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It's closing in on four months since the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR were revealed by Apple, which means it's high time we started thinking about what the 2019 iPhones might have to offer – and the rumors swirling this weekend are focusing on the sort of wireless tech the handsets could introduce. According to Barclays analyst Blaine Curtis, the iPhone 11 (or whatever it ends up being called) could well include support for Wi-Fi 6, also known as 802.11ax: the fastest Wi-Fi standard in existence. At the moment, most of us are on Wi-Fi 5. That means a significant jump in Wi-Fi speed, assuming you or your local coffee shop have the broadband connection to support it, and a Wi-Fi 6 router all set up and ready to go. Depending on the setup you're connecting to, you might see speeds get doubled at least, with potential improvements that are much greater. The 5G waiting gameLike 5G, Wi-Fi 6 is about more than just speed: it's about reliability and capacity as well. The incoming standard, which should start to gain widespread adoption in 2019, can provide more stable connections and support more devices simultaneously (very helpful for your growing smart home army of gadgets). And what of 5G? We had previously heard that a 5G iPhone wouldn't arrive until 2020, but comments made by Apple executive Tony Blevins in an antitrust trial involving Qualcomm suggest the company is weighing up its options for which 5G chips to use. 5G chips from MediaTek and Samsung are at least being considered, Blevins confirmed, though whether or not a decision has been made isn't clear. There was no indication when these 5G chips would get used either, so it sounds as though iPhone fans might have to wait another year before this particular cellular upgrade arrives. Qualcomm: Wi-Fi 6 and Mesh Networks driving 'revival' in home networkingVia 9to5Mac http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/fNCj_HEmWAU

Farewell then, to the Chromecast Audio dongle – Google has confirmed it's discontinuing the product, which was launched back in 2015. The product is no longer available to buy direct from Google, and it won't be getting restocked. For those who aren't aware, the Chromecast Audio dongle was designed to attach to a regular speaker via a 3.5 mm audio cable, and pipe through audio from Chromecast-compatible apps on other devices – though if you haven't heard of the Chromecast Audio before now, you're a bit late to the party. So late in fact that it's now ending. The device actually worked very well as a way to add some smarts to an existing speaker, and get audio from plenty of apps at a louder volume without resorting to Bluetooth. However, Google obviously feels the Chromecast Audio's time is up. Support will continueSuspicions were raised in a Reddit post by someone who had ordered a Chromecast Audio, and then a Google spokesperson confirmed to Android Police that the dongle had reached the end of the road after a little over three years. "Our product portfolio continues to evolve, and now we have a variety of products for users to enjoy audio," Google says. "We have therefore stopped manufacturing our Chromecast Audio products. We will continue to offer assistance for Chromecast Audio devices, so users can continue to enjoy their music, podcasts and more." It sounds as though Google would much rather you used one of its own speakers – or maybe a Sonos One with Google Assistant support – rather than plugging a smart attachment into an existing one. The best smart speakers 2019: which one should you buy?http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/cfOo6KdI-bs

The Redmi Note 7 smartphone has officially been launched at an event in Beijing, China. At the same event, Xiaomi confirmed the earlier news that Redmi would be an independent brand, going forward. The Redmi Note 7 comes with an all-new design, a departure from its predecessor, the Note 6, whose design remained largely unaltered from the Note 5. The new Note 7, however, sports a waterdrop notch with thin bezels on the sides. It also houses a 48MP rear camera, which makes it the cheapest 48MP camera smartphone in the world. Due to the notch at the top of the display, the Note 7 has a 6.3-inch LCD screen with 2340x1080 pixels. The company claims that the bezels on the sides are just 0.8mm thick, with a brightness of 450 nits, similar to the Note 6 Pro. The body of the phone is a 2.5D curved glass chassis, with a rear fingerprint sensor. The camera unit is placed at the top left corner of the rear panel, aligned vertically, with a single LED flash below the sensor; there's also a secondary 5MP rear sensor for portrait shots. The camera appears to be housed in a large, protruding module. The design refresh is certainly welcome; but it's the rear camera module that's the real newsmaker for this phone. According to the company, the 48MP sensor can take better low-light shots, and poster-quality HD photos. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gzAd5vcb3HGRHfrtaritiU.jpg The device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 SoC, and a 4000mAh battery. The phone will come in 3GB, 4GB and 6GB RAM variants, with 32GB and 64GB storage models. At the bottom is a USB Type-C port, replacing the micro-USB port that most phones in this budget have. It supports Qualcomm QuickCharge 4.0. The selfie camera has a 13MP sensor, with AI algorithms for beautification and portrait mode. According to Xiaomi (or is it Redmi now?), the display is so durable that stepping on it won't break it. Dare we test that claim? The Redmi Note 7's price begins at 999 Yuan for the base variant (3GB+32GB), which translates to roughly Rs 10,381; the priciest is the 6GB+64GB variant, which costs 1399 Yuan (about Rs 14,532). The company is offering an 18-month warranty to buyers in China. It's hard to say when the phone will come to India, and if it'll remain as affordable as we've come to expect from the brand. Clearly, the Note 7 brings some pretty high-end specs to the budget smartphone table, so the pricing in India will be a matter of some interest. TechRadar’s 2019 CES Awards: the best tech we saw in Vegas http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/Z898hr6CSa4

While Intel and AMD were outdoing each other at CES 2019 by announcing their respective 10-nanometer (nm) and 7nm processors, both companies also introduced hybrid processors that may change the future of computing forever. On one side, there’s Intel’s LakeField processors, with architecture that is more like an ARM CPU than a traditional computer chip. Instead of just having a block of 10nm CPU cores, the LakeField processor will feature one central 10nm Sunny Cove core paired with four Treemont Atom cores. Later into CES 2019, AMD also introduced its own hybrid processor with a Ryzen 3rd Generation chip that pairs an eight-core 7nm chiplet with a second 14nm chiplet to manage memory controllers and PCIe lanes. Both processors aim to do different things with their hybrid architectures, but they share one thing in common: they’re both moving away from the traditional monolithic processor. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DvVxrL8rL3ZSkRS6hUHBvf.jpg Monolithic vs HybridNow, after all that talk, you might be wondering what the difference is between monolithic and hybrid processor designs. The answer is actually simpler than you might think. For the most part, processors that have come in laptops and PC have stuck to a monolithic design, in which there is one homogeneous processor die built from a single architecture. For example, Intel Coffee Lake processors used a single 14nm die, Ryzen CPUs featured a 14nm die, Ryzen 2nd Generation a 12nm die, and so on. Hybrid designs shake things up by introducing chiplets that may add a second type of processor core, integrated graphics, memory or any number of features. ARM-based CPUs found in phones, tablets and even Qualcomm-powered Windows 10 machines typically use this type of design to great effect for maximizing battery life and even performance. Now, it seems we're starting to see the beginnings of hybridization in computer processors now – at least in Intel's case with LakeField. By packing in both performance cores and low energy cores into the same chip, hybrid processors could allow your devices to handle all your tasks on demand and save battery life when they’re just on standby. What's more, chips with this type of architecture can act as compact systems on a chip if they also have integrated graphics, memory and other modules. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xm6ss3TbaYmg87NjpxHBW3.jpg Proof in the puddingIntel has actually already shown an example of the how small its hybrid processor-powered device can be. At its CES 2019 keynote stage, the company introduced its LakeField processor built into the smallest motherboard it has produced, measuring just the length of five American quarters, a form factor that could easily fit into tablets and even some phones. According to Intel, LakeField processors can power anything from very low power devices to full PC performance. AMD didn’t have nearly as many proof of concept examples, but it did show that its new hybridized processor doesn’t lose a step in performance due to the new design. The company’s mystery Ryzen 3rd Generation processor scored 2,023 points in Cinebench. By comparison, the Intel Core i9-9900K and AMD Ryzen 7 2700X scored 1,873 and 1,798 points, respectively in our own testing. While it seems like hybrid processors have a promising future in computing devices, we don’t want to buy into the hype too much until we actually get some devices with them inside. There’s also no reason for processors with monolithic designs to disappear anytime soon. All the complexity of hybrid chips will likely add to the cost of devices until their production becomes ubiquitous. Also, not all devices may benefit from a hybrid architecture. For example, PCs built for production and gaming will be better off with classically constructed CPUs and the maximum power a monolithic processor can deliver. Though, the regularity at which Apple’s iPads, equipped with its self-made processors, outpace Windows 10 laptops may prove this to be false. It’s too early to tell what devices powered by Intel and AMD’s hybrid processors may look like, but we’re excited this is even happening. The software and experience of using laptops and PCs has evolved in step with phones and mobile devices – with touchscreens, biometrics and features like modern standby – and it feels like it’s about time for the same thing to happen to the hardware that powers them. Want more CES 2019 highlights? TechRadar is hands-on with 8K TVs and foldable, rollable displays, along with new laptops and Alexa-enabled smart gadgets. Check out everything we've seen, live from Las Vegas!http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/hWDQ3yRNpC8

In a move that will surely upset the open-source community, AWS has launched a new database offering compatible with the MongoDB API called DocumentDB. The cloud giant describes its new product as a “fast, scalable, and highly available document database that is designed to be compatible with your existing MongoDB applications and tools.” However, it is essentially a replacement for MongoDB that uses its API but none of its code. According to AWS, its customers have found it difficult to build fast and highly available applications that are able to scale to multiple terabytes with hundreds of thousands of reads and writes per second. So instead, the company built its own document database that is compatible with Apace 2.0 open source MongoDB 3.6 API. This has led to further accusations that AWS is taking the best open-source projects and re-branding them without giving back to the communities responsible for their creation. Sincerest form of flatteryMongoDB took efforts to stop AWS and others from copying its product by re-licensing its open-source tools under a new license that clearly states that companies trying to use its code to create similar products have to buy a commercial license. MongoDB's CEO and President Dev Ittycheria responded to the news in a statement to TechCrunch, saying: “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so it’s not surprising that Amazon would try to capitalize on the popularity and momentum of MongoDB’s document model. However, developers are technically savvy enough to distinguish between the real thing and a poor imitation. MongoDB will continue to outperform any impersonations in the market.” The company's Co-Founder and CTO Eliot Horowitz also weighed in on the matter, saying: “In order to give developers what they want, AWS has been pushed to offer an imitation MongoDB service that is based on the MongoDB code from two years ago. Our entire company is focused on one thing — giving developers the best way to work with data with the freedom to run anywhere. Our commitment to that single mission will continue to differentiate the real MongoDB from any imitation products that come along.” Time will tell if developers embrace AWS' DocumentDB but the damage to the open-source community has already been done. Via TechCrunch Fan of open-source? This is the best open source softwarehttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/V6K7LMrXCSo

A top court adviser for the EU has said that Google can limit the “right to be forgotten” to internet searches made within the European Union. Back in 2016, Google was fined by France's privacy watchdog CNIL for failing to delist sensitive information beyond the borders of the EU. Maciej Szpunar's opinion on the case will likely help the search giant as the European Court of Justices judges generally follow the advice of the advocate general though they are not bound to do so. Google's senior privacy counsel, Peter Fleischer explained how the company has worked to protect European's right to be forgotten, saying: “We’ve worked hard to ensure that the right to be forgotten is effective for Europeans, including using geolocation to ensure 99 percent effectiveness.” Right to be forgottenA landmark ruling five years ago gave Europeans the right to ask search engines to delist certain information about them. According to Szpunar, searches made from outside the EU should not be affected by the right to be forgotten. He explained how the right to be forgotten should not interfere with other fundamental rights, saying: “The fundamental right to be forgotten must be balanced against other fundamental rights, such as the right to data protection and the right to privacy, as well as the legitimate public interest in accessing the information sought.” Google has appealed a $115,000 fine from CNIL in March 2016 for failing to delist information across national borders which sent the case to the European Court of Justice. Via Reuters We've also highlighted the best VPN http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/ABhm3ZsMjOo

