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Early 2019 is now expected to hold not just one but two new iPad announcements from Apple, thanks to a new DigiTimes report. The Taiwanese outlet claims to know that the next iPad Mini and entry-level iPad are due out early this year. "Apple reportedly plans to launch two entry-level tablets in the first half of 2019," DigiTimes writes, "including a fifth-generation iPad mini and another entry-level iPad model, said the sources." Specifically, this would mark the launch of the iPad Mini 5 as well as what would technically be the seventh standard iPad of its kind, or the iPad 7. Apple hasn't updated the former in almost four years; the latter, on the other hand, was just refreshed in March 2018. Actually, today you can still buy the 7.9-inch iPad Mini 4 for a higher price than the latest 9.7-inch iPad with Apple Pencil support. So, yes, Apple sorely needs to update the Mini line at the very least. And yet, we have a hard time seeing how else the 9.7-inch iPad can be improved – especially for its basically unbeatable price. Color us excited to see what Apple has cooked up for iPads in 2019. These are the best Macs the money can buyVia LaptopMag http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/tAXBlKcPLps

Google has announced that it is raising the prices of its G Suite Basic and G Suite Business productivity suites for the first time since they were released. The price for G Suite Basic will be raised from $5 per user per month to $6 while G Suite Business will see a similar increase from $10 per user per month to $12. The enterprise edition of Google's productivity suite, G Suite Enterprise will not be affected by the price increase and will remain priced at $25 per user per month. G Suite is the company's direct competitor to Microsoft's Office 365 which follows a similar pricing model. Microsoft's Office 365 Business Essentials is $5 per user per month with a yearly subscription while Office 365 Business is $8.25 a month and Office 365 Business Premium costs $12.50 a month. Google's G Suite prices will increase worldwide and the change will go into effect on April 2. G Suite price increaseThe company defended the price increase by arguing that it has tripled the value of its product by adding artificial intelligence (AI), new tools and apps as well as other additional features. It is worth noting that customers on annual contracts will see their prices go up when G Suite renews. Google's new pricing structure also applies globally though there will be local market adjustments for certain regions. Customers that have licensed G Suite through a reseller will be contacted by them regarding the price increase. Google's decision to raise the price of G Suite shows just how much pricing power cloud providers have and the move will certainly pay off for the company as the product is estimated to make up half of its cloud revenue. Via ZDNet If G Suite is too expensive for your budget, we've also highlighted the best free office softwarehttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/2r00bSnP5dU

The first edition of Amazon's Great Indian Festival sale for 2019 is scheduled to take place from 20th to 23rd of January. Amazon Prime subscribers, however, will have Early Access to the sale from 12 PM on 19th January. The sale will take place on all platforms- the desktop site, the mobile site, and the mobile app. Bank partners for the sale are HDFC- there is an instant 10% discount on HDFC bank cards. No-Cost EMI will be available on over 10 crore products. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WttNpqPUEFKPaVMWZvrdi4.jpg Amazon has revealed that it will offer discounts of up to 60% on Electronics, along with several Credit and Debit Card EMI options, as well as cashbacks across all categories. Smartphone brands going on sale include OnePlus (including the OnePlus 6T), Redmi, Apple iPhone, Honor, and Huawei. Check out our OnePlus 6T review hereShoppers can expect up to 75% off on Home and Kitchen Essentials during the sale, as well as up to 60% off on Entertainment. So whether it's a PS4, a treadmill, or a good old-fashioned book, expect great discounts and offers on everything. You can also look forward to up to 75% off on TVs and appliances; brands going on sale include Xiaomi, Samsung, and LG, among others. There are also major discounts and attractive offers coming up on Amazon-exclusive devices as well as up to Rs 3500 off on Amazon smart products like Kindle e-readers and the Fire TV Stick. Some of the devices that will have great offers come sale day(s) are the OnePlus 6T, the Mi LED TV 4C PRO, the HP 15 AMZ Ryzen 3 15.6-inch laptop, and many others. So keep your eyes peeled, and watch this space for more! Honor 10 Lite reviewhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/BZj2pU9LbNU

Forget flowers and chocolates; nothin’ says “I love you” like a new piece of tech. Your special someone, once they’ve ripped open the gift wrapping, will be glad your gift is not just another cliché. However, keeping on top of what tech actually deserves the privilege of a place in your better-half’s life can be hard. To save you the trouble of doing all that deep research yourself, TechRadar’s Australian team has scoured the interwebs to find this timely selection of tech gift ideas for any budget, and every one of them will tell your better half how special they are. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/b4MVSvJgFf93YimnAPcM4d.jpg Apple WatchYour Valentine’s wrist deserves the best companion and, if they’re an iPhone user, then the Apple Watch is the best smartwatch you can buy right now. Let your loved one take calls, answer text and maintain a fit lifestyle, among other things, with this smart little gadget that’s easily customisable, has great performance and looks pretty darn neat too. Plus, this premium smartwatch is available in a range colours to suit everyone. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fxNgW2rgYSQKsPmC6wW86E.jpg Samsung Galaxy WatchIs your special someone an Android user? Then try Samsung’s answer to the Apple Watch. It looks very much like a traditional wristwatch, smart and dapper, and is feature packed with an impressive four-day battery life. And there are two colour options to choose from. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WUBdoxLMacu9fVodaVmGQ4.jpg TicWatch EIf the Apple Watch and the Samsung Galaxy Watch is out of your monetary reach, then consider the TicWatch E. This smart wearable from Mobvoi is one of our favourites, especially given its affordable price tag for a feature-packed device. Powered by Wear OS, the TicWatch E comes with a built-in GPS, a heart monitor, Google Assistant at your beck and call, and music on the go. And, while most smartwatches come in rose gold and black/grey colour options, the TicWatch E is available in Ice (white) and Shadow (black). http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JMqPWCHkUZxehbqVAYBzZb.jpg Motiv RingIf you like it, put a ring on it! Fitness trackers on the wrist are so yesteryear. There are now smart rings you can slip on your better-half’s finger instead. The Motiv ring is a fitness tracker that’s small, waterproof, and does pretty much everything a smart device on your wrist would do – from fitness tracking to sleep monitoring. And it looks good on the finger too, with four colours available in seven different sizes that’ll ensure you get the right finger fit. However, you may need to order a sizing set first to make sure you buy the right size. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HvbrULuxGLXKrgVgF2V3X7.jpg Dyson Airwrap StylerAny style-conscious person will tell you, your crowning glory is your hair. And if your better half loves to get their hair done often, then a one-time investment in the Dyson Airwrap Styler will not only save time and trips to the salon, but also maintain the hair’s health. The Airwrap Styler uses currents of air to create waves or straighten hair, taking heat right out of the equation. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/CA7ejGWjZxDtmtgiqfHNxT.jpg Dyson Supersonic Hair DryerIf that special someone in your life isn’t too keen on keeping their hair styled, then a simple hair dryer will suffice. But there’s nothing ‘simple’ about Dyson’s Supersonic hair dryer and the hype behind it is not all hot air. With a powerful air flow, a beautiful and unique design, and a quiet motor, this is the best money can buy. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HkRoGV942T37KZuLg5GAHj.jpeg Philips Series 7000 BG7025 body grooming kitFor the ultimate body grooming kit, look no further than the Philips Series 7000 BG7025. This is the best your partner can get if they want their hair, from head to toe, to come under control (or be gone, as the case may be). 80 minutes of battery life, a double-ended design and minimal irritation after a shave will keep them happy as can be. And it comes in at an affordable price. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/og67qhHyBtpErLnQKEvrQL.jpg Philips Series 5000 11-in-1 grooming kitGive your partner more option when it comes to grooming their hair. With 11 different attachments to take care of your better half’s grooming needs from head to toe, you’d think you’ll need to be spending a lot. Think again. This Philips Series 5000 multigrooming kit is less than $100 at most retailers. From the black and chrome colour scheme to the finely ground Chromium steel blades, everything about the Philips Series 5000 11-in-1 feels built to last. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/4YBZ6kaUK3vx2GptVDxNDo.jpg SodaStream Source Element A great way to enjoy Valentine’s Day evening is to relax at home with your special someone and enjoy a drink, or two. SodaStream’s Source Element has three levels of fizz to tingle your taste buds. So join your partner in keeping the planet plastic free this Valentine’s Day and gift them a SodaStream. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/oPhBcgic4DHqfqjtqrC6t7.jpg Toddy Cold Brewing System (for tea and coffee)While most of the world is snuggled up with low temperatures during Valentine’s Day, you and your special someone need something to keep cool. And if you’d like a hit of caffeine while you’re doing that, then get your partner a cold brewing system that can make either iced tea or iced coffee. And the Toddy makes a smooth-tasting brew you’ll be really happy with. Plus it’s easy to use and affordable. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/P3jg8JPeMGZmCKsNpHhmVj.jpeg Breville Barista Express espresso machineFancy breakfast in bed with a shot of caffeine to wash it all down? Then you both will want this excellent coffee machine from Breville. The grinder is built in, and it gives you oodles of control over your favourite brew so you can enjoy it how you like it. So go on, encourage your partner to make you that perfect cuppa every morning. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EY23KPmwDRMv97gv72QitN.jpg Lenovo Smart DisplayHave some fun together with Google Assistant by getting not just a boring ol’ smart speaker but a smart display. These devices add a face to the digital assistant, allowing you to yell at it to get things done or to gently touch the screen to control your smart home setup. Watch YouTube videos or look at at photos of you and your boo on that screen while you get serenaded by your favourite tunes. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6U8XJnrWhju2KQbwgijNFK.jpg Google Home MaxDance with your partner till the cows come home. And to keep the party rocking, you’ll need a speaker with big sound and plenty of smarts, and the Google Home Max fits the bill to a tee. Not only do you get room-filling rich sound, you’ll also have Google Assistant at your beck and call to be a DJ and control your smart home. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jxXNeafJAqS5cKkh2dUJfK.jpg Sonos OneSet up a multiroom speaker system to serenade that special someone while they walk through the house with the twin pack of the Sonos One. Not only do you get excellent sound quality, you also get Amazon’s Alexa to call on for any smarts you need. The Sonos One also supports AirPlay 2, Apple’s Wi-Fi audio streaming technology. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U9HevQZsS9cZPeZHAbtjdG.jpg Google Home MiniDoes your partner need a smart device that’s small and demure, yet does everything any of the bigger, bolder and more expensive counterparts can do? The Google Home Mini may not have the hardware for big sound but it sure can do pretty much everything the more powerful speakers can. Here’s a tip though – if you want bigger sound, pop the Google Home Mini in a corner and the sound reverberating off the walls will make it sound richer than it actually is. Plus, it’s tiny enough for any space and yet you can call on Google Assistant to help you control your smart home. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/AXuxDoyJ2FLCujuQHUnfjd.jpg Philips Hue smart lighting systemSet the right mood this Valentine’s Day by gifting your special someone with a smart lighting system that changes hue or colour with the swipe of a finger or a simple voice command. The Philips Hue system is by far the most popular and it’s easy to set up. It works with both Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant, and it’s own smartphone app is feature packed. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bQLZ6EJapHw7XYrrTZxSwE.jpg Nanoleaf CanvasOne gift that’s sure to make your boo’s eyes light up (with colour) is the latest product from Nanoleaf. These square light panels bring life to any old boring wall and make it interactive. Not only will the lights dance to those love songs you’ll be listening to, you and your partner can even play some games on them. And, of course, the coloured lights are perfect for setting the mood too. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sCqrXdBeUfX5W6xPhq9xzf.jpg TP-Link HS110 smart plugNo smart devices at home? No sweat. All you need is a smart plug and all your normal, mundane, run-of-the-mill home appliances (like your kettle) can then be controlled with just a single app on your phone from pretty much anywhere. The TP-Link HS110 also features an energy monitoring mode and is easy to set up. Remote access to a smart home that doesn’t have smart devices, need we say more? http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RcWcQ2wiprVwFTXSzUFz8B.jpg Audio-Technica AT-LP120-USB turntableYour boo have a cache of vinyls hidden away somewhere? Gift them this turntable and watch as they dust off those records with delight. The AT-LP120-USB can play 33 ⅓, 45 and 78 RPM, meaning there isn’t an album that can’t be played. There’s also a built-in phono preamp so you never have to worry about finding one on your own. This deck strikes the perfect balance of ease of use for beginners while still including some more advanced features for your special someone to grow into. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2HDpCP2po4CCGsXf8AH2s5.jpg UE Boom 3Planning to spend Valentine’s Day outdoors? Take your tunes with you on the UE Boom 3. It’s the latest iteration of Ultimate Ears’ excellent Boom Bluetooth speaker range and is the best money can buy. It's both water- and dust-proof, and has a one-touch mix button that lets you pull up your favourite playlists without ever picking up your phone. And there are several colour options to choose from. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EtmJT8ZESJsV4W8VzU9gz6.jpeg Google ChromecastValentine’s Day is the perfect time to snuggle up together and watch those cheesy rom-coms on streaming services like Netflix and Stan. The good news is you don’t need a smart TV to stream it all on a large screen, you just need this nifty little gadget plugged into an HDMI port of your not-so-smart screen and you can cast from your phone or laptop. Easy. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/tXF6G3HVL8GFdc8nv9f4YQ.jpg Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6Does your special someone have an Instagram addiction? Then this instant camera, which has been designed to resemble the photo-sharing site’s logo, will be perfect. The camera runs on a pair of CR2 batteries and spits out 6.2x6.2cm prints, with the selfie mirror integrated into the front of the camera allowing for more effortless self captures. Fujifilm even throws in orange, purple and green flash filters to allow for an instant injection of colour into images. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/beGipPFF2WRKDpAojaUBrN.jpg Anker PowerCore 20,100 power bankNeed to make sure you hear from your boo often? Then gift them a portable charger that will keep their mobile juiced up, taking away any excuses to not call or text. And the Anker PowerCore 20,100 is one of the best options currently available in Australia that allows multiple devices to be charged at the same time. And it supports quick charge too. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DXQRRzMUj4E29Yp4KqvGpW.jpg Wacom Bamboo Folio Love letters and romantic Post-it notes are so yesterday. But the charm of the love note hasn’t disappeared. This smart notebook will let you indulge in romantic hand-written wordplay with your lover and never allow these sweet nothings to get lost by safely storing them in the cloud. It comprises a smart pen and pad (which can take any paper) that with the push of a button lets you convert your handwriting into 'living' digital files, perfect for the notorious notemakers. The Wacom Inkspace app can then organise, edit and share those musings and sketches with the world or a significant other. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5b7CAo2xykDr96hnVpkuan.jpg NixPlay Iris W08E Wi-Fi digital photo frameThe memories you create together are important. Show some of them off on a Wi-Fi connected digital frame that lets you change the photos on a whim via an app. Your beautiful memories are displayed on a 4:3 IPS display that comes with an activity sensor. If nothing is moving around in front of it, the display will automatically switch off. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/RLTMzCz3h0s

