sincity

With 2018 is drawing to a close, and the post Christmas and New Year sales going strong, now is an ideal time to think about getting a new laptop, and our list of the best laptops money can buy is here to help. No matter what kind of laptop you're looking for, our best laptop guide lists a wide range of excellent laptops, from super-slim and all-powerful Ultrabooks, to high-end laptops, Apple MacBooks, gaming laptops and budget laptops as well. To make choosing the best laptop for your needs even easier, our very own price comparison tool looks at retailers across the internet and highlights top deals, so you can buy in confidence knowing you're getting the best laptop for the best price. Every entry in this best laptops buying guide has been thoroughly tested by us, and we only include laptops that have seriously impressed us and convinced us they are worthy of a place in this list. This guide is also constantly updated to include the best new laptops as they are released, so as soon as a new device comes out that we think is worthy of a place in this article, we'll put it in. The best laptops of 2018:The Huawei MateBook X Pro is our pick for the best laptop money can buy in 2018. After years of this list being dominated by the (still excellent) Dell XPS 13, the MateBook X Pro has proved to be a truly brilliant challenger. This is a gorgeously-designed laptop with a stunning screen (albeit with a rather odd aspect ratio), and it comes packed with cutting edge components that allows it to perform brilliantly, and a battery life that runs rings around many of its rivals. It also has a very competitive price, giving you features, design and performance for quite a bit less money. Sadly, it's not available in many countries, so if you struggle to grab hold of it, look into getting the Dell XPS 13 (below). Read the full review: Huawei MateBook X Pro This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Dell XPS 13 Even though the Dell XPS 13 has been knocked into second place by the sublime MateBook Pro X, it’s still an absolutely brilliant laptop. There’s a good reason why it was at the top of our best laptops list for three years running. The 2018 Dell XPS 13 is a slimmer, more powerful version of the award-winning laptop with a stunning 4K display and a gorgeous Rose Gold on Alpine White color option. The Dell XPS 13 rocks an 8th-generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processor and a bezel-less ‘Infinity Edge’ display, this Dell XPS 13 continues to be the most popular Windows laptop in the world. What’s more, there’s a wide range of customization options, so you can really make the Dell XPS 13 the best laptop for your needs. Read the full review: Dell XPS 13 Asus has struck gold with its new refresh of its ZenBook Flip S 2-in-1 laptop, with the Asus ZenBook Flip S UX370 impressing us so much it's landed straight at number 3 in our best laptops list. With a new Kaby Lake R 8th-generation processor powering the device, plenty of RAM and a super-fast PCIe SSD in certain models, this is an absolutely stunning laptop. Its 2-in-1 design means you can use it as both a laptop and a tablet, and while it's not as affordable as some machines on this list, if you have the budget you'll be really happy with this fantastic device. Read the full review: Asus ZenBook Flip S UX370 If you're after the latest and greatest laptop from Apple, we suggest you look into the 2018 model of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. While Microsoft had the performance edge over last year's MacBook Pro, with the Surface Book 2, Apple has come out swinging with some seriously beefed up specs for the 13-inch MacBook Pro 2018, and even more so if you go for the larger 15-inch model. The headline Touch Bar – a thin OLED display at the top of the keyboard which can be used for any number of things, whether that be auto-suggesting words as you type or offering Touch ID so you can log in with just your fingerprint – is again included. It's certainly retained Apple's sense of style, but it comes at a cost. This is a pricey machine, so you may want to consider one of the Windows alternatives. If you're open to switching to a PC, definitely consider the XPS 13 or the excellent MateBook X Pro. But, if you're a steadfast Apple diehard, this is definitely the best laptop for you! Read the full review: Apple Macbook with Touch Bar 13-inch (2018) The new MSI GS65 Stealth has knocked our previous choice of the best gaming laptop, Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501, off this list, thanks to its excellent array of cutting edge components, which includes an 8th-generation Intel Core i7-8750H CPU and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 GPU. It's also more reasonably priced than the Zephyrus GX501, and its subtle design means that it can double as a work or study laptop without raising any eyebrows. If you're looking for a more affordable gaming laptop, however, check out the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming below. Read the full review: MSI GS65 Stealth Microsoft's second attempt at a pure laptop device is an absolute winner in our view, and while it doesn't represent a huge overhaul of the original Surface Laptop, it offers improvements in all the areas we were hoping for, including updated hardware that brings serious performance benefits. This is a laptop that finally delivers on what Microsoft set out to do with the original: a pure, powerful Windows 10 laptop experience. If you're not sold on the 2-in-1 nature of the Surface Book 2 (which is also on this best laptops list), but love Microsoft's premium build quality and design, then the Surface Laptop 2 is the laptop for you. A very worth addition to this list. Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 Last year’s Dell XPS 15 was already one of the best laptops you could buy, but now that Dell has taken the beautiful redesign of the Dell XPS 13 and applied it here – while also making it a convertible. Well, it’s amazing. Not only do you get one of the most aesthetically pleasing 15-inch laptops on the market, but it also packs one of those new Intel Kaby Lake G-series CPUs featuring ‘discrete-class’ Radeon graphics. This means that this laptop packs serious power – even if it can get a little loud. Read the full review: Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 The Acer Predator Helios 300 is a fantastic affordable gaming laptop that proves that even if you don't have the kind of money to buy the MSI GS65 Stealth that also features on this best laptops list, you don't have to sacrifice too much when it comes to power. The Acer Predator Helios 300 packs some excellent components, such as a new 8th generation 6-core Intel Core i7 processor, Nvidia GTX 1060 graphics card and 16GB of RAM. While it's still an expensive proposition compared to regular laptops, for a gaming notebook you are getting a heck of a lot of power for the price. Read the full review: Acer Predator Helios 300 When it comes to the best Chromebook laptop, you have a choice between two stark alternatives. There's the premium Chromebook Pixel, which we list further down this page, and then there's the excellent Asus Chromebook Flip C302, which combines premium features in a much more affordable package. For many people, Chromebooks are excellent and affordable laptops that are perfect for students, and the Asus Chromebook Flip C302 is easily one of the best Chromebooks, and one of the best laptops, money can buy. It comes with an Intel Core processor, full 1080p display, touchscreen, backlit keyboard and USB-C port. Read the full review: Asus Chromebook Flip With the Surface Book 2 (13.5-inch), Microsoft has crafted one of the most powerful 2-in-1 laptops in the world. The Surface Book 2 has some powerful enough components to handle most day-to-day tasks, and even some light gaming and video editing if you go for a model with a dedicated graphics card. Brilliant build quality and excellent battery life makes this a wonderful device for using as either a laptop, or as a powerful Windows 10 tablet. It also comes in a 15-inch version, which is more powerful and with a larger screen. If you're after a more affordable 2-in-1 device, then the Acer Switch 3, below, is well worth checking out. Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Book 2 (13.5-inch) If you want the Microsoft Surface Book 2 but you want to spend a lot less, the Acer Switch 3 2017 is definitely the your best option. It's designed around essentially the same concept as the Surface Book 2 and it's a less capable thanks to slightly lower power innards, but for most tasks it's a brilliant little machine. What's more, to add further value this 2-in-1 laptop/tablet comes with the keyboard upgrade which means no little extras to pay for. As usual it comes in several different versions, with USB Type-C, 8GB RAM, an IPS display and Intel Core i3 7100U CPU coming with the more expensive option. Read the full review: Acer Switch 3 Last year's iteration of the MacBook is another win for Apple, and it's once again won us over with a gorgeous design, excellent performance and best-in-class battery life. Apple has updated the processors with Intel's 7th-generation Kaby Lake range, which means you get improved performance and longer battery life without sacrificing the thin and light design that the MacBook is famous for. While the MacBook 2017 is not designed as a pure productivity machine, like the more powerful and versatile MacBook Pro above, or as a gaming machine like the Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501, it's still one of the best laptops in the world right now thanks to being a super slim and light MacBook that you can take anywhere without even noticing the weight, and being a powerful showcase for macOS High Sierra. If you're after a MacBook, this year's model is easily one of the best. Read the full review: Apple MacBook The best Chromebooks have experienced huge success in recent years as a result of their accessibility, and the Google Pixelbook is no exception. Even though it costs twice as much as the average Chrome OS device and doesn’t come with a stylus as you may expect, the Pixelbook is built to withstand the future. It features a pair of Thunderbolt 3 ports for accessories and super fast file transfers, a hinge that flips inside out for watching movies on planes and a taste of Android. You get full access to the Google Play store on the Pixelbook, from playing Sonic the Hedgehog to watching videos in VLC. The icing on this pixelated cake is its long battery life – it lasted nearly 8 hours in our own testing, so you shouldn’t need to worry about the Pixelbook dying on you. Read the full review: Google Pixelbook This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Asus Chromebook Flip C302 While you may have been convinced that ‘budget Ultrabook’ was an oxymoron up until this point, the Acer has turned this common misconception on its head with the Swift 3. That’s because the company has taken the all-aluminum chassis of the Acer Swift 7 and stuffed some more affordable components inside for everyone to enjoy. It doesn’t run macOS, but the Acer Swift 3 does put the age-old MacBook Air to shame in about every other regard, including the nigh-unbeatable price tag. Of course, in the process of demolishing the competition, Acer did have to cut a few corners in order to keep the price so impressively low. So although you can’t expect much in the way of an Ultra HD display or quality onboard sound, the performance benchmarks alone give even the Surface Laptop a run for its money. We've also had a glance of the upcoming 2018 edition of the Swift 7 at CES 2018, which comes with boosted graphics and processing specs. It could be a shoe-in for a place on this list when it launches later this year. Read the full review: Acer Swift 3 While it may not have the best keyboard in the world, the Samsung Notebook 9 is still one of the best laptops you can buy in 2018. Packed with more horsepower than the MacBook Pro, but at a much lower price, Samsung has crafted a laptop that has just as much substance as it does style. Plus, on top of its killer specs, it’s lightweight and thin, making this one of the most portable 15-inch laptops you can buy today. Read the full review: Samsung Notebook 9 This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the MacBook Pro Which type of laptop is best for you?General laptops: Where the best cheap laptops are found, devices that focus more on practicality than style, portability or power. That’s not to say they can’t be fast, but you’ll typically find a non-Ultrabook clamshell laptop with an HD screen and spinning drive-based storage for less than $600 or £400. Ultrabooks: Where you’ll find thin-and-light notebooks sporting SSD storage and display resolutions that exceed 1080p. Paired with powerful, albeit mobile-centric components and especially long battery life, the best Ultrabooks will cost a pretty penny – $700 or £500 to $2,000 or £1,800. 2-in-1 laptops: Where notebooks that double as tablets are located. The Surface Book 2 might be a ways off, but many of the best 2-in-1 laptops are available right now. Outfitted with both detachable and 360-degree rotating hinges, these hybrids are the most versatile way to experience Windows 10 (or Chrome OS) on a touchscreen. Chromebooks: Where you’ll find the best Chromebooks running Chrome OS. These do much of what Windows and macOS can in the browser, focused on cloud storage over local, while recently getting Android app support for touchscreen models. They generally cost less than $300 or £200 and some can even withstand a slight tussle. Gaming laptops: Need a laptop to play games (almost) just like a shiny desktop PC can? Then you’ll want one of the best gaming laptops. These machines generally cost from $800 or £600 to upwards of $3,000 or £2,800 and they’ll likely be the ones to take advantage of AMD’s laptop-grade Ryzen processors first. Laptop-tablet hybrids: Designed from the tablet-first approach to laptop-tablet hybrids, the best Windows tablets pack beyond-HD touchscreens, sometimes with kickstands in their frames or provided via keyboard covers. These generally shine with a stylus, and range from the budget to the premium price ranges. Linux, Windows or Mac - which one is best for you? Watch our guide video below: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/5TcVrrN0JkE

A new patent has been spotted which suggests that Microsoft is looking into ways to add a magnetic USB-C port onto future Surface devices. Microsoft has been frustratingly hesitant to add USB-C to its Surface lineup of tablets and laptops. USB-C allows for much faster data transfers and the ports can be used to charge devices as well, without being stuck with proprietary chargers that can be expensive to replace if you lose it. The new patent, known as 'Magnetically activated latch mechanism' describes a USB-C port that uses magnets that allows people to easily connect the charging port, with the magnets holding the cable in place without users having to use much force to insert the cable. Mag-neatoThe patent describes a system similar to Microsoft's previous proprietary Surface connector, as well as Apple's old Magsafe system. Not only does the magnetic port hold the cable safely in place, but it means the port is less likely to get damaged by inserting the cable too strongly, or if you accidentally rip the cable out. Best of all, it seems to work with USB-C. While the patent suggests that both the USB-C cable and the port will be magnetised, it will also work with standard non-magnetic USB-C cables. It's certainly an interesting idea, and we're glad to see Microsoft apparently willing to embrace USB-C, as many of its competitors do. The patent was applied for in May 2018, and has just been published, so hopefully Microsoft is working on this new port for an upcoming Surface device. Check out our pick of the best laptops of 2018Via Patently Mobile http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/BwcR8PVBgog