At CES 2019, we've experienced an absolute deluge of laptops and other computers that made this year’s show feel more like Computex than the Consumer Electronics Show. That’s not even on account of Nvidia’s big push into RTX graphics on laptops. Not counting the 40-some new gaming laptops on display at the show, we easily saw another 40 general use laptops this year – and almost all of them would have been worth deeper coverage had we not forgotten to clone ourselves before landing in Las Vegas. Just three years ago, the popular opinion was that laptops and PCs were dead in the water, that you should sell your stock or just pick up a tablet. So, what’s up with this explosion in laptop production for 2019? Mark Linton, GM of OEM Portfolio and Product Management for Microsoft, gave us a few of his ideas at the company’s media showcase in Las Vegas. Who better to ask than someone who’s working with all of these laptop makers every day? http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BsCXBWKvfnQnwjiYRVspdn.jpg Huawei's MateBook 13: an example of PCs' steady uptick in power and design quality. Upgrade time is up for a lot of users“There are a few factors here,” Linton tells us, “innovation in silicon, innovation in graphics [and] Windows 10 momentum in terms of the install base. Windows 7 is going end of support in a year, and so customers are looking to move to make sure they get updated and so on.” Ding, ding, ding – we have a winner. Yes, the advancements in processing and a steady rise in Windows 10 adoption are contributors. However, Microsoft stopped pushing feature updates to its almost 10-year-old operating system (OS) back in 2015, and support for Windows 7 security updates will end on January 14, 2020. This is a much more plausible explanation for the explosion in new laptops for 2019. “Each silicon generation, things get thinner and better battery life,” Linton adds. “Again, I often compare it to that Windows 7 machine [that] is six or seven years old, compared to what you’re getting now, it blows your mind. Windows 7 support is a big one that we see customers thinking about, you know, ‘I want to upgrade to Windows 10, so I can get updates.’ And, just overall, excitement is back in the PC.” You might be thinking, “Wait, why didn’t all these people just upgrade to Windows 10 when it was free?” Well, then you’re not the average computer user. The vast majority of computer users don’t pay much attention to such things as OS updates. (The only reason Apple’s iOS updates have such wide adoption is because of their insistence and simplicity – notice how Apple doesn’t publicly share macOS install base figures much?) http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Pg73ir33ePRpwHqx5PFahd.jpg Samsung certainly seems ready for this with the gorgeous, budget-friendly Notebook Flash. It appears that hardware manufacturers the world over are preparing to be there for the time when users finally notice that their aged Windows 7 device isn’t receiving updates at all. How Microsoft will ultimately communicate this to users is unknown, but surely the company will do everything in its power to ensure its warnings are heeded. Microsoft clearly has been preparing for this moment, working more closely than ever with laptop makers to produce more attractive options at all ends of the budget spectrum. “There’s a PC for everyone. They start at sub $200 and go all the way up to the very high end,” Linton says in conclusion. “We’ve done a lot of work with our partners on the engineering side to get things like 32GB storage, to get updates working great, to get the driver model really smooth. So, no matter what you spend, you’re going to have a great, reliable Windows 10 experience.” If you know someone in your life that’s still rocking a Windows 7 laptop or PC from a few years back, give them a gentle nudge and tell them it’s time to upgrade. Even at the budget level, comparatively, they’re in for a massive boost. Check out all of TechRadar's CES 2019 coverage. We're live in Las Vegas to bring you all the breaking tech news and launches, plus hands-on reviews of everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops and smart home gadgets. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/-bTBja5r-rA

A number of government websites are now inaccessible after 80 TLS certificates used by the US government have expired and with no staff on hand to renew them as a result of the government shutdown. According to Netfcraft, NASA, the US Department of Justice and the Court of Appeals are just some of the US government agencies whose websites have been affected by the shutdown. Hundreds of thousands of government workers have been furloughed including the staff responsible for handling IT support and cybersecurity. With no one to service them or update their TLS certificates, government websites are going down in droves which is raising concerns in the IT and cybersecurity industries. Expired TLS certificatesWebsites with expired certificates where admins followed proper procedures and implemented HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security) policies are completely down with users unable to even browse the sites. On the other hand, government websites with expired TLS certificates that failed to implement HSTS now show and HTTPS error in user's browsers. The error can be bypassed by accessing these sites using HTTP but visitors have been warned against logging in or carrying out any sensitive operations as traffic and credentials are no longer encrypted and could be intercepted by malicious third parties. The government shutdown has affected the country as a whole but it has really hit hard on the cybersecurity front. Experts have warned that the situation presents the perfect opportunity for hostile countries and hackers to launch cyberattacks on the US government. Via ZDNet We've also highlighted the best web hostinghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/9Hc3xQobyjU

There's no better place to see the future of technology than at CES in Las Vegas, and from smartphones to smart homes the tech on show at CES 2019 was every bit as impressive as we expected – but it was the 8K TVs showcased by the likes of Sony, LG and Samsung that really blew us away. So what is 8K TV? 8K refers to the screen resolution – in other words, the number of pixels in the screen area. The more pixels there are, the better the image clarity. 8K TV has four times more pixels than 4K images, with a resolution of 7680 x 4320 pixels, which equates to a total of 33,177,600 pixels. That means it's quite simply the clearest picture you've ever seen. But why should gamers care about 8K? Well, if you're a fan of stunning graphics and crystal-clear images then you most certainly should; if you think Assassin's Creed Odyssey looks pretty in 4K, wait until you see it running on 8K. Even better, these new 8K TVs are coming with built-in HDMI 2.1, which means they'll be able to support 8K content at 60fps. However, currently the Xbox One X is the only console to implement HDMI 2.1 (as it's a new standard). In addition, both it and the PS4 Pro are well into their life cycles, so Sony and Microsoft probably won't prioritize 8K first-party games for them. In other words, we may not actually see games harnessing the potential of 8K TV for a while. While it's possible for next-generation consoles such as the Xbox Two or PS5 to make use of 8K, it's unlikely they will for a multitude of reasons – it's far more likely that PC will nail 8K gaming first, followed by the Xbox Two X or PS5 Pro, or whatever those consoles will be called. While 8K TVs may not be beneficial for gamers right this second, investing in an 8K TV will set you up for future console generations such as the (again we're guessing at the names) PS6 or Xbox Three. So, if you have some cash to splash, or simply want to swoon over the latest 8K offerings, here we present the best 8K TVs from CES 2019 for your perusal. Sony Master Series Z9G 8K HDR TVhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3bos49kKMfdeCP46SSUuvT.jpg Kicking us off is the massive Sony Master Series Z9G 8K HDR TV, measuring in at 85 or 98 inches (depending on your preference). The 8K monolith is powered by Sony's X1 Ultimate processor, and sees the return of the Backlight Master Drive from Sony's 2016 Z Series TVs. But What does that mean? More enhanced contrast and precision-controlled brightness, that's what. The problem with Sony's offering is that it's absolutely huge, and the average person couldn't feasibly fit it in their home. But if you can fit it in, then you'll enjoy a gaming experience unlike any other – you'll almost be able to see the pores on Geralt of Rivia's sweaty brow. We don't know the price tag yet (expect it to be huge) but we do know that it'll be available in the second half of 2019. Check out our hands-on: Sony Master Series Z9G 8K HDR TV reviewSamsung Q900R QLED TVhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ChD3CCdF5rJgQSRy8WSfpZ.jpg Next up is the Samsung Q900R QLED. Like Sony, Samsung's 8K offering is an absolute monster, available in 65, 75, 85 or 98 inches, if you have the room. The Q900R uses artificial intelligence to upscale SD content to 8K HDR. The Samsung Q900R is already available; however certain sizes are only available in the UK, while others are only available in the US. Either way, it'll cost you a pretty penny, with the 85-inch model setting you back $14,999 in the US, which converts to around £11,600 or AU$21,000; the price for the 98-inch model hasn't even been announced yet. Check out our review for the full list of available sizes and prices. Read our Samsung Q900R 8K QLED TV reviewLG 8K OLED Z9 TVhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yWhUfwuQDYf9vCesvyjdNa.jpg If you can't fit 98 inches into your home, then how about 88 inches? Still no? Well, that's the only size LG's 8K OLED Z9 TV is available in, complete with 8K upscaling and 'improved noise reduction' for clean, smooth images. The Z9's incredible detail levels and the extra resolution give the picture a greatly enhanced sense of depth, making for a more immersive gaming experience. Read our hands-on: LG 8K OLED (OLED88Z9) reviewLG Nano Cell 8K LED TV (75SM99)http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RGMQNDZeYr5CcuPbkSPVvg.jpg If you're looking for something slightly more feasible space-wise (and probably price-wise as well) then LG's SM99 75-inch LCD TV with 8K resolution may be the television for you. The LG Nano Cell 8K LED TV (aka the 75SM99) has a high-end a9 Gen 2 processor and High Frame Rate to deliver that 8K magic, although the image clarity isn't quite as stunning as from the other TVs on this list, with oversaturated images and poor black level performance. But if you're not super-fussy then the Nano Cell could be right up your 8K street. Read our hands-on: LG Nano Cell 8K LED TV (75SM99) reviewCheck out all of TechRadar's CES 2019 coverage. We're live in Las Vegas to bring you all the breaking tech news and launches, plus hands-on reviews of everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops and smart home gadgets.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/evfuk3mcUpc

New data from IDC and Gartner has revealed that the US trade war with China and processor shortages have had a significant impact of PC sales at a time when the PC market appeared to be recovering. According to IDC, shipments of traditional PCs came in at 68.1m units during the fourth quarter which is down by 3.7 per cent from the same time last year. The decline during Q4 is the largest since Q3 2016 and for the year PC sales were down by 0.4 per cent. IDC's data also revealed that vendors built up their inventories during the third quarter before processor shortages and the trade war began. Consumer demand drove the PC industry during the fourth quarter but multiple retailers reported a slowdown in sales after Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Processor shortageGartner pointed out the fact that PC makers were affected by the processor shortage as they were unable to meet the demands of companies looking to upgrade their business PCs. The firm expects demand to pick up again in 2019 once CPUs become more readily available. The top three vendors were able to boost their market share and Lenovo claimed the number one spot followed by HP and Dell. Apple's global market share fell during the fourth quarter when compared to the same period a year ago while its US market share increased. The end of the processor shortage will likely help boost PC sales but any further escalation of the US trade war against China could be devastating for the PC market. Via ZDNet Looking for a new PC for the office? These are the best workstationshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/8p0cpfhzisI

Although TVs stole the show at CES 2019 in Las Vegas, there was still plenty for music lovers to sink their teeth into at the consumer tech show this year. From glass speakers that look like lamps, to bookshelf speakers that combine old skool vinyl with modern Bluetooth wizardry, manufacturers were showing off high-spec speakers to suit all tastes. So, whether you're a hardcore audiophile or a casual listener, read on for our pick of the best speakers from CES 2019, and you're bound to find something that ticks all your boxes: Sony LSPX-S2 Glass Sound speakerhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3scBPoY86kKLJVXvvy388L.jpg Perhaps the most unusual and stylish speaker to come out of CES 2019 was the Sony Glass Sound – the second generation of Sony's speaker that doubles as an ambient light, designed to look like a flickering candle. The main body of the speaker is made up of a glass tube, which houses the inbuilt lighting feature. Thanks to its cylindrical shape, the Glass Sound can distribute 360 degree sound for a room-filling listening experience, and it can be connected to up to 10 compatible Sony speakers over WiFi. With 35mm drivers and an internal radiator, the Glass Sound should provide a well balanced sound. Sony says the speaker will be available from May for £550 ( (around $700 / AU$975). Read our Sony LSPX-S2 Glass Sound speaker reviewHouse of Marley Get Together Mini with Google Assistanthttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ZdHMmbPM8u2e7fRN9Qicsa.jpg House of Marley (which specializes in high-end audio kit made from sustainable materials, and was founded by the son of Bob Marley), announced its first smart speaker at CES 2019. The Get Together Mini with Google Assistant is the latest addition to House of Marley's line of Bluetooth speakers, and is crafted from bamboo, aluminum (easily recycled), and the company's signature Rewind fabric (a combination of organic cotton, hemp and recycled plastics). The speaker is equipped with Chromecast for multi-room playback, and even serves as a USB power bank for charging your phone. It'll go on sale in August 2019, priced at $199.99 (about £150 / AU$280). House of Marley makes smart speakers sustainableKlipsch The Three with Google Assistanthttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FQSBy8GwWDRBA5Q38UAcsC.jpg Klipsch is has expanded its lineup of Heritage Wireless speakers, having recently announced the integration of Google Assistant into The Three speaker. The Three with Google Assistant now has a number of new styles to choose from, including smaller, more portable options. Pricing and availability information are vague, but we should see the new speaker styles launch later this year. Klipsch to unveil new speakers, wireless headphones, and soundbars at CES 2019JBL Partybox 300http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RWfs5DgzBzihDfTqpXvcRP.jpg JBL released three new speakers in its PartyBox range at CES this year, including the PartyBox 300, which doubles up as a guitar or microphone amp. With Bluetooth streaming and up to 18 hours of battery life, the PartyBox 300 could be a great portable solution for your next gathering. It also comes with three built in light shows for every occasion, called Meter, Pulse, and Party, and you can even preprogram a party or event by plugging in a USB thumb drive. You can connect two PartyBox speakers using Bluetooth, or a wired RCA connection if you prefer. The JBL PartyBox 300 are available for purchase now for $449.95 / £399.99. This works out at around AU$710, but there's so far no word on when it will be available in Australia. Harman Kardon Citation rangehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qJNjVgCVM5dLZLYZJDiPf3.jpg We first saw Harman Kardon's new smart multi-room speakers at IFA 2018 in Berlin, but the Citation range was also being shown off at this year's CES show. Coming in a multitude of shapes, sizes and colors, the Google Assistant powered speakers, the range starts with the $199 / £179.99 Citation One – pitched perfectly as an alternative to Sonos One, boasting Google Assistant and Chromecast support and able to handle 24bit/96kHz sources. Home cinema options include the $1,000 / £899.99 Harman Kardon Bar – a three channel soundbar system that boasts 4K HDR support from its three HDMI inputs. It can also act as a single centre channel when paired with the Harman Kardon Citation Tower speakers, which come as a pair for $2,500 / £2199.99, each with a dedicated subwoofer and one with a touchscreen panel. Prices and availability are still to be confirmed for other territories. Here's a first look at the Harman Kardon Citation rangeKanto TUKhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ehddxykjcFSRfT2g54rx35.jpg Kanto Audio debuted its new high-spec wireless TUK speaker at this year's CES. Featuring Kanto's newly-designed Air Motion Transformer tweeter for resolution and clarity, the TUK has an aluminum concave-cone woofer and a powerful 65W amplifier. It supports high resolution Bluetooth streaming with Qualcomm AptX HD, and it can connect to your turntable thanks to a phono preamp connection. Available in matte black and matte white, the Kanto TUK will begin shipping in early 2019 for US$799, with UK and Australian pricing still to be confirmed. Check out all of TechRadar's CES 2019 coverage. We're live in Las Vegas to bring you all the breaking tech news and launches, plus hands-on reviews of everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops and smart home gadgets.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/l754wJ0v_F0