With the recent announcement of the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max came the news that they would replace the regular iPhone X in regular production. This doesn't mean that carriers won't still have plenty of stock left to get rid of, and we're anticipating they'll want to do so at reduced prices (helping you out with a handset that would otherwise be very expensive). If you're looking to see why it's so expensive, you can check out our iPhone X review for more details on its sleek specs, but if you're trying to save some dollars by scoring it in a plan, look no further. We've painstakingly compared all the plans from the major providers that'll net you the Apple flagship. There's something for everyone, whether you're looking for massive data, a penny-pincher of a plan, or the best all-rounder, we've got it here for you. See also: iPhone 8 deals | iPhone 8 Plus deals | Samsung Galaxy S9 deals | Galaxy S9 Plus deals The best iPhone X plansRead more about the iPhone Xhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/8leKQTf1Kyc

A lot of the hype that normally comes with the Plus-sized releases has been stifled when it comes to the poor iPhone 8 Plus. Being announced in the shadow of the larger and, frankly, more impressive iPhone X may well hurt its reputation, and the recent news about the iPhone XS and iPhone XR range has all but quenched its hopes. That said, there's a valuable role that the iPhone 8 Plus plays, particularly considering that the price sits at the midpoint between its smaller iPhone 8 brethren and the oversized 10th anniversary edition handset. For more detailed info, check out our iPhone 8 Plus hands-on review. So if it's more expensive than the iPhone 8, but less pricey than the iPhone X, how much exactly will the Plus-sized flagship set you back? Read on to see the best plans with all the major carriers, whether you're after big data, best budget option, or just the best overall value. See also: | iPhone 7 Plus deals | iPhone 7 deals | iPhone 8 deals | Samsung Galaxy S8 deals | Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus deals The best iPhone 8 Plus plansAt present the iPhone 8 Plus in the 256GB storage configuration is completely out of stock across the board. It's likely to stay that way too as Apple moves to favour the iPhone XS and iPhone XR. Similarly, the 64GB model isn't available at Telstra, so you'll have to go with either Optus or Vodafone for your major carrier needs but, as is usually the case, Optus is offering a much more competitive array of plans. Regardless, below are the best deals you can get on the 64GB model. Read more about the iPhone 8 Plushttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/JMoVn5CcgrM

Since its first Pixel handset, Google hasn’t messed too much with the design language of its flagship handset, but if this latest leak is to be believed, the Google Pixel 4 could be going all-screen. According to 91mobiles, a patent has been filed by Google with a number of figures that show off the all-too-familiar design of the Pixel range of handsets, with the rear sporting the same glass top, two-tone design featuring a fingerprint scanner and single camera as can be found on the Pixel 2 and Pixel 3. The edges, similarly, are unchanged, with volume and power buttons on the right-hand side, a SIM-card slot on the left, and a USB-C port on the bottom. The display, however, has practically no bezels and is completely notch-free. Google Pixel 3 Lite release date, price, news and leaksThere doesn’t seem to be any trace of a pop-up mechanism or pinhole cutout for the selfie camera, nor for the dual speakers found on the Pixel 2 and Pixel 3, so if these figures are to be believed, the Pixel 4 may have some other clever solution up its sleeve. Of course, considering that these are essentially sketches, the figure showing off the front of the device may just be lacking the finer details – such as cutouts – that will eventually follow in an updated patent. Alternatively, it could just represent a single pane of glass, with a chin and top bezel housing the appropriate sensors and lenses still being located beneath the glass, above and below the display. In fact, this patent may not even be related to the Pixel 4, it could well just be Google getting in ahead of time to secure the design down the line. Considering the Google Pixel 3 only launched as recently as October, we’ll have to hold out for quite a few more months before we get any definitive word on what the next flagship will look like. Google Pixel 3 reviewGoogle Pixel 3 XL reviewhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/o1pC-8aL-3M