It’s safe to say 2018 has been quite a year for videogames and interactive media. Of course, it’s easy to claim that about any 12 month period when you’ve come to the end of it, but this year seemed to overflow with soaring highs and painful lows. Since January we’ve seen once stagnant franchises find new life, we’ve borne witness to some shocking launches and seen many a studio rise (and fall) along the way. Plagiarism reared its ugly head at one of the biggest sites in the gaming media. Battle royale continued to dominate sales and streaming charts. Esports and competitive sports grew even larger in scope and coverage. And a little developer called Rockstar revealed a culture of unhealthy hours and unrelenting ‘crunch’ before unleashing a record-breaking cowboy simulator. Like we said, 2018 has been quite the year. Eternal Fortnitehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MBou83o53MHtEGVta358UG.jpg It’s incredible to look back and see how little enthusiasm players and critics shared for Fortnite when it finally left early access and launched across platforms in the summer of 2017. Then PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds came along and revealed to the world a ‘new’ subgenre all about players fighting one another until only one victor remained. Then Epic Games added in a Battle Royale mode to Fortnite, made it free-to-play and boom - one instant mega-hit. With the advent of multi-year season passes, the game has only grown in popularity in 2018. In November, it was revealed that it now has over 200 million registered users, something no doubt helped by the one million-plus players now enjoying it on-the-go on Nintendo Switch. It’s become a phenomenon of Minecraft proportions, made superstars of some of its biggest Twitch streamers (although you could argue they’ve made it as much as it made them), with Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevins rubbing shoulders with celebrities on prime-time TV despite a prickly demeanour and a controversial decision to avoid playing with any female streamers. Snap, crackle and crunchhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pr3o6rLZ3h8JDUTeBX4hZk.png Crunch continues to play an important role in how many studios finish a game’s development cycle, but it launched itself firmly into the mainstream headlines for once when Rockstar head Dan Houser mentioned how many of his employees were working 100 hour weeks to get Red Dead Redemption 2 to gold status. He meant it to be an endorsement of their hard work, but in reality it cracked open the lid on a culture at the GTA studio where an expectation to work evenings and weekends became the norm. For a studio like Rockstar that normally shies away from revealing the inner workings of its many studios, the developer was forced to rescind a clause that stopped employees from discussing their work experiences with the media. Plenty of programmers, designers and testers said they never felt pressure to work extra hours, but a lot did and it took some of the shine off the eventual release of RDR2. It still made the Housers millions in a couple of weeks of release, though. Plagiarism rocks the games presshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/cVrfqcY6rMKVRCacRgqbfB.png It’s not often something as serious as plagiarism is placed at the door of one of the games media’s biggest websites, but that’s just what happened when a video from a small-time YouTube channel called Boomstick Gaming turned up near-verbatim in a review on IGN.com. The video went viral, every major news site in games picked up and soon everyone was discussing Metroidvania platformer Dead Cells for all the wrong reasons. It was revealed Nintendo Editor Filip Miucin had copied large parts of the review for IGN’s written and video-based review, and it didn’t take long for readers to find similar copied segments in countless other reviews of his on the site. IGN began frantically pulling down most of Miucin’s work and dismissed him almost immediately but it rocked the games media with a scandal it’s never really had to contend with before. Miucin even took to his own YouTube channel to make an apology video where he never actually apologized. Retro revival remasteredhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kVAvvjckfNZM4S9zprAVpF.jpg Remasters are nothing new to videogames - in fact, they pretty much kept the PS4 going during its first year - but 2018 has gone one better by either reviving some once great franchises for a new generation and offering new ways to play the games of yesteryear. The launch of the Nintendo Switch Online paid service in September saw the launch of a growing library of NES games - with full Joy-Con support - while Sony rounded off the year with the completely original Sony PlayStation Classic. Sony would have gotten away with its revival if it wasn’t for some clear disparity between the different emulations used on the console (and the PlayStation hits that were clearing missing from its collection). Elsewhere, Spyro the Dragon had all three of his original PlayStation instalments revitalized from the ground up with Spyro Trilogy Reignited. Following in the successful footsteps of Crash Bandicoot: N’Sane Trilogy, it would be Toys for Bob - the developer who originally used Spyro to launch the now dormant Skylanders franchise - that would help re-imagine Insomniac Games’ much-loved platforming trinity. We also got news of a MediEvil remaster along the same lines, and confirmation that Blizzard is working on Warcraft 3: Reforged and World of Warcraft Classic. Retro never really goes out of fashion, does it? Studio acquisitions and closureshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/GToPyYZBCUWeCkRmk8eusL.jpg Every year we see new studios form, while others sadly close their doors for the last time. However, there was a lot of activity on this front in 2018. On the plus side, Microsoft clearly showed its making big preparations for the next generation of Xbox by acquiring not one, but six new developers (Obsidian Entertainment, The Initiative, inXile Entertainment, Compulsion Games, Undead Labs, Playground Games and Ninja Theory) into its growing suite of first-party studios. However, there were some notable closures, too. Telltale Games - which was once the hottest ticket in town thanks to its narrative-driven take on The Walking Dead, A Wolf Among Us and Batman - saw its employees forced to find work elsewhere in September thanks to an overloaded schedule of projects, the loss of a major investor and stories of mismanagement behind the scenes. Another publisher stepped in to help fund and finish the final episodes of TWD’s swansong season, but it’s a bittersweet end to a developer that’s left an indelible mark on the industry. Games, games and more gameshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Cb8Vm5hMFHQtHBLd3U88PS.jpg And, of course, there’s been a gluttony of new games - some of which will likely be looked back on as the titles that defined the generation (as is often the case in the twilight years of a console’s lifecycle). Sony killed it with their exclusives, with a revitalized God of War giving the two-dimensional god-killer Kratos some much-needed depth. Detroit: Become Human just about managed to overcome David Cage’s script-writing hang-ups thanks to some brilliant performances from its cast and Insomniac’s Spider-Man offered the best take on the Web-Crawler since Spider-Man 2 on PS2. High praise indeed. Xbox One didn’t have quite so many killer apps, but Sea of Thieves has grown into a charming multiplayer take on the golden age of piracy and Forza Horizon 4 has proved even a spin-off can overtake the series that originally spawned it. Nintendo Switch also came out swinging in 2018 with some absolute belters in the form of Octopath Traveller, Mario Tennis Aces, Pokemon: Let’s Go Pikachu/Let’s Go Eevee, Kirby Star Allies and a little thing called Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It’s been a huge year for videogames - both better and for worse - and we can’ wait to see how 2019 is going to top it (for the better, we hope)... These are the 11 best open world games available on PC today.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/Sah55NGyqKo

You're a rich dude. You want the finer things in life. Not content with a Fitbit or even an Apple Watch, if it isn't designer and full of top spec tech, it just wont cut it. Money is no object and Louis Vuitton is here to serve again with another pricey smartwatch. The new LV Tambour Horizon, the follow up to the 2017 wearable of the same name, is again a Wear OS device aimed at the premium end of the market. Its headline new feature? The inclusion of the Snapdragon Wear 3100 chip. Designed in collaboration between Qualcomm and Google, it promises far superior battery life than that which has graced wrists before, with the Tambour Horizon boasting not only a full day's worth of power with its screen on, but an additional five in a low-power mode displaying simply just the time. Style countsElsewhere, the Tambour Horizon has a higher definition screen than its predecessor and comes in a new white ceramic style to go with your LV handbag. In a tweak to the original design, the smartwatch also includes a 24 hour time ring that features a day and night indicator around its rim. You'll be able to use this even in ambient mode – the Wear 3100 new feature that keeps heart rate and step count on screen during the low-power state along with time. We're still waiting on pricing and availability for the Louis Vuitton Tambour Horizon, but with the original costing $2,490 / £1,960, don't expect this to come cheaply. Best smartwatch: stretch your money a bit further with these alternativeshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/1yh13F9GStI

Remember the Galaxy Home, the smart speaker unveiled by Samsung back in August? It hasn't yet gone on sale, but reports suggest Samsung is working on a companion speaker for it – quite possibly a mini Galaxy Home designed to compete directly with the likes of the Google Home Mini and the Amazon Echo Dot. The news comes courtesy of some digging by SamMobile, which has discovered Samsung is working on a speaker product with the model number SM-V310. We know it comes in black, but that's just about all we know for the time being. Considering the Samsung Galaxy Home we saw earlier this year (model number SM-V510) has a relatively large form factor, eight microphones, directional audio and high-end AKG tech inside it, it's a reasonable assumption that Samsung might also try and fit in something that's a bit less capable and a bit cheaper. All eyes on CESWe don't know how much the main Galaxy Home is going to cost yet, or when it's going to actually go on sale, but we might see both speakers break cover at the CES 2019 tech expo happening in January. Samsung usually has a strong showing at the event, and it's the perfect place to show off all the gear arriving over the next 12 months. No doubt Samsung will have taken note of another busy Christmas in the smart speaker market – so many people were unwrapping and setting up Amazon Echo speakers in the UK this year that the Alexa system was briefly overwhelmed by the demand. With the Echo, Google Home, Apple HomePod and Sonos speakers already well established, it's not going to be easy for Samsung to get a slice of the market with its own Bixby-powered devices – however it seems that it will be taking on the competition with more than one speaker when the time comes. The best smart speakers 2018: which one should you buy?http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/JKLKaG4nPtM

The world of wearables continues to grow and improve as smartwatches get smarter, fitness trackers track even more and augmented and virtual reality headsets blur the lines between fantasy and real life even further. So what can we expect for 2019? Predictions suggest over 245 million wearables will be sold next year. Judging by the trends of 2018 there should be a continued push by companies to create the best possible smartwatch experience that crams more onto your wrist. That means more wearables that let you go out for a run without your phone but while keeping GPS and heart rate tracking along with music onboard. But expect deeper tracking too as ECG monitors become more prevalent. As smartphones become more powerful and Google keeps making software smarter, both virtual and augmented reality are due to get even more awesome headsets. The price should start to drop too. Here are some of the exciting wearable tech innovations we may see appear in 2019. Apple Watch 5http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Afao3732mfDAaQQuuTVvtT.jpg Apple Watch 4 The new Apple Watch 5 could be the ultimate wearable as the company continues to refine its smartwatch. But with the Apple Watch Series 4 already offering ECG and GPS, plus locally stored music already onboard, what more can be added? One of the most sought after features would be a longer battery life. While wireless charging makes keeping it topped up effortless, more juice can't hurt. That combined with a thinner form factor would be ideal, making it more comfortable for running and slipping under sleeves. Apple also needs to add deeper music streaming integration for offline music storage on the watch for Spotify, Tidal and more. Finally a game changer would be great, something like a blood sugar measure for people with diabetes. We can but hope. Expect the Apple Watch 5 to be launched by Apple around the usual September reveal time. Everything we know about the Apple Watch 5Google Pixel WatchThe officially branded Google Pixel Watch didn't appear alongside the Pixel 3 in 2018 so we're pinning our hopes on a 2019 release with the Pixel 4. This could take the Wear OS to a new level with hardware integration offering a faster performance and more battery efficiency. This is thanks to a power management system rumored to be called Blackghost, which is able to offer longer battery life while listening out for voice commands without impacting on how much charge is left. This should offer a great way to use Google Assistant without draining smartphone battery life too. Other features we're hoping to see include an in-display fingerprint reader, rotating crown, swim-proofing, NFC payments, a three day battery and Garmin level fitness tracking. Everything we know about the Google Pixel WatchApple AirPods 2http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Zv75BUz8c4z3c64n8u2BkS.jpg Apple AirPods with an iPhone According to ever reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, we can expect Apple to launch a new pair of AirPods in 2019. These may come packing wireless charging, meaning they could be thrown down on a charging pad to get back up to full power without the need for any wires at all. This makes sense since the battery is small and charging times should be short. Apple AirPods 2 could also come with a newer version of Bluetooth for better connectivity and greater efficiency that may translate into better battery life. All this should mean that the addition of "hey Siri" integration works well for wider voice controls without needing to remove the phone from a pocket or bag. While these 2019 AirPods should be an improvement, the source says that 2020 will see a major redesign of the AirPods. But one step at a time, ey? Everything we know about Apple AirPods 2New Microsoft HoloLens SydneyOne of the major jumps forward in augmented reality hardware could be due to happen in 2019 thanks to Microsoft's new version of its HoloLens headset, which is rumored to have the codename Sydney. The headset is also rumored to be lighter and more comfortable than its two predecessors, and it may also be more affordable. All that and it should come with a significantly improved holographic display too. This version of the headset is finally expected to be one that's aimed at consumers. That should mean the price is lower, around the price of a flagship smartphone, so that's the £1,000 mark. The Magic Leap competition is expected to offer a similar product and price so expect 2019 to be the year augmented reality goes to a new level. What you need to know about Microsoft HoloLens SydneyGarmin Fenix 6http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vjbi9JdfoVPnfdyyPdpPeQ.jpg Garmin Fenix 5X Plus The Garmin Fenix 5X Plus is one of the best GPS watches ever made as it combines super-accurate location and heart rate tracking with smart notifications, mapping, contactless payments and music storage. Plus it has really long battery life. How can Garmin top that with the Fenix 6 that's rumored for a 2019 reveal? The Fenix 6 is rumored to appear towards the back end of 2019. One way this could bring an improvement is to offer a smaller form factor. While the current Fenix options pack in lots of features, they're far too big and heavy to wear day to day, let alone for sleep tracking. Wireless charging would also be a nice addition to save digging out that proprietary cable. A high resolution touchscreen could also help make the Fenix 6 more smartwatch than simply GPS device. New sensors for glucose, blood pressure and sweat could all also appear to help make this even better than the Fenix 5X Plus. Bose FramesBose is due to unveil a new type of wearable in 2019 which combines sunglasses and augmented reality. But, of course, these focus on audio rather than visual augmentation of reality. The company describes them saying the headset: "knows where you are and what you’re facing using a 9-axis head motion sensor and the GPS from your iOS or Android device — and automatically adds a layer of audio, connecting that place and time to endless possibilities for travel, learning, entertainment, gaming, and more.” This sounds like a really cool idea and if they look good too, as Bose products generally do, this could be a really interesting way to stay connected without the need for a heavy, battery-robbing headset. Presumably they will also have microphones for voice integration allowing you to use a virtual assistant without the need to reach for a wearable or smartphone. These should get revealed at SXSW 2019. Everything we know about Bose FramesWT2 real-time in-ear translatorhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bFGeziALCWSBoGwpqByyjD.jpg WT2 real-time in-ear translator This kickstarted product is finally due to become a reality in January 2019. This takes the Star Trek universal translator dream and makes it a reality. This should be able to offer real-time conversation translation all from the in-ear system. That should mean as a person talks, you hear it in your native language so you can respond in your own tongue and, presuming they're wearing a headset too, they'll hear it back in their native tongue. If the WT2 works as well as it is claimed this could be the end to language barriers worldwide, at last. Will this be everything the Google Pixel Buds claimed to offer but fell short on? The company says that by launch time the translator will offer real-time translation via a smartphone with a decent internet connection. With 5G due in 2019 too this should help make for a genuinely useful translation device. Best smartwatch 2018: the top choices you can buyhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/EquNJoRYBP8