If there's one common theme at this year's CES 2019 – the Las Vegas tech expo we've been covering all week – it's talking. Not just chatting on the show floor (though there's been plenty of that too). By talking we mean the sheer avalanche of devices arriving with support for Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and so many other competing voice assistants. In fact, everything from motorcycle helmets, water bottles and phone chargers to doorbells, pianos and toilets at least now has the option of being controlled by voice. So is the remote control being killed-off?In the long-term, absolutely. It’s gone. “Getting rid of the remote control is one of the strongest use cases for voice technologies,” says Mark Lippett, CEO at XMOS, whose farfield voice tech is used in soundbars, Freebox and Skyworth TVs to allow them connect to Alexa. “Some companies are going straight to the far-field voice technology while others are using the near-field ‘push to talk’,” he adds. Ah yes, push to talk – AKA ‘the remote that refuses to die’. ‘Push to talk’ is when you have a remote in your hand and you hold it up to your mouth and speak into it while pressing a button. On Samsung’s QLED TVs for 2019, Bixby is accessed via a push-to-talk nunchuk-style remote, while Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant work only when used via an Amazon Echo or Google Home device. It’s a similar story for LG’s OLED TVs. It already feels quaint, and slightly confusing to use. “Push-to-talk shares a lot of the user experience and it’s an interesting middle step, but it misses the point,” says Lippet. “The A-game here is obviously to get rid of the remote control altogether.” http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2cx9BJDKnTtxUgb2bHnLCi.jpg LG offers Google Assistant for TVs, but Alexa for home appliances. Credit: Jamie Carter Are there too many voice assistants?If we accept that voice assistants are the future, we’re still left with a situation where in the same room room you may be using Alexa on an Echo to play hands-free music, using Google Assistant, Alexa or Bixby to communicate with a TV, Cortana on an Xbox… and with more and more home-baked AIs appearing, the list is now endless. Will the tech industry need to coalesce around one voice platform? “There’s a question marks over whether or not that kind of situation can deliver a really good user experience,” says Lippet. ”Two artificial assistants in one box is just a stepping stone towards three and four and eight ten and at that point it’s a very confusing user experience to be talking to something that has that many personalities.” One voice to rule them allThere’s no way the tech industry can continue forever with multiple voice assistants. “Our view is that they'll be a broker, which you might regard as a kind of ‘digital twin’, ‘digital demon’ or Avatar that will provide your entry point to tens of thousands of different AIs that offer different services,” says Lippet, stressing that the broker would also protect the user’s privacy. “Ultimately that broker is going to be something that's much more personal to you rather than belong to a brand – there will be something that sits on the edge of the network looking after you that you trust, similar to the relationship that you might have with your mobile phone.” However, tech announced at CES 2019 promises to make voice control – and many other kinds of control – far simpler. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KeFehtDP4uivPw3UtqPFBi.jpg XMOS and Holosonics unveiled at CES tech to make voice control truly personal. Credit: Jamie Carter The first truly personal voice assistantSome TVs and other appliances may now have far-field microphones that can detect a voice from across a large room, but in a world of multiple voice-controlled device, how can you talk to only one – or none – of them? Cue a radical new technology unveiled by XMOS and Holosonics at CES that can pinpoint the exact direction of an audio reply, then apply a narrow laser-like beam of sound in reply. The world's first voice-activated personal assistant technology that creates sound with the same precision as light. Expect devices to use ‘multi-modal sensing’ in future, too. “A more intelligent device would be able to tell you were on the phone, and whether you’re trying to engage in a conversation with an appliance by using cue such as whether you’re looking at it or not – things that humans use in conversation, but these devices can’t,” says Lippet. Being able to separate different people’s voices will also become an important ability of future devices. Proximity sensors, haptic-feedback and gesture controlOver in a suite at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino, a completely different kind of hands-free technology is being showcased from Norway's Elliptic Labs, and looks ready to wipe-out the remote control entirely – using proximity sensors. The theory is that instead of pressing buttons or telling the TV what to do, it takes actions depending on your movements. For example, pausing a movie; in Elliptic Labs' demo, video streaming from Netflix pauses when the proximity sensors detect you leaving the room to get another beer, and resumes when you return to the room. In another demo, you double-tap in the air to control the volume coming from a smart speaker. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/X4YCALgnwUuezyS2eHNACi.jpg Elliptic Labs’ tech pauses Netflix when you leave the room. Credit: Netflix How ultrasound could replace the remoteThe tech is called 'Inner Reflection', and combines gesture recognition and presence detection using ultrasound. Used in a TV, it emits ultrasonic waves, which radiate from behind the screen to echo from the body of the user, essentially creating a 180-degree interaction space. Since it's using audio, not the optical infrared beam typical of TV remote controls, the signal is less likely to be blocked. “If you're listening to a show and you leave the room, you can have the volume automatically increased a bit so that you can keep following the show while you pick something up in another room,” says Guenael Strutt, VP of product development at Elliptic Labs. “Then, as you come back closer to the TV, you can have the volume adjusted lower again.” The same tech can also be used to shut-off the TV and lights if no-one is in the room for a period of time, and even detect if someone has a fall. A similar version of the tech is already used on the Xiaomi Mi MIX it’s all just a software update for any device with a speaker and microphone. “I don’t imagine that it will replace remotes completely, but it certainly provides the ability to control usage, volume and such – actions that today are associated with remote controls,” says Strutt. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/aHqZkvzpnVaGdz4344PeBi.jpg Elliptic Labs’ ‘Inner Reflection’ tech uses proximity sensors to detect where the viewer is. Credit: Elliptic Labs The conversation continues...For now, it’s all about voice. “Voice interfaces will find their way into everything that requires human interaction from time to time – and that's the majority of categories,” says Lippet. The XMOS/Holosonics tech promises to make the likes of Alexa much more personal and focused, with incoming AI set to make smart devices more aware of context. Then comes gestures and haptic feedback, though whether the remote will actively disappear remains to be seen. “There is a shift in the way we're going to be expecting our devices to behave, which is that we want them aware of where we are and whether we're willing to interact with them or not,” says Strutt. “Our devices are going to be aware of our presence. They will respond.” So instead of you looking around the room for the remote control, in future your TV is going to be looking for you. Check out all of TechRadar's CES 2019 coverage. We're live in Las Vegas to bring you all the breaking tech news and launches, plus hands-on reviews of everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops and smart home gadgets.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/xMkjA-1Y7RE

Raspberry Pi accessories are plentiful enough, but here’s a new one which might pique your interest – a case for the compact computer board which comes with a touchscreen display. The unnamed product is sold by Chinese retailer Banggood, billed as a protective case (for the Raspberry Pi 3B+/3B/2B) with a cooling fan and 3.5-inch LCD touchscreen. You also get a plastic white stylus into the bargain. Note that if you use the case with the 3.5-inch display, you can’t install the cooling fan. It’s a choice of either one or the other. The screen is obviously quite small, and has a relatively low resolution of 320 x 480 pixels. The good news on the price front is that the case is reduced with a 27% discount at the time of writing, meaning you can snag it for £12.71 (or $15.99, which is around AU$22). Bear in mind, as ever, when buying from online Chinese retail outlets that shipping will take a while (up to 20 business days), and if there’s a problem with the product, returns or aftersales support could be problematic. Although you won’t exactly be losing a ton of cash in this case (so to speak), anyway… http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YEWjjqzRpgqfhiz34WJQtG.jpg Sluggish screenThe admittedly small number of user reviews on the Banggood site paint a fairly positive picture of this accessory, and the build quality of the case is supposedly impressive. However, the screen is apparently pretty slow to refresh, so it won’t be much use for the likes of watching videos, for example. In other words, it’s a very basic, functional display, but obviously at the asking price, you can’t really expect anything more. If you’re after inspiration for what to do with your Raspberry Pi, then check out our extensive feature devoted to exploring various projects that revolve around the diminutive computer. You could also turn your Raspberry Pi into a retro games console or a Steam LinkVia ZDNet http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/d_jtK5KlPRU

Android is great as a foundation for all phones but there are quite a few features it lacks on a base level. That’s the reason why many phone manufacturers add their own skin or custom UI on top to make it more user-friendly. Huawei has been developing the Emotion UI of EMUI for a few years now and with the HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro, Huawei launched its 9th iteration of EMUI. This latest version of EMUI adds quite a few features on the OS level that you would otherwise need to download third-party apps for. In this video, we look at some of the innovations present on EMUI 9.0 such as better gestures and an incredible AI that allows you to shop for products or find calories on the food using the fantastic camera on the Huawei Mate 20 Pro. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/jYYnksO8jfw

Computing arguably took center stage at CES 2019, outshining even the introduction of 8K televisions. A large reason for this boom in the computing world was all the new silicon chipmakers were slinging around. The big three (AMD, Intel and Nvidia) each has something, if not multiple things, to debut. And then if you look past AMD’s new 7nm CPUs and graphics cards, smaller firms have also introduced plenty of new components. In case you missed the whirlwind of announcements or just wanted to stroll down memory lane, we’ve picked out the best new PC components from CES 2019. Want more CES 2019 highlights? TechRadar is hands-on with 8K TVs and foldable, rollable displays, along with new laptops and Alexa-enabled smart gadgets. Check out everything we've seen, live from Las Vegas!Meet Intel’s first 10nm chips and unlike the company’s empty promises with Cannon Lake, this series of processors is set to arrive inside laptops by the end of 2019. Built upon its newly announced 10nm Sunny Cove architecture, Intel has promised Ice Lake will be its first line of processors with built-in Thunderbolt 3 integration, Wi-Fi 6 and 4K capable Gen II integrated graphics and DL Boost (deep learning boost). Price: TBDAvailability: By the end of 2019Okay, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 is a little more expensive than the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 it’s replacing, but we can verifiably say it’s the first Turing RTX card to come a fantastic value. In our full review we found the GPU to be more of a replacement for the Nvidia GTX 1070 Ti in that it delivered high-frame rate 1080p gaming, excellent QHD results and even playable experiences at 4K resolutions. Best of all, the graphics card comes with all the ray tracing power you need to play Battlefield V at Full HD with Ultra visual and ray tracing settings. Price: $349 (£329, AU$599)Availability: January 15, 2019It’s been annoying to excruciatingly painful waiting for AMD to finally announce a new high-end graphics card and boy the wait was worth it. The AMD Radeon VII is an over the top graphics card featuring 16GB of HBM2 video memory, 3,840 stream processors, 1450MHz base clock, 1750MHz boost clock and a 300W TDP. AMD tells us the Radeon VII will not only be able to trample its way through 4K gaming, but also running experiences at 6K and 8K. Price: $699 (about £550, AU$970)Availability: February 7, 2019As if Dominator memory getting its first redesign in years wasn’t big enough, its also the first product from Corsair to feature its new micro-sized Capellix LED technology. It stands to create a real RGB revolution as Capellix LEDs measure only 0.2mm-cubed – whereas a traditional LED measures 2.8mm-cubed – which allows them to be 60% brighter, 60% more efficient and require up to 40% less power. Corsair Dominator RAM will merely be the first of the company’s products to feature these new RGBs and it told us it’s looking into ways of integrating them into its wireless K63 keyboard and other products that couldn’t feature full lighting capabilities. Price: TBDAvailability: February 2019It’s about time Seagate fully jumped into the solid-state drive market. At Computex, the company announced its first 2.5-inch SATA SSD, but at CES 2019 the company introduced its first M.2 NVMe drive (outside of its existing server parts). It features a whopping 3,400MB/s read speed putting it on par with the best drives on the market like the WD Black NVMe SSD and Samsung 970 Pro. Price: TBDAvailability: March 2019Cooler Master has put out plenty of small cases and while the Q500P might look like a Micro-ATX case it can fit a full-sized ATX motherboard. It manages to do this thanks to moving the power supply to the front of the case. At the same time, Cooler Master is experimenting with some new front panel designs that include one fabric cover that not only makes it look like just another piece of your home entertainment setup but also acts as a dust filter. We hope Cooler Master will stick with the fabric motif for its final design. Price: TBDAvailability: TBDhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/LJldp6EnO9Q