Now that streaming media has become a mainstay in Australian homes, Aussies have plenty of options to choose from when it comes to getting their home entertainment fix. When combined, Netflix, Stan, Amazon Prime Video and Foxtel Now offer an enormous range of content that can be instantly streamed into your home. However, if you can only afford one subscription service, narrowing down a definitive choice can be harder than it seems. As each service brings with it a unique range of television shows and movies aimed at different segments of the streaming audience, not to mention differing price points, device compatibility and streaming qualities, we've taken it upon ourselves bring you an in-depth guide to what you can expect from Australia's four major SVOD platforms. With the constantly evolving nature of each service discussed in this guide, we will endeavour to keep you updated on any significant changes and updates that may occur to these streaming giants in the future. Here's how the Australian streaming situation stacks up in 2018. The best VPN for Netflix 2019Pricehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/286fae9b09f40b2e184c332922681d45.jpg Probably the best thing about having so many streaming options to choose from, is that it forces each service to be priced competitively. Netflix offers the cheapest stream of the main three, with a single stream in standard definition at $9.99, which, if we're being honest, isn't particularly good value, but may appeal to those who live alone and have a poor quality internet connection. Thankfully, for $13.99 a month you can get a dual-stream subscription that offers HD streaming quality. If 4K streams are what you're after, you'll need to subscribe to Netflix's premium package, which costs $17.99 a month and allows you to watch the service on four devices simultaneously. This is probably the most ideal subscription for families with differing tastes in shows and movies. Though Netflix is obviously working off of how it's priced overseas, Stan has chosen to come out at the low, no-nonsense price of $10 a month. That's for everything the service has to offer at a maximum resolution of 1080p. If you want to make use of your 4K TV though, you can upgrade to a Premium Stan subscription for $15 a month. So far, Stan has a steadily growing 4K content lineup, including shows like Better Call Saul, Breaking Bad, Preacher and Wolf Creek, and movies like Ghostbusters, Taxi Driver, Arrival and Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy. These kinds of prices cut straight to the point – once you've tested the service's 30 day trial, you're either on board with forking over a tenner (or an extra fiver) each month, or you're not. Undercutting Netflix's pricing substantially, Amazon has a special introductory offer that grants new subscribers access to the service for a monthly fee $4.99 for the first six months, after which it will renew at US$6.99 each month after that. Foxtel Now is different in that it offers a number of different content packs (split into Starter packs and Premium packs) so the user can tailor their subscription to their viewing habits. The minimum price for Foxtel Now has been increased to $25 per month, which includes the Pop and Lifestyle packs. You'll probably have to sign up to at least a couple of packs to get a decent selection of shows overall. As we've already mentioned, Lifestyle and Pop are now bundled together, while the individual Kids and Doco packages have been scrapped entirely — if you want that content back, you'll have to pony up for the $104 All Packs bundle. Thankfully, the Drama package is still around, and is still priced at $15 per month (though you'll get $5 off when you sign up). The Movies pack will still set you back $20 a month and the Sports package remains unchanged at $29 per month. Seeing as you're obligated to sign up to the Pop and Lifestyle packs, the minimum cost for watching sports on Foxtel Now has been raised to $54 per month. Deviceshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ab151d92dd5a0f4cbeb500e16a407a75.jpg For many people, the decision of which streaming service to sign up for may come down to the devices they own. Netflix has the biggest global reach and has been around the longest, which is why it can be streamed on the largest number of devices. The Netflix app is available on a wide range of smart TVs from manufacturers like Samsung, Sony, LG, Panasonic, Philips and Hisense, though you should check your television model to see if the service is supported. Stan is available on all current Samsung smart TVs, Sony smart TVs (running Android TV) and all LG smart TVs running WebOS software. Stan is also streaming on Hisense smart TVs from 2015 onwards, and we're seeing the app pop up on more and more manufacturers sets. Basically, if you buy a new smart TV locally, chances are that it will play Stan. At launch, Amazon Prime Video only offered its service in Australia through computer browsers, however, the Amazon Prime app has now appeared on a number of 4K smart TVs, including models from Sony, Samung, LG and more. Before settling on Prime, you should check and see if you smart TV has an app for it. If your smart TV is of the 4K/UHD variety, chances are that its Netflix app supports 4K streaming. You can also get a 4K Netflix stream for the latest wave of Ultra HD Blu-ray players, such as the Panasonic DMP-UB900 and the Samsung UBD-K8500. Microsoft's newest console, the Xbox One S, also offers 4K playback. The Apple TV also supports Netflix and has features built around service, such as the ability to use Siri to search for titles by voice, which places Netflix titles appear alongside iTunes listings. A Stan app is also available for Apple TV, but Amazon won't allow its app on Apple TV or Chromecast for business reasons. With that said, you should be able to display Amazon Prime Video on your Apple TV through AirPlay. So far, Siri functionality is only available to Netflix. Netflix, Stan and Amazon Prime Video are all available on iOS and Android smartphones and tablets, though some older Android models may not be compatible. When it comes to game consoles, Netflix has the biggest reach, with apps for Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox One S, PS3, PS4 and the Nintendo Wii U. Stan has most of the consoles covered but lacks support for Xbox 360 and Wii U. It's also possible to watch Amazon Prime Video on home gaming consoles, including the Xbox One and PS4, and you can also watch the service using Amazon's Fire TV Stick. Netflix and Stan are also available on Fetch TV, which is quite handy for the hundreds of thousands of Australians currently subscribed to Fetch. If you don't have any of the TV-connected devices listed above and still want to watch Netflix and Stan on your television, the two services can also be streamed to a Google Chromecast, which ostensibly provides regular TVs with smart TV functionality (so long as you have a smartphone or tablet to stream from). That said, Amazon Prime Video is not supported on Chromecast. Foxtel Now works on iOS and Android devices, Chromecast and Chromecast Ultra, PC and Mac and the newly-released Foxtel Now streaming box. Finally, you can also watch Netflix and Stan on the Roku 2-powered Telstra TV media streaming box. Kids contenthttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6c0dc875e9beb9be5a8fa4a76e9d7287.jpg When it comes to kids shows and movies, each service has its own strengths and weaknesses. Stan has a wide selection of children-friendly shows that mostly stem from its partnerships with Turner Broadcasting (the Cartoon Network), the ABC and Viacom. And, now that Stan is Disney's new home for streaming content in Australia, subscribers now have access to an enormous library of classic movies from Disney and Pixar, such as the Toy Story trilogy, Finding Nemo, Frozen, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid and more, along with a wide selection of Disney Channel TV shows. Cartoon Network favourites like Adventure Time, Ben 10, Regular Show, The Powerpuff Girls, Cow and Chicken, Generator Rex and Ed, Edd, n Eddy are all ready to stream on Stan. Likewise, classic ABC titles like The Wiggles, Dorothy the Dinosaur, Guess How Much I Love You and Justine Clarke, as well as overseas titles like Octonauts, Angelina Ballerina, Bob the Builder, Thomas and Friends, Fireman Sam, Sesame Street and Mister Maker are available to stream on the app, and its Viacom deal brings with it a large range of shows from Nickelodeon and Nick Jr, like Avatar: The Last Airbender; Octonauts, Ni Hao, Kai-Lan, Bubble Guppies, and popular live-action shows like iCarly, VICTORiOUS, and Drake & Josh. Like the rest of Amazon Prime Video's content library, its Kids selection is quite sparse at present. You'll find a number of Amazon Original kids shows you've probably never heard of, like Wishenpoof!, Tumble Leaf and Just Add Magic, alongside some tried-and-true kids movies classics, like The Little Rascals, Casper, Spy Kids and Babe. Animation fans will be happy to know that Netflix has also produced some original shows based on classic DreamWorks properties, including Puss in Boots and How to Train Your Dragon. Deals with other big children's program distributors Saban, DHX Media and Hasbro Studios have also provided Netflix with numerous incarnations of Power Rangers and My Little Pony. Special mention should also be given to inclusion of the classic Aussie kid's show, Round the Twist, on both Netflix and Stan's respective catalogues. Foxtel Now offers plenty of kids shows and channels hosting a large number of Nickelodeon and Disney programs, though the only way to access them now is via its extremely pricey All Packs bundle, which'll set you back $104 per month. TV showshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/a56aadb4dfc29d15f0c386ed004c4a05.jpg A wide and varied range of television shows are available on Netflix, Stan and Amazon Prime Video, thanks to individual deals between each of the SVOD services and their content partners. Because of this, each service should have something for everyone in your family. While there's a lot of crossover when it comes to the availability of shows on each platform, perhaps the most important deciding factor comes down to the exclusives and original shows available on each service. Netflix is without question the leader in this regard, with a large, global slate of original shows that are, for the most part, available in every one of its territories around the world. And if you want to access your own catalogue from abroad, then you should look to download the best Netflix VPN from our guide. The service has achieved huge success with its diverse lineup, which includes award-winning shows House of Cards and Orange is the New Black, long-form superhero shows like Marvel's Daredevil and Jessica Jones, internationally-targeted shows like Narcos, animated sitcoms such as BoJack Horseman and F is For Family, comedies like Fuller House, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Master of None, and countless stand up comedy specials, to name but a small selection from its rapidly-expanding library. On top of this, TV series like Stranger Things, Black Mirror, Making A Murderer, Mindhunter and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina have also found crossover appeal with mainstream audiences. Though Stan is only available in Australia, it has already begun creating its own original content, having produced the improvised comedy series No Activity, the TV spin-offs of Wolf Creek and Romper Stomper, as well as the comedy series Plonk. Stan is notable for also having a large range of exclusive shows in its stable, with big hitters like the Twin Peaks revival, Better Call Saul Mozart in the Jungle, Transparent, Power, UnReal, Community, Lost Girl, Dig, Ash vs Evil Dead, Angie Tribeca and 11.22.63 tied to the service for the entire life of each series. On top of this, Stan is the only service in Australia offering both the complete series' of US sitcom classics Seinfeld and Friends, which are huge gets for the service. If it ever manages to secure The Simpsons (as unlikely as that may be), it'll have the holy trifecta on offer. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/e6933c08fcaaca861af06deadbf5ee13.jpg Stan also fast-tracks new episodes of its exclusive shows as soon as they air overseas, a practise that both Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have since adopted with such shows as Riverdale and American Gods. As the newest service to hit Australian shores, Amazon Prime Video doesn't currently have a huge TV content library on offer, then again, that probably goes a long way to explaining why the subscription price is so cheap. Most people considering a Prime subscription are probably looking to watch The Grand Tour, the new car enthusiast show from the team behind the beloved series, Top Gear. If that's what you're after, you'll happy to know that every available episode of the series is available on Amazon Prime Video in HDR, with new episodes arriving weekly. Aside from that, other exclusive draw cards include American Gods, a hyped new show based on the immensely popular Neil Gaiman novel of the same name, Jean-Claude Van Johnson, which stars Jean-Claude Van Damme as a spy version of himself, The Tick, a comedic superhero series revival, The Man in the High Castle, which posits a world in which the Nazis won World War II, and The Terror, a horror anthology series based on a best-selling book. Unlike the competition, Foxtel Now lets you also watch live television broadcasts, essentially giving you the regular Foxtel experience over the internet. Aside from this, most of the packages on offer, such as Drama and Pop (which have loads of HBO content split across them), are mostly filled with television shows. Fans of reality TV will get a real kick out of the selection here. Movieshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mkQ9t6dypfrtUR9FC5jH9c.jpg As with most SVOD services, the titles available on Netflix, Stan and Presto change occasionally according to content licensing agreements. That said, each service has a pretty decent collection of films aimed at slightly different audiences. When it first launched, Australian Netflix had a much smaller content offering than its US counterpart. However, its focus on Original content over licensed material has made that issue largely irrelevant, with a huge selection of quality shows and movies now available. Netflix Original movies like Bird Box, Bright and the critically acclaimed Roma have found much larger audiences on the streaming service than they likely would have if released through traditional channels, while unusual film experiments like The Ballad of Buster Scruggs might never have been made without today's streaming model of distribution. Amazon Prime Video offers a number of classic older films, though not many recent blockbusters are currently available to stream. Its recent Amazon Original film The Neon Demon, for instance, is currently geo-restricted. Still, fans of B-grade cinema, including straight-to-video '90s martial arts movies, '80s horror movies and sleazy grindhouse flicks will find plenty to love on Amazon Prime Video. In fact, it blows all of the other services out of the water in this regard, with a rather big back catalogue of these kinds of films. As was mentioned earlier, you'll need a Movies package to watch feature films through Foxtel Now, though that will set you back $20 per month on top of a $10 Starter pack. Many of the movies are new releases, showing much of the content you'd expect to see on live Foxtel. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/M2Hu5oJHhJShcabq7zyGMi.jpg Stan's amazing partnership with Disney has given the service a huge leg up over the competition when it comes to licensed content, with access to a wide selection of Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm movies on offer. It also provides a fairly big selection of Roadshow Entertainment titles, though previously available films like Mad Max: Fury Road have since dropped off the service. Thankfully, huge franchises like The Lord of the Rings and The Matrix are present and accounted for. A content deal with MGM also provides Stan with a large back catalogue of classic films, including the entire James Bond series in glorious 4K quality, along with The Silence of the Lambs, When Harry Met Sally and a huge selection of Woody Allen films. Stan has always been the leading streaming service when it comes to art films and world cinema, including access to films from over 45 countries in more than 70 languages, but now you can count mainstream blockbusters among its many licensing accomplishments. Streaming qualityhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7fdd9f03f608b4aa27a4f9cadbff03da.jpg All three services offer HD streams (unless you're subscribed to Netflix's lowest tier), however, Netflix is unquestionably the leader when it comes to streaming quality, as it offers the most 4K HDR content (top pricing tier only) of any of the services listed here. Netflix Originals, with some exceptions, are generally available in 4K streaming quality. The service has also started streaming HDR (high-dynamic-range) and Dolby Vision content for many of its original shows and movies. The service has an adaptive bit rate that adjusts itself based on the quality of your internet connection. It should be noted that, even if you have a blazing fast connection, Netflix will occasionally fail to reach full resolution during primetime hours due to congestion. Stan also uses adaptive bit rate technology, however it also offers users the ability to select the streaming quality of its shows (where available). The Ultra setting offers full 4K resolution, though you'll need to subscribe to the Premium package to see the benefits of the Ultra HD upgrade. Unlike its competitors, Stan allows users to select the quality of their streams on smart devices, media devices and smart TVs. Simply select the cog icon and choose between Low, Medium and High quality streams. This is especially handy if you're having buffering problems or if you're streaming off mobile data. With Netflix adding offline viewing to its subscription price, allowing using to download a selection of shows and movies to their devices for viewing outside of Wi-Fi networks, the service immediately increased its overall value. Thankfully, Stan has followed suit, and now allows subscribers to download the vast majority of its content. This makes its $10 monthly price point even more of a bargain than it already was. Amazon Prime Video also offers 4K HDR content, though with the varying quality of the shows and movies on offer, it's a little tricky to know what's available in SD, HD or Ultra HD until you start watching it. Original shows are, for the most part, available in 4K. Foxtel Now is said to offer HD streams, but the quality is a mixed bag. Often blurry or with overly saturated colours, the picture quality here is a far cry from what Netflix, Stan and Amazon Prime Video are offering. This really changes on a show-by-show basis. Game of Thrones looks pretty clean, though. VerdictThough each service has its own strengths and weaknesses, Netflix is unquestionably the winner when it comes to device compatibility, original content and stream quality. Its library of Netflix Originals continues to grow and maintain a generally high level of quality, with the service producing the kind of content that gives HBO a run for its money when it comes to premium programming. When you ignore its standard definition pricing option (and we ignore it pretty hard around these parts), Stan's flat $10 subscription fee is definitely more appealing for people who want access to a HD stream, but when you consider how many original shows Netflix produces, a couple of extra bucks a month is hardly a deal-breaker. It's great that Amazon Prime Video has made its way to Australia, and while it still has a long way to go in terms of growing its content library and list of compatible devices, it continues to add new content constantly, filling out the content selection with a number of gems. On the plus side, the service is quite inexpensive at the moment, so if you want to try it out for yourself anyway, you can do so without breaking the budget. We love the sheer amount of content available on Foxtel Now (it really does leave the competition in the dust in this regard), though getting a decent selection up will hurt your wallet in the long run. Still, when all is said and done, there's no denying that Netflix truly is the king of streaming media in Australia. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/c-rGGnOmAp4