It’s funny how certain products come full circle. Vinyl records were thought to be a thing of the past, yet sales for the collector’s items are now hotter than ever. Thankfully because of this, videogame music aficionados can get their hands on an array of incredible soundtracks, that now have been beautifully pressed onto polyvinyl chloride discs. From personal experience, we’ve learned that collecting records and rare soundtracks is frightfully addictive, albeit a little costly at times. One harsh lesson learned is that many popular soundtracks sell out rapidly. Consequently, this leaves many of us scouring the web for that rare special edition that won’t send us bankrupt just as Christmas rolls around. Ah well, the girlfriend can go without a present this year. Even so, the satisfaction gained by being able to cleanly listen to your favorite music tracks makes it ever the more fulfilling. So, with that, this list has been catered to those of us that consider themselves a connoisseur of the medium, while hopefully being able to add intrigue to any curious newcomers. Late Christmas present or simply treating yourself, we’ve got you sorted. After all, you wouldn’t want to be a needle stuck in a groove this holiday. Uncharted Vinyl Bundlehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qjrt8Vryxh8FkeuBGKWcV8.jpg Uncharted vinyl bundle. Image Credit: iam8bit. We start off with a series near and dear to our hearts - Uncharted. We wish that we held off picking up the Uncharted vinyl records individually, now that iam8bit is offering a collection which comprises the entire Uncharted legacy. In other words, Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection, Uncharted 4 Aside/Bside, and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. Another added incentive is that this particular set has 30% off until the New Year (December 31). Now that’s a goddamn steal even Sully would be proud of. You can grab the Uncharted Vinyl Bundle from iam8bit for $90 (roughly £71 or AU$125). Stardew Valley Complete Vinyl Soundtrack Box Sethttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sJnwAVJmHSRNRAyYbxhnHU.png Stardew Valley Vinyl Box Set. Image credit: Fangamer. We all know that one person whose life was consumed by Stardew Valley for a period of time (maybe it still is). Well, now you can help contribute to their farming fantasies with this exquisite new vinyl collection. Although a Stardew Valley record released previously, this particular one includes the full 77-soundtrack for the first time ever. A really cool extra feature is that all four vinyl discs have been colored to match every season. On top of this, the sleeve has all-new art-work created by Kari Fry, who was the designer behind the official guidebook. Forget whale noises, Stardew Valley’s harvest themes will help anyone relax come Christmas morning. You can pick up the Stardew Valley Complete Vinyl Soundtrack Box Set for $59 (roughly £46 or AU$82) from Fangamer. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Original Videogame Soundtrackhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pX5rvd9aW4s2JzSQZ5vCaS.jpg Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Original Videogame Soundtrack. Image Credit: Mondo. What can we say about Symphony of the Night that hasn’t been said prior? Not only is it one of the highest rated videogames of all time but it also contains one of the best gaming soundtracks ever composed. Partnering with Konami, Mondo has brought the Castlevania cult-hit to records. Featuring the full original mix, including the unforgettable ‘Dracula’s Castle’, these remasters come packaged with seven bonus tracks from the Sega Saturn version. There are some slick original designs used for the covers too, not to mention the choice of four different colors for the record itself. You can pick up the Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Soundtrack for $35 (roughly £27 or AU$48) from Mondo. Cuphead 4xLP Deluxe Vinyl Soundtrackhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MnuLqSnQxuuDzmkNoQVwDR.jpg Cuphead 4xLP Deluxe Vinyl Soundtrack. Image Credit: iam8bit. Talk about catchy tunes. If you haven’t experienced the weird and wonderful world of Cuphead, you can still appreciate the stylish mixes that Studio MDHR produced with its tribute to 1930’s cartoons. Promising a ‘thrill ride of jazz jollies and big band boisterousness’, the three-hour deluxe vinyl soundtrack will add an essence of class to any party you throw. Packaged in a sleek 30’s inspired folio design, this is something to display proudly. Above all, what I love most it that you can tell the band are just having the a wicked time jamming together. You can pick up the Cuphead 4xLP Deluxe Vinyl Soundtrack from iam8bit for $100 (roughly £79 or AU$139). God of War Soundtrack - Vinyl/CD http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bTgK3MKzZptsJXntqWGMFJ.jpg God of War Soundtrack - Vinyl. Image Credit: Amazon. Anger. Rage. Fear. Emotion. God of War’s pure storytelling is simply in a league of its own. Following Kratos and Atreus on their perilous journey into the realms of Norse mythology, Bear McCreary really outdid himself with this magnificent soundtrack, that only heightens the adventure. Now you can pick up a copy of the 2018 phenomenon on both CD and Vinyl. We only wish there was a track of Kratos yelling “boy” continuously... The God of War Soundtrack is available as either a CD or Vinyl. The vinyl is available from Amazon for $41.06 (roughly £32 or AU$57), while the CD is available from Amazon for $11.65 (roughly £9 or AU$160). Hero of Time Vinyl (Music from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kVwpiEBzzUNDD8FfZjVmmJ.jpg Hero of Time 2xLP (Music from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time). Image Credit: iam8bit. 20 years on from release, Ocarina of Time’s musical melodies are still considered synonymous with videogames. Opting for a minimal approach with the exterior art-work, inside this vinyl you’ll find stunning depictions of both time zones that Link visits in his quest. A nice added touch is the vinyl records themselves, which have been coated to represent green and purple Rupees. Koji Kondo’s triumphant orchestral was the theme music to millions of childhoods worldwide, and now sounds better than ever thanks to this newly recorded set by the 64-piece Slovak National Symphony Orchestra. You can pick up the Hero of Time 2xLP (Music from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time) from iam8bit for $40 (roughly £32 or AU$56). Celeste Vinyl Soundtrackhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8X6ZWfWW8YtCmu7JhYheun.jpg Celeste Vinyl Soundtrack. Image Credit: Fangamer. Scoring big at The Game Awards, Celeste left a double-prize winner after a stellar debut in early 2018. Initially selling out its original allotment, restocks are now on the way. So, if you do want the option to hear the extraordinary polyphonic tunes like never before, you’ll need to keep your eye on the prize here. The set comes with two crystal-clear records, that feature 19 tracks from the award-winning soundtrack. Don’t miss out. The Celeste Vinyl Soundtrack is available from Fangamer for $33 (roughly £26 or AU$46). Japan Studio Vinyl Bundle http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/LJFZ3UTUxfvY2Xb4AsyeLD.jpg Japan Studio Vinyl Bundle. Image Credit: iam8bit. Part of the same deal offered for the Uncharted bundle, the Japan Studio focused collection contains soundtracks from both The Last Guardian and Shadow of the Colossus. Anyone that has explored either title will immediately remember the epic orchestral beats that preside over each world. Takeshi Furukawa and Kow Otani’s scores have been heralded as masterpieces in sound, with many considering the latter to be timeless. You can grab the Japan Studio Vinyl Bundle from Fangamer for $52 (roughly £41 or AU$73). Doom (Original Game Soundtrack) Deluxe Double Vinylhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bKy46rapo6YPF5ufmfs2gU.jpg Doom (Original Game Soundtrack) Deluxe Double Vinyl. Image Credit: Laced Records. Hell, yes! Doom has always managed to bring the house down with its great sense of rock. Who knew shooting up demons left, right, and centre would sound so good? This collection offers the complete Doom 2016 soundtrack (31 tracks) on four black vinyl records, a deluxe double hard-slipcase, and four full printed deluxe inner spined sleeves. Interestingly, the music for this was cut at the world-famous Abbey Road Studios in London. The Doom (Original Game Soundtrack) Deluxe Double Vinyl is available from Laced Records for roughly $80 / £63 / AU$111. Golf Story Vinyl Soundtrackhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XGjng7co9AQyXeYhKFjj28.jpg Golf Story Vinyl Soundtrack. Image Credit: Fangamer. Can’t get time for a round of golf? No bother, Golf Story’s superb mix of laid-back composites and energetic rifts are terrific for any day spent at home. Released for the Nintendo Switch in 2017, the indie-darling can be purchased for a subpar price. What’s ace about this product is that the record is a striking fairway green color, while arriving with 17 toe-tapping tunes to keep you happy until the Masters. A hole-in-one indeed. You can pick up the Golf Story Vinyl Soundtrack from Fangamer for $23 (roughly £18 or AU$32). Best turntables 2018: the best record players for any budgethttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/cEL5b_bD-jI

While 2018 was a year of iterative updates, Apple, Google and Microsoft all released some of their best products yet, even if they weren’t as innovative as some would like. While many flagships went without any upgrades – we didn’t even see a new MacBook or Surface Book – devices like the MacBook Air and Surface Laptop 2 saw significant upgrades which impacted the user experience. However, 2019 should see the big three push their hardware further than before – especially as 7nm and 10nm AMD and Intel processors become mainstream. So, what can we expect to see from Apple, Google and Microsoft throughout the next year? http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mu32gTjN2UWhkddAtogVvY.jpg Apple in 2019Apple’s release schedule in 2018 was all over the place. After the insanely powerful iMac Pro dropped in December 2017, we got an iPad aimed at students in March, followed by a lot of nothing. We were left waiting for WWDC 2018 for new MacBooks, but that show came and went without any new hardware. It wasn’t until the new MacBook Pro launched, totally under the radar in July, that we started seeing new hardware. We’re not sure Apple is going to follow the same kind of release schedule in 2019, but now that it became the world’s first trillion-dollar valuation company this past year, we figure Apple can basically do whatever it wants. New Mac Pro. We’ve been anticipating the new Mac Pro for a while now, but we know its coming, and we know it’s coming in 2019. The only thing we don’t know is when in 2019 we’ll see the new Mac Pro. Apple has come out and said that the computer will be modular and upgradeable, and if the iMac Pro was any indication, we might be seeing an extremely powerful Mac – we just want to know whether it’ll look like a trash can again. New MacBooks. When it comes to Apple’s 2019 lineup of MacBooks, we’re not quite sure what’s going to happen. We’ll see a new MacBook Pro, that’s a given – Apple hasn’t missed an annual upgrade for its flagship professional laptop to date. However, beyond that, it’s anyone’s guess. Apple skipped the 12-inch MacBook for the new MacBook Air this year, though that laptop has more in common with the now-defunct MacBook Pro without Touch Bar. Regardless, expect to see new Intel silicon inside these laptops – Apple’s in-house computer processors are still years away. iPhone XI. Another year, another iPhone. Apple releasing a new iPhone is inevitable, and the rumors are already starting to roll out. It might be thinner and lighter than ever before, thanks to a new touch-integrated OLED display, and Apple might even include its own modem, making it an almost all-Apple device. Also, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Apple take another three-pronged strategy with its iPhone models this year, with two high-end models and an entry-level version alongside them. Finally, don’t expect to see a 5G iPhone in 2019: Apple will surely sit on that for a while longer. New iPads. Apple knocked it out of the park with the iPad Pro – it can outpower many full-blown laptops, on top of the fantastic new design. With the next non-pro iPad, we can see Apple bringing over the same bezel-less design as well as FaceID, like it did with the iPhone XR. We’ve also seen rumors of a new iPad Mini arriving in 2019. We fully expect to see more drastic software improvements than hardware, as iOS needs some serious work to both remain competitive in the phones space and improve productivity for its ‘Pro’ tablets. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JcrVwex6Qd4UjwCfiMQZF4.jpg Google in 2019Even if we didn’t get the Pixelbook 2, Google still had an exciting year, with products like the Pixel 3 and the Google Pixel Slate. Google also doubled down on its Home line of smart speakers and smart-home technology – something we’re sure we’ll see more of in 2019. However, with an arguably poor outing this year, we wonder whether Google will continue making tablets – or at the very least go back to the drawing board. Also, we’ve seen very little from Google in the home entertainment department in 2018, so perhaps we’ll revisit that in 2019. Pixelbook 2. We wanted to see the next Pixelbook in 2018 – the original is by far one of the best Chromebooks we’ve ever used. However, Google had other plans, instead releasing the Google Pixel Slate: a sort of half-tablet half-Chromebook hybrid. While we’re sure the Google Pixel Slate will have its niche, we hope Google will launch a true Pixelbook 2 with 8th-generation Core processors. The Pixel Slate doesn’t set as strong of a standard for other Chrome devices as Pixelbook did, simply put. Google Pixel 4. The Google Pixel 3 and Google Pixel 3 XL are awesome – everything from the camera to the hardware makes either two of the best phones you can buy today. Of course, we’re sure that Google is brewing the follow-ups as we speak. What’s to come in that? Rumors are nowhere to be found yet, but we’d anticipate Google doubling down on its incredibly useful camera and machine learning software, because that’s what’s selling the Pixel 3 phones more than anything. Mid-range Pixel phones. Google has made plenty of flagship phones in its time, but we’ve seen new Pixel devices hinted at in the latest ARCore update. These rumored devices are code-named Bonito and Sargo, and just like all other Pixel phones, are named after fish. We’d love to see new Pixel phones that almost anyone can afford – especially if Google keeps that camera software intact. All in all, this would be an incredibly smart move for Google. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kExEad3yNfdKVXRBuEsmfc.jpg Microsoft in 2019When it comes to hardware, it’s hard to predict what Microsoft is going to do in 2019, as its release schedule is all over the place. However, you can bet that you’ll see new Surface devices along with Windows 10 updates. We might even see the next Xbox creep out of the woodwork Surface Book 3. The Surface Book 2 is still one of the best laptops on the market, even if it launched way back in October 2017. This year, however, we should see the Surface Book 3 launch, packed with Intel 9th-generation processors and Nvidia Turing graphics. If Microsoft could provide the Surface Book 3 with a 4K display and a black color option, that’d just be gravy. Surface Pro 7. We’re putting our money on another Surface Pro launching next year, but hopefully with more drastic improvements. Microsoft followed the Surface Pro 2017 with the Surface Pro 6 this year, packing 8th-generation processors and some snazzy new color options … but that’s it, really. We’d love to see a Surface Pro 7 with even smaller bezels and USB-C connectivity for 2019. Surface Phone. It seems like we’ve been waiting for the Surface Phone for ages, but we feel like 2019 might be the year we finally see it. The latest rumors about the Surface Phone, code-named Andromeda, point to it being a foldable smartphone, which would make it prime competition for Samsung’s similar device, also likely launching in 2019. These are the best laptops of 2018 – no contesthttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/QqnZOTrYDUM