Back in 2016, a group of film studios and entertainment companies successfully begun a crusade against a number of pirating sites and mirrors by bringing them to the attention of the Australian Government. As a result, the government ordered a vast swathe of sites – including Pirate Bay, Torrentz, IsoHunt and more – to be blocked by Australian ISPs or else face hefty penalties. The allegiance of entertainment companies (which includes Foxtel, Village Roadshow, Paramount, Columbia, Disney, and 20th Century Fox) has been adding more domains to the hit list since the successful ruling, and is now set to include another 79 pirate sites. Australia's government wants to know if its current anti-piracy laws are effective enoughA renewed attackThe new addition comes in the form of two new applications being processed by Australia’s Federal Court, the first of which by the aforementioned film companies, and the other made by a number of music companies targeting four major stream-ripping sites. These stream-ripping sites enable users to download files from popular streaming services such as YouTube, hence infringing copyright, and have been honed in on by Music Rights Australia, Australiasian Performing Rights Association (APRA), Universal, Sony, and Warner Music. For an exhaustive list of all targeted piracy and stream-ripping sites, be sure to visit ComputerWorld. Australian government to introduce new ‘rapid takedown’ anti-piracy legislationhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/O6erfJNlm1E

UPDATED: The hilarious comedy Game Night has been added to our list of the best movies on Netflix Australia. Read more about it on page 5! If you're new to Netflix and want to find the best movies to watch, or you're tired of browsing the app for 30 minutes before finding something to watch, you've come to the right place. With thousands of movies at your disposal, it's easy to get stuck in binge-watching mode, but finding the honest-to-goodness best films can be a bit of a hassle. In an effort to determine the best of the best, we've put together a list of the greatest possible films you can watch – curated by TechRadar editors and backed up with ratings from IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes – so that you don't have to sift through the muck. We'll keep this best-of list up to date with the latest movies that are must-watch, so you waste zero screen time searching. The best VPN for Netflix 2019As tech enthusiasts, it's perhaps unsurprising that we're obsessed with science fiction here at TechRadar. From glorious space operas to mind-bending films that make you think, there's something for everyone on our list of the best sci-fi movies on Netflix Australia. Got a Stan account too? These are the best movies on Stan: a list of the top films streaming in Australia nowAnnihilationhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/y7Vodh78qqp7q9YJZnTtYJ.jpg If you've seen writer-director Alex Garland's previous sci-fi masterpiece, Ex Machina, you'll know to expect a wild ride with his follow-up, Annihilation. Based on the highly regarded novel of the same name by Jeff VanderMeer, Annihilation follows a group of women who set off on an expedition into an environmental disaster zone where the laws of nature don't apply. Natalie Portman leads the pack as a biologist searching for her missing husband, and she's joined by Tessa Thompson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez and more. Though the film has only just been released in theatres in the US, Australia is lucky enough to be one of the countries getting the film on Netflix right away. Equally brainy and terrifying, Annihilation has all the makings of a modern science fiction classic. IMDB Rating: 7.8, Rotten Tomatoes: 87% Minority Reporthttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/c8aVuQvdhpG6dDinLmzC9h.jpg What if you could prevent murders before they've occurred? More importantly, what would you do if you were due to be sentenced over a murder you haven't committed yet? That is the premise of Steven Spielberg's spectacular sci-fi film, Minority Report. Loosely based on the Philip K. Dick story of the same name, the film sees Tom Cruise play the head of a futuristic 'Precrime' Division tasked with stopping murderers from carrying out their violent actions. They can do this thanks to the psychic abilities of three siblings known as 'Precogs'. But what happens when this trio of soothsayers predicts a murder carried about by Cruise himself? Spoiler alert, he runs! A visually stunning film that's filled with ingenious and forward-thinking technological ideas that will likely become a reality in years to come, Minority Report is intense and action-packed. IMDB Rating: 7.7, Rotten Tomatoes: 90% Interstellarhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qqvurkYqCDUAkppvHHQoeh.jpg One of Christopher Nolan's most ambitious films, Interstellar imagines a future where Earth is on its way out, and humanity must venture out beyond our galaxy to find a suitable new planet to call home. Among these astronauts are Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), who must leave his children behind, despite the journey possibly lasting several decades, and Brand (Anne Hathaway), who is on a mission to track down her partner in the far reaches of space. Simultaneously thought-provoking and mind-bending, Interstellar is a true science fiction spectacle – one that rewards multiple viewings. IMDB Rating: 8.6, Rotten Tomatoes: 71% We all love a good scare (so long as we're safe and sound at the end of it), so with that in mind, we've taken the liberty of shining a spotlight on some of the best horror movies currently streaming on Netflix Australia. These freaky flicks are guaranteed to send shivers down your spine! Apostlehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/4mD8YZwDqYtZgMaYKyopw3.jpg In the grim tradition of The Wicker Man and The Witch comes Apostle, a gory new folk horror tale from Gareth Evans, director of The Raid films. Set in 1905, Apostle sees Thomas Richardson (Dan Stevens) infiltrate an island-based cult which is holding his sister Jennifer (Elen Rhys) for ransom. Led by Prophet Malcolm (Michael Sheen), the cult is entering a particularly dark time — its crops and livestock are rotting from within, as if the people are being punished by their deity. With the community in dire straits, Malcolm and his followers have become murderous monsters, resorting to horrific, medieval practices in a vain attempt to restore life to their home. In other words, a terrible time to be discovered as an intruder! With Apostle, Evans has not lost his knack for bodily destruction, with several scenes of torture and violence that may be too much for some viewers. Those with strong stomachs, however, will be rewarded with a nail-biting horror story with incredibly production design and cinematography that's willing to go to some truly dark places. It's nerve-jangling score is also worth keeping an ear out for. IMDB Rating: 6.6, Rotten Tomatoes: 77% Ithttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DZjrzJJM8XamcatUYLWWXc.jpg Get ready, fright fans — the highest-grossing horror movie of all time has made its way onto Netflix and is bound to make you terrified of clowns all over again. Based on Stephen King's classic novel of the same name, It follows a group of tightly-knit adolescent misfits known as The Losers Club as they investigate an evil force that's been stealing and murdering children in their small town for decades. With its late '80s setting and talented cast of young performers, It is bound to appeal to fans of Netflix's brilliant series Stranger Things (and not just because Finn Wolfhard stars in both). As far as Stephen King adaptations go, it's one of the very best, managing to strike the right balance between horror and heart. Simply put, It is the kind of crowd-pleasing scare film we'd like to see more of. We recommend watching It before the upcoming sequel, which takes place 27 years later and sees the kids all grown up and terrorised by Pennywise the Dancing Clown all over again. IMDB Rating: 7.4, Rotten Tomatoes: 85% Jawshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qBuGbtM7CCzqe6epiduspN.jpg The film that defined the term 'blockbuster', Steven Spielberg's classic fright film Jaws has swam its way onto the the service and is hungry for more viewers to chomp on. When an aggressive great white shark starts eating swimmers in the lead up to Fourth of July weekend, the mayor of a popular tourist destination sets a bounty for the shark's head. The town's sheriff (Roy Scheider), an oceanographer (Richard Dreyfuss) and a shark hunter with a grudge (Robert Shaw) set out on the seas to take it down for good. They're gonna need a bigger boat... IMDB Rating: 8.0, Rotten Tomatoes: 97% It Followshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YRDXUbcapPCnBUKmKvAFE3.jpg Considered a modern horror classic by many, It Follows sees a young girl (Maika Monroe) terrorised by a sexually-transmitted demon. This terrifying apparition looks different every time and will chase you relentlessly until you either pass it on by sleeping with someone else, or until it catches up to you and finishes you off for good. To make matters worse, if the person you pass it on to dies, it will turn its attention back to you again. Did we mention that it can only be seen by the people that have been 'infected', so your friends won't be able to help as much as they'd like to? Yeah, it kinda sucks. Stylish, atmospheric and with a terrific John Carpenter-inspired synth score, It Follows in an effective horror movie which may suffer a little from a few odd decisions by its characters, but is still well worth watching. IMDB Rating: 6.9, Rotten Tomatoes: 97% The Babysitterhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YtDUAMaXjzvCB3z7bAxJY4.jpg One for the horror comedy fans, the Netflix Original film The Babysitter, from director McG (Charlie's Angels), is an energetic and fun flick with some killer one-liners and a star-making performance from Aussie actress Samara Weaving (yes, she's related to Hugo), whom horror fans may remember from her role in the first season of Ash vs Evil Dead. The plot is simple: kid develops a crush on his incredibly cool babysitter, only to find out that she's sadistic, devil-worshipping killer with a group of equally psychotic friends, all of whom are planning to kill him. Though he's a total wimp, he must now fight back in order to survive. Gory and funny in equal measure, The Babysitter is a hell of a time. IMDB Rating: 6.4, Rotten Tomatoes: 71% Documentaries offer unprecedented insight into the lives of real people and the extraordinary events that surround them. Fiction is great, but fact truly has the power to move and inspire people like nothing else. With that said, here are some of the best documentaries currently available to stream on Netflix Australia. Get Me Roger Stonehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ENj8XnhP5g9sDWrmMhQnHa.jpg The Trump presidency has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons, and has been a source of entertainment for late-night shows and comedians across the US. There are books aplenty already published on the Trump White House, yet the world is yet to meet the President-maker, “the trickster”, behind the scenes. Get Me Roger Stone is about the man who puts a Republican in the White House, using every (underhanded) technique he possibly can to get his man the top job. And he does so unashamedly. The documentary follows this self-acclaimed “agent provocateur” – reminiscent of a dapper character right out of a James Bond novel or movie – as he reveals everything he’s done during his long career, from Nixon to Trump. The documentary not only puts the subject, and his Nixon tattoo, centre-stage, it also reveals how the American democracy works in its current form. IMDB Rating: 7.4, Rotten Tomatoes: 87% Amanda Knoxhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/aUhWdCUXjKfZR9rgbSjorA.jpg Following the enormous success of its original docu-series Making a Murderer, Netflix has once again returned to the ever-popular 'true crime' well with Amanda Knox. The Netflix Original documentary tells the harrowing story of an American exchange student who spent four years in an Italian prison after being convicted for the murder of her roommate, Meredith Kercher. Forced to endure the prosecution's various character assassination tactics, including public slut-shaming, Knox maintains her innocence at all times, with her appeals eventually reaching Italy's Supreme Court. Amanda Knox is an effective and truly eye-opening documentary that is not to be missed. IMDB Rating: 7.0, Rotten Tomatoes: 85% We love a good thriller, which is why we've narrowed down some of the best ones that are now available to watch on Netflix Australia. These films will have you on the edge of your seat in suspense, so sit back, try to relax, and enjoy. The Villainesshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/csFEh676tbkqMnAYuGMZUm.jpg Equal parts Oldboy and La Femme Nikita, The Villainess is a female-driven Korean revenge thriller with the most incredible and original action sequences this side of The Raid — seriously, the first-person knife fights and shootouts in this put Hollywood action movies to shame. Sook-hee (Ok-bin Kim) is apprehended after carrying out a killing spree that leaves dozens of gangsters dead. She's given a choice: train to become a ruthless assassin and receive freedom after ten years, or spend the rest of her life in jail. Obviously, she chooses the former, and before long it becomes clear to her that her rampage was spurned on under false pretences. Now, it's time to make everyone pay for what they did to her. IMDB Rating: 6.7, Rotten Tomatoes: 83% Gerald's Gamehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/TNHzKgX6xaf6ZRXkpPbNAU.jpg 2017 has been a great year for Stephen King adaptations (ahem, The Dark Tower aside), and the new Netflix Original film Gerald's Game joins It and 1922 in the upper echelon. In an attempt to rekindle their marriage, Gerald (Bruce Greenwood) and Jessie (Carla Gugino) retreat to a remote lake house. When a sex game goes awry, Jessie is left alone and handcuffed to the bed and must overcome her mounting paranoia and deep, personal demons. Though the film mostly takes place within the one room, Gerald's Game remains thrilling from start to finish. It also features one of the best performances of Gugino's career. IMDB Rating: 6.8, Rotten Tomatoes: 90% Drivehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fe9f1a95445454eabfa216c709ec05fa.jpg Drive is the film that made it cool to love Ryan Gosling. Based on the novel of the same name by James Sallis, this pulpy thriller is one of the most stylish films of the last decade, having almost single-handedly revived the neon '80s synth-pop scene. Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn (Bronson, Only God Forgives), Drive sees Gosling play a nameless stunt driver who works as a shady wheelman by night. When a job goes horribly wrong, this 'driver' must dispense violent justice to make things right for those he cares for. The film's immense influence can be felt across all forms of media – the video game Hotline Miami, in particular, owes a large debt of gratitude to Drive. A loving ode to the early tough-guy crime movies of Michael Mann, Drive is essential viewing. IMDB Rating: 7.8, Rotten Tomatoes: 93% We're serious cinephiles here at at TechRadar. It's not all about Star Wars around here – we enjoy a good tear-jerker, too. There are many sensitive drama films streaming on Netflix Australia right, and these are some of the best ones. So grab a hanky and get ready for a heavy night in. Romahttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UJHmNw2FDxgf5SKdXTXaMH.jpg An astonishing ode to motherhood in all forms, Roma is the most personal film to date from visionary director Alfonso Cuarón (Children of Men, Gravity). On paper, Roma is not the easiest sell – a subtitled black and white film about a live-in housekeeper spoken almost entirely in Spanish and the indigenous Mixtec language, Cuarón's latest is nonetheless riveting from a cinematic standpoint. More a series of vignettes than a traditional three-act story, Roma examines the life of a Mexico City family in the early 1970s during a time of great social upheaval. Described by Cuarón as 90% autobiographical, the film provides some insight into the famous director's early life, although the story is witnessed primarily through the eyes of his caretaker, Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), who would become a loved member of the family. One of the most gorgeously photographed films of the year, Roma deserves to be seen on the largest screen possible. Shot entirely in 65mm, Roma would make for an ideal theatrical experience. However, if that isn't an option, you won't be disappointed by the Roma's breathtaking 4K Ultra HD presentation on Netflix – just make sure you keep tissues on hand, because it's very likely you'll shed a few tears during the film. IMDB Rating: 8.5, Rotten Tomatoes: 96% American Graffitihttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/iQ6YTa9XYwsvMinhXpbPJY.jpg George Lucas took the world by storm with his phenomenal blockbuster Star Wars in 1977, but it wasn't the first masterpiece the filmmaker had helmed – American Graffiti was released just four years earlier in 1973, marking the arrival of one of the most exciting voices in cinema. A nostalgic coming-of-age tale, the 1962-set American Graffiti follows a group of friends on their last night in town before heading off to college and the rest of their lives. Naturally, these kids spend the night cruising the strip in their amazing era-specific hot rods, saying their goodbyes to friends and girlfriends and getting up to some mischief before they have to grow up and face the real world. Released only 11 years after the time in which it's set, the film shows just how much American life would change in such a short time, predating not only the Kennedy assassination and the Flower Generation, but also the Vietnam War. While American Graffiti is undoubtedly a feel-good film with an incredible rock 'n' roll and doo-wop soundtrack‎, it's also a bittersweet reminder of innocence lost, with the film's ending throwing some cold water on an audience lulled into remembering 'the good old times'. Stars Ron 'Ronny' Howard, Richard Dreyfus and Harrison Ford. IMDB Rating: 7.5, Rotten Tomatoes: 96% Dunkirkhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ap9xDJScd63mxgf2CivcFB.jpg A harrowing tale of grand-scale survival against all odds, Christopher Nolan's film Dunkirk re-enacts one of the most significant events in World War II — namely, the evacuation of over 300,000 Allied soldiers who were trapped in the French port town of Dunkirk with no supplies and barely any ammunition while surrounded by heavily armed German forces. Codenamed Operation Dynamo, Winston Churchill's decision to enlist every available civilian vessel capable of reaching Dunkirk resulted in the vast majority of stranded troops being rescued. Had the scenario gone another way, the Allied forces may have lost the war. Following the events by land, air and sea, Nolan offers a surprisingly intimate look at the evacuation, despite being set against an epic backdrop. One of Nolan's best films to date, Dunkirk is a must-see war film the explores human courage in the face of almost certain death. IMDB Rating: 8.0, Rotten Tomatoes: 9.2 Your Namehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QUNMAeYWkc22ARwr6X99kE.jpg A worldwide phenomenon, Your Name is the highest-grossing anime film of all time — that's right, bigger than any Studio Ghibli film or science fiction blockbuster. That a simple story about a young girl from a rural town switching bodies with a young man from bustling Tokyo hit such a cord with audiences is a testament to the heartfelt writing that helps bring these animated characters to life. Makoto Shinkai's film is the kind that will have you laughing one moment, then crying the next. A joyful and beautiful love story told in a unique and cerebral way, Your Name is one of the true anime masterpieces, sitting alongside the likes of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Grave of the Fireflies, Spirited Away and the legendary Akira. IMDB Rating: 8.4, Rotten Tomatoes: 97% Good Timehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/AWNDHQB4cJoHfDY7zUVRBK.jpg Good Time stars Robert Pattinson in the type of performance that will make you forget all about his involvement in the Twilight saga. We're talking young De Niro good, here. When his mentally-challenged brother is snatched by the police after a bank robbery, Connie (Pattinson) sets out to do anything he can to free his brother before getting sent to the brutal Rikers Island jail complex. This sets off a night that spirals out of control extremely fast. There's pretty much no way of predicting what will happen next. Gritty and grimy, Good Time is an intense film with an incredible soundtrack and fantastic cinematography. One of the best films of 2017. IMDB Rating: 7.4, Rotten Tomatoes: 91% Beasts of No Nationhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/681d5425640ba173002a2e1c99f12611.jpg As Netflix's first original movie, Beasts of No Nation had a lot to prove. The VOD scene had traditionally been associated with low budget indies and D-grade horror films, but with Beasts of No Nation, Netflix managed to convince people that high quality (dare I say, Oscar-calibre) films could be streamed at home and shown in theatres at the same time. Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga (True Detective season 1), Beasts follows the loss of a child soldier's innocence as he's forced to do unspeakable things. The film hits like a sledgehammer, never shying away from the brutality and horror experienced by this young boy (played masterfully by newcomer Abraham Attah). Equally powerful is Idris Elba's portrayal as the boy's remorseless and despicable commander. Though not what you'd call a crowd-pleaser, we hope that Netflix continues to bring us brilliant films like this. IMDB Rating: 7.8, Rotten Tomatoes: 91% Blue is the Warmest Colorhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/iLadtwMTJdQiG3uDvuYsZh.jpg As soulful as it is erotically-charged, it's not hard to see why Blue is the Warmest Color won the highest prize at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival – its portrayal of two women who fall in love and allow each other to discover their true selves is truly special. Though Emma (Léa Seydoux) is a blue-haired free spirit, Adèle (Adèle Exarchopoulos) doesn't feel comfortable in her own skin. While Adèle's friends initially shun Emma due to her sexuality, she soon realises that Emma is the only person with whom she can express herself openly and bare her soul to. Together, the pair experience the ups and downs of a mature relationship, while also exploring social acceptance and their sexuality. A beautiful masterpiece that will take you on an emotional roller-coaster throughout its lengthy 3-hour running time, Blue is the Warmest Color is a film you won't soon forget. IMDB Rating: 7.8, Rotten Tomatoes: 91% Okjahttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DTzjea7FnBPc2BQuy4dmFf.jpg Korean director Bong Joon-ho (The Host, Snowpiercer) is an eclectic filmmaker, and his latest work, Okja, is in a genre all of its own. Is it an adventure film? Is it science fiction? Is it a drama? Is it a fairy tale? Is it satire? The answer is... all of the above. With a style that's somewhere between Spielberg and Miyazaki, the film follows a young Korean girl's quest to rescue her best friend Okja, a super-pig that was created by the multi-national conglomerate Mirando Corporation for the purposes of consumption. Flipping between heartbreaking and joyful at the drop of a hat, Okja is an emotional roller coaster of a film that may well have you reconsidering your dietary choices. IMDB Rating: 7.4, Rotten Tomatoes: 85% Need a good laugh? Netflix Australia is home to some terrific comedies, with a number of hilarious movies ready to stream in an instant. Some are light-hearted, while others are pitch black. With that in mind, there's a comedy for everyone below. Game Nighthttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pws23jGtTQM6AKDLgFj6hT.jpg Max (Jason Bateman) and Annie (Rachel McAdams) are well known for hosting awesome weekly board game nights for their friends. On this particular evening however, Max's shady brother (Kyle Chandler) gets the group involved in his real life kidnapping, which leads them to think the whole thing is a game night mystery. Before long, the group finds itself in real danger with some murderous gangsters, and they'll need to use their board game problem solving skills to get themselves out of this hairy situation! Stylishly directed and cleverly written, Game Night is head and shoulders above most other American comedies released in recent years. IMDB Rating: 7.0, Rotten Tomatoes: 84% The 40-Year-Old Virginhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hGvcawHg8WpE9VaDsfV5Ne.jpg Unlucky in love, nice guy Andy (Steve Carrell) has yet to go all the way with a woman despite being 40 years old. While he has quietly resounded himself to the possibility that he may never lose his virginity, his rambunctious co-workers (Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen and Romany Malco) have made it their mission to get Andy laid, no matter what. And, just when you think you have the movie figured out, it reveals itself to be a surprisingly sweet story about friendship and moving into the next stage of life. Featuring more gut-busting one-liners and sexual misadventures than you can poke a... err... you get where we're going with this, Judd Apatow's The 40-Year-Old Virgin is one of the most hilarious comedies of the 21st century. IMDB Rating: 7.1, Rotten Tomatoes: 85% Coming to Americahttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/CJ74XQrpZXSXrDHsHS3mzT.jpg Perhaps the most charming and endlessly entertaining comedy of Eddie Murphy's career, Coming to America takes the standard 'fish out of water' concept and weaves pure magic with it. Unhappy with the arranged marriage set up by royal parents, Prince Akeem of the wealthy (and fictitious) African nation of Zamunda sets off for America in search of love with help from his squire, Semmi (Arsenio Hall). Before long, Akeem falls for the smart and independent Lisa (Shari Headley), heir to the McDowell's fast food restaurant empire. Insistent that he win her affections with his personality and not his wealth, Akeem and Semmi pretend to be poor and acquire jobs at McDowell's. Now, the pair must contend with Lisa's over-protective father (John Amos) and her jerk boyfriend (Eriq La Salle). Full of heart and bloody hilarious, Coming to America is a comedy classic. IMDB Rating: 7.0, Rotten Tomatoes: 69% Hot Fuzzhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/211bf8650ba007861316e756bb3264e8.jpg Following the success of their classic rom-zom-com, Shaun of the Dead, director Edgar Wright, star and writer Simon Pegg and co-star Nick Frost teamed up once again to bring their hilarious sensibilities to the buddy-cop movie genre with Hot Fuzz. London super-cop Nicholas Angel (Pegg) is involuntarily transferred to a village in the English countryside for making his superiors look bad by comparison. There, he teams up with dim-witted (but well-meaning) cop Danny Butterman (Nick Frost) and together, the pair uncover a murder conspiracy. If films like Point Break and Bad Boys II are in constant rotation at your place, you absolutely owe it to yourself to grab a Cornetto and watch Hot Fuzz. IMDB Rating: 7.9, Rotten Tomatoes: 91% Though they live on the other side of the law, we as people tend to be fascinated by criminals. Whether it's the outlaw lifestyles they lead, or the fact that they live those lives on the edge and do things most of us wouldn't dream of, something about their stories makes them cinematic gold. Here are some of the best crime movies now streaming on Netflix Australia. The Wolf of Wall Streethttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UN4RT6x9ZL5ZwKHAMwD6ff.jpg The characters in the fact-based film The Wolf of Wall Street may very be completely reprehensible with little-to-no redeeming qualities, but damn if they aren't freakin' hilarious. An adults-only tour through the real-life antics of white collar criminal Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio at his most unhinged), the film revels in the excess and debauchery of Wall Street in the 1980s, where thieving yuppies spent millions of dollars on drugs, hookers and extravagant lifestyles they did not earn. While the film's three hour runtime might scare off potential viewers, Martin Scorsese's energetic direction keeps the action moving at a lightning-fast pace. The film was also stars Margot Robbie's in her breakout role, playing Belfort's ever-suffering wife, Naomi. Jonah Hill is also incredibly funny as Belfort's partner in crime, Donnie. If you love Scorsese's classic film Goodfellas, chances are you'll enjoy this just as much. IMDB Rating: 8.2, Rotten Tomatoes: 78% Snatchhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Ao22vofHy3h6UUnJ3b59kR.jpg A rollicking crime caper movie from Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels writer and director Guy Ritchie, Snatch takes everything great about that movie and dials it up to 11. Featuring a large cast of colourful cockney crooks, including Jason Statham, Stephen Graham, Dennis Farina, Benicio Del Toro, Vinnie Jones and Brad Pitt (particularly memorable as an unintelligible Gypsy boxer), Snatch flies thick and fast with hilarious quotable lines and energetic performances. Whether they're chasing after a diamond the size of a fist, or betting on illegal bare-knuckle brawls, you can expect these characters to end up getting into all kinds of mischief. IMDB Rating: 8.3, Rotten Tomatoes: 73% Casinohttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KY3Q8RQnCQqqktFZHoPGLQ.jpg Re-teaming with their Goodfellas director Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci once again play violent gangsters in this 1970s-set crime movie based on real-life stories from the glory days of Las Vegas. The two play former best friends who not only compete over a gambling empire, but a woman (Sharon Stone). If you can stomach the eye-popping violence on show here (this really does make Goodfellas look tame by comparison), Casino is one of the best crime movies in Scorsese's amazing filmography. IMDB Rating: 8.2, Rotten Tomatoes: 79% Buckle up for some heart-pounding entertainment with some of the most kick-ass action movies now streaming on Netflix Australia. Adrenaline junkies will get a kick out of every one of the brawny movies listed below. The Night Comes For Ushttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/z9YFzBurRXNMQL4N6Mhnw5.jpg One of the most incredibly violent action films ever made, The Night Comes For Us is a martial arts gangster epic (featuring several actors from The Raid series) where blood and body parts are offered up by the barrel. A fierce killer (Joe Taslim) betrays his Triad gang members to protect an orphaned little girl. Now, the entire Triad is out to claim his head, including his former best friend (Iko Uwais). What ensues is an unrelenting bloodbath of martial arts mayhem that never slows down for the rest of the film. We're not kidding when we say that this film might be too violent for many action junkies – heads are smashed in, throats are slashed, fingers are chopped off, bodies are blown apart and guts are ripped out with alarming frequency. If you thought The Raid was violent, you ain't seen nothin' yet! IMDB Rating: 7.1, Rotten Tomatoes: 88% John Wick: Chapter Twohttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Uk55pSWBXAAczAwcVWKPxn.jpg In the first John Wick, they killed his dog, sending this boogeyman-like professional killer (played by a never-better Keanu Reeves) on a roaring rampage of revenge where no noggin remained bullet-free. In John Wick: Chapter Two, our favourite head-shooting hitman is on the defensive, as he is betrayed by an old associate and left to fight off every trigger happy assassin in New York and abroad. With even more insane stunt work and mythology building than the original film, John Wick 2 is an action-packed middle chapter which promises to end in an almighty bloodbath for the upcoming trilogy-closer, John Wick 3: Parabellum. IMDB Rating: 7.5, Rotten Tomatoes: 89% Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocolhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DQPULaUE2WQGN48JEmT5wQ.jpg Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to watch Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol on Netflix before the latest film in the saga, Mission: Impossible — Fallout, hits theatres. Why should you do that? Because the fourth entry in the M:I series, which is directed by animation legend Brad Bird (The Incredibles, The Iron Giant) is not only the best Mission to date — it's one of the best spy movies of all time, period. Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his team (which includes Simon Pegg, Jeremy Renner and Paula Patton) must stop a crazed madman (the late Michael Nyqvist) who believes the only way to save the world is to destroy it. Featuring brilliant spy antics, clever gadgets and the best stunts of Cruise's death-defying career (seriously, one particular sequence which takes place on the world's tallest building is positively vertigo-inducing), Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol is as close to perfection as these kinds of films get. IMDB rating: 7.4, Rotten Tomatoes: 93% The Warriorshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gweGZWmifr3D4ZJYfKNJqf.jpg Set in a heightened version of New York in the dirty 1970s, where the streets are ruled by violent gangs in crazy costumes, The Warriors follows one particular gang (we'll give you one guess as to what they're called) that's framed for the murder of a visionary gang leader during a city-wide midnight summit. Originally meant as a peaceful event, The Warriors must now make it back to their home turf at the other side of the city with every other gang in town out for their blood. Will they survive long enough to prove their innocence? And will the real culprits get what's coming to them? A fantastic piece of '70s pulp, The Warriors is a guaranteed great time. And while its vision of colourful gangs lording over the slums of NYC seems outlandish, it's a lot closer to the reality of the time than most people realise. To learn more about this bygone era, check out the documentary Rubble Kings, which is also streaming on Netflix (read more about it on Page 3). IMDB Rating: 7.7, Rotten Tomatoes: 89% Wonder Womanhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jpcBiMLNr7hXYzJrjK4feM.jpg The DC Cinematic Universe has had a bit of a rough start in its attempts to catch up to competitor Marvel, with films like Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad unable to adequately please both fans and critics. That all changed with Wonder Woman, the first DCU movie to receive universal praise across the board. Perfectly cast as Wonder Woman a.k.a. Diana Prince, Gal Gadot breathes warmth and love into the world's most famous female superhero. Diana is swept into the wars of man when charming pilot Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) crash lands near the hidden island of Themyscira, home of the Amazons. Sensing that WWI is the doing of Ares, the God of War, Diana sets off with Steve into the world of man to end the war (and Ares) once and for all. One of the greatest superhero movies of all time, Wonder Woman is a triumph. Now let's hope we get more DC movies like this... IMDB Rating: 7.5, Rotten Tomatoes: 92% Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/a266o6d4A2kUzuLah6rZrj.jpg The sequel to Marvel's 2014 phenomenon, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 finds the intergalactic heroes thrust into another adventure, one that could reveal the identity of Peter Quill's father. Even more spectacular than the first film, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continually aims to surprise the audience, with simultaneously keeping its action and comedy levels high. IMDB Rating: 7.8, Rotten Tomatoes: 83% Mad Max: Fury Roadhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/aXAhQutuJUeLyBpWkViUNL.jpg The world has gone to hell following a cataclysmic event, plunging headfirst into madness and chaos. All that remains is a wasteland governed by tyrannical men, populated by downtrodden hordes, and hopefully, rescued by mythical heroes. Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) rules with an iron fist, doling out meagre amounts of water to the masses, while keeping a stable of wives for himself to breed future warlords. His most trusted Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) has betrayed him and freed these women from their lives of sexual slavery. Now, the chase is on, as Immortan Joe and his party of warboys set out to retrieve their "property". If Furiosa and co. are to succeed, they’ll need the help of Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy), a wandering road warrior in search of a cause. Director George Miller has crafted the most dynamic, vibrant and sensational action blockbuster of the decade with Fury Road. it’s an inventive, high-octane kick in the guts to a film industry that has played it safe for far too long. The chases and stunts in this film are unparalleled. Best of all, the film's cut-to-the-chase plot manages to sneak in a powerful and extremely timely rebuttal to patriarchy. IMDB Rating: 8.1, Rotten Tomatoes: 97% Need some kid-friendly entertainment that will make the whole family happy? We've selected some of the best family movies that Netflix Australia has to offer. Each one of these films is guaranteed to leave you feeling warm and fuzzy. How to Train Your Dragonhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3aHudZG9Ru8FUKBvmsgNAE.jpg One of the best animated films of the last decade, How to Train Your Dragon surprised everyone with its tale of a young Viking boy who defies his village's dragon hunting ways to become the very first dragon rider. When Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) stumbles upon an injured Night Fury, the rarest and most-feared dragon in existence, he manages to befriend the creature (which he adorably names 'Toothless'), eventually teaching his family a valuable lesson in the process. Packed with incredible action and adventure, How to Train Your Dragon is a classic that can be enjoyed by both young and old. IMDB Rating: 81%, Rotten Tomatoes: 98% Beauty and the Beasthttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/GFuhnVmC9Qhw5y64uKBsD8.jpg An utterly enchanting and completely magnificent live-action adaptation of one of Disney's most celebrated animated classics, Beauty and the Beast absolutely nails the source material — maybe even betters it in some regards. Much of the praise can be bestowed upon Emma Watson, who plays Belle with grace and warmth. The same can be said about Dan Stevens, who spends the film injecting life into the computer-generated Beast. Luke Evans comes close to stealing the show, though as the vicious and vain Gaston. We're also pleased to report that all of the original film's songs are present and accounted for, so gather the whole family and settle in for a wonderful night singing, laughing and crying. IMDB Rating: 7.3, Rotten Tomatoes: 71% The Lego Batman Moviehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bgrJYQxBip45gm9b7qXDUf.jpg If you loved Will Arnett's hilarious take on the Caped Crusader in The Lego Movie, you're going to be over the moon to see him take centre stage in his very own block-filled blockbuster! In The Lego Batman Movie, all of the Dark Knight's villains are teaming up to take over Gotham City, and it's up to Batman and his newly adopted sidekick Robin (Michael Cera) to stop them! With an incredible cast of comedic superstars in tow, including Zach Galifianakis as the Joker, Conan O'Brien as The Riddler and Riki Lindhome as Poison Ivy, The Lego Batman Movie keeps the laughs coming for its entire runtime. Quite frankly, it's the best Batman film since The Dark Knight. IMDB Rating: 7.3, Rotten Tomatoes: 91% Fantastic Mr. Foxhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3nJaGLbyMzMjxHEaTiAx3E.jpg Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel, Moonrise Kingdom) is a writer/director know for his whimsical and inimitable style, with characters who are fleshed out (regardless of whether they're actually people) and have warmth and heart to spare. With his first foray into family-fare, Fantastic Mr. Fox, the visionary filmmaker succeeded in creating his most accessible film to date. Based on the classic story by Roald Dahl, the film follows a wily fox (played with incredible charm and terrific comedic timing by George Clooney) who bandies together with his family (voiced by Meryl Streep and Jason Schwartzman) and friends (including voice work from regular Wes Anderson collaborator, Bill Murray) to fight off the mean farmers that plan to destroy their homes. Featuring wonderful stop-motion animation, Fantastic Mr. Fox is a heartfelt and hilarious film that's destined to become a family favourite. IMDB Rating: 7.8, Rotten Tomatoes: 93% The Iron Gianthttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dtr8wHZmmnWecj65QDx4UX.jpg Criminally overlooked by audiences upon initial release, The Iron Giant is an animated film that has steadily grown in appreciation over the years, to the point where many traditional animation purists now consider it an undisputed classic. The feature-length debut of director Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol), and Set during the 1950s at the height of the 'Red Scare' period of America's history, The Iron Giant tells the story of a lonely boy named Hogarth (Eli Marienthal) who makes a new best friend in an enormous amnesiac robot (Vin Diesel). The robot eventually realises that he was actually built as a weapon, and before long, the authorities find out about him and set out on a quest to destroy the gentle giant. Now the boy and his metallic friend have to protect each other at all costs. A touching film in the tradition of E.T. the Extra-terrestrial, The Iron Giant deserves to be considered as not just a terrific animated film, but as one the greatest films of the '90s, period. IMDB Rating: 8.0, Rotten Tomatoes: 96% Back to the Futurehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/A4TaSPsVsxzxhujgG2Z4Sb.jpg A time-travelling classic from director Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump) and producer Steven Spielberg (Raiders of the Lost Ark), Back to the Future sees 1980s teenager Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) race back to the 1950s to ensure that his parents meet during high school and fall in love – he better succeed, because if he fails, he'll be wiped from existence in his current timeline! To do this, he'll need help from Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) – an eccentric scientist who's built a working time machine in the form of a DeLorean sports car. A fantastic fish-out-of-water tale that leans heavily on 1950s nostalgia, great performances and terrific visual effects, Back to the Future can be considered a high-watermark from everyone involved. IMDB Rating: 8.5, Rotten Tomatoes: 96% http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/wLre1jAdOEI