After almost two years of wait, Xiaomi has finally launched its flagship smartphone in India. The Xiaomi Mi 5 comes at a price of Rs 24,999 and will be looking at giving a good competition to conventional flagship smartphones from Apple, Samsung, LG on one hand and to new age flagship killers from Lenovo, OnePlus on the other. The phone was first showcased at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2016 and went on sale in China. The Xiaomi Mi 5 has been getting an outstanding response in the China market and India is the first international country to offer this smartphone. The Xiaomi Mi 5 smartphone that packs in Snapdragon 820 CPU, 3GB of RAM, a 16MP Sony sensor and a sleek design that weighs just 129g. In the China market the company is also offering a limited edition ceramic back model, which we will not be seeing in India for now. The Xiaomi Mi 5 has a metal and glass combo for the chassis, with a seamless design that does feel really nice when sliding your finger along the side - it's crafted well to avoid any sharp edges. The smartphone comes with USB Type C connector. A connector that works either way up and allows for faster data transfer - plus this phone supports Quick Charge 3.0, so you'll be able to get 90% in charge in under an hour. The front-facing camera is a 4MP affair, with pixels that are 2 microns wide - that's rather large and allows for brighter images. There is Xiaomi's Beauty Mode, which helps in touching up the pictures and putting it in Hugo Barra's words, "Make handsome men look even more handsome". We have tried this feature on some of the previous Xiaomi phones and can tell you that it is a great add on for the selfie addicts . Not to forget the first of its kind 4-axis OIS integrated into the rear camera module. Xiaomi does try to cover main aspects in this phone by offering great horsepower, a camera to write about and not to mention the battery but it is always good to weigh every pro with an equal number of cons. So we present to you five main points that make the Xiaomi Mi 5 shine out and also five points through which we feel it has missed the bus. Read out to make a smart investment. A 'Powerhouse' for processing and gamingXiaomi Mi 5 is backed by the Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820 CPU, which is considered the fastest smartphone CPU of 2016 and is usually a feature of high-end pricey handsets such as LG G5, Samsung galaxy S7 (US variant) and HP Elite X3. It is not expected to be marred by the overheating issues, which made the previous Snapdragon 810 less desirable among the users around the globe. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/q6942ymsHikjeUVZUWe7J3.jpg If Snapdragon 820 takes care of your processing requirements, then the graphics department is handles by Adreno 530, which again sits at the top of the GPU's list. It is 40% faster than the previous Adreno 430 and also consuming 40% less power. The result is supreme gaming performance with less battery consumption. Amazing 16MP rear camera with first time 4-Axis Optical Image StabilisationWe recently reviewed Xiaomi Redmi Note 3's camera and found it to be best in the sub Rs 10,000 price bracket. In the past we had reviewed Mi 4, Mi 4i and other Xiaomi devices, which also showcased good imaging prowess. Coming on to Mi 5, the smartphone is equipped with a 16MP sensor from Sony IMX298 imaging sensor, with a sapphire protective glass and phase detection autofocus. What makes this camera sensor special is the 4-axis optical image stablisation, which for the first time will be seen on a smartphone. This interesting piece of imaging technology aims to reduce motion blur when shooting moving objects. It is more effective than the traditional 2-axis OIS mostly found in other flagship smartphones and will yield better results while shooting fast moving objects. The front-facing camera is a 4MP affair, which packs in pixels that are 2 microns wide to allow more light for brighter images. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PHwU369EKLf9sGAgvyiwd9.jpg It's a beautifully crafted handsetDuring the launch event, we had a chance to experience the smartphone in personal. Xiaomi Mi 5 has a seamless design that does feel really nice in hands and is entirely crafted out of metal and glass. It looks premium and at the same time does not have any sharp edges to add the ergonomics. The curved design reminds us of the recent Galaxy S7 and the almost frameless display looks beautiful. The Pro variant comes with ceramic rear, which offers extra durability. You also get a fingerprint sensor integrated on the home button at the front. Quick charge 3.0As the smartphone comes equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820, it takes the advantage of Quick Charge 3.0, which can be remarkably fast to charge the 3,000mAh battery unit of the handset. Does not burn a hole in the pocketFinally, the most important part is the pricing. While a flagship smartphone from Samsung, Apple, LG and Sony will set you back by almost Rs 50,000 and even more in some cases, the Mi 5 only asks half of it. The standard variant with 3Gb RAM and 32GB internal memory sells at Rs 24,999, which is a decent amount for the specifications and features the smartphone offers. Read also: Xiaomi Mi 5 vs Samsung Galaxy S7 vs LG G5 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5TUtiDaGk82WzsN8RsQSbL.jpg Where Xiaomi Mi 5 miss the spotWhile there are enough reasons to like the highly praised smartphone, we found some negative aspects as well, which cannot be ignored. No 2K display The display is one of the things on the smartphone that do not match the flagship moniker. Xiaomi Mi 5 features a 1080p LCD IPS panel, which offers good color reproduction and contrast ratio but does not stack up against the QHD panels (Nexus 6P, Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S7,etc.) in terms of sharpness. 3GB RAM and no Pro variant for the Indian marketXiaomi has only launched the standard variant in the Indian market, which comes with a 3GB of RAM. While, it's enough for to offer a good level of multitasking, there are options available in the market with 4GB of RAM (OnePlus 2, Asus Zenfone 2) if you don't want to compromise on multitasking. No microSD card slotXiaomi Mi 5 fails to offer the convenience of a microSD card, which is one feature deeply loved by the consumers in the Indian market. The smartphone's standard addition offers only 32GB internal storage. No removable batteryA nightmare for consumers is the fact that Xiaomi Mi 5 does not feature a removable battery. So you are restricted with a 3,000mAh battery unit for the entire lifetime of the handset. Not weather proofAnother noted feature which gets a miss is the water and dust resistivity. Xiaomi has not equipped the MI 5 with any sort of protection that can be found even in some budget handsets these days. As you can see, there are plenty of things to like about the new Xiaomi Mi 5 and then there are some hard reasons to give it a miss. At the end we would like to rest the decision to you whether to buy the new smartphone or consider other options in the market. In case you want to read a detailed specs comparison of the Xiaomi Mi 5 vs Samsung Galaxy S7 and LG G5, here is the link. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/rf9-MUtpcd4

The Taiwanese player today announced its plans to manufacture Zenfone 3 Max in India. To meet the expected demand of the smartphone, the company will manufacture Zenfone 3 Max at the facility in Daman (Union Territory of Daman & Diu). The production of Zenfone 3 Max will start from December 2016. This will be the third smartphone to be locally manufactured by ASUS after it initiated production of Zenfone 2 Laser and Zenfone Go, last year. Commenting on the announcement, Peter Chang, Region Head – South Asia & Country Manager for ASUS India said, “Besides our headquarters, Taiwan, India is amongst the most important markets for us and we are constantly looking to strengthen our presence and operations in the country.” http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/g4p8m3e8QbSbQZXn29d5h7.jpg “We are excited to announce another smartphone that will be manufactured locally, apart from Zenfone 2 Laser and Zenfone Go. India is on its way to becoming a world leader in mobile phone manufacturing and we are proud to contribute to such a dynamic economy,” he adds. Zenfone 3 Max at a glance• 5.2-inch HD (1280x720) display • Octa-core Snapdragon 615 processor • 13MP rear camera • 5MP front camera • 3GB RAM • 32GB storage (expandable via microSD) • Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow • 4,100mAh battery • 4G LTE In line with ASUS’ ‘design thinking’ philosophy, the Zenfone 3 Max has a sandblasted aluminum-alloy body with rounded edges, 2.5D contoured display glass touchscreen and diamond-cut chamfered edges. The smartphone features 16MP/8MP (5.5”- ZC553KL) and 13MP/5MP (5.2”-ZC520TL) rear + front cameras. The 16MP f2.0 camera of the Zenfone 3 Max ZC553KL also features an advanced triple technology autofocus system - laser, phase detection and conventional contrast detection for continuous auto-focus – which ensures a focus time of 0.03 seconds. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Xwa4ZdMyxZjtex2kkswr6L.jpg The two variants of Zenfone 3 Max, will be available in three stunning metallic colours - Titanium Gray, Glacier Silver, and Sand Gold, by end November ’16. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/3yz4egHBWN4

Leaks and rumours regarding Nokia’s comeback have been gaining steam ahead of HMD Global’s February 26 MWC 2017 event. In May of 2016, Nokia had announced that it will grand HMD Global (A Finnish company) the exclusive global license to create Nokia-branded mobile phones and tablets for the next 10 years and the company followed that up by launching Nokia’s first smartphone in years, the Nokia 6 in China on January 19. Now Nokia’s comeback is set to be unleashed on a global scale with HMD Global set to announce 3 handsets at MWC 2017 later this month. The handsets in question are the global variant of the mid-range Nokia 6, the flagship Nokia 8/P1 and the low-end model, Nokia 3. While specifications and details regarding the Nokia 8 have been making news for quite some time, details regarding the low-end Nokia 3 have been extremely scarce. Now however, the specifications of the affordable Nokia 3 have hit the internet, thanks to Nokia Power User. The Nokia 3 in detailThe smartphone is set to come with a 5.2-inch HD display, a 1.4GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 SoC, 2GB of RAM and the Adreno 308 GPU. Further, the device is expected to come with 16GB of unbuilt storage expandable via a micro SD card, Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box, a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera. The report also claims that the Nokia 3 will be priced at EUR 149 (Roughly Rs 10,500) and will likely make it’s way to major markets by March-April. Nokia 5 - the mid-range competitor Along with the Nokia 3, details of the Nokia 5 have also surfaced recently. The mid-range smartphone is also set to come with a 5.2-inch HD display and 2GB of RAM. On the imaging front, the device will feature a 12MP rear camera and will be priced at EUR 199 (Roughly Rs 14,000). Also read : Nokia’s comeback: Years of anticipation fizzles out with the Nokia 6 The return of the iconic Nokia 3310An interesting rumour doing the rounds these days is the fact that HMD Global might introduce a 2017 refresh of Nokia’s iconic 3310 feature phone. The new Nokia 3310 is set to be priced at EUR 59 (Roughly Rs 4,000). Along with the above, HMD Global is also set to launch the global variant of the Nokia 6 and its flagship smartphone - the Nokia 8/P1 at the MWC event, which will take place on February 26, 9 PM I.S.T. The Nokia 6 in detailThe Nokia 6 comes with a 5.5-inch fullHD display with 2.5D Gorilla Glass on top. The smartphone is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 430 processor paired with 4GB of RAM, a 3,000mAh battery and 64GB of internal storage. On the design front, the device is made from a single block of 6000 series aluminium, which HMD Global claims takes 55 minutes to machine. Further, the company says the handset receives two separate anodising processes, taking over ten hours to complete, with each phone being polished no less than five times. Nokia 8 - The upcoming flagshipApart from the Nokia 6, HMD Global is also set to announce a flagship by the name of Nokia 8/P1 which will come with Zeiss branded optics as seen on earlier Nokia devices. The Nokia 8 is set to come in two variants, one with 6GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage and the Snapdragon 835 SoC and one with 4GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage and the Snapdragon 821 SoC. On the imaging front, the handset is rumoured to come with a massive 24MP primary camera with Optical Image Stabilisation and a 12MP front shooter for selfies. Also read : Nokia 6 global variant certified; Set to launch at MWC 2017 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/Hk8ksbJKsI8

Tim Cook unveiled the iPhone 7 alongside the iPhone 7 Plus and the Apple Watch: Series 2 at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco on 7th September. While the pricing of the entry level 32GB model of the iPhone 7 was revealed on 7th September itself, the pricing of the iPhone 7 Plus and the rest of the storage configurations of the iPhone 7 was finally revealed by Apple on their Indian website yesterday. Apple has finally ditched the 16GB base model and has doubled the storage of all the other models as well. This move was long, long overdue. Starting at Rs 60,000 and Rs 72,000The iPhone 7 starts at Rs 60,000 for the 32GB base variant while the iPhone 7 Plus's 32GB model has been priced at Rs 72,000. The 128GB variant of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus costs Rs 70,000, and Rs 82,000 respectively, while the 256GB variant of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus clocks in at a whopping Rs 80,000 and Rs 92,000. Both the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will go on sale in India on October 7. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/oQULKL7hcQf76GoKPkDvxg.jpg Massive price cuts for the iPhone 6S, 6S PlusApple has also drastically reduced the price of some variants of the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus, while at the same time doubling their base storage configuration from 16GB to 32GB. The 64GB model has been discontinued and the 128GB model slots in above the 32GB model in the lineup. Thus now the 32GB model of the iPhone 6S costs Rs 50,000 and the 128GB model is priced at Rs 60,000, a whopping 22,000 rupees cheaper than before. The 32GB model of the iPhone 6S Plus has been priced at Rs 60,000, which is the same price as the 32GB model of the iPhone 7. Thus one can choose between either a larger screen or the latest and greatest iPhone, albeit with a smaller screen. The 128GB model of the iPhone 6S costs Rs 72,00, which is again a mammoth 22,000 rupees cheaper than before. Thus, in a nutshell, the prices of the 128GB models of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S have been slashed massively, the 64GB model has been dropped and you now get 32GB of internal storage for the same price at which you got 16GB before. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zSEKgoNWLXWjEBviG3yiLn.jpg The iPhone SE also gets some loveThe odd duck in the iPhone lineup, the iPhone SE has also seen a price cut, though not at the same level as the iPhone 6 and 6S. Its price has been reduced from Rs 49,000 to Rs 44,000 for the 64GB variant and the new 32GB variant has been priced at Rs 39,000. Sadly, even with these priced cuts, the iPhone SE remains massively overpriced in India. (It costs just 449 dollars in USA, which roughly translates to about 30,000 rupees). Here is the pricing of the entire iPhone range in India: 32GB : Rs 60,000 128GB : Rs 70,000 256GB : Rs 80,000 32GB : Rs 72,000 128GB : Rs 82,000 256GB : Rs 92,000 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Fz6m9x3Pk5eaDnfyGaDHpA.jpg iPhone 6S32GB : Rs 50,000 128GB : Rs 60,000 iPhone 6S Plus32GB : Rs 60,000 128GB : Rs 70,000 iPhone SE32GB : Rs 39,000 64GB : Rs 44,000 Here is a recap of all that's new in the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus to help you decide whether the devices are worth your hard earned cash: DesignApple's latest spin on the iPhone rocks an aluminum body, much like the iPhone 6S. The ugly antenna lines are a thing of the past now with Integrated Antennas and the iPhone 7/ iPhone 7 Plus also come with a new 'Jet Black' finish that looks incredibly suave. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/43j6u7FF5Ms6moJDDqnoFT.jpg Other colours on offer are the standard Gold, Silver, Rose Gold and another shade of black simply titled 'Black'. The Jet Black finish is only available for the pricier 128GB and 256GB models. CamerasiPhone 7The Camera on the iPhone 7 received a complete overhaul and now comes with a new 6-element lens, a wider aperture of f/1.8 that absorbs 50 per cent more light, and an all new high speed 12-megapixel sensor that is 60 per cent faster than the iPhone 6S. The device also features a Quad-LED True Tone Flash, a flicker sensor and an Apple designed image signal processor that uses machine learning to look for bodies and objects in the image and then adjusts the photos by choosing the best exposure and white balance. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nup4qzX9NffSr9M5EuFwub.jpg iPhone 7 PlusThe iPhone 7 Plus takes things up a notch and comes with not just 1, but two 12 MP cameras! The above details are of the primary wide angle lens, but the device also comes with a secondary Telephoto lens. These two together dramatically improve Zoom capabilities on the iPhone 7 Plus. With the dual camera setup, you get a 2X optical zoom plus a 10X digital zoom, which Apple claims is better than digital zoom on most smartphones thanks to the second telephoto lens. The dual camera setup allows for depth of field adjustment. The ISP scans the screen and uses machine learning to create a depth map of the image using the two lenses. HardwareA10 FusionApple has upgraded its A-series processor to the A10 Fusion. It's a quad-core setup that is said to be 40% faster than the A9 and two times faster than the A8 seen in the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6, respectively. Graphics PerformanceThe GPU looks to triple the performance of the A8 and will be more battery-friendly than previous iterations. In fact, Apple claimed that the Apple A10 Fusion is 120 times faster than the original iPhone and the GPU is 240 times faster than the original iPhone! http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/icpyNqAgAMcRZQ4t3HXYK.jpg Battery LifeWhile touching on the battery life, Phil Schiller claimed that the iPhone 7 will have the best battery any iPhone has ever had. The iPhone 7 will last 2 hours longer than the iPhone 6S and the iPhone 7 Plus will last 1 hour longer than the iPhone 6S Plus. R.I.P Headphone Jack!As expected, Apple has done away with the headphone jack, and audio is routed digitally through the lightning port. Apple also launched a new version of the EarPods which connect through the lightning port. This setup allows audio to be transmitted digitally using the device's lightning port, avoiding the analog conversion that occurs via the traditional 3.5 mm headphone jack entirely. The removal of a headphone jack, seen as a huge negative is actually a good thing and will be seen as an inspired decision in the long run. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zBZYXB6daWCrPjzNW4kxJA.jpg Audio technology has stagnated over the years, still relying on analogue mediums of transmission such as the dated 3.5mm jack. In fact, the 3.5 mm jack has not changes since the 1980's when the Sony Walkman was introduced. What is great is the fact that Apple will bundle a lightning to 3.5 mm adapter in every iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus box! IP67 Water/Dust resistanceThe iPhone 7 is also the first iPhone to be water-resistant. Now you can finally use your iPhone near a pool or a beach without worrying about expensive repairs. What is disappointing is the fact that the competition such as the Samsung Galaxy S7 and the Xperia Z5 come with IP68 water resistance, which is better than the iPhone 7's IP67. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/tAGWeqj5RxTj9vUZfLZz8H.jpg Brighter DisplayThe iPhone 7/7 Plus also have a new Retina HD Display, which Apple promises is 25% brighter than the iPhone 6S's display and has a wide colour gamut, supporting Cinema P3 standard colours. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/D844PjYHR6U