2018 started off with all the makings of a hot year for Nvidia. Everyone was still talking about cryptocurrency, and Nvidia’s graphics cards were caught up in the middle of the mining craze. The prices of existing Nvidia cards like the GeForce GTX 1080 Ti were nowhere close to as low as they should have been, and the company’s flagship cards were long overdue for an update. Thankfully, we just got that with three brand new Nvidia Turing GPUs plus a whole new ray tracing revolution – at least in one game anyway. We’re going to take an in-depth look at how the year actually played out and it’s been a challenging one for big green, to say the least. Nvidia has arguably ended the year in a tougher spot than when it started. Although the company has made some of its biggest leaps forward, they’ve also came with heavy caveats. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/tZskCJue9eXe7NYkN87kh.jpg Nvidia at the start of 2018:Nvidia kicked off the new year at CES 2018 talking about its big moves with powerful cards that would go into data centers and power AI, like that used in self-driving cars. It also hyped up the Max-Q versions of its 10-Series graphics cards, which offer desktop-like performance in thin-and-light laptops. But, what the company wasn’t doing at that time was announcing the replacements to the 10-Series. It showed off the new Titan V that was hardly a gaming-targeted, consumer-facing product, but little did we know that its Tensor cores would make their way into its new line of 20-series GeForce GPUs. Still, in spite of nothing for gamers to get too excited about early in 2018, Nvidia was doing well. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PqVi2sUburzjSHd9RESVqE.jpg Gamers’ pains, Nvidia’s gains:One thing that was driving Nvidia at the beginning of 2018 was cryptocurrency. Popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin were booming, and miners needed powerful graphics cards to mine many of them. Nvidia’s were the most powerful around and the demand was huge. Nvidia recorded record revenue in early 2018 with a huge bump in graphics card sales. The company didn’t attribute the surge solely to cryptocurrency, rather crediting “new games, holiday-season demand, iCafe upgrades, esports and cryptocurrency mining,” in an earnings call. As good as the sales were for Nvidia, gamers were hurting for much of the first half of 2018. The high demand for mining graphics cards drove prices up, making it hard for gamers looking to upgrade or build new PCs without spending a fortune. Nvidia made some efforts to ensure the core audience of gamers could still get their hands on GeForce graphics cards. One of the schemes Nvidia used to prevent miners from gobbling up all the GPU stock was encouraging retailers to prevent bulk buying. Some shops even went further by bundling graphics cards with monitors and other gaming PC components that gamers would need but miners wouldn’t. Fortunately for gamers, the cryptocurrency gold rush didn’t last forever. By the end of the first half of the year, it already felt like no one was talking about it. In May, we learned Nvidia had continued seeing strong sales for graphics cards going to cryptocurrency miners, but the company was predicting a significant decline. And, not long after, it definitely started to feel like crypto was snapped away by Thanos right along with half the Avengers. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ABGFGd4SDeNtKRbV8TAXcV.jpg RTX OnWhen July rolled around, gamers finally started to see things turn back into their favor. Amazon Prime Day kicked off, and with it actually came some good deals on powerful graphics cards. It was a major swing to go from cards scarce and priced hundreds of dollars above retail pricing to having plenty of cards available at discounts. Any gamers who’d been starving for a new graphics card and snatched one up in these deals probably felt the sting of August’s announcement, though. In August, Nvidia began announced the Turing architecture along with a new series of ray tracing Quadro graphics cards for the enterprise market. Although these ultimately weren’t the gaming GPUs we were looking for, it spelled out basically everything the next-gen GeForce series would be. After kicking up a tempest of speculation, leaks and rumors, Nvidia would launch its new series of graphics cards just a week later: the RTX 20-Series. This new launch included a top-tier RTX 2080 Ti, an enthusiast-tier RTX 2080, and a mainstream RTX 2070. Those new cards weren’t just shown off as the next step in performance with more compute cores and faster clock speeds. Instead, the company boasted its revolutionary real-time ray tracing and AI-assisted supersampling technology would vastly improve games visual fidelity. None of the cards were announced cheap. Nvidia offered pre-orders on the Founders Editions of each card, with prices from $599 (£569, AU$899) to $1,199 (£1,099, AU$1,899). Cards from board partners were priced a bit lower, but those cards didn’t show up right away, and they didn’t show up at the lower prices too soon either. Those high prices may have been part of a push to clear stock of older 10-Series graphics cards. GamersNexus reported in early November that GTX 1080 Ti stock was getting low, and that will hopefully lead to better prices for gamers, as the 20-Series cards can actually start to fill the void left behind by their respective 10-Series versions. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bwWfPknoo7f2H4y36FSbGm.jpg Everything isn't always sunshine and reflectionsPutting the price of Nvidia’s new cards aside for a moment, there was a serious issue with the new cards that had the best GPU gamers could buy turning into hot garbage soon after installation. Some gamers with the expensive RTX 2080 Ti were suffering crashes and errors from their cards, and some had their shiny new cards completely brick. That’s not the kind of issue you want to see from the newest and best graphics card on the market. Some customers who got their cards replaced even experienced the same issues on the replacements. While those problems should be covered by warranty and may be sorted out by Nvidia in production or by board partners, there’s another issue with the 20-Series cards that gamers are facing: fancy new features that are all but non-existent. The new 20-Series cards have a sizable portion of the GPU dedicated to AI-focused Tensor Cores and RT Cores. Those special cores promise the smart supersampling of DLSS and the real-time ray tracing that makes light and shadow look substantially more realistic, respectively. That all sounds great until we consider that only Battlefield V supports real-time ray tracing and only Final Fantasy XV supports DLSS. No game to this date supports both. While many games have been slated to build in support for these features, it’s always worth being skeptical about future promises from tech companies when your cash is on the line — anyone who bought an Xbox One in hopes of playing VR games or Scalebound can surely relate. The issue is made a little worse by performance hits that come from enabling ray tracing. The feature, as first implemented, resulted in dramatically reduced frame rates in Battlefield V. Though an update helped bump performance back up, the initial drop just further highlights the dubious state of the features 20-Series cards offer. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sZg95xQTQe9UXjzdvVJTfd.jpg What does 2019 have in store for Nvidia?Though ray tracing and DLSS may still linger in a vaporware-like doubt, there’s no denying Nvidia’s new line-up of cards this year has kept it at the top for now. But, the focus on new features may come around to bite Nvidia. AMD has yet to announce new cards, and rumors have suggested they’re coming. Worse still for Nvidia (better for gamers), the rumors suggest the new cards will drastically undercut the price of RTX 20-Series cards. An AMD Radeon RX 3060 may come at half the price of a Nvidia RTX 2070 while offering similar performance and skipping ray tracing. AMD will likely leave the RTX 2080 Ti on its throne, as the company didn’t produce a card to match up against the Nvidia GeForce 1080 Ti last time around. This all leaves the core market of gamers with the possibility of compellingly priced AMD cards stacked up against high-priced Nvidia cards and unfulfilled promises of ray tracing and DLSS. All the while, Intel is gearing up to introduce its own graphics cards. Time will tell, but it seems Nvidia has one of its biggest fights to stay on top in the coming year. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/PadFmdEcJts

Well who saw this coming? We assumed Floyd Mayweather was done and dusted after his victory over Conor McGregor completed a perfect 50-0 record. But never underestimate the lure of a big fight purse! Read on to find out how to live stream Mayweather vs Nasukawa no matter where in the world you are - it isn't easy, but there is a way. "Just for promoting this event, I’ve made seven figures. Just me talking about the event… I’ve already made crazy money.” It's not hard to see why Mayweather has been motivated to return to competition, and the spectacle of fighting 20-year-old kickboxing sensation Tenshin Nasukawa is an obvious fit for the great showman. And the risk for Mayweather is low. It's an exhibition fight rather than a sanctioned bout, meaning that his flawless record won't be affected either way. The duo have agreed that it will take place with regular boxing rules over three rounds of three minutes each. The only difference is that Mayweather and Nasukawa will wear Rizin 8 ounce gloves, rather than classic boxing mitts. And if there's no knockout, it will be a draw - there are no judges to crown the winner. It's a bit of a strange one, for sure. Stranger still for the fact that no major Western broadcaster has picked up the rights to show it and that makes finding a stream difficult (a legit one that is, not some grainy feed from a link on Reddit). So read on to see our guide for getting a Mayweather vs Nasukawa live stream from wherever you are in the world. See also: How to watch and live stream the best sport and TV online from absolutely anywhere http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VgyagGS9HpAEPUQtUJBfrg.jpg Who is showing a Mayweather vs Nasukawa live streamLive stream Mayweather vs Nasukawa with a VPNhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ebGZgkd4qVX7mUuvz3WNkH.jpg Main image courtesy of FITE TV http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/F5-hXiwBOjk

If you find your SMS inbox blighted by spam, and your phone is running Android, help is on the way – Google is rolling out a new spam protection tool inside its Messages app, according to users who've seen the update on their devices. First reported by Android Police, the change seems to happen server-side – which means you don't actually need to update your app to see it – but it doesn't appear to be live for everyone at the moment. The new feature is announced via an on-screen pop-up and can then be toggled on and off in the settings for the app. Based on a support page that has since been deleted, the feature does send some information back to Google (like the numbers behind incoming messages), but strips out data that could identify you personally, and the message content. AI vs spambotsIn the absence of any official announcement from Google it's not completely clear exactly how the feature will work. Presumably Google's famous machine-learning algorithms will be deployed to identify messages that could be suspect. Google seems committed to focusing on the Messages app for Android and the web in the near future, and on the RCS messaging protocol that underpins in. If this app is to be Google's latest iMessage challenger – following on from the likes of Hangouts and Allo – spam controls could be another feature to tempt users in. If an official introduction for the feature is forthcoming from Google, we'll update this article to include it. In the meantime, if you use Messages on Android, open up the app to see if the new spam controls have gone live for you yet. Google's new iMessage rival plans to completely replace SMS messaginghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/AduZyNPD7Fs