If you're looking for a cheap laptop or a mammoth saving on a premium portable computer, you've come to the right place. We've scoured the web for savings – from the usual suspects to the niche deal sites – and rounded up all the genuine and worthwhile specials in one neat place. We've covered everything from budget browsing machines to high-performance powerhouses, so you'll no doubt find something to match your needs. Best laptops of 2018: our pick of the 15 best notebooks this yearUp the top, we've highlighted a selection of the latest deals that we've sniffed out, so you can reap the rewards of having your finger on the pulse. Below that we've covered some of the more popular laptops that often come up on special, and then included a quick list of the best prices on TechRadar's pick of the latest best laptops. If you're from the US or the UK, check out our selections of the top laptop deals in the US or in the UK. Best laptop deals this weekhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9d8b11b635025b4f8ea1de3d26c578ec.jpg We'll keep on updating the list of deals as and when we find them. Below, you'll find up to date prices on TechRadar's favourite laptop, so keep an eye out for those savings. The best deals on our favourite laptopsOver the years we've reviewed plenty of laptops and, as a result, we've seen what to avoid and what to jump on when there's savings to be had. We'll keep track of the prices of some of the best we've seen so that you can snatch up a bargain when they do show up. Check out the prices below and see if anything has dropped enough to tickle your fancy. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PHng7tbjeneSo5PzBuSLoG.jpg Saying that we're very happy with Dell's XPS 13 is a huge understatement. The slim profile, revolutionary design and small frame bely its powerful performance and gorgeous 13-inch screen. Typically you'd have to weigh up portability and performance, but the XPS 13 has managed to strike a fine balance between the two. With Intel's latest Kaby Lake processors plus lighting, quick storage and memory, the XPS 13's starting price is certainly an impressive one. We're so chuffed with it that it's still one of our favourite Ultrabook, and has taken the top spot as the best Windows laptop and the best overall laptop. Read the full review: Dell XPS 13 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/LYuaSr3oBUBHw9YVGVcrMD.jpg Asus has nailed it with the overhauled ZenBook Flip S 2-in-1. Adding top of the line processing power, plenty of memory and a speedy PCle solid state drive available in some of the models, this laptop shows off a beautiful new design to perfection, giving you the ability to use it as a laptop or a tablet. While it costs a pretty penny as compared to some of the competition out there, it would be our top recommendation if money isn't a factor. Read the full review: Asus ZenBook Flip S UX370 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HVFRVvmGz3BaXJzKrnKKDD.jpg While this may not be a great leap from the previous generation of MacBook Pros with Touch Bar, the 2018 model is definitely the best Apple has produced to date. The Cupertino firm has ramped up performance for the 13-inch MacBook Pro 2018, more so than the bigger 15-inch model as well. A thin OLED display at the top end of the keyboard can be customised to for various functions, and also offer Touch ID for secure logins. And although it retains Apple's signature design, it doesn't come cheap, but you can argue with the choice if you're a diehard Apple fan. Read the full review: Apple MacBook Pro with Touch Bar 13-inch (2018) http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VVuBh4dMgKXDh85KY7MXUm.jpg Our earlier choice of gaming laptop, the Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501 has been knocked off its perch by MSI's GS65 Stealth. With cutting edge components, including an 8th-gen Intel Core i7-8750H processor and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 GPU, it makes the top spot in gaming laptops. It's also cheaper than the ROG Zephyrus GX501. And it doesn't look like a hunky gaming laptop either; with subtle design tweaks, the GS65 Stealth can pass off as a work or study laptop without anyone being none the wiser. Read the full review: MSI GS65 Stealth http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PRh8ZNG2Nqg8awsaAgo8jT.jpg Dell's XPS 15 laptops were already some of the best you could buy, but this beautifully redesigned 15-inch 2-in-1 competes with the Dell XPS 13 in every respect, with the convenience of becoming a tablet when needed. It's one of the most aesthetically pleasing devices in its category and also boast plenty of power. Under the hood is a new Intel Kaby Lake G-series processor featuring 'discreet-class' Radeon graphics – meaning with the power comes a bit more noise. Read the full review: Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 If you're after some more further info on the best laptops, check out some of our other dedicated articles: The best laptops of 2018 in AustraliaBest gaming laptops of 2018The best ultrabooks of 2018Best business laptops of 2018Best 2-in-1 laptops of 2018Watch the video below for the top 7 things to consider when buying a laptop. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/rynU_tA7jw0