Samsung on March 29 launched the Galaxy S8 and S8+, and the smartphones have already won over the tech media all around the globe. However, there are many that have been criticizing Samsung’s decision to stick with a single camera module, having 4GB of RAM and so on. But I feel Samsung S8 has more features in favour than against. I am not a Samsung fanboy, but we have to accept that Samsung has done what we always wanted to see in Samsung smartphones. Be it a lighter version of the UI, removal of home button, much advanced AI, a Snapdragon 835 SoC, or anything else. Unlike to Apple, Samsung has actually made things better ('new') over the years. When it comes to the Galaxy S8, there are tons of alluring features like the new immersive display, wireless charging, ​ beautiful design, microSD support, and so on. There are still some features that have gone missing from many lists but are genuinely useful. I have listed the five ignored reasons to buy the Galaxy S8 apart from what we have already noticed. When it comes to the Galaxy S8, there are tons of alluring features like the new immersive display, wireless charging, microSD support, beautiful design, and more. There are still some features that have gone missing from lists but are genuinely useful. 1/5 Invisible home buttonhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Zz59WgTgTYm8ki4UQ3UeCC.jpg If you have already taken a close view at the Galaxy S8, then you must be searching for the old-style home button seen on Samsung phones. So, if the display is taking up all the area and fingerprint sensor is moved to the back, then where’s the home button? Most other smartphones without a home button come with on-screen buttons. To stand out of the crowd, Samsung buried a pressure sensitive sensor under the display. It gives a subtle vibrating response that feels like pressing a physical button, and trust me its not gimmicky. 2/5 Actually Useful Bixby virtual assistanthttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XpL35T8Hy4WCqpLbU8VvDK.jpg I know Samsung had a lost case in terms of smartphone software—S-voice is one of the examples of its gimmicky software. But Bixby is nothing like what we have seen in the past. It seems like the manufacturer has learnt from its mistake. Bixby is based on a different concept when compared to Google Assistant, Microsoft’s Cortana and Apple’s Siri. Apart from acting as a knowledge bank for all of your questions, Bixby works as a helping hand for your in-phone actions. It actually understands what you are doing on your smartphone and which apps you are using, offering assistance within apps to help you fasten up your tasks by analyzing trends in your behaviour. For instance, you can ask Bixby to send a video or picture you are looking at to anyone in your contacts without even leaving the app. This really helps in making the experience easier, and enhances multitasking. 3/5 It’s secure: Fingerprint, IRIS scanner and facial reco...http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/74NxeK9ZevJmbUJRFBaKAT.jpg Like any Android smartphone, the Galaxy S8 also has basic level of security features like a pattern, pin, fingerprint. Taking it a notch higher, IRIS scanner is something that is the future of smartphone security. I agree that Microsoft has already introduced the feature in Lumia 950 and 950XL but it didn’t work that well. Moreover, it has a new facial recognition feature that is being called gimmicky by many, but at least Samsung was brave enough to bring this feature in its flagship. 4/5 Samsung Pay in Indiahttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nUDLTptQwFw3bqTBpz6yfZ.jpg First of all, it is not something new when it comes to mobile payment options. But when it comes to India, Samsung Pay is the first such service to hit Indian shores. With a sudden emergence in the digital payment scene in India, this service is something that will be adopted by many in coming years. It is safe, easy to use and fast. It lets Samsung smartphone users to pay for their transactions by waving the smartphone near a supported POS machine. This eliminates the use of card and keeps your payment information discreet. 5/5 It’s waterproof- IP68 certificationhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VMABG5hAaNdgDUZ76nup8g.jpg Once again, the feature is not limited only to Galaxy S8, and is added to many other smartphones including the latest iPhone 7. My point here is that Samsung has been pretty consistent with this feature, and I am glad it is used in the latest flagship as well. When you are spending hoards of cash on a smartphone, you do expect something like this. Keeping this fact in mind, I count this feature as a big reason that adds up to the value of this beautiful looking smartphone. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/-V7B2Kt9Pno

The never-ending debate about smartphone camera vs DLSR continues to rage on but with future developments, don't be surprised if the former manages to upstage the latter. Few years back, Nokia brought different camera dimensions to smartphone with its 41MP powered Lumia 1020 Windows phone. Cut to circa 2015, we might just catch glimpse of first phone with 100MP imaging power and this time it's going to come from land of China. Gionee is one of the many handset makers, focused on selling products in markets like China and India among others and their latest flagship is rumored to be announced shortly at a global level for the time being. Currently, Gionee's flagship credentials are held forth by Elife S7 but soon that could be displaced by Elife E8, which is expected to come fitted with a 23MP rear snapper that according to leaks will be equipped with capability to click pictures of 100MP quality and shoot 4K videos. We would like to remind you that Gionee's Elife E8 has been much delayed smartphone. At the Gionee Elife S7 launch, when he had quizzed India Head Arvind Vohra about the same, he had mentioned that they wanted the device to stand out and were working on various aspects, which is causing the delay. Could this be the reason what has caused the delay for the Gionee Elife E8? It's hard to go by the company's claim or rumoured revelations right now, so it's better to wait it out and watch Gionee has to say about the device in question. But do we really need 100MP quality and that on a smartphone? Stay tuned, more on the phone in will be shared soon. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/mfLoNyEDCrQ

American imaging giant Kodak in partnership with Noida based Super Plastronics Pvt. Ltd. has announced the launch of 5 LED TVs in the Indian market. Kodak's LED TVs will be available in three screen sizes- 32-inch, 40-inch and 50-inch and will offer internet connectivity and Wi-Fi capability. The product range will be made available on all leading online e-commerce platforms starting with Shop Clues, Flipkart and Amazon post August 15, 2016. While the 32-inch models (HD X900S and HDXSMART) and the 40-inch models (FHDX900S and FHDXSMART) are offered in both standard and smart variants, the bigger 50-inch model will only be made available in Smart TV variant. The 32-inch HD X900S features a 250 Nits Samsung panel and supports USB to USB copying. The TV comes with a glass cabinet, 4GB flash storage and 512MB memory. The 40-inch Kodak FHDX900S comes with a 300 Nits Samsung panel and also offers USB to USB copy. The Kodak 40 FHDXSMART model has 300 Nits Samsung panel, 4GB flash storage, 512MB memory and supports USB to USB copy. The TV also has MHL connectivity. The bigger KODAK 50FHDXSMART TV comes with all the features that are offered by 40-inch FHDXSMART, expect that it has a bigger 50-inch display. The company has only mentioned the starting price of the TV range and will soon reveal the prices of other models. However, it claimed that the products will be priced between Rs 13,500 and Rs 40,000. The TVs are powered by ARM Cortex A7 processors paired up with 512MB RAM and 4GB of internal storage. The LED panels come with wide viewing angles and also include features like progressive scan, yPbPr colour space and a response time of less than 8ms. The TV sets run on Android 4.4 Kitkat and has HDMI, USB and VGA support as connectivity features. Kodak's LED TVs will be on sale starting August 15. While the 32-inch TV will be available exclusively on ShopClues, the 40-inch and 50-inch variants will be available on both Amazon and Flipkart. Kodak HD LED TVs will compete with the recent offerings from LeEco and Micromax TVs. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/rAR-CE6uqfU

While most of the gaming world watched Ninja become the biggest name in online gaming while playing Fortnite, the game’s publisher was hard at work closing a security vulnerability that could’ve compromised player’s account information. The exploit was unveiled today by security researchers at Check Point Software Technologies, which released showing how hackers could’ve used security tokens (you know, those things that got Facebook in trouble a few months ago) to get around login pages. According to the researchers, the security vulnerability was first discovered back in November of last year and, thanks to some quick work on the part of Epic Games (Fortnite’s publisher), has officially been closed since late December. Thankfully, neither the researchers nor Epic Games have confirmed any cases in which the exploit was used - but it seems like it could’ve been an easy way for hackers to buy in-game content using players’ credit card information and allowed them to listen to your in-game chat. Security tokens strike again Without diving too deep down the security rabbit hole, the way the exploit worked was that hackers would send a phishing link to an unsecured URL on Epic Games’ website - ironically, a stats page for Unreal Tournament 2004… which was basically the Fortnite of its day minus all the streamers and sweet dance moves. That page was open to cross-scripting attacks that allowed Check Point to inject some malicious code, redirecting incoming traffic - and any security tokens sent along with it - from the publisher’s servers to Check Point’s. Once the phishing link was clicked by the victim, the hacker would be able to get a security token which they could then use to login to Fortnite. Once in, if the victim had a credit card on file that could be used to buy in-game items or listen in to their friend’s conversations. Thankfully, however, there are no reported incidents where hackers used the exploit to steal login tokens to Fortnite. Facebook on the other hand, which just last year had hackers steal security tokens for 30 million of its users, wasn’t so lucky. According to the researchers, because all the info was routed through an Epic Games website, it's unlikely that anti-phishing software would've caught the bug... so that's comforting. Thankfully, for now, your account info is safe and sound. That being said, if your friend asks you to check out their stats from a 15-year-old video game, you should err on the safe side and not click the link. These are the best PC games in 2019http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/gpiYU0lRTuY

A researcher by the name of Greg Pollock at the cybersecurity firm UpGuard recently discovered that the Oklahoma Securities Commission left three terabytes of sensitive data unsecured on a server allowing anyone with an internet connection to access it. Among the millions of files that were not password protected, Pollock discovered details on sensitive FBI investigations along with emails and bank transaction histories. UpGuard's Head of Research Chris Vickery provided further insight on the leak, saying: “It represents a compromise of the entire integrity of the Oklahoma department of securities’ network. It affects an entire state level agency. … It’s massively noteworthy.” Sensitive FBI dataAccording to Vickery, the FBI files stored on the Oklahoma Securities Commission's server contain “all sorts of archive enforcement actions” dating back seven years. The documents even include spreadsheets with agents' timelines of investigation interviews, emails from parties involved in cases and histories of bank transactions. There were even copies of letters from subjects, witnesses and other parties involved in FBI investigations. A number of major companies were also named in the FBI files including AT&T, Goldman Sachs and Lehman Brothers. To make matters worse, the leak also included email archives going back 17 years, thousands of social security numbers and data from the 1980s onwards. UpGuard initially discovered the leak due to the fact that the commission had mistakenly left an rsync server open and these servers are generally used to backup large amounts of data. Via Forbes We've also highlighted the best antivirus and best free password manager to help keep your files securehttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/eyIuc8_1-RE