We all have busy lives, it comes with the times we live in, and while this does wonders for productivity, it can mean that it is increasingly difficult to find the time or energy to stay in shape. Either we’re neck deep in social obligations or we’re constantly grinding for a paycheck – either way we’re not exactly eager to set aside huge amounts of time to work out every week. However, the best fitness apps will help you stay fit, and they’ll do it without requiring a huge time commitment. Winter is coming, and the warm summer weather is a distant memory, so everyone is going to want to spend their time indoors. While this is great for your video game backlog or Netflix queue, it’s more important than ever to stay active, especially with all of those delicious – albeit high-calorie, holiday meals. The best fitness apps are ready for this cold weather snap, and will supply you with quick High-Intensity-Interval-Training (HIIT) routines that will fill your exercise quota in no time flat. There are three golden ideals that all of the best fitness apps will strive to reach: convenience, affordability and sports science. These features combine to make fitness apps that can revolutionize the way you look at fitness and exercise. Plus, with the best running gadgets, you can finally say goodbye to those pricey gym memberships and personal trainers. There is a catch, though. There are hundreds of fitness apps on iOS and Android – as with any other kind of app – which makes finding the best fitness app for your personal needs and goals a hassle. Don’t worry though, you can save your energy for those intense workouts you’re already planning, because we’ve gone ahead and created a list of the best fitness apps you can install right now. Best fitness tracker: the top 10 activity bands on the planet1. Nike+ Training Club http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hLeo3jabLiBYid4ta4v2xa.jpg Free: iOS, Android With this very comprehensive and extremely stylish app, Nike offers 100+ workouts varying from endurance, mobility and strength with a host of both swift, 15-minute workouts and longer endurance sessions, so you can constantly change up your workout. AirPlay and AppleTV support (along with Chromecast mirroring) will display the instructions on a larger screen or speaker system, and it even features a lot of famous athletes (including Rory McIlroy, Ellie Goulding and Serena Williams) busting a sweat with you as ‘motivation’. An added bonus exists if you use the Nike+ Run Club app, as all your jogging efforts will be automatically synchronised to your Nike profile too, giving a complete picture of your fitness. 2. Freeleticshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YK8CfDfAyhV4XbSeTNa68b.jpg Free (Coaching from £2.28 ($2.69 / around AU$4) per week): iOS, Android Freeletics offers a host of workouts that are all centered around high intensity interval training, or HIIT. This platform revolves around four free platforms – Gym, Bodyweight Workouts and Training, Nutrition and Running. Bodyweight was the app that started it all, and really pushes you to your limit through moves (that unsurprisingly use the weight of your body) such as sprawls, jump squats, pull-ups, burpees and sprints that you must finish as quickly as possible. There are videos for each exercise demonstrating proper form, and there is a great social aspect to the app which motivates you to stick to your plan, and push yourself to beat your personal bests. If you opt to pay the subscription to access 'Coach', you get all the different workouts (satisfyingly named after characters from Greek mythology) and a workout plan tailored to your goals and current fitness levels. There is a further subscription that you can pay to access Nutrition, which gives you weekly nutrition plans to complement the intense workouts. 3. Sworkithttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/S58iS2XZyZY8vm65KRV6xZ.jpg Free (£3.98, ($4.99 / around AU$7) per month): iOS, Android Tell Sworkit the type of workout you’re looking for (strength, cardio, yoga, or stretching) and the amount of time you’ve got to do it (anywhere from five minutes to an hour), and the app delivers moves to follow during your sweat session. Choose to upgrade and the app will enable you to customise your workouts by setting the number of reps and the areas of the body you want to focus on. It’s a simple system that offers great workouts for those already armed with knowledge of the areas they want to target. 4. Fiithttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ehms3CP9DCh8zu86XAjGRb.jpg Free (Premium service is £120 a year (around $150, AU$215): iOS There are lots of workout apps that you can cast up to your TV, but not many are like Fiit. This fitness app allows you to participate in boutique fitness classes from wherever you are using your phone, or you can connect it up to your TV for a full and far more extensive experience. Fiit is presented by a series of personal trainers from all over the globe, and the aim is to give you a high-end studio fitness routine whenever you want without having to travel miles to your local gym to do it. There's a plethora of classes with all expertise levels covered and a variety of activities from yoga to HIIT workouts all covered. At the moment the app is only available on iOS, but Fiit plans to launch on Android in the future. Something to note is the free app isn't the most extensive experience. If you like the idea of Fiit, you can subscribe either monthly, quarterly or yearly to get the full experience. That comes with a heart rate tracker to help you improve your performance, and that's when the Fiit experience comes together and makes the most sense. It isn't cheap, but it's far more affordable when you compare it with what it'd cost you to attend boutique classes like these in real life. 5. Daily Yogahttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/L8UqTNiEQjUZxhkpaWyTyZ.jpg Free (with in app purchases): iOS, Android Fitness isn’t just about squat-thrusts and burpees, and this app explores alternative ways to stay fit by packing in high definition video as an ideal introduction to the ways of the Yogis. All the routines are under 30 minutes and there are 50 classes available – the Yoga for Runners is particularly recommended if you’re a jogger and getting worryingly stiff – and each session is categorised according to the body part you want to focus on. 6. Sevenhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6kt5vYBqnyanJ5ZNvLUU8a.jpg Free (£3.99 ($3.53 / around AU$7) per month for premium): iOS, Android Treating fitness like a classic (but basic) video game, Seven sets you the challenge of working out for seven minutes a day for seven months using no more than a chair, wall and your own body weight. You start with three lives but missing one day will lose one of them (shown as a heart, rather menacingly) and missing three in a month will reset your progress to zero. If you stick to it you’ll see results, but it’s worth paying the extra per month for the premium workouts to avoid the monotony of the free routines. 7. Workout Trainerhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/m4vPXUK9UKNtEkhp7V6f2a.jpg Free (pro version £5.58, $6.99 (around AU$10)/month): Android, iOS (Apple Watch and Android Wear compatible) With a dizzying selection of over 1000 intense workouts ranging in length from five to 15 minutes, each with step-by-step audio and video instructions, if there’s nothing in Workout Trainer to tempt you from the sofa you’re in serious trouble. As well as the standard workouts, you can build your own custom routines and share them online, as well as trying out some of the community-created routines yourself. A Pro subscription gives a big upgrade in features, such as advert-free HD workout videos and even more routines to torture your screaming muscles with. 8. Pilates Training from Fitivityhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/tBP5EyaHfRwp8U5dHxWUwZ.jpg Free (pro version costs £3.99 ($5, around AU$7)): iOS, Android Pilates is all about strengthening the core – specifically the back, abdomen and hips. Ask any fitness pro and no matter what level of fitness you are, they’ll harp on endlessly about the importance of this area for back strength, balance, posture, strength and flexibility. While not offering everything you could want – few Pilates apps are perfect, we've found – Fitivity offers all the instructions you need to start training your core, with simple-to-follow routines. Do it for the three free weeks and, if you want more, the pro version will give you unfettered access when you pay up. 9. Pacthttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/H3DcXpc52YH5f878pXhwHa.jpg Free: iOS, Android Tried all the above but still can’t seem to find 15 minutes to work up a tiny sweat? Does money motivate you more than the idea of a healthy heart and a six-pack? If so, you need Pact, the first app that encourages you to gamble on your ability to get fit. Wager how many days you reckon you can work out, put some money where your mouth is and get running. It pairs with your phone’s GPS as well as with RunKeeper, Fitbit, Jawbone Up and MapMyRun and the more you stick to your programme the more cash you can win from competing lazy members. 10. Runtastic Training serieshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yeSAVfNoHqdKmXDYUYqcBi.jpg Free (upgraded versions £1.99 / $1.99 / AU$3.99) : iOS, Android Runtastic sounds like it's only good for one thing, but actually it's brilliant at bodyweight strength training too. There are loads of apps by Runtastic - confusingly, a lot of them seem to do similar things but look completely different - but we're really into Sit Ups, Squats, Press Ups and Pull Ups at the moment, as they're just so friggin' simple. Simply start the app, it'll tell you where to hold your phone, and how many reps to do. You'll get rest targets (which the more hardcore of you can skip) and the progression every couple of days feels manageable. You can even save your workout progress to the cloud and use other devices when needed. The free version only gets you to level one, but by the end of that you'll be fully into how much stronger you're getting and the upgrade cost to Pro is fully worth it. If you've been an Adidas MiCoach user in the past, you'll get free access to the Pro apps automatically too (thanks to Adidas buying Runtastic fairly recently). High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has been gaining in popularity recently, and for good reason – a workout that promises big results from short workouts is going to sound pretty appealing to people who are short on time. HIIT even came to the Apple Watch in watchOS 4. Here we will explain a little bit about what HIIT is, and a few apps that you can use to for this new workout method, which is exhausting but has the potential to super-charge your results. There are three different energy systems used by your body during exercise, one aerobic system that uses oxygen as fuel, and two that are anaerobic, using lactic acid and phosphates as their fuel. Long-duration cardio training (running, swimming, cycling) is dependent on the first of these energy systems, as it's the only energy system that can continue to feed muscles for long periods of time. The problem with this is that low-intensity training burns a relatively small amount of calories, so in order to achieve a caloric deficit for weight loss, a large amount of this exercise needs to be done. High-intensity exercise, on the other hand, burns a large amount of calories, but you’re unable to sustain it for long enough that it makes a significant difference to overall fitness. HIIT bridges the gap between the two training disciplines by interspersing short periods of high-intensity exercise with periods of low-intensity, to help you recover while still burning calories. Does it work?One of the most popular forms of HIIT is something called Tabata training, which is eight rounds of 20 seconds maximum intensity and 10 seconds low intensity. If you’re doing the math and thinking that only works out at four minutes of exercise, you’d be right – but done right it will be one of the worst four minutes of your life. Tabata training was developed as a method of training by Japanese scientist Dr Izumi Tabata, as a method for improving the sprint times of Olympic ice skaters. He discovered that by doing these short bursts of maximal effort interspersed with periods of low effort, not only did the athletes get similar aerobic gains to a group doing a much longer more traditional workout, but they exhibited anaerobic gains that the control group didn’t show. To oversimplify this, it basically means that if you work smarter, you can get the same – or even better – results as from slogging away for ages on the treadmill. Plus, as a little bonus, you get the benefits of an effect called EPOC, which stands for excessive post-exercise oxygen consumption, which basically means that as your body works to address the oxygen deficit in your system you keep burning calories long after you've finished exercising. As this is a very intense form of exercise, it puts strain (good strain, but strain none the less) on your heart, lungs and muscles. You should consult a doctor before starting any exercise regime, especially one as intense as HIIT. Enough science! How do I do it?You basically need three things for HIIT: an exercise of your choice, will power, and a timer. The exercise needs to be something you can do for extended periods of time. Static bike is perfect, because it’s easy to shift quickly between low and high intensity. Running machines can work, but they need to be set up to alternate between the intensities, and, depending on your level of intensity, it can get risky having sudden changes of speed that are happening out of your control. Rowing machines and elliptical machines both work well too. The elliptical machine is actually one of the best in terms of getting a full-body workout, but for some reason has a stigma attached to it. A lot of people do burpees as a HIIT exercise, which seems to make sense because it’s a full-body exercise, but the fundamental problem with these is that you're likely to reach muscular fatigue, which will inhibit your ability to push yourself to your desired level of cardiovascularly. If you don’t have access to a gym, or would just prefer to do your exercise using body weight, then skipping, star jumps, and even jogging on the spot can all be employed. Timers. You mentioned timers…This is where the tech comes in. Obviously you could use a stopwatch to set your periods, but frankly who has time for that? Luckily there are a number of apps on the market specifically designed to help you plan and carry out your HIIT session. There are so many to choose from that the selection process can be pretty daunting. To help you out, we've chosen our favourites… http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HjHqzph8smhW6w9367GLra.jpg SecondsFreeiOS, AndroidSeconds is an app for creating your own exercise timers. It has templates for circuit training, Tabata, HIIT, and custom timers. You can adjust the length of the high- and low-intensity periods, you can adjust the number of sets you’re going to be doing, and you can name the exercises – so if you’re doing a circuit it’ll tell you you’re on the kettlebells next. During your workout it gives clear audio signals for starting and stopping, and the screen has a massive countdown on it, so even when sweat is streaming into your eyes you should still be able to see how long you have to go before you can rest. Seconds is free to download and use, but gives you the option to upgrade to Seconds Pro, which allows you to save timers; very useful if you're going to be doing the same workout four times a week. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ZQkvXMTVjDzpFTxz5Zj2Ff.jpg Runtastic Timer & IntervalsFreeiOS, AndroidRuntastic, as the name might suggest, is from a running company, but don't let that put you off. A timer is a timer, and this is a good timer, and the app is easily the most aesthetically pleasing of your options. It's very easy to customize, and can either give you beep prompts or voice feedback. Like Seconds, it's free to download, but if you want to unlock the full range of timers and get rid of the ads you can pay a small in-app fee. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/L6nArkbdVAbud2qZrPGWBk.jpg Tabata Timer Interval TimerFreeAndroidTabata Timer has a very simple interface, but it does everything you need of it. When you open up the app it gives you the option to change your prep time, work time, rest time, and number of cycles. Once you’ve put your desired specifications in, you just hit Start and away you go. Tabata Timer works in the background, so if you want to move over to your music app mid-workout you’re not going to stop the timer, which is surprisingly useful. Also, Tabata Timer works with Google Fit, so if you use that app it’ll transfer over your data from your workout. Tabata Timer is free to download, with the option to upgrade to the premium version (with a number of different affordable plans) if you want to save more than two workouts. What about the willpower?That's up to you. Sorry. If that all sounds a bit intense and you'd rather just start running, check out: The tech you’ll need to start runninghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/b9HGGBwkdzY

You can eat well, exercise, find a great job and read all the self help books you like, but if you're not getting enough sleep all the good habits and routines you try to stick to in the day won't have the same effect. Over the past few years everyone from health professionals to celebs have been obsessed with the magical superpowers of sleep. And it makes sense. Lack of sleep can impact your mood, your energy levels, your skin and a long-term lack of sleep can have serious mood and health consequences. But the sad truth is many of us just aren't getting enough shut eye. Luckily, there are plenty of devices on the market designed to provide us with a better night's sleep, whether that's through wake-up lamps, devices that track your sleep and even apps that recommend what you can do to rest more effectively. Most top fitness trackers monitor movement and heart rate during sleep, while a growing range of non-wearables sit above or below your mattress and even on your bedside table. These help you track your breathing, snoring, temperature and allow you to follow those trends over time. Leading the way are traditional wearable providers like Polar, Nokia/Withings and Fitbit, who have all added powerful sleep tracking to their devices, while there’s also an abundance of excellent non-contact options from sleep specialists ResMed, Beddit and Emfit. We've collected together eight of our favorite sleep tracking devices designed to keep tabs on how you sleep, provide you with data about how much you toss and turn in the night and hopefully equip you with enough insights to shake up your routine and finally get some rest. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fCKyGXvAMXJxFsQZceGjW4.jpg It's been an interesting time for Withings. Nokia bought the health and wellness firm last year, but has since sold it back to Withings co-founder Éric Carreel. That means that the Withings trackers, which became Nokia trackers, are now Withings trackers again. Confused? Us too. It's just worth scrubbing up on the basics so you don't fret if you get yourself a Nokia Steel, it's the same thing. Both the Nokia Steel and Nokia Steel HR fitness watches are able to track your sleep, but here we're going to focus on the less capable but cheaper watch of the two. This analog watch is perfect for minimalists who want access to reams of insightful data without an additional screen bombarding them with endless smartphone notifications. You get the time, and a 0-100% dial for your daily activity. All other insights, including sleep, are synced back to the Nokia Health Mate app. The major advantage of this approach is the six month plus battery life (slightly tempered by the need to replace rather than recharge). In our experience of fitness trackers, all it can take is one missed recharge to get you out of the habit of wearing. There’s automatic sleep tracking with detailed insights into sleep cycles, time awake and sleep duration. The app tells you when you went to bed and how long it took you to fall asleep. The watch’s silent alarm will also wake you gently at the optimum point of your sleep cycle. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MyxnLycm2ygTgRrAdJNr98.jpg More specialist than the Nokia/Withings Steel above, the Nokia/Withings Sleep is a pad you can slip under your mattress to keep a track of your sleep quality without having to wear anything on your wrist. It means you can just jump into bed and you don't have to worry about putting on an extra tracker, and if you do own a fitness tracker or smartwatch you can rest assured that it'll be possible to charge it while you sleep. The Nokia Sleep will monitor lots of stats too including your sleep phases, your heart rate, the amount of time you've been snoring and the duration of your sleep too. If you just want to crawl into bed and have all of your sleep quality recorded and ready for you to digest in an easy to use app, the Nokia Sleep is the perfect device for you. Read our full Nokia / Withings Sleep reviewhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RV3ie9JEL4obPZ5CkijPL4.jpg Beddit is an unobtrusive sleep monitor that sits on top of your mattress, beneath the sheets. You don’t have to wear anything, you don’t have to meddle with an app; all you need to do is focus on sleeping. In the morning, the powerful app delivers you a detailed breakdown of the quality and quantity of sleep, heart rate data and breaths per minute. If the well-placed kicks from your partner don’t do it, Beddit tells you if you’ve been snoring, which is a serious contributor to poor sleep. The Beddit app also offers feedback on the temperature and humidity in bed, helping you to optimize the sleep environment. All of the information is displayed in easy-to-read graphs, making it ideal for analyzing trends over time. Although it’s designed to track the movements of only one person, we found the data wasn’t skewed by presence of a sleeping partner. Despite the lack of direct contact with the body it also produces surprisingly accurate data in line with the fitness trackers we were wearing during use. Apple purchased Beddit in 2017. The company often shuts down products from firms it acquires, but it kept Beddit around. That has to be a good sign, right? http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jncLWTbq2fCPAUbENhnTH4.jpg However unobtrusive they feel during the day, wearing a fitness band at night is often uncomfortable. Some dig into your skin or get twisted and clammy, which actually ends up impeding sleep. ResMed takes a different approach with a non-contact sleep monitor. Despite sitting on the bedside table, it claims it can accurately monitor breathing, heart rate, movement and overall sleep quality. This is all while keeping tabs on noise, light and temperature levels to deliver feedback on how you can improve your environment. The powerful companion app guides you through breathing exercises to help you nod off and plays sounds that match the cadence of your breathing. The app even encourages you to clear your head by jotting down tomorrow’s to-do list. The resulting sleep score, which is based upon age and gender, also offers feedback and suggestions on how you can improve. This is where ResMed’s years in the field really pays off compared to general fitness trackers. For example, it’ll tell you to try sleeping on your left side if stomach problems or heartburn is a factor, which is something you won't get from other trackers in this list. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/z4V4gtobnwrouM5mdWbSr4.jpg One of the best running watches of 2018, the Polar M430 has the sleep smarts to keep it on our wrists around the clock. The Polar Sleep Plus system uses the watch’s accelerometer to deliver highly insightful feedback, and itt gives you actual sleep time (not just the time spent in bed), tracks your interruptions and delivers data on continuous sleep periods. You can even rate your sleep and measure it over time against workouts and changes to your training schedule. All of the insights provided are laid out clearly within the Polar companion app, enabling you to track sleep quality over time, and it fuses well with the rest of your active day, which can become rather addictive (in a good way). Read the full Polar M430 reviewhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nppYggvT2BaotGngtMjgN4.jpg The Emfit QS is so subtle that it hides under your mattress. The no-contact solution is primarily designed for athletes and uses the rapidly emerging metric of heart rate variability (HRV) to determine sleep-based recovery. HRV is based upon the time between your individual heartbeats while resting. Research suggests the higher the HRV, the better your body has recovered from strain and the more equipped athletes are to perform at a high level the next day without risking injury. The way Emfit’s approach differs dramatically from all of the other sleep trackers we’ve listed is the ability to see the scale of your body’s recovery throughout the night. You get a score when you get into bed and another in the morning. If your score is high the next day, your body is ready to attack the day. If it’s low, you probably shouldn’t push yourself too hard. Beyond HRV, the QS (QS stands for Quantified Sleep) goes seriously deep into sleep stats. It also tracks sleep stages (Light, Deep, REM), movement and breathing rates over the course of 360 days. If you’ve targeted better sleep as the key to unlocking your performance potential in 2018, this could be the sleep tracker for you. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gZfKhJP89mGMakFanwDh5N.jpeg We previously had the Fitbit Ionic in this list, but we've replaced it with the more aesthetically-pleasing (and slightly more comfortable) Fitbit Versa. The Fitbit Versa is the brand's latest smartwatch, which has a slightly rounded design, customisable straps, plenty of apps and features, as well as a fantastic battery life that'll last more than 4 days. Thanks to its sensors, particularly its gyroscope and optical heart rate sensor, the Versa is a really great option if sleep tracking is just as important to you as fitness tracking or getting notifications sent to your wrist. After sleep, open up the Fitbit app and you won't just see the duration of your sleep, but the different sleep stages you went through throughout the night, from light and REM to deep. Fitbit also attempts to make sense of this data and give you personalised insights about your sleep, but sometimes they're a bit generic. It's also worth mentioning that the slimmer (and cheaper) Fitbit Alta HR and the newly-launched Fitbit Charge 3 also have Fitbit's advanced sleep tech built-in. So if you're looking for a more fitness-focused, slimmer or cheaper option, we'd recommend you check out Fitbit's full range to see which is best for you. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DbApCfY4eDnZdQiHCEzp6G.png If you don't fancy the idea of putting a gadget in your bed or wearing one on your wrist that might be uncomfortable, it might be time for you to try a smart ring instead. Smart rings were tipped to be a huge tech trend a few years ago, but loads never made it past the crowdfunding or initial prototype phase. Luckily, the Oura ring did. It's an activity, wellness and sleep tracking rolled into one tiny, slim package that's about the size of a standard wedding band. Although it can track your activity, the Oura is focused on wellness and particularly sleep. It provides you with a simple sleep score each day, but you can delve deeper into your stats to find out all kinds of information about the quality of your rest, from your resting heart rate to how much you moved, all presented on a series of bar charts and graphs. It's crack for sleep and data nerds. Will better technology solve our sleep sorrows?http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/R1ql0MGErbE