While CES 2019 was a flurry of excitement with 7nm and 10nm silicon, new gaming laptops and more for a computer nerd to get excited about, what interested us most was all the new computer monitors we feasted our eyes on. From gargantuan 65-inch displays to RGB lit spectacles, we’ve never seen more monitor introduced at CES and there was also a fair share of new comers to the scene as well. Without further ado, here’s a look at the best monitors we saw at CES 2019. Want more CES 2019 highlights? TechRadar is hands-on with 8K TVs and foldable, rollable displays, along with new laptops and Alexa-enabled smart gadgets. Check out everything we've seen, live from Las Vegas!As its name suggest it’s a massive 65-inch monitor and while it might not have a tuner like your 4K TV, it’ll deliver raw image quality with its 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) resolution, 1,000-nit peak brightness, HDR colors and a high refresh rate of 144Hz. What’s more, this screen features a built-in sound bar and a built-in Nvidia Shield, so it could easily be the center of your home entertainment setup just as much as your extra, extra-large gaming monitor. Big Format Gaming Displays were one of our #1 highlights of CES 2018 and we were a little sad we didn’t hear another peep about them for an entire year. Thankfully, this giant gaming monitors didn’t evaporate into vaporware. Rather, company’s have been hard at work perfecting the BFGD formula and we’re HP Omen X Emperium 65 is a stand out example of the monitors that will redefine living room gaming. Price: $4,999 (about £3,929, AU$7,000)Availability: February 2019At CES 2019, Razer officially jumped into the world of gaming monitors with the Raptor. This 27-inch gaming display looks like a stellar high-end set with a 2,560 x 1,440 IPS panel, a 144Hz refresh rate and support for AMD’s FreeSync variable refresh rate technology. Although Razer has said it will achieve 95% of the HDR-grade DCI-P3 color gamut, it didn’t officially announce whether it will meet any of the HDR specification. Specs aside, it looks stunning with an industrial design and RGB lighting. It also has plenty of practical gimmicks as well, around back you’ll find a cable routing area pre-etched into the back of the monitor stand and the monitor will also turn 90-degrees allowing you to access the ports easily. Price: $699Availability: Sometime in 2019Aorus was just one of the many gaming hardware makers to get into gaming monitor and its current flagship is the AD27QD Tactical Display. It features a 27-inch, 2,560 x 1,440 resolution IPS panel that supports a 144Hz refresh rate, FreeSync and 10-bit colors covering 95% of the DCI-P3 color space. What makes this gaming monitor interesting is it comes with built-in microphones not to pipe your voice to your in-game teammates, but to add noise cancelation for your gaming headset/microphone. All users have to do is connect a 3.5mm headset directly into the monitor and the monitor will be able to mute out the sounds of your clacking keyboard, screaming mom and other noises your teammates won’t want to hear. Aorus’ Tactical Advantage Monitor overlay can also activate frame-rate monitoring and a center reticle on your screen – which may be useful for games like CS:GO and other shooters. Price: $599Availability: January 16, 2019So far we know that the 55-inch OLED monitor will feature a 3,840 x 2,160 display resolution, 120Hz refresh rate and cover 98% of the DCI-P3 color space. Unfortunately, Alienware is keeping its lips tight on peak brightness and HDR certifications. Also, while you might think that this monitor falls under Nvidia’s BFGD banner, it doesn’t and Alienware has yet to confirm if it will support either G-Sync or AMD’s Freesync. Other than that, we’ll have to sit tight and wait for this monster of a gaming monitor to release in mid-2019 AT CES 2019, we saw plenty of large-format gaming monitor, but Alienware was the only company to introduce an OLED screen. The Alienware 55 OLED Monitor might only be a technology preview at this point, but we were still blown away by the rich blacks and vividly popping colors. Price: TBDAvailability: Mid 2019http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/Ebc3A74VpCU

As far back as August, we reported that Amazon and IMDb were teaming up to launch a new ad-supported streaming service for Fire TV devices in 2019, offering free access to a huge number of movies and TV shows. Now, that service is officially open for business in the US – dubbed IMDb Freedive, the video-on-demand offering currently provides users with around 130 movies and 29 TV shows to stream for free, as reported by Variety. Along with a selection of high quality films available on the Freedive video channel – which includes the likes of Drive, Adaptation, True Romance, Memento and The Last Samurai – viewers will also be able to stream a somewhat random mix of television shows, such as Gilligan's Island, The Bachelor, Duck Dynasty and Heroes. Although it was previously speculated that Freedive would be available exclusively for Amazon Fire TV devices, today's launch has revealed that users will be able to watch the new service from their computer's internet browser. People in the US can head over to the IMDb Freedive website to sign up for the service now. There's currently no word on if or when Amazon plans to open up access for viewers outside the US. The best Amazon Fire TV deals and saleshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/f0tfv4w_qrc

When you’re sitting there having electricity pumped into your brain, you can’t help but wonder what you’ve signed up for. That’s what happened when we tried out the new Halo Sport 2 headphones, tech that delivers an electrical current to the motor center of your brain. The idea is to use this device for 20 minutes before an activity to create a state of ‘hyper-learning’ by neuropriming. This means exciting the tissue in your brain artificially before an activity, basically improving your capability to learn and embed new movements. The theory goes that if your brain is more ‘plastic’ when you try to learn a new skill, be it drumming, running correctly or shooting three pointers in basketball, you’ll absorb it quicker. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YzPRowHWuE9aGZBQQmzMXJ.jpg When asked about how it worked, Halo Neuroscience CEO Daniel Chao told us about how it was important to target clusters of neurons in the brain because ‘if these fire together, they wire together’. So if you’re getting ready to train your fingers to play guitar, 20 minutes with the Halo Sport headphones will get your neurons excited. Then the chances of two neurons firing together and creating new pathways in the brain are improved. The original Halo Sport came out a couple of years ago, based on this technology, as way for athletes to gain an extra edge in their training. Since then they’ve been used by a variety of different sportspeople, medical professionals, the military and musicians to improve their motor skills in key moments - with the headphones offering up to 50% benefit when it comes to this form of learning, according to Halo. Enough of the science - what’s it like to use?http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/g34iQvSR87gdxYXPXTgpuJ.jpg Looking at the Halo Sport 2 headphones, they’re daunting. The cups are large and ear-encompassing, and the spikey primers on the top (they’re technically electrodes, but Chao told us that they changed the name to make it sound a bit less intense) look like they’re going to bore into your skull or something. Thankfully they’re just soft foam, that needs to be made wet before application to ensure better conductivity with the skull and allowing the neuro-priming to work more effectively. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RvRsMwQY86F57jAkRTHBAK.jpg The wet foam pad prior to insertion The headphones themselves feel well-built and have a firm hold on the head, making it easy to get the fit you want. This is important, as the companion app from Halo needs to confirm it’s making clear contact with your head before the process can begin. That process is unlike anything we’ve felt before. The second you start, and the app tells you that it’s ‘ramping up’, you’ll begin to feel a tingling in the skull where the electrodes… sorry, primers are. This feels strange, but not uncomfortable. The only issue is the small part of your mind that’s worried about passing electricity into the most important organ in your body - what if it goes wrong? http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/y9WJn3xQoDpb8HPSAv3YuJ.jpg That sensation quickly diminished, and we were cranking the intensity up to the maximum level to experience how it felt. Again, it felt strange but Chao told us that this was normal and people who bought the Halo Sport 2 mostly spent time at nine or 10 levels when using the system. From there, one would use the system for 20 minutes before beginning the task in hand - after that you’re going to have an hour’s window where your brains synapses are firing harder across the motor cortex (coincidentally, in the same place as where a headphone band naturally sits) and you’re ready to learn. A decent pair of headphoneshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/GZ3xAi6kYEzs4xTYBbF98K.jpg The audio quality of the new version of the Halo Sport headphones is impressive - especially when you consider that in the first version the brand just ‘chucked some audio drivers and speakers inside’ the cups. Because originally this system wasn’t conceived as a set of headphones, but a band that looped over the head and hooked behind the ears - but Chao said it just looked too ugly. The ear cups were added for comfort and style, and wired headphones were put in as an afterthought. The audio quality of the new Halo headphones is pretty good, with Chao claiming that they believe they easily stack up against anything that Bose or JBL offer. While we didn’t spend hours listening to different styles of music, the audio quality in vocals was pretty good - and you can remove the primer spikes to make wearing the headphones more comfortable day to day. The idea is an interesting one, unlocking something as simple as firing an electrical current into the brain to improve performance. It’s called transcranial direct current stimulation (TCDS), which is just as described above - the idea of stimulating the brain to achieve a heightened state of learning. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/utEpjt4F8pFz5L9D9YMH3K.jpg This is something that’s been studied for decades, but only now are we starting to see its use outside of laboratories. “Our secret sauce is just electrical current” says Chao, pointing out that the key thing is that these headphones alone won’t make you any better at a given skill just by wearing them alone. “We think of ourselves like fertilizer” says Chao, highlighting that the need to know what you’re trying to improve upon is key before starting sessions with the Halo Sport 2 and app combination. Think of it more as removing that frustration when you’re trying to get your body to learn how to do something and you keep getting it wrong, before you finally begin to improve with time. If it’s something new, then the steep, positive learning curve is only going to get steeper, says Chao. If this was something like ping pong practice or learning to juggle, he claims using the headphones will dramatically increase your performance. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UQQHyM2Byt6UdpAkczrmUJ.jpg For a high-level sportsman, musician or any kind of trained individual, that learning curve isn’t going to be as dramatic - the progress will only come when trying to adopt a new skill as the motor pathways are already pretty much set. For a runner, this could be trying to run more on the forefoot, or keep up your hips when sprinting, in a bid to become more efficient. The thing that keeps coming across is that the headphones will only help you absorb that skill faster, not mutate your body to be able to do it instantly. That leads nicely onto the key thing about these Sport 2 headphones - the price. The first set cost $749 (around £620 / AU$1100) but that’s been dropped to $399 (around £310 / AU$555) thanks to higher economies of scale as more sets are sold (and only $299 for the early bird buyer). For a company that’s raised nearly $25m in its time, that’s the kind of price point it needs to be looking towards to build a wider user base. The idea of shocking your brain to get faster, stronger or more adept is a hard enough sell as it is, so spending a huge amount of money to do so isn’t going to go down too well. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Lt9kpNjcfTZxqL4pzWLCdJ.jpg Let’s also address the big issue that many (including us) might have before using these headphones for the first time: the question over whether firing electricity into a targeted part of the head is safe or not. When researching the company and the tech it’s using, there are some threads openly questioning whether the technology is snake oil, a fake that seems cool but does nothing. Others are asking whether they’re even safe to use. There are two elements here: whether TCDS is safe, and whether the Halo Sport headphones are using it effectively. The former point has a lot of science and study behind it, and it seems pretty clear that TDCS is safe to use with minimal side effects. Chao says Halo is conducting clinical trials of new way to use its tech (such as with rehabilitating stroke victims), and has done a study of a quarter of a million sessions - and the findings are in line with those seen in peer-reviewed studies on the tech. It doesn’t appear that the science Halo is pushing has been peer-reviewed just yet, but further clinical studies are being looked at. Halo’s own website makes a promise on its website that the technology is 100% safe, and that the FDA has ruled the Halo Sport headphones as ‘general wellness’ devices, which are safe to use for healthy users. That doesn’t mean that potential users shouldn’t check out whether they’re right for them, but it looks like the science has been thoroughly tested and Halo is claiming 1400 healthy users have tried them with no ill-effects. What’s next?http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ESXscpqdsfhTSUP5p4wjqJ.jpg One of the questions we asked Chao was the potential for improving other areas of the brain, and he said that he’d heard anecdotally that some users were placing the primers on other parts of the head - such as the pre-frontal cortex - and the brand was aware of the possibility of creating something to activate other parts of the mind. One possibility we asked was to help with mood alteration, to promote the idea of ‘flow’ in a user - giving the user the chance to focus more easily, observing fewer distractions and being able to just feel like they’re capable of giving more headspace to the task at hand. When that’s used in things like high-pressure sport, or even just a tough 10K run for the average athlete, that would be an incredibly useful extra - but apparently this isn’t the current or core focus for Halo Neuroscience, a brand looking to convince users that brain stimulation is safe and a powerful tool worth investing in. That confirmation needs to be more than just the Halo website promising it's really safe - even though the proof it has created is thoroughly convincing - but we're looking forward to trying out the training modes to see if it will improve materially what we think we can already do. Check out all of TechRadar's CES 2019 coverage. We're live in Las Vegas to bring you all the breaking tech news and launches, plus hands-on reviews of everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops and smart home gadgets. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/Oc7iqY3nBdY