Website builders have been around for decades but a new generation now exploit new technologies like responsive and mobile platforms. A website builder can help individuals or businesses build anything from a simple single-page site to a professional web store, even if you've no design or HTML experience at all. Whether you're a sole trader or a multinational corporation, just about every business needs an online presence – in other words, a website. A growing number are adding bells and whistles like an email list or form facility, domain name registration and much more. Even if you don't sell products online a site can help people find you, learn more about your skills and services, and provide a way to share your details with other potential customers. It's like having a permanent, always-on-call personal assistant, ready to answer queries. And it can even be free Also check out our best website hosting services for 2019More experienced users can customize and fine-tune the design to suit their own needs, or perhaps install a more traditional web design package that allows them to build the perfect site from scratch. There are free options, but these often have major restrictions, including limits on the size of the site and the lack of any ability to use your own domain. Fortunately, the commercial options are very reasonably priced, from around £5/$5 to £10/$10 a month, with hosting included. To help you decide which option is best for your needs, we’ve picked out the cream of the crop: these are the five top players in the website building world right now. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mSDQeMKDc6R5PVhETsW6dc.jpg has more than 100 million registered users Wix is one of the most popular online website creators, offering a range of plans and products. The free version has Wix branding, limited storage space (500MB) and bandwidth, but move up to the most popular plan (unlimited) and there’s no Wix ads. You get unlimited bandwidth (hence its name) and 10GB storage, along with a free domain, Google Ad vouchers and much more. The e-commerce plan adds an online store along with 20GB storage for a reasonable $16.50 (£12.30) per month. Read our review of WixAn excellent collection of 500 plus templates gets the design process off to a quick start. The drag-and-drop editor gives you all kinds of tools and features to explore – an image editor, video backgrounds, animations, social buttons, an integrated site blog – and just about everything can be tweaked, tuned and restyled. All the core editing functions are really smartly designed, and operate more like a native app than your average website builder. Wix does have some weaknesses, with tech support seeming a little sluggish and limited in some respects. But there’s no denying that the superb editor and range of top-notch templates make it easy for web building novices to create something impressive. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/684e36528eca45e1971880b3630342db.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FRDFcW2dsjVsMoQk343va8.jpg is one of the biggest web hosting companies in the world There’s a lot to like here in terms of a powerful drag-and-drop editor bristling with professional features and highly customizable templates, but at the outset, let’s make it clear that this isn’t the cheapest service around. There’s no free plan (or indeed trial – although there is a 30-day money-back guarantee), and the most basic plan is priced at $1 (£0.75) a month for first six months, rising to $7 (£5.40) afterwards. That gives you unlimited pages and web space, a simple integrated blog, limited SEO settings, plus website backup and restore, so it’s a touch pricey for what you get. Read our review of 1&1 MyWebsiteThat said, 1&1 IONOS MyWebsite offers a wide range of responsive templates, and an editor which provides loads of potential adjustments and tweaks, all with plenty of visual feedback and context-sensitive menus to help streamline the whole process. What’s clever here is that the top-level stuff is easy to use and understand for beginners, yet expert users can dive more deeply into the menus to really play around and customize elements. You also get your own personal consultant free of charge. Other highly useful features include the ability to point to your old website in order to import media content from there straight into your new site. This could be a huge timesaver for some. There’s no e-commerce plan here, but there is a separate Pro plan for that functionality (starting at $1 – £0.75 – a month for the first six months, rising to $20 - £15.40 a month). http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/684e36528eca45e1971880b3630342db.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/d5usk3tgbhoNQY4brFto57.jpg is one of the few website builders that offer a free hosting tier. Weebly is another big name in the website building world which offers a powerful editor and capable set of features. There’s a free plan, which like Wix limits space to 500MB and imposes ads on your site. However, if you move up to the Professional plan – at $12 (£9.5) a month – the ads and storage limit are dropped, plus you get a free domain, and even support for a web store containing up to 25 products. The supercharged Business plan lets you create sites with unlimited web store products and high-end store features like product reviews and discount coupons, retailing at $25 (£19) a month. Read our review of WeeblyThe service offers hundreds of professionally-designed web templates, covering just about any site type. The drag-and-drop editor is neatly designed, although you don’t get full control over where you can position elements on the page, and the interface can seem a little cluttered. A further niggle is that there is no global Undo feature. Like Wix, we found tech support was a little wobbly in terms of sluggish responses, but Weebly offers a host of powerful features, some very stylish templates, and easy access to free images for your site is another definite boon. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/684e36528eca45e1971880b3630342db.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Am7HSasZ3p6NzE8THZwFsS.jpg As we’ve seen, many a website builder pitch themselves towards novices and making life easy for the less site-savvy out there, but what about experts who want powerful low-level control? Those are the users Voog has in mind. So you don’t get many templates here, for example, and there’s the bare minimum of media support – but what you do get is a compact drag-and-drop editor which does its best to stay out of your way. There are weaknesses here, and the interface is somewhat clunky in respects – and it’s another which lacks a global Undo function – but it has some real power you can drill down into. Read our review of VoogFor example, clicking a text box gives you the option to use bullet-point lists, insert tables or videos, or even edit the HTML source to customize effects. Voog also lets multiple users easily collaborate on a site project, and if you’re after nifty, unusual features like these, you won’t see them elsewhere. The entry-level Starter plan is priced at $7.40 (£5.30) per month (billed annually) and gives you 2GB storage, and all the core features you’ll need, including SSL security (although it’s limited to 30 pages). If you know what you’re doing in terms of website design, and want some true power and customization capabilities, there is a 30-day trial you can check out (no credit card details needed). http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/684e36528eca45e1971880b3630342db.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ppxf3C6GyDWEHUTxydd4yG.jpg Jimdo is a somewhat quirky website builder targeted largely at novice users, but it’s well worth your attention for a number of reasons, not the least of which is a free plan which boasts more than the average offering. Yes, there are the usual limitations including adverts, a 500MB storage limit, no custom domain, and very limited SEO. But there are a few features you won't get in other free plans, like a password protected area, for example. Read our review of JimdoThe site editor itself is simple and consistent, even if it’s somewhat unconventional in terms of its design. Also, the editor doesn’t have as many functions and features as some rivals. For example, there aren’t that many templates, and the widgets on offer aren’t as plentiful as you might find elsewhere – plus there’s no global Undo (although Jimdo isn’t alone in this respect). Another neat touch is a good web knowledgebase which means help is generally close at hand when it comes to troubleshooting. Overall, this is a compelling product, that is well worth giving a whirl. You might also want to check out our other website hosting buying guides: WordPressCloud hostingE-commerceDedicated serverSmall businessWindowsManagedGreenBusinessColocationEmail hostingResellersVPSSharedCheapWebsite buildersBest website hostinghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/_XvBY_gcWZE

The Super Bowl is now just weeks away, and that means it's a great time to find fantastic deals on big-screen TVs. Amazon is currently having a game day sale on some of their top-selling TVs from brands such as LG, Sony, and Samsung. We haven't seen price drops like this since Black Friday, so if you've wanted to upgrade to a big-screen TV then now is the time. Right now you can get the massive Sony 75-inch 4K TV for $1,798. That's a $500 discount and the lowest price we've seen for this UHD smart TV. The Sony X850F has the Google Assistant built-in and is also compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices. Shop the rest of Amazon's game day TV deals below and also check out our roundup of Super Bowl TV sales here. Amazon game day TV deals:http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/rtep6x81wHk

The best PCs might not be in vogue anymore, but that doesn’t mean they’ve stopped getting more advanced with quad-core processors and high-end graphics cards that can render realistic ray-traced lighting. If you’re looking to stay ahead of the curve, you’re going to want one of the best PCs – even if all you do is browse the internet. It’s all too easy for your PC to get slowed down by loading too many ads or ever increasingly high-res video. Good news is buying a PC has never been cheaper. You can easily spend 500 bucks and get a capable PC or even an all-in-one desktop that comes with its own built in screen. PCs are easily upgradable, allowing you to keep the best PCs up to date with one of the best graphics cards, a bigger or faster best SSD and more of the best memory. Still, shopping for the best PC isn’t quite as easy as it may sound. When we decided to put this list together, we had to acknowledge that the best PCs strike a balance between price and performance. So, after comprehensively testing, reviewing and ranking all the PCs on this list, we’ll help you find which PC is right for you. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Sndq2zY8UQcvUiSfZTPJW3.jpg For lack of a better word, the Dell XPS Tower Edition is stealthy. Looking quite similar to that old computer that your parents had hidden beneath the desk, this boring exterior belies an exciting array of components. Inside you’ll find your choice of the latest in GPU tech, in addition to a blazing-fast 7th generation Intel CPU and a spacious hard drive and/or SSD. Now, the Special Edition is only available in the US, but our readers in the UK and Australia will still be able to buy the regular Dell XPS Tower and beef it up to the same level through Dell’s configuration page. Read the full review: Dell XPS Tower Special Edition http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/seuAhSx5VLCKkEUG3mMc6g.jpg The Microsoft Surface Studio was the best PC for artists when it first launched, so we were excited when Microsoft announced the sequel. Packed with Kaby Lake mobile graphics and Nvidia Pascal graphics, the Surface Studio 2 is way more powerful than the original, and should be able to handle everything you can throw at it for the next few years at least. And, it’s still got that gorgeous PixelSense display with Surface Pen support, making it retain the title of the best PC for artists. Read the full review: Surface Studio 2 See more like this: The best all-in-one PCs http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FgaHSoZSpRphAgJWJidyL6.jpg If you’re looking for a great desktop experience, but don’t have a lot of space, look no further than the Intel Hades Canyon NUC. In this tiny bare-bones PC, you have an insanely powerful 8th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, and discrete-class Radeon graphics – once you throw in some RAM and storage, you’ll be able to conquer the best PC games without a care in the world. Sure, it can’t really stand up against a full-sized desktop, but when space is short, or you’d rather just have a PC that looks like a set-top box – it’s totally worth it. Read the full review: Intel Hades Canyon NUC http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PkG8tDVvtQrs3Zc48dWmNU.jpg The Alienware Aurora R7 isn’t just a great gaming PC, but it’s one of the best PCs you can buy today. Not only does it feature fantastic performance with its 8th-generation Intel Core processor and GTX 10 series graphics, but this power is conveniently stored away in its compact chassis. It’s even surprisingly affordable, considering the power on offer, and it’s even easily upgradeable, despite its unique build. With the Aurora R7, Alienware continues its journey back to the top of the best PCs. Read the full review: Alienware Aurora R7 See more like this: The best gaming PCs http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ZcZxQJjke5NTh5So3rYD4n.jpg Positioned as a “console killer,” the MSI Trident 3 looks a lot like an Xbox One X and PS4 Pro, but it’s a far more powerful PC that feels just right in your living room. Complete with all the ports you could ever dream of, the MSI Trident 3’s advantages are clear. Still, in trying to be as thin and light as possible, the MSI Trident 3 comes equipped with a 330W external power supply brick, resembling some of the least attractive console designs. Read the full review: MSI Trident 3 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Bpjf7dZnAQX7rX4hSqijJ6.jpg Apple has a reputation for crafting computers that are a bit overpriced for what they have on offer, but the Mac mini takes that reputation and throws it in the garbage. The 2018 Mac mini isn’t just an attractive small-form-factor PC, but it also has high end desktop parts built in, making it a great purchase for anyone that already has a slew of Mac-ready peripherals. Plus, opposed to Apple’s recent output, you can actually upgrade the memory – or you can just kit it out with 64GB at checkout. Read the full review: Apple Mac Mini See more like this: The best Macs http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/1acf84356dd61f6a97dd1943d17f0f06.jpg Though at first you might confuse it for a fabric-woven Mac Pro refresh, the HP Pavilion Wave is anything but. This compact Windows machine packs in 6th-generation Intel Core processors and optional discrete AMD graphics with a uniquely integrated Bang & Olufsen speaker. Wrapped in a handsome fabric exterior, this is the perfect PC to have on the desk, as it radiates crisp sound while you browse the web or watch movies. Read the first look: HP Pavilion Wave http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/42a7937cd4c6c25391991588eb15e15d.jpg It may look like a thumb drive at first glance, but the Intel Core Compute Stick has more than meets the eye. It’s actually a palm-sized PC that can plug into any screen with an HDMI input. It starts out with a lowly 1.33GHz Intel Atom cpu running Linux, but it is configurable up to an Intel Core m5 processor – which makes this one of the best PCs if you need to get some work done on the go, without having to haul around a laptop. Gabe Carey has also contributed to this article While you’re at it, we’ve also found the best gaming desktop PC you can buyhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/h1WXp2ASyCI