Update: A new Samsung smartwatch has been rumored, but we don't think it's the Samsung Galaxy Watch 2. Instead it looks to be a Samsung Gear Sport sequel, and you can read all about what we know so far here. The Samsung Galaxy Watch is notable for a lot of reasons, not least of which being that it’s a highly capable smartwatch that doesn’t run Wear OS or watchOS, relying instead on the Tizen operating system. With a stylish design, long battery life and loads of tracking skills it does enough to compete with any wearable running those better-known operating systems, but it isn’t perfect by any means, so we’ve come up with a list of improvements that we want to see on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 2. You’ll find them further down this article, but before that you’ll find our predictions for the Watch 2, including the possible release timing, price and features. As news and rumors start emerging we’ll add them to this article too. Cut to the chaseWhat is it? The next smartwatch from SamsungWhen is it out? Maybe late 2019What will it cost? Probably at least $329 / £279 / AU$499Samsung Galaxy Watch 2 release date and priceThe Samsung Galaxy Watch landed on August 9, 2018, alongside the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, so there’s a fair chance that the Samsung Galaxy Watch 2 will land in or around August 2019, possibly at the same event as the Samsung Galaxy Note 10. However, there’s no guarantee of that and there are no release date rumors yet. But a launch roughly a year after this model would make sense, especially as the Galaxy Watch is in some ways a successor to the Samsung Gear Sport, which landed in August 2017, and the Samsung Gear S3, which landed in November 2016. In other words, there has been roughly a year between all these models. There aren’t any price rumors yet either, but the Samsung Galaxy Watch launched for $329 / £279 / AU$499 for the 42mm version or $349 / £299 / AU$549 for the 46mm model, with prices going up if you want a version with LTE. So we’d expect the Samsung Galaxy Watch 2 will cost at least that much and it may cost more. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Z4ysUiTvxBemFcjRnvLJS4.jpg The Samsung Galaxy Watch 2 is sure to be a fairly expensive wearable Samsung Galaxy Watch 2 news and rumorsThere aren’t yet any whispers about the Samsung Galaxy Watch 2, but it’s very likely that Samsung is working on it, and we can take some educated guesses as to certain features that it may have. For example, it’s sure to retain most or all of the features found on the Samsung Galaxy Watch. That includes GPS, a heart rate monitor and NFC, along with tracking for various sports, sleep and stress. It’s also likely to have a circular face and a rotating bezel, especially as the likes of the Gear S3 also have those things. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/p2kmVXwsf94HX4USfK72f4.jpg The Samsung Galaxy Watch can track a lot of activities What’s less certain but still very likely is that the Galaxy Watch 2 will run Tizen. Samsung has been using Tizen on wearables for a while and although a move to Wear OS was rumored for the Galaxy Watch, no such change happened in the end. It’s possible that Samsung will switch to Wear OS for the Galaxy Watch 2, especially as Google’s smartwatch operating system has a healthier app ecosystem. But there are plenty of reasons to like Tizen and Samsung hasn’t shown any real sign of giving up on it. What we want to seeThe Samsung Galaxy Watch is a great smartwatch but one with plenty of room for improvement. The following seven features are things we’d really like to see on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 2. 1. More third-party appsThe Samsung Galaxy Watch runs Tizen, rather than one of the big-name wearable operating systems, and one downside of that is that there are fewer apps available than you’ll find on Wear OS or watchOS. So by the time Samsung launches the Galaxy Watch 2 we’d like to have seen it work with developers to get key apps like WhatsApp, Google Maps and Facebook Messenger on the platform. 2. Better stress trackinghttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HrqBuUXnb9madMFm9VEsjW.jpg The Galaxy Watch tracks most things well, but not stress The Samsung Galaxy Watch tracks a lot of things and mostly does a good job, but stress tracking is definitely a weak link. While it’s available, it required us to manually measure our stress levels rather than tracking them automatically in our tests (despite claiming that it can do it automatically), and its accuracy could be questionable, since the data seems mostly based just on heart rate. So we’d like to see this feature overhauled for the next model. 3. Group challengesCompeting with friends can be a big motivator to get more active and handily the Samsung Galaxy Watch lets you do this. Your friends don’t even need a Galaxy Watch of their own – a Gear watch or the Samsung Health app will do just fine. However, you can only challenge friends individually, rather than having a group competition. It seems like this would be an obvious and easy feature to add, so hopefully Samsung will. 4. Compatibility with more wireless chargershttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SNzrTDKQoxXznnVp6UxdJ4.jpg The Samsung Galaxy Watch uses a proprietary charger The Samsung Galaxy Watch charges wirelessly, but not just any wireless charger will do, you need a proprietary one that comes with it. This is inconvenient and if you’re ever without your charger means you’re likely to soon have a dead watch (though the Galaxy Watch at least has good battery life). So for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 2 we want it to work with standard, everyday wireless chargers. That way if you’re at the office or a friend’s house without yours there’s at least a chance someone will have one you can borrow. 5. Big improvements to BixbyAnother downside of using Tizen rather than Wear OS is that the Samsung Galaxy Watch is reliant on Bixby rather than Google Assistant. This is a problem, because Bixby is nowhere near as good as Google Assistant (or Siri or Alexa for that matter), with one particularly major issue being that it simply struggles to understand us. While you don’t have to use Bixby to interact with the Galaxy Watch, it has the potential to be a major feature, but until it gets a lot better it won’t be. 6. Better iOS compatibilityhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wPrfCMUE3LguhBpJ9kuid9.jpg Interaction is limited when using the Galaxy Watch with iOS The Samsung Galaxy Watch works with both Android and iOS, but it’s definitely better with Android, because while you can read notifications on the watch when paired with an iPhone, you can’t reply to them or initiate communications, making it a lot more limited. This may not be something Samsung can solve, as it would likely require a change on Apple’s end, but it’s something we’d like to see nonetheless, as it could make the Galaxy Watch 2 a real alternative to the Apple Watch 5, or whatever we’re up to by then. 7. Wider LTE availabilityThere are versions of the Samsung Galaxy Watch that support LTE, but only on select networks, which won’t suit everyone. For the Samsung Galaxy Watch 2 we’d like to see an LTE model available on more or less all networks, so it’s an option for everyone. Don't want to wait for the Watch 2? These are the best smartwatches out nowhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/dcpewjxQKeQ

Farewell then, to the Essential Phone, a bold and occasionally brilliant attempt to disrupt a phone market dominated by a handful of key players. The phone is now out of stock and the company has confirmed it won't be making any more of the handsets. Rumors that Essential and its portfolio of products are up for sale have been floating around all year, but in a statement given to 9to5Google, a company spokesperson said the focus was now on the "next mobile product" – whatever that might be. Is the Essential Phone 2 still on the cards after all? Or is a different type of gadget on the way? Essential "will continue to sell accessories and provide speedy software updates and customer support to our existing community" the official statement says, so if you already own a PH-1 Essential Phone then you're not going to be abandoned. The future of EssentialBack in September, Essential confirmed that the company's phone will be getting Android Q, the next major update for Google's mobile OS that's due to make its debut during 2019 – so there's plenty of life left in the handsets that have already been sold. If an Essential Phone 2 is indeed on the way, leaks suggest it's going to have a particular focus on artificial intelligence: it's going to be able to organize parts of your life for you, and handle some of your messages, apparently, so you can spend less time staring at your mobile phone and more time living in the real world again. All of that is still to be confirmed but what we know for sure is that the first Essential Phone, the PH-1, is now officially discontinued. It brought some neat ideas with it, but the sequel is going to have to be even more impressive for Essential to survive. These are the very best smartphones you can buy todayhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/jhMPYoAyKDw

Welcome to our list of the best printers of 2019. Whether you're looking for a new printer for your home or your office (or both), then you've come to the right place, as we've listed the very best printers right here. From all-in-one printers that can handle scanning and photocopying as well as printing, to specialised photo printers that can produce lab-quality printouts of your photographs, we’ve put together this list of the best printers of 2019 so that you can spend less time shopping and more time getting some work done. The best printers come in every shape and size these days, which means there’s a lot to choose from when you’re shopping for a new printer – we’re here to help. We went ahead and discarded the jargon to make buying your new printer as simple as possible. We’ve also split this list into the best inkjet printers and the best laser printers, and we include standard printers alongside more complicated units. Regardless of the kind of printer you’re looking for, you’ll find it right here, and our exclusive price comparison tool will help you get the best printers for a bargain. Check out what printers made it into our top 10 best business printers roundupBest inkjet printerhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/292b2ffad450d7dcadff3f4addf94552.jpg The WorkForce Pro WF-4630 is a solid printer for small businesses and workgroups given its fast print speeds, solid print qualities and remote printing and scanning capabilities. Using the larger XL print cartridges, the WF-4630 delivers economical print costs that rival laser printers. Read the full review: Epson WorkForce Pro WF-4630 Best cheap printerhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/00de9433713f70473e0037c921612d2b.jpg The Deskjet 3630 is a decent printer for the price, offering reasonable print speeds and the ability to connect to mobile devices without breaking the bank. Just be wary as its ink cartridges can be priced when picked up from shops. It doesn't quite have the build quality of HP's more expensive Envy models, but if you're looking for an initially cheap model that catches the eye when sat on a shelf, the Deskjet 3630 is a great option. Read the full review: HP Deskjet 3630 Best laser printerhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3af398de9e1d303d90c62d530bb5516d.jpg This temptingly priced printer offers 28ppm printing at up to 4,800 x 600 dpi (effective, rather than optical, resolution). With wired (Ethernet/USB) and wireless (Wi-Fi/NFC) connectivity, duplex printing, decent eco settings and support for a wide range of media, the Samsung is an excellent all-rounder, although the multi-purpose tray can only handle one sheet of media at a time. The main cassette has a more useful capacity of 250 sheets. Best printer for homehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/oZQL9bxC8L79B3DXcFNVGd.jpg Great for the traveling professional or someone who needs a small printer for occasional use, printing photos or using the scanner function. It's a bit pricey to buy - and to run - but the flexibility and quality of the printouts is excellent. Best printer for the officehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2d4df1aff8ed691543ae390a8b87ff33.jpg The M2070W delivers a lot of bang for your business buck – there's NFC printing from compatible smartphones, online document sharing, and a clever Eco system that supplements the usual toner saving mode with a feature to remove images from documents by replacing bitmaps with sketches. Factor in claimed speeds of 20ppm, a clever scan to mobile feature and an effective print resolution of up to 1200dpi and you've got a multifunction printer that's well worth considering. Best all-in-one printerhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/36f0e84001dd51fbddcfccb036dfcc69.jpg Consumables are usually expensive when it comes to printers. So it is quite surprising that one vendor, Epson, single-handedly decided to challenge that status quo by allowing users to refill their printer using ink bottles. What's even more surprising is that Epson includes two years of ink with the package; no more expensive cartridges and instead, you have enough material to deliver 11,000 pages worth of black and colour inks (that's 700ml worth of liquid). Oh and there's even a three-year warranty making this a great choice for bean counters fixing the TCO of their printers. The ET-4550 lacks the features found on cheaper competitors – it is relatively slower (although it has a higher printing resolution) and has a small paper input tray. Best 3D printerhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eWUaJXnZjzGEvTRjtsqF7N.jpg The MakerBot Replicator+ is the successor to the popular MakerBot Replicator 3D printer, and the new version has brought improvements to nearly every part of the Replicator. This means the Replicator+ is faster and quieter than the previous version, while maintaining its excellent design and safety features. This desktop 3D printer is expensive, but it offers excellent print quality, and uses 1.75mm polylactic acid (PLA) filament. It's also user-friendly enough for home users and hobbyists to use - as long as your budget can stretch to the high asking price. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bGVo3JettbJNVDPLmSXhd8.jpg Best wireless printerIf you're looking for a great all-round printer which doesn't skimp on print quality for your photographs, then we don't think you will be disappointed by what the PIXMA TS9150, Canon's flagship printer, has to offer. While it's certainly more expensive than some of the cheap two in one printers you can pick up, it's not a bad price for something which produces high quality prints, especially if you only need to print at A4 or below. Best of all, the print quality here is stunning, and it also has an attractive design. While the looks of your printer may not seem that important, it does mean you don't feel the need to try and hide it away out of sight if you're using it at home. Best portable printerhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fuPxKQdhFVujd5zdBW3ZJd.jpg This handy portable printer allows you to print full page A4 documents while on the go, and is small enough to easily fit in a briefcase or shoulder bag. It supports the MFI Bluetooth protocol, so it's a great choice for printing wirelessly from your smartphone or Apple iOS device. There's also USB 2.0 support for hooking up to your PC, and you can buy an additional rechargeable high-capacity battery, which gives you around 600 pages from a single charge. Best budget laser printerhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/555b3806e7f0cf31233b7d0f9629ccfe.jpg This is a colour laser printer, plain and simple. It has a relatively small footprint on the desk thanks to a surprisingly compact design. The printer is fitted with a 150-sheet main paper tray and a 100-sheet output tray, with an integrated drum/fuser unit and manual duplexing capabilities. Controls are adequate, with a two-line LCD display and a number of buttons for basic menu navigation. The C1760NW also offers an Ethernet connector, 802.11n Wi-Fi and a USB 2.0 port; although there is no USB host connectivity. The printer is aimed at office or small workgroups and has a high-rated speed of 15ppm for black and colour. This is a good workhorse for everyday printing, where colour isn't a major part of the mix. What about the best 3D printers?http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/x4iEdwBhxqY