While cameras were a no-show at CES 2019, a Canon executive dropped a small bombshell when speaking to photography publication Imaging Resources in an exclusive interview. According to Yoshiyuki Mizoguchi, the top product-planning man at Canon Inc, video recording is playing a major role in future development of the new EOS R system. With that in mind, “an 8K video capable camera is already in our EOS R-series roadmap,” Mr Mizoguchi said. “And we are not just looking at video from a camera perspective, we are also working on how to make RF lenses better for video capture as well. For example, the RF 24-105mm f/4L was the first L-series lens with Nano USM technology, which contributes to silent and smooth autofocus while shooting video,” he added. The past and the futureWhile most camera manufacturers made 4K video capture the norm in their mirrorless systems, Canon bided its time. The first Canon mirrorless camera to feature high resolution video recording was the EOS M50 which launched in early 2018. And, although the new Canon EOS R full-frame mirrorless camera does feature 4K shooting, users have complained that it's crippled by an 1.8x crop and maximum frame rate of only 30fps. However, if what Mizoguchi has teased us with is true, Canon could be one of the first imaging companies to launch an 8K full-frame mirrorless camera. This could mean there’s a sea change taking place within the company, with Canon now eager to take Sony head-on in the innovation front. During the interview, Mizoguchi also mentioned that Canon will continue to develop new DSLRs as there was a “very strong demand” for the snappers like the 5D Mark IV, the 6D Mark II and the EOS 80D over the Christmas shopping period. That’s good news as we are expecting to see the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III arrive some time this year. When the 8K EOS R camera will be announced, though, is anyone’s guess. Best Canon camera 2019: 10 quality options from Canon’s camera stablehttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/1o6kb-nHirw

Ahead of NRF 2019, HP has announced that it is expanding its SMB offerings with the launch of a new all-in-one POS system and that it is partnering with PayPal to utilise its payment processing services. The company has shied away from targeting the SMB market in the past but now it is looking to leverage its success in retail and hospitality to deliver solutions that address the needs of SMB retailers and hospitality operators. HP is releasing a new Android-based POS system called the Engage One Prime which has been optimised for SMBs in retail and hospitality. The device comes equipped with an integrated magnetic strip reader, NFC and a camera-based barcode scanner. Customers will be able to choose the speed of their CPU, memory and storage with a number of peripherals available to add to their systems. PayPal partnershipWhen it comes to EMV processing, HP is relying on companies such as PayPal to provide the necessary hardware. By partnering with PayPal, the two companies will offer joint customers a suite of hardware, POS software and payment processing along with out-of-the-box setup and maintenance. HP will also work with additional payment provider partners and selected independent software vendors to include POS software with the HP Engage One Prime. VP and GM of Retail Solutions for HP, Aaron Weiss explained the company's decision to partner with PayPal, saying: "We saw an opportunity with this product to create a partnership with a key player in this space in payments, and that's with PayPal. It's an opportunity for us to leverage their leadership with payment services, and their experience and reach with the SMB market. They are also a trusted and recognized brand and they have fantastic customer support as well." The HP Engage One Prime will be available next month for interested SMBs. Via ZDNet We've also highlighted the best e-commerce platformshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/mrw8vMz1oFo

Despite being around for decades, virtual reality (VR) has had some difficulty hitting a mainstream gaming audience. Whether that's down to expensive headsets, a limited library, or just a general lack of appeal, gamers (and developers) just weren't invested in virtual reality as a viable platform for 'true' gaming experiences. However, in recent years, the jaded perception of VR has slowly started to lift. As the technological possibilities increase for the platform, game developers have began to take the medium more seriously, creating more games specifically for VR. It's a move which has seen the likes of the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, PlayStation VR and Oculus Go going from strength to strength and titles such as Astro Bot: Rescue Mission and Tetris Effect garnering critical praise. But what's in store for the future of VR gaming? Well, there's nowhere better to find out than CES 2019. Luckily, we scoured the halls for the best upcoming virtual reality tech you can expect to see in the future. The best VR headset 2019: which headset offers the most immersion for your buck?HTC Vive Cosmoshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/iPzmTF64aWupgytrYV8SPo.jpg HTC have become one of the most well-known names in virtual reality gaming, with the HTC Vive and HTC Vive Pro proving to be two of the most popular headsets on the market. But the company isn't ready to stop there, alongside the myriad of announcements HTC made at CES, there was also news of what the brand is getting up to in terms of VR - which is quite a lot it seems. Arguably the most interesting is its new HTC Vive Cosmos VR headset, which can be powered by more than a PC and offers the VivePort Infinity service, which was described by HTC head Drew Bamford as 'Netflix for VR titles'. The problem is, HTC didn't actually reveal when we can expect to see the headset and this service - or how much they'll cost - so we don't actually know all that much. We don't even know what the resolution will be or how the headset will work, but the prospect of a new gaming-focused headset is definitely interesting. In addition, we can only hope that more big-name VR titles start to emerge as the likelihood of users signing up to a subscription service such as VivePort Infinity without being offered a decent-sized library is slim. Want to hear more of our thoughts on the HTC Vive Cosmos? Check out TechRadar's Gareth Beavis' opinion below: HTC's Vive Cosmos VR headset is amazing - and frustrating - in equal measurePimax’s ‘8K’ ultra-wide high-resolution VR headsethttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sNr5WkygSvKMHfRXFamVfY.jpg HTC is not the only company offering innovative new virtual reality technology. Pimax has revealed its ‘8K’ ultra-wide high-resolution VR headset is set to ship in February, a prospect which almost seems too good to be true following some delays post-successful Kickstarter. The headset will finally allow for peripheral vision in VR, however the ‘8K’ name is slightly deceptive considering the headset actually has two 4K lenses (one for each eye), and each is technically 3,840 x 2,160 upscaled from 2,560 x 1,440, according to VentureBeat and . It's still pretty impressive, providing a 200-degree field-of-view (while the likes of the HTC Vive only provides 145-degrees), but it's definitely pricey - costing $899. Despite all this, there's no denying the Pimax '8K' is paving the way for VR headsets with more immersive gaming experiences - with larger FOVs, better frame rates and better resolution. TechRadar's David Lumb got hands-on with the headset at CES 2019, you can check out his thoughts below: Pimax’s ‘8K’ ultra-wide high-resolution VR headset is slated to ship in FebruaryOculus Rift Facebook livestreaminghttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yemp4qCphPy8GEsEFHufNE.jpg We are a slave to social media, and VR is no exception. Oculus Rift is choosing to ride the wave rather than swim against it, announcing an update which will allow users to live stream their virtual reality shenanigans to Facebook - something which is likely to benefit streamers. The update is currently available on the public test channel and is expected to roll out to all users at the end of January. However, the feature only works with certain apps and games - with developers having to opt-in and support the live streaming feature. How many choose to is yet to be seen. In addition, the update adds Public Homes. This means that others can visit your virtual home, if you so choose. But don't worry, you can decide who is (and isn't) allowed in. The idea is to allow people to make new virtual reality friends with shared interests. To be honest, this is more of a novelty idea but could definitely pave the way for more virtual reality social spaces. The best VR games: the top VR games on mobile, consoles and PCThe best cheap PlayStation VR bundles, prices and dealsMultiplayer gaming in VR: what’s it like?The best multiplayer VR gameshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/p7O6W6Cr0hM

Google's efforts to make the web a safer place continue with the announcement that Chrome's ad blocker will soon be available across the globe beginning on July 9th. As was the case with the initial rollout of its ad blocker, the date does not coincide with a new version of its browser as Chrome 76 will arrive on May 30th and Chrome 77 is set to launch on July 25th. This means that Google is expanding the reach of Chrome's ad blocker on its own servers and not through the program itself. Last year, the company joined the Coalition for Better Ads which offers specific standards on how the industry should improve the way ads are delivered to consumers. The Coalition for Better Ads recently announced that it would expand its Better Ads Standards beyond North America and Europe to cover all countries and Google is following suit with its own ad blocking efforts. Banned ad typesThe coalition has banned pop-up ads, auto playing video ads with sound, prestitial ads with countdowns and large sticky ads on desktop. On the mobile side, eight types of ads have been banned including pop-up ads, prestitial ads, ad density higher than 30 per cent, flashing animated ads, auto-playing videos with sound, postital ads with countdowns, full-screen scrollover ads and large sticky ads. Google's goal is to make the internet easier to navigate for users by cutting off ad revenue from websites that serve non-compliant ads. The company also shared some of the early successes of its ad blocker program in the US, Canada and Europe. According to Google, two thirds of publishers whose sites were labelled as non-compliant in the past are now in good standing and less than one per cent of all of the sites it has reviewed have had their ads filtered. Via VentureBeat We've also highlighted the best VPNs to help keep you safe onlinehttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/ZyoQj9-Ck1E