Intel and AMD are at each other's throats again, bringing the spirit of competition to the processor market once more. This is possible because AMD has been dominating the market with AMD Ryzen 2nd Generation, and will probably continue to do so with the 3rd Gen. Intel has responded with 9th Generation Coffee Lake Refresh chips like the Core i9-9900K. So, the eternal battle of Intel vs AMD is on full blast, so there’s never been a better time to pick up one of the best processors. The best processors come in every shape in size these days. If you’re trying to get the best value, AMD chips like the Ryzen 3 2200G are a godsend. And, if you’re trying to squeeze as much performance as you can out of your machine, you may want to take a look at AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2nd generation and Intel Basin Falls Refresh processors. The best processors are everywhere right now, so finding the right one can be hard. Luckily, even if you can’t get your hands on the latest and greatest CPUs, there are still plenty of great Kaby Lake and first generation Ryzen processors out there. So, get ready to experience PC performance like you’ve never seen, as we’ll show you all the top processors we’ve used over the last year or so. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3vJpavkNefM7AMRGc948o7.jpg For the longest time, AMD has fell behind Intel. Luckily, those days are over with the Ryzen 2700X. This time around AMD brings the first 12nm processors and the performance to back it up, demolishing Intel when it comes to price-to-performance. If you’re looking for one of the best processors that’ll give you great performance without costing an arm and a leg, you can’t do much better than the Ryzen 7 2700X. Read the full review: AMD Ryzen 7 2700X http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/P3nnjfPCEmPF8X4fV2bJi9.jpg The perennial war of AMD vs Intel has been heating up like crazy over the last few years, and Intel has come back with a mighty Coffee Lake Refresh swing, in the Intel Core i9-9900K. Packing eight cores and 16 threads, it has more cores than any mainstream processor that Intel has ever released. And, the performance shows that it’s worth it – it can go head to head with some of AMD’s Ryzen Threadripper chips. If you’re looking for raw performance, the Intel Core i9-9900K is easily one of the best processors you can go for. Read the full review: Intel Core i9-9900K http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/H6sWo4y5ofeJgtNyxAP6uP.jpg If you’re looking for one of the best processors for content creation, but are on a budget, look no further than the AMD Ryzen 5 2600X. With 6 cores and 12 threads and a base clock of 3.6GHz, you’re getting way better performance than the pricier Intel Core i5-8600K – with a gorgeous RGB CPU cooler included. Sure, the gaming performance over the blue team is marginal at best, but when you start multi-tasking – and who doesn’t always have 100 chrome tabs open – the value starts to show itself. Read the full review: AMD Ryzen 5 2600X http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ZUtrKtS7BdpSKewpuRDVQ8.jpg If you’re looking to put together a gaming PC on the tightest budget, the AMD Ryzen 3 2200G can take you a long way. While it doesn’t feature the hyperthreading capability of its predecessor, the Ryzen 3 1200, the introduction of integrated graphics makes this APU one of the cheapest ways to experience casual PC gaming. We were even able to play Overwatch at 4K Ultra-HD resolution at ‘Epic’ settings. Read the full review: AMD Ryzen 3 2200G http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xhQJ46Ldnwf9FoRHrJ2Ucd.jpg If you’re building one of the best gaming PCs, and you don’t really care about creating content or streaming, the processor you’re going to want to pay attention to is the Intel Core i5-8600K. It might not have as many cores as its AMD Ryzen counterparts, but that doesn’t matter, gaming is mostly about that single-threaded performance. With this processor, you’ll be able to run all the latest games without having to worry about bottlenecking your GPU – just don’t be surprised when rendering and encoding video takes longer. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qk32TCKQBeDMrSnNPUjkaj.jpg Initially the primary competition for the Intel Core i7-7700K, the AMD Ryzen 7 1800X still stands up today, even though it’s been succeeded by the Ryzen 7 2800X. Its high core count, when compared to the intel Core i7 7700K means that it's much better suited to VR workloads, and now that it’s dropped significantly in price, it’s more affordable than ever before. If you’re building a VR rig, do yourself a favor: save some cash without giving up on too much performance with the Ryzen 7 1800X. Read the full review: AMD Ryzen 7 1800X http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3gi8dK3s8ysXbeyBaaZKfj.jpg The naming convention is confusing, given that the Intel Core i7-7820X is part of Intel’s “Skylake-X” series rather than the X-class chips built on the 14nm Kaby Lake node, but semantics matter very little when you get to go hands-on with an Intel CPU boasting this many cores. Although the fact that you’ll need a new motherboard to use this octa-core monster might be enough to scare some users off to Ryzen, Intel loyalists shan’t mind the upgrade. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ay5Zjb4tPfsTH8KCmXdcqd.jpg If you’re the kind of user that demands world-class performance, and you couldn’t care less about cost, the Intel Core i9-9980XE is the best processor for you. With 18-cores and 36-threads, it absolutely destroys everything else on the market right now, if only just barely. Multi-threaded applications and workstation-class projects are going to breeze by with this chip. However, if you need to ask how much it costs more than once, it might not be for you. Read the full review: Intel Core i9-9980XE http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3RgXY2EyVyKSo5AfKbZGgj.jpg If you opt for the Intel Pentium G4560 over a Core i3 chip, you won’t even notice the slight loss of performance – you’ll be too busy counting all the money you saved. As the first Pentium processor in a long time to feature hyper-threading, the G4560 shows us what low-end CPUs have been missing for so long. And, in benchmarks it proves that it’s easily adjacent to the more expensive Intel Core i3-7100. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XYimGWyiNrA7s3K7HRmhzB.jpg One of the only things that we were left wanting when AMD’s Ryzen processors blew up is that they didn’t support integrated graphics. However, the Ryzen 5 2400G changes everything for mainstream PC users. With impressive AMD Vega graphics, it’s a fantastic APU that will be perfect for anyone looking to build a home theater PC. And, now that AMD has slashed the price you can get your 4K action on cheaper than ever. Read the full review: AMD Ryzen 5 2400G Ready to up the ante on your display? The best monitor is hereCheck out our Linux vs Windows vs Mac - OS comparison video below. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/0C4gLNqLevw

When you go out and drop your savings on the best gaming PC you can build, it can be hard to avoid just jumping on a cheap mouse to get your game on. However, we wouldn’t advise doing this, instead, you should buy the best gaming mouse you can afford – everything attached to your rig should be of comparable quality. While you’re at it, you can pick up one of the best mouse pads, too. If you’re looking for one of the best gaming mice, you should look for a mouse that can balance price and performance in a compelling way. Don’t fall for the age-old trap that the best mouse is the most expensive one on the shelf. Note the SteelSeries Rival 600 – at the price of a new AAA game, it has plenty of high-end features and awesome performance. So, we gathered together the best gaming mice we’ve used – all of which have been reviewed and tested by us. No matter what kind of games you're into, you'll find the best gaming mouse for your needs right here on this list. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ignGnXqX9GL5366v9MZ3KM.jpg SteelSeries Rival 600 SteelSeries is experiencing a sort of renaissance in 2018, and there is no greater evidence of that than the SteelSeries Rival 600. Featuring customizable weight, the perfect amount of side buttons, and true RGB spectrum lighting the Rival 600 will be the centerpiece of your desk. But, even beyond the aesthetics, the Rival 600 performs far better than a mouse in its price range has any right to. Not only does it feature a 12,000 DPI sensor and satisfying mechanical switches, but the Rival 600 goes above and beyond and features a depth sensor that will all but eliminate cursor sway when you lift your mouse off of the mouse pad. This is truly the best gaming mouse you can buy today. Read the full review: SteelSeries Rival 600 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vmHJyCcAU2d7HSHtpG3iUJ.jpg SteelSeries Sensei 310 The SteelSeries Sensei 310 is a gaming mouse like no other, both in terms of price and performance. The low cost of admission keeps it on the same level that you’d expect to pay for a new game, while its out-of-this-world TrueMove 3 optical sensor makes it almost impossible to compete with. This mouse, with no preference when it comes to dexterity, is unparalleled when it comes to real-world sensitivity. You can even pick up the SteelSeries Rival 310 if you want similar performance, but a more right-handed approach to dexterity. Read the full review: SteelSeries Sensei 310 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dQm8Zb4mfmCu9L9aiLJoHR.jpg Corsair Dark Core RGB SE In our minds, the best gaming mice are always going to be the ones that deliver excellent performance at a price that doesn’t break the bank. And, the Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless is the poster child for price-to-performance ratios. At less than 50 bucks, you’re getting a wireless mouse that doesn’t suck, has RGB lighting and long battery life. The ergonomics are specifically for right-handed users, but at this price, with this level of performance, there’s little to complain about. Read the full review: Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5kdid4vWrBDqmywVGfPyJ.jpg Logitech G903 Undeterred by years of ridicule for their comparatively higher latency, the Logitech G900 of yesteryear proved once and for all that wireless gaming mice don’t have to suck. Though it’s merely a slight upgrade to that model, the Logitech G903 only reassures us of that conviction. Gracing a slightly altered G900 design with Logitech’s on PowerPlay mouse pad that doubles as a wireless charger, the Logitech G903 is a pricey, yet rewarding investment. Read the full review: Logitech G903 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9JvCEhwNPzqBbk7WpNgqg5.jpg Roccat Kone Aimo At first glance, you’d be forgiven for assuming the Roccat Kone Aimo would be an unwieldy hardcore-only gaming mouse. You’d be wrong. Even with the plethora of buttons and mouse furniture sticking out, the Roccat Kone Aimo is a surprisingly ergonomic peripheral, which means more comfort shouldn’t be an issue for even the longest gaming sessions. Packed with one of the most in-your-face RGB lighting setups we’ve ever seen in a pointing device, along with 10-programmable buttons, this is one of the best gaming mice on the market right now. Read the full review: Roccat Kone Aimo http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/TMjrPr8Y7gLhgLmHqCfRKH.jpg Cooler Master MasterMouse MM520 If you need one of the best gaming mice, but are looking to save some cash at the same time – the Cooler Master MasterMouse MM520 might be what you’re looking for. It won’t win any beauty contests, but packing quality Omron switches and a reasonably sensitive sensor capable of up to 12,000 DPI, it’s easy to look past the unappealing design – especially if you use a claw grip. Read the full review: Cooler Master MasterMouse MM520 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PCfGUsZV4G5zqQbqyaGuA5.jpg Razer Naga Trinity If you’re gearing up to represent either the Alliance or the Horde in World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth, you’re going to want to take a look at the Razer Naga Trinity. Razer’s Naga mice have always been aimed at MMO gamers, but the company wasn’t content to just appeal to that one niche. With the Naga Trinity, you’ll get 3 easily swappable side plates so that you can change your mouse to fit the game you’re playing. Aadd in the insane 16,000 DPI 5G Sensor and Razer Chroma RGB lighting, and you’ll top the DPS meters, and your gaming setup will look nice while you do it. Read the full review: Razer Naga Trinity http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/AjCAmZ9b4XEt9XPNEnu8j.jpg HyperX Pulsefire Surge If you find yourself snickering at some of the ridiculous gaming mice available in 2018, you should take a look at the HyperX Pulsefire Surge RGB. Featuring extremely reliable Omron switches and gorgeous RGB lighting – not to mention its unbelievable 16,000 DPI sensor – you’re getting one of the best gaming mice for a great price. Plus, it’ll fit into any office, at least once you turn down the lighting effects. Read the full review: HyperX Pulsefire Surge RGB http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/koH6XFczD4MbmrEV4LEJrB.jpg Corsair Glaive RGB If you’ve got big hands, it can be hard to find the best gaming mouse for you. They’re either too small, too light or a bit of both. And, then some of the big mice out there are packed with gratuitous buttons and weird shapes that make them look like some kind of Transformers extra. The Corsair Ironclaw fixes all of that, it’s an attractive mouse for big-hand users that you won’t have to hide whenever you have company. It’s robust, too, so you don’t need to worry about breaking it if you’re a bit too rough with it. Read the full review: Corsair Ironclaw RGB http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qM5cNq43DgnRoAwntca8jS.jpg Creative Sound BlasterX Siege M04 You don’t see sound card manufacturers trying their hands at making the best gaming mouse every day – but that’s exactly what Creative did. The Creative Sound BlasterX M04 is actually one of the best gaming mice you can buy in 2018 – the 12,000 DPI rating means it’s quick and responsive. The RGB lighting scheme is great, too, controlled by Creative’s own Sound Blaster Connect software. The Creative Sound BlasterX Siege M04 is a winner in form and function. Read the full review: Creative Sound BlasterX Siege M04 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eaV3kfiKqe8HZw8guGnRxS.jpg How to choose the best gaming mouseEven though you’ll definitely find the best gaming mouse here, doing so will take some effort. There’s a ton of complicated technical jargon that goes into the best gaming mice – terms like polling rates and DPI ratings. You’ll want a higher number of both, but these two terms mean drastically different things. For newcomers to the world of PC gaming, that DPI is shorthand for ‘dots per inch.’ The higher the number, the wider the range wherein you can specify your how sensitive your mouse is. If you don’t have a lot of desk space available and you want accuracy and precision, then opt for a gaming mouse featuring a higher DPI rating. Of course, you can always toggle a lower DPI too. Meanwhile, a high polling rate gives you faster response times. The polling rate is measured in hertz, so it usually ranges from around 125 to 1,000Hz. The latter means that your mouse’s position is reported to your computer 1,000 times per second. Other key gaming mouse factors you’ll want to consider are ergonomics – particularly if you’re left-handed – and RGB lighting. Be sure to also check out our list of the best PC cases!Gabe Carey has also contributed to this article http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/Z7C765iN0Yk