Welcome to our list of the best small business printers of 2019, where we pick the top printers that best suit the needs of small companies. This means that these printers can cope with the demands of a small office, while being flexible enough that it can keep up if your business expands. The best small business printers are affordable and reliable devices that can grow with your company. That means that these printers are fast and accurate, while keeping the initial investment low. The best small business printers are also economical to run, both in terms of power consumption and consumables such as ink. The brilliant small business printers in this list are also robust enough to handle several people sending documents to it throughout the day, and if it can also handle photocopying and scanning as well, then that's even better. All-in-one printers that offer photocopying and scanning (and even fax) not only can save your small business money compared to buying the devices individually, having them all in one compact device will save space as well. So, without further ado, here is our list of the 10 best small business printers on the market today. If you're not sure about what type of business printer you need, head to the bottom of our guide, where we explain the best ways to find and buy the best small business printer that suits your needs. Check out our list of best laser and inkjet printers for all audiencesSo where do you need to start? Even the most modest office will likely be networked, and sharing a resource as useful as a printer is an essential. So you should only be looking at printers that are capable of networked use. Wired offers speed and robust function for a fixed office. Wireless is flexible, cheap to deploy but not as fast in use. Here are the best 10 printers for businesses - as chosen by the Techradar Pro team - large and small, from a basic monochrome lasers suitable for a small business and a home office through to a small departmental multifunction printer. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/49d09c59da5519da8e87479c5d9c1ba5.jpg The notion of the large, expensive laser printer should have long been dispelled and if nothing else can do that then the Ricoh SP-213w will. This small-footprint mono printer costs less than many inkjets but has the capability to provide basic wireless-based print services to a home office or smaller office. With a monthly duty cycle of 20,000 pages per month, a 1200 x 600dpi print resolution and a print speed of up to 22 pages per minute, its small size shouldn't hide the fact that this could be a little workhorse. Beyond these basics, the Ricoh SP-213w offers manual duplex, a Print and Scan mobile app, support for PCL and a two-year pan-European warranty. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3hn8SpH9mpJSGFnkigKxUm.png If you want an affordable printer for your business that excels in black and white print quality - and is a speedy performer to boot - then you really can't go wrong with the Samsung Xpress M2835DW. Its small and compact body contains a huge host of features, and its easy to use and understand buttons makes quickly firing off prints a piece of cake. It supports both wired and Wi-Fi connectivity, runs quietly and can even be controlled via smartphone. Its Eco mode allows you to control the amount of power and ink it consumes while printing, and overall this is an absolutely fantastic business printer. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Ci4K4yHiUwLUT2S6nxbhQf.jpg The Brother HL-L8360CDW is an excellent all-round printer for the office. Thanks to its large capacity and fast print speeds, this is a printer that won't grind to a halt in a busy environment. It's not just fast either - the print quality is also very good as well. It prints in both black and white and colour, and it has low running costs as well, making this an economical choice in the long run. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7de11951eefc90d148d217d3abdc8937.jpg There was a time, not so long ago, when colour laser printing was exorbitant. That has fortunately changed with the likes of the Ricoh SPC-240DN doing their best to bring prices down. This is a massive printer at nearly 24kg so you will need to have a strong back and enough desk space to take it on board. Its starter toner kit will produce around 1000 pages and probably better than inkjet ones which dry out with time. It can print up to 16 pages per minute (colour or mono) and has a duty cycle of 30,000 pages per month. It offers both Ethernet and USB ports and, with a 250-page input paper tray, has enough to make a small office pleased. However, at 600 x 600dpi, its print resolution may leave some wanting for more. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ef1528d8d16d728cec3bcefb873749a4.jpg The HP PageWide Pro 477dw isn't going to win any design awards but what it lacks in aesthetics it really does make up for in functionality and speed. This entry-level office multi-function inkjet printer offers all the standard print, copy, scan and fax features you'd want to see in an office workhorse. Add to that wired Ethernet alongside wireless networking and it has all the connectivity, too (including Wi-Fi Direct and NFC). Suited to the home and smaller small office, it has a conveniently compact footprint, until you open its paper trays to print. A top speed of 55ppm is stunning for this class of printer, particularly considering its asking price. The inclusion of a 50-sheet automatic document feeder adds to an all-round excellent paper handling capability. Its ability to multitask with print and copy jobs nicely complements the large touch-capable LCD screen. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/36f0e84001dd51fbddcfccb036dfcc69.jpg Consumables are usually expensive when it comes to printers. So it is quite surprising that one vendor, Epson, single-handedly decided to challenge that status quo by allowing users to refill their printer using ink bottles. What's even more surprising is that Epson includes two years of ink with the package; no more expensive cartridges and instead, you have enough material to deliver 11,000 pages worth of black and colour inks (that's 700ml worth of liquid). Oh and there's even a three-year warranty making this a great choice for bean counters fixing the TCO of their printers. The ET-4550 lacks the features found on cheaper competitors – it is relatively slower (although it has a higher printing resolution) and has a small paper input tray. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bc0f56cba6849b16a1288ca16f13fbc4.jpg Ricoh makes it four in our shortlist with the SG-2100N, a bargain basement printer that brings together the best of inkjet and laser technology. It delivers the sort of performance usually associated with devices costing three times its price. A water insoluble, viscous ink combined with a higher-than-average print resolution and a print speed – 29ppm – that surpasses anything at this price range (albeit in draft) make this Ricoh printer one of the best on the market for very small offices. Other features worth noting are manual duplex capabilities, a two-year onsite warranty (parts and labour), a well thought out design, affordable consumables, an Ethernet port and a generous input paper tray. Read the full review: Ricoh SG-2100N http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8zKUh37Q22cm3k3UtJeLiD.jpg The HP Officejet Pro 8720 All-in-One is a practical and affordable business printer that also comes with copy and fax capabilities, and it can connect to your network wirelessly as well. It's an excellent fit for small to medium-sized businesses, but for larger organisations it may struggle to keep up. It's got excellent printing speeds, however, and the touch screen makes it simple to use. However, it lacks a few business-orientated features that its more expensive brethren boast,and it's not quite the best when it comes to print quality, either. However, this is an excellent business printer if you're conscious of your budget. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/72459c63fb32bff162f6c0ed6a61a9ef.jpg This is a heavyweight colour laser multifunction device intended for small business or workgroup use. Its slabby black and white design is functional and includes a large touchscreen for control, though the printer is only rated up to a recommended 3,000 pages per month. The MFC-L8650CDW includes a 50-sheet automatic document feeder which handles duplex scans and the printer offers duplex copying and printing as well; a welcome surprise! It's rated at 28ppm for both black and colour prints dropping to about seven sheets when printing in duplex. It can handle input from USB, Ethernet or via wireless hook-up, with support for iOS and Android mobiles. A USB port offers scanning to and printing from USB drives. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7eb6817a2263a1532c5c7208d69ada53.jpg If only the fastest printer will do, then consider the HL-S7000DN. Surprisingly enough, it is an inkjet printer rather than a laser one. It's fast enough to print out the entire contents of the Bible (Old and New Testaments) in about 20 minutes at the speed of 100 pages per minute (that's roughly 500 words per second). If your needs are less ambitious, then the 500-sheet capacity of its input and output tray should suffice. There's also a 100-sheet multipurpose tray to accommodate other media types. As expected, it prints at a resolution of 600 x 600dpi, has a Gigabit Ethernet LAN port, Wi-Fi and a USB 2.0 port. Its maximum monthly duty cycle, 275,000 pages or 16 A4 reams printed every day, should satisfy even the busiest offices. How to buy a business printerMulti-function features can be found across the board and at all cost scales. Basic features start with USB Key and card readers for PC-free printing, moving to scanner and copier functions. At the higher end, automatic document feeders (ADF) can manage 50 copies in a single go and produce booklets including duplex printing, stapling and folding. Often the basic ADF features will accommodate most medium-sized offices. In the past there has been a marked difference in Cost Per Page (CPP) between lasers and inkjets but in recent years, inkjets have managed to drop their prices to compete. Either way it's important you carefully assess the CPP of each device. Manufacturers measure the toner or cartridge yields with an industry standard ISO rating. So you can safely assess the total price of replacing all the cartridges or toners divided by the print yield across all the potential models. The total volume of prints you're going to make also needs to be taken into account. Devices often quote a "duty cycle" monthly maximum and recommended figures. These are the total number of prints it's designed to handle per month. If possible assess the number of prints per employee for the office and ensure the device is capable of meeting your current and future demands. Finally in the past colour especially for laser printers has demanded a premium, that's not so much the case these days. However these models are still more expensive due to the additional materials required for the toners and printer manufacture. There's still a big enough differential that if you don't need regular colour you should opt for a mono model, perhaps using a cheaper inkjet or even out-of-house printing for occasional colour requirements. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/JPly71p5fdo

Welcome to our list of the best workstations of 2019. These are the very best, most powerful, workstation machines that can power your business. These days, the best workstations are around the same size as normal PCs, and offer high quality designs, without sacrificing pure power and performance. Some, such as the iMac Pro and the Surface Studio, are slimline all-in-one PCs that offer brilliant performance whilst not taking up loads of room in your office. The best workstations can handle any application you throw at it, and they are useful tools for designers, engineers, financial analysts and researchers running more demanding applications, like rendering complex graphics, financial analysis and computations and digital content creation We've rounded up 10 of what we consider to be the best workstations currently on the market - in no particular order - from the main vendors. From small form factor models to powerhouses, from all-in-ones to one for all, there's bound to be one for you if you're in the market. At the bottom of this page you'll also find our list of the best online shops for buying workstations - so purchasing the perfect workstation for your business has never been easier! There are even a few amazing options that come in laptop form. Check out our best mobile workstations guide.http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Fa2SzZQpWGFACRCZQKHcrj.jpg Acer does a good line in workstations, and most of them are pretty affordable. The Acer Veriton X2640G SFF isn’t the most powerful of workstations, but it will do the trick if you need a dependable machine for most day-to-day tasks. There’s nothing particularly flashy about this workstation – but sometimes that’s just what you need. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FFNkUjGDRu9skCkkTJjQKD.jpg This excellent all-in-one workstation from Dell comes with an imposing 27-inch 4K Ultra HD touchscreen display, as well as a set of six speakers. That makes for the ideal workstation for photographers, video editors and music producers. The Dell XPS 27 performs admirably against industry-standard graphics-based benchmarks, no doubt thanks to the pacey 3.6GHz Intel Core i7-7700 processor under the casing. And this premium machine also gets premium peripheries in the form of a sleek and stylish wireless mouse and keyboard. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/af4b0ce213d0c51355c015eaa10ec3df.jpg An upgrade to the Mac Pro is imminent so you might want to hold on. But when it comes to the quintessential workstation, nothing comes near to this monolith. How Apple has been able to pack so much firepower into such a small volume almost defies the laws of physics. The current model, though, is well past its prime. It packs a 3-year old Intel Ivy-Bridge Xeon processor with up to 64GB DDR3 ECC RAM and 1TB storage (no RAID option though). Its two AMD FirePro D500 GPUs are likely to be the weakest link in the system, however, and even the top of the range model doesn't meet the minimum requirements to run the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift VR platform. It's also far more expensive than a comparable Windows-based workstation. Read the full review: Apple Mac Pro http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/35b31e8ab557815d527b5371681453a7.jpg There's no equivalent to the HP Z1 G3 on the market. The Z1 family was possibly brought to the market in order to compete with (or at least provide an alternative to) the Apple iMac which doesn't provide the same sort of professional-grade components. Using a mixture of laptop components (memory and 2.5-inch storage solutions) combined with an enterprise-grade desktop Intel Xeon CPU is an interesting alternative which we'd like others to explore, even in the laptop segment. For now, the Z1 G3 remains the only viable option if you are looking for a transportable workstation with an all-in-one form factor. Oh and regarding the price, it comes with a 4K monitor, Thunderbolt ports, HP's nifty Remote Graphics Software and a three-year onsite warranty, upgradable to five with defective media retention. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6Q7WdkKeC996rTyNHojuiX.jpg The Apple iMac Pro is the most powerful PC that Apple has ever made, so if you love the design of Apple's devices, while using its software, then the iMac Pro is an excellent workstation. Its all-in-one form factor gives you plenty of space on your desk, but it is very expensive, which turn some people off. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/seuAhSx5VLCKkEUG3mMc6g.jpg Microsoft has produced a brilliant all-in-one workstation that rival's Apple's iMacs for power and desirability. If you're wedded to the Windows 10 ecosystem, then this is a great alternative to the iMac Pro. Versatile and forward-thinking, Microsoft’s all-in-one puts the iMac to shame by introducing an all-in-one that can not only replace your lingering desktop tower, but your Cintiq as well. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/cjXQAw5knbHtVFuKMeEN5Y.jpg The Mac mini 2018 has finally been refreshed with modern hardware, bring Apple’s tiniest Mac into the modern age. This thing is filled to the brim with 8th-generation desktop processors, a ton of RAM and some of the fastest SSDs we’ve seen – all while keeping the same beloved form factor. OK, while it's not as powerful as the other workstations on this list, it has a few tricks up its sleeve which makes this worth considering. First, you can add an external graphics card to the Mac mini for added graphical prowess. You can also chain several Mac minis together and offload tasks onto each machine, making it an expandable – and incredibly versatile – workstation. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ba9fff8025ddfc942592ee1300b4ed5b.jpg This is HP's entry level workstation and one which is very keenly priced with a very compact form factor (about 11L). It's hard to believe that the Z240 has an Intel Core i7-6700 CPU with 8GB of RAM and a 1TB hard disk drive. There's even an optical drive. The company's engineers have managed to deliver a system that weighs less than 6Kg and somehow has 20 (yes, 20) connectors and expansion slots (not all of them empty of course). It even has four DIMM slots to take full advantage of dual-channel technology. As for the rest of the HP workstation family, this one comes with the Remote Graphics Software as well as a three-year onsite warranty bundled. The only major compromise is the fact that it will only take low profile graphics cards. HP also offers the option to buy the workstation for as little as £16 per month excluding VAT. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/13069020652965a20071f45ee63061bb.jpg At the opposite end of Lenovo's portfolio is the mighty P910, a workstation that offers one or two Xeon E5 CPUs; there's no E3 here and definitely no consumer parts. It is expensive, industrial in its looks, yet functional in its design. And when we say expensive, we mean it. A fully specced model with 28 cores, half a terabyte of RAM, six half terabyte SSDs and two Nvidia Quadro M5000 cards in SLI will cost you around £15,000. You can pack even more in, but you will have to do it over the phone. The P910 uses patented Tri-channel cooling to keep the main components from overheating, which requires fewer fans and should, therefore in theory, translate to less downtime. As for most other workstations, you won't need a single tool to swap components and there are no cables or plugs to worry about. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/b220e66efbe9e3d1d25c13cbe4e31fcc.jpg The small form factor market is attracting more manufacturers as they are vying to shed the bulky and wieldy image of the traditional workstation. Few, if any, however, can pride themselves on designing and manufacturing their products in the same area. Fujitsu can – take the J550. It can take a Xeon E3 CPU, a full-size professional graphics card, 64GB of RAM, offering up to 13.5TB storage and nearly 20 ports and expansion slots including quite a few legacy ones. Fujitsu is also the only company to offer a three-year warranty (either onsite or bring-in) across the EMEIA region, which spans across the whole of Europe, into Africa and stretches as far as India. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/WWFNcxG3aHA

If you're sat in front of your PC all day for work, then finding the best business monitor for your needs is essential. Getting the right monitor means you can work comfortably, with bright, clear colors and high resolutions. Plus, if you work in the creative industry where color and image accuracy is paramount, such as photography or video editing, then you'll need a monitor that supports a variety of industry standards. Choosing the best business monitor doesn’t just mean getting one that doesn’t flicker. There’s also the productivity aspect, too. Large display sizes and high resolutions will give you more workspace – and ultra-wide aspect ratios are a dream come true for productivity, though all this comes at a price. The price is also something you should think about – especially if you’re looking to fill an entire office. We went ahead and listed some of the best business monitors we could find, and each of them comes with their own specific strengths, which may make them more useful for some audiences than others. Here's our list of the best monitors of 2019http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/djJYF62UV9S5JZtK6QSDqc.jpg The Dell UltraSharp UP3218K is the best business monitor we've ever tried, however it won't be for everyone. The huge 32-inch screen and 8K resolution makes it perfect for photographers and video editors, and the amount of screen real estate that high resolution offers makes it an excellent productivity tool. The screen is professionally calibrated so it looks amazing out of the box, but be warned: this is a very expensive monitor. Depending on your business, this will either be a brilliant buy, or an expensive folly. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MJBi6WtMFCDCLGaQXA8jtB.jpg The AOC PDS241 Porsche Design is a gorgeously designed monitor that would brighten up any desk it was placed on. It has an excellent price tag, which means you could realistically fill an office with these excellent screens. Ports are limited to just a HDMI input, but for general office work, this should be fine. Most importantly, the image quality is excellent, making this an ideal addition to a modern office. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/tcZUCf9VsS8QtetqFcQs3B.jpg If you're a design professional looking for a monitor that provides you accurate colors, a range of features, professional calibration and a decent price, then the BenQ PD3200U is definitely worth considering. At 32-inches this is a large screen, but it means the UHD resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 doesn't make things too difficult to see or use. It has a no-nonsense design, plenty of features, such as a dark room mode and a mode that makes using CAD programmes easier to view, and the price is also very tempting. If you have a desk big enough to hold it, the BenQ PD3200U could be the best business monitor for you. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3998898acf3100bfc2975d57f8fb77d5.jpg You’ll normally shell out an arm and a leg for a 4K display, but that’s not the case with Acer’s S277HK. This is a brilliant business monitor that offers some great features, and impressive image quality, while keeping the price at a reasonable level. You get a huge 1,000,000,000:1 contrast ratio, a color gamut of 1.07 billion and a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160, which makes it an excellent monitor for graphic designers and professional photographers as well. The bezel-less design keeps the monitor from taking up too much room on your desk, but there's no way to wall mount this monitor. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/d899da46bf736ba90583edb4b998f9f6.jpg When you think about a monitor, you don't just consider the screen, but also the cables and stand. In terms of the latter, the MB169B Plus is different – it is a portable USB-powered monitor which means that you can power it using a single USB 3.0 cable. It stands out thanks to a smart case that is an adjustable stand and a protective sleeve at the same time. With a full HD resolution and a 15.6-inch screen size, it will prove to be an invaluable accessory for those looking for extra real estate to work when away from their desks, or a presentation monitor for a small team. Bear in mind that you should be able to add a few to your PC should you wish. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/476514039b70dd5ad570e335561b67ce.jpg BenQ offers the most affordable full HD monitor with an HDMI connector and it doesn't look that bad. The company embraced the Bauhaus "less is more" philosophy to deliver "a celebration of minimalist" lifestyle. Those are their words, not ours. It has some standout features though; one that reduces flicker (PWM technology) and a low blue light mode which may help with headaches and sleeping disorders. The stand design gives it a more expensive feel and its three ports (including two HDMI ones) are worthy of a mention, as is the two-year warranty and the VESA wall mounting option. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9053a1b193b19fc8ca96dad7a30a26a7.jpg To tackle spreadsheets without having to squint, a large screen is recommended and this Acer monitor will give you acres of space (nearly twice that of the ViewSonic monitor) for not a lot of money. It has a low response time, a VESA bracket, three ports including a DVI one and a three-year warranty. As expected it comes with a number of Acer features like the glare-reducing ComfyView and the Adaptive Contrast Management which modifies contrast in real-time. The stand and the bezel could do with some improvement but overall, it is a keenly priced monitor that will provide businesses with plenty of display area without an enormous outlay. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/a5436e9ce1605c2419bbe0bc835ce2bb.jpg Widescreen monitors have become mainstream, thanks to a gradual decrease in their prices, allowing businesses to fully embrace the concept of having a monitor that is far wider than it is high. The common perception is that gamers are the only ones to benefit from this. In truth even creative professionals and spreadsheet crunchers will appreciate the form factor. With a 21:9 aspect ratio, this affordable LG monitor can display 2560 x 1080 pixels on its 25-inch display. It offers splendid colour reproduction – thanks to the AH-IPS panel – and some cool features like Picture-in-Picture. Uniquely at this price, it offers two HDMI 2.0 ports but no other legacy ports. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ff399772773dcf195953a55c3b8ab490.jpg This 4K monitor from AOC can display more than 8 million pixels at 60Hz, and is proof that ultra-high resolution displays are coming down in price while gaining some very useful features. This one for example comes with AMD's Freesync technology which reduces tearing. It also has a 1ms response time, 60Hz refresh rate and can even do Picture-in-Picture thanks to its four ports (including a DisplayPort and an HDMI 2.0 one). Sadly, it doesn't come with any VESA mount but at least its design and factory certified calibration make up for this. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/69a1c3f12976a28cbe610044ae5272ec.jpg This monitor is almost as expensive as the Dell 5K model but can only display a third of the pixels. Why would anyone buy it? Gamers, or professionals looking for an immersive experience (e.g. when developing VR solutions) might well consider doing so because they'll appreciate the curvature of this Acer monitor as well as its aspect ratio. Get a pair of them and you will cover a jaw-dropping panoramic 160-degree arc. There's plenty of connection options as well (HDMI, MHL and DisplayPort) as well as Freesync, a very thin frame, a USB hub, VESA mount and a pair of speakers. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/2168msYLt7E

If you work in a busy office environment where there's a lot of background noise, but you need to make and receive important calls throughout the day, then our list of the best business headphones or earphones can really help. The best business headphones or earphones have features that allow you to make calls, be they traditional voice calls or increasingly popular video calls over services like Skype. These features include excellent audio and recording quality and noise cancelling, which means the people you're speaking to won't hear any background noise. When you're looking to buy the best business headphones and earphones for your needs, you'll want to look out for a number of features that you may not necessarily think about when buying headphones for listening to music or podcasts on. Microphone quality is just as important as sound quality, for example – after all, you want the people you're speaking to to be able to hear you as clearly as possible, and vice versa. Good noise cancelling features are a must too, especially if you work in a noisy environment: ambient noise (such as office chatter) is detected and removed while your voice is broadcast to the caller. You'll also want to make sure the headphones are comfortable to wear, of course, if you're wearing them all day. We've assembled a list of the best business headphones and earphones, making it easier than ever for you to make the right choice – a choice which isn't always easy, considering the huge range of headphones and earphones out there. So which headphones are the best for business users? Read on to find out what our picks are, and don't forget to use our price comparison tool to help you get the best deals for these amazing business headphones and earphones. Once you've got your business headphones, make sure you check out our list of the best video conferencing serviceshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/4050412c210c36c4bbfb7df57d5dba62.jpg The Oppo PM-3's are a truly stunning pair of headphones, and are an excellent choice if you're looking for some over-ear headphones for your business. They're equally comfortable being plugged into your desktop PC for video conferencing as they are commuting through the hustle and bustle of a big city, and they stand head and shoulders above rival products from bigger brands. We really can't recommend them highly enough, they're just amazing. Read the full review: Oppo PM-3 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/e1affbb654a32ee44e5d8caaf7f7bd13.jpg The Philips Fidelio X2s are a superb pair of headphones offering premium comfort and build quality with a sound that rivals even the most vaunted audiophile cans. Their comfortable design means they can be worn for long periods of time while working thanks to the memory foam construction of the earpads. Read the full review: Philips Fidelio X2 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/d39889d326fc6682a15be4f43d2db7a4.jpg Bose has finally brought its fantastic noise-cancelling technology to a pair of wireless headphones, and it's done so without any of the traditional drawbacks of wireless headphones – they sound great, and their battery life is long enough for even the longest video meeting. Going wireless with your business headphones means you have less clutter on your desk, freeing you up for more important things when on an important call. At $349.95 (£289.95) the QC35s sit firmly at the premium end of the spectrum, but if you want the best noise-cancelling headphones available right now then you can't get any better. Read the full review: Bose QuietComfort 35 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/noAyovDeZGDABLSPQKoLHE.jpg The Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 offer insane battery life, great sound quality and good active noise cancellation for the business man or woman in your life. They may not offer the best noise cancellation – especially compared to the Bose QuietComfort 35s or the Fidelio NC1 – but at only $200 (£230, AU$250) it’s hard to think of a better travel headphone for the price. Ultimately, with the BackBeat Pro 2, you’re getting a travel headphone with incredible battery life, supreme comfort, the ability to pair two device as one and, most importantly, good sound quality for the cost. Read our full review: Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/89c4c0a1210fe9ac0b4401f8c63c451c.jpg These no-holds-barred wireless headphones are oozing with positive qualities, but for many, they're almost prohibitively expensive. However, if you're an audio lover that can spare the expense, do not hesitate on this comfortable, hard-working set of headphones that will likely last for years. Read the full review: Sennheiser Momentum Wireless http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/b9c75dc11e5cf0aae771819202207164.jpg If you'd rather some in-ear earphones for your business dealings, then the RHA T10i is the first set you should consider for one simple reason: the sound quality is incredible, thanks to the snug seal created when the headphones are stuck in your ear. Plus the bass is also robust for such small earphones. The RHA T10i look slick with a metal finish around the drivers and around the cable as well. They also come with several replacement tips if the defaults don't fit your ear canal. They're more expensive than other earbuds on the list, but there's good reason they feautre at the top of our business earphones selection. Read the full review: RHA T10i http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/886a403b7072c826d3c6e07c56cd8d2a.jpg If you're in the market for the best in-ear headphones, you should really be looking at Shure's entire catalog of truly excellent in-ear options. Of them all, however, our current favorites are the Shure SE215s – they're not the top-tier performers from the audio company, but we think they offer the best performance-to-price ratio of any of Shure's headsets. Sure, the headphones look great in their futuristic-looking translucent, space grey color, but the best bit is that you can snag the Shure SE215s for ~$100. Read the full review: Shure SE215 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fa14e2cc2fe3560c9099cf90608623df.jpg Life is full of trade-offs, and it's the same with the Bose QuietControl 30s. On the plus side you get a level of noise cancellation that’s on a par with the brand's over-ear headphones, but the compromise here is on sound quality, which is simply not as good as that of other in-ear or over-ear headphones we’ve tried. However, if you're going to be using these on video or voice calls in a noisy office, then these are definitely worth considering. Read the full review: Bose QuietControl 30 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9tojFZn3Y4fRWujx2xjJqb.jpg The V-Moda Forza offer a lot – they sound good, are built to last, and have an innovative modular design that we really like is like nothing we’ve seen before on an earbud. The Forza, therefore, are perfect for anyone who wants headphones that can do it all, from working out to taking these with you on the morning commute to the office. Sure, they're not the most balanced sounding or highest resolution, but the water resistance and modular design of the Forza make them a pretty compelling option. Read the full review: V-Moda Forza http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/tyn2sTh_fKU

Welcome to our list of the best Bluetooth headsets for hands-free calling. Even in 2019, Bluetooth headsets are essential bits of kit for many people, especially if you need to take calls while using both your hands for other tasks. The best Bluetooth headsets make taking calls easy and convenient, whether you're driving, using equipment or typing on a keyboard. For people who rely on their phone and make lots of calls each and everyday, they're a game-changer. We've collected together the best hands-free Bluetooth headsets that are comfortable to be worn for most of the day, are convenient to be used in a hurry and serve up good audio quality throughout. But although a good Bluetooth headset can make your constant calling life infinitely easier, once you go out searching for a great headset you’ll find that choosing the best Bluetooth headsets among the myriad knockoffs and imitations can be a pain. And even if there are some devices that look similar, the actual features and functionality can vary wildly. But don’t worry, below you'll find the very best Bluetooth headsets currently available, and we've used our price comparison tool to help you find the top deals as well. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dhiT6GMkBGMrCAuFsNKD4S.jpg The Plantronics Voyager 5200 is one of the very best Bluetooth headsets around, from a brand name that is well respected when it comes to headsets. It's designed with comfort in mind, so you can wear it for extended periods without it bothering you and it sits securely in place too, so it won't fall off. It's also completely hands free, as caller ID will announce the name of whoever is calling you and you can simply say "answer" to take the call. Its noise-cancelling is effective even in busy environments and multiple microphones ensure strong voice quality, for a great all-round Bluetooth headset. Its also coated in sweat proof material which gives it a robustness that other Bluetooth headsets lack. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/A8c6UCFTifpkiWLxPUQYSZ.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EJSYrN54xa4McPNShkEQtm.jpg The Sony MBH20 headset used to sit at this point in our list. It was a simple, easy-to-use headset with good battery life, but it's since been replaced by the MBH22. Although they both have a similar, simple design, this latest model is packing some newer features. There are the same minimal buttons, but now there's a USB Type-C connector instead of an older microUSB port. It's still a good, comfortable fit although there is only one earpiece, which means that might not be the case for everyone. You can connect two phones at the same time to switch between calls if you're that in demand, as well as smart access to Google Assistant and Siri. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/A8c6UCFTifpkiWLxPUQYSZ.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VmhwnVrpupwQsoWALrLLMe.jpg Plantronics simply makes phenomenal Bluetooth headsets, which is why it should come as no surprise that this isn’t the first Plantronics headset to make it on the list of the best Bluetooth headsets, and it certainly won’t be the last. The Plantronics Explorer 500 is built to be compact and discreet, but there is a huge amount of tech built into this tiny package, including three microphones and a boom arm for stellar voice quality. Its small size does mean its battery life isn't exactly on the same level as some competitors, but at seven hours of talk time it's still very passable. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/A8c6UCFTifpkiWLxPUQYSZ.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/w6JRwgnc6BgZAbMp2dcman.jpg The Jabra Stealth is one of the nicest designed Bluetooth headsets in our roundup, and not only does it look good, it also feels comfortable to wear. It's not quite as small and unnoticeable as its name suggests, but with such a nice design, you won't really mind that much. Perhaps most importantly, sound quality on this headset is excellent, and it does a good job of limiting background noise picked up