should also check out our best Xbox Game Pass deals. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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