Whether there’s something in the water, or the political climate has us all a bit pessimistic, we just can’t get enough of the end of the world as we know it. Zombies? Atomic bomb? Or maybe a deadly virus? Modern media is awash with various iterations of how society will crumble – and videogames are the biggest offender. The twilight of the current console generation has seen a host of post-apocalyptic titles emerge. 2018 saw the release of icy-survival sim Frostpunk and zombie-shooter State of Decay 2, and Bethesda’s Rage 2 and Obsidian’s The Outer Worlds are set to come out in 2019. But you can’t have an apocalypse without a disaster and we’ve certainly had those too – with one game in particular springing to mind. Fallout 76 promised to be the kind of open-world wasteland we’ve come to expect from the series, but when Todd Howard revealed the game would be online, our hearts sank and – it turns out – for good reason. Fallout 76 was a shell of what it was capable of, lacking in heart and diluting a formula that had previously worked so well for Bethesda. The general consensus among fans was: if it’s not broken, then don’t fix it. In the wake of the fallout (pun intended), we’re left with a radioactive-shaped hole in our heart, which we should probably see a doctor about. But we may have found just the right game to fill it. It’s not long until we see the release of post-apocalyptic survival horror Metro Exodus, with just under a month to wait before we can get down and dirty in the Russian dystopia. We saw the title earlier at Gamescom 2018 and got a preview of the game’s Autumn level, called Taiga. But now that the game is nearly complete, we couldn’t pass up a chance to take a look once again before release – and get some time with the game’s Volga (spring) and Caspian (summer) levels. To be honest, we wanted to make sure we weren’t in for another disappointment, but instead we found a potential replacement for those Fallout blues... Spring in your stephttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/N3Mq98GkmApzYMJ6w5mqYR.jpg “This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but with a whimper,” T.S. Eliot famously wrote in his poem ‘The Hollow Men’ and it’s a quote which swirls around our head as we navigate the deteriorating wasteland of Metro Exodus. Gray industrial buildings are sunken in a mix of filthy snow, radioactive clouds, rust, and blood. This is the way the world ends and it’s in a way we’ve rarely seen. It isn’t stylishly sexy like Mad Max, or painted with fluorescent rebels like in the Rage series. No, those are Western depictions of the apocalypse, and Metro’s author Dmitry Glukhovsky does not abide by this mold. Glukhovsky has made no secret that the Metro series is a commentary on the current social and political climate. Metro Exodus, along with the book Metro 2035 that essentially acts as its foreword, touches on the refugee crisis in both Russia and Europe as well as the impact the Cold War has had on the Russian mindset. “What we lacked was an enemy,” Glukhovsky explains, referring to aftermath of the Cold War. Still geared for War, the author believes the Russian people directed their post-Cold War disdain elsewhere, focusing on the refugees fleeing to the country. They inspired Metro’s mutants. “They’re totally like us, but they are the inverse of us. We can’t communicate with them, so we hate them,” he explains. It’s no surprise that Glukhovsky paints a picture of a dystopia unlike what we're used to in the West. His vision is influenced by the Soviet-Punk style of post-Cold War Russia and the industrialization that followed in that turbulent era. It's a period that's stayed fresh in his countrymen's minds, particularly under the reign of Putin. “We Russians were so glad to get back to the bunker, the bunker of the Cold War in which we were sitting expecting to be bombed everyday,” Glukhovsky tells us, reiterating how much our underlying desire to find enemies because we need them influenced Metro's world. “People do not see purpose in their lives without struggle,” Glukhovsky continues. “No one wants a real war, but they want to feel like it when they sit on the couch at home – that they're struggling against something.” http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/23cS5BbUEJfe2VaZ4hqkTf.jpg Glukhovsky's apocalypse is dark, unforgiving and full of radioactive creatures from a fever dream. You play as Artyom, who has recently fled the confines of the Moscow Metro and is now leading a band of Spartan Rangers on a train journey East to safety. The first level we play is Volga, set in springtime. You would be forgiven for mistaking it for winter, as the Aurora plows through the snows and frozen lakes of 2036 Russia. A blockade stops the locomotive in its tracks, forcing Artyom and his partner Anna to venture out, giving us a closer look at the frigid landscape. Metro Exodus is essentially linear, though the game gives you room to wander. In fact, you'll probably have to, given its light-touch design. Rather than hand-holding you through where to go, Metro Exodus requires you to navigate the old-school way, using a compass and a map. Though frustrating at times, it actually makes for an extra sense of adventure. While you can stray away from the marker, it’s better to stick to your goal, and venture further afield only when ammo or resources are low and scavenging is a necessity. Unfortunately, this is quite common. Every bullet counts; this isn't a game where you can be trigger happy. Each bullet may as well have a name engraved on it - like ‘Steve, the giant woodlouse creature that attacked me in the lake’. Gathering these resources also allows for upgrades to weapons such as modifying a gun’s magazine, stock, barrel, and even adding a gadget. This can be done on the move, but you’re not safe doing so, and can easily be killed while tending to wounds or modifying weapons. You've been warned. Fire walk with mehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jfEuaDCDrb9dgao59zQgLY.jpg Perhaps the most dynamic level we played was the Caspian, summer chapter. As we walked through the sandy, desolate ruins of the desert, there was a sense of deja vu. The environment was reminiscent of the news footage from war-torn countries, as you watch soldiers troop through battle-ravaged villages: the desolation and survival culture was evident. It's at this point that your gas mask proves more than just a fashion accessory. Radioactive dust blowing around isn’t exactly good for the lungs, so maintaining your gas mask is paramount to surviving. Caspian catapults us later into the story of Metro Exodus. As the tension ramps up, so do the enemies. As we scavenged the ruins of mural-clad walls, we were hard-pressed to avoid running into a mutant at every turn. Snarling, ugly and dusty, they looked as though they climbed straight out of hell. Unfortunately for us, word travels fast in the underworld, and it wasn’t long before we were fleeing from a horde of crawling creatures, all while careful to avoid flaming tumbleweeds that rolled by. “Should have been more careful with the bullets,” we hiss to no one in particular as we slam mutants with the butt of a rifle. And that’s really the point of Metro: it’s a thinking person’s Fallout. There's a political story encased in a dark and industrial world, but you'll miss it if you don't look hard enough. For those who prefer to simply take their games at face value, it also offers that – with more mutants than you can shake a stick at and a collection of madcap characters. Metro Exodus is due to release for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on February 15, 2019. Make sure to check out our Gamescom Metro Exodus preview, where we played Metro's Taiga autumn level and spoke to the 4A Games devs. 40 best PC games 2019: the must-play titles you don’t want to misshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/OURCQ62Nedw

The RTX 2080 Ti and RTX 2080 are finally here and the Nvidia Turing revolution has begun in earnest. So, do you splurge on an expensive flagship graphics card? Or, do you go back in time a bit, pick up a Pascal card and save a couple bucks? No matter what you do, you’ll be able to use the best graphics cards to play the best PC games from Hitman 2 to Battlefield V. Remember that the best graphics cards can vary wildly depending on the kind of build you’re pursuing, so it can be hard to find the best graphics card for your needs – it’s not always the most expensive one. That’s why we decided to compile a guide of the best graphics cards you can buy today, all of which have been tested and reviewed here at TechRadar. So, before you go out to pick up one of the best graphics cards, we’ll list out the best graphics cards you can buy today. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/LApgbBPKeSFAgssPmeBLsk.jpg One of the biggest complaints we had about Nvidia Turing when it first launched was the astronomical prices. But, with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060, Nvidia brings value to the Turing lineup – or, at least, more value than was there already. With the RTX 2060, you’ll be able to run pretty much everything at 1080p with max settings, comfortably experience 1440p and you’ll even be able to break into 4K. And, then there’s the RTX features – even at this level, ray tracing is possible at 1080p. Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QcEGodRHAXWw7PaPRZujRM.jpg If you’re on the market for one of the best graphics cards, and you’ve got some cash to burn, you might want to consider the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti. Without a doubt, it’s the most powerful graphics cards on the market, as long as the price doesn’t scare you away. And, the first actual game with Ray Tracing is finally available, Battlefield V. While you can turn RTX On, just keep in mind that it’ll hamper performance a bit. Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qCbpufKLxXR2byuN85PQhd.jpg If you want to stick to QHD, with some brief forays into 4K, you might want to check out the RTX 2070. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 brings the new Turing architecture to the mid range with performance that dwarfs the GTX 1070 that came before. Not only will you be able to play everything at 1440p, but you’re going to get insane performance – up to 120fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider. However, you should consider that the RTX 2070 is significantly more expensive than its predecessor, so that trade off in price-to-performance may not be worth it – especially if you’re coming from a Pascal card. Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rU3vJ8kVQTqFsZaVyLPWzZ.jpg The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 is the best graphics card for Full HD gaming you can buy today – your benchmarks put it above the GTX 1070. And, now that it’s fallen in price to what we would call an ‘acceptable’ level, there’s never been a better time to pick one up. While it’s arguably a bit overkill for Full HD gaming, the RX Vega 56 will come in handy for 144 to 240hz monitors and future-proofing against increasingly demanding games. You can also expect a fantastic 1440p experience with this card. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fEeLSDYpWvwXTNgzGEExh5.jpg If you’re trying to play the best VR games, you’re going to need the best graphics card for the job. And, these days, that’s going to be the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080. Packed with the latest Turing architecture and the VirtualLink VR connector, you won’t have to worry about choppy VR performance making you sick. And, outside of VR, you should be able to play all your favorite PC games at 1440p and 4K without breaking a sweat. Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sBKBQcpGf7eprcznDR6oFJ.jpg If you’re setting out to build a microATX or a mini-ITX gaming PC, you shouldn’t have to settle for a low-end GPU. You can find mini graphics cards like the Zotac GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Mini. And, sure it’s not the latest and greatest GPU out there anymore, but the 1080 Ti has a lot of life left in it. Plus, when you can get that power in a card that’s just 211 x 125 x 41mm, the loss in performance is totally worth the beautiful mini PC you’ll get. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xKTvy69fwuW2FHp32qSF6S.jpg The Nvidia GTX 1050 might not look like much on paper, what with only 2GB of video memory onboard, but this affordable GPU plays games better than you would think. If you’re willing to drop settings to medium, you can play Overwatch, CS:GO and other popular competitive shooters well above the silky smooth 60fps mark. Thanks to its compact size, it’s also perfect for small builds and entertainment center-bound streaming PCs. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HL6jpupcX5VwvuhXNHtV9.jpg Any eSports player will tell you that high frame rates are far more important than beautifully rendered graphical details – and that’s where the Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti shines. In a time where graphics cards cost as much as rent, it’s an affordable, but potent GPU that can play most eSports games well above 60fps. It’s a bit pricier than the lower-end Nvidia GTX 1050, but you’ll appreciate the extra power behind this card to play future eSports titles, as well as the odd AAA title. Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti These are the best gaming monitors to go with your shiny new GPUhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/2eSFzQTfYTs

It's official: you can get Sony's ill-launched PlayStation Classic retro revival console for less than the cost of a brand-new PS4 game. It appears that people aren't exactly picking up the device in droves, as it's now almost half off list price. The console packs in 20 of the oddest classic game picks we would have expected of the brand's pedigree, but at least it includes two controllers? (Well, it does leave out the AC adapter...) The PlayStation Classic is definitely the worst of the retro revival consoles to come out within the past few years. However, people are missing the point of such a purchase. Pick one of these bad boys up, get at its insides, and side-load all of your favorite PS1 games that you have completely legal ROM files for; you'll have the ultimate retro PlayStation device. With that possibility in mind, this becomes a pretty unbeatable deal, no? SNES Classic Mini: the best retro revival consolehttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/noGM9n7G9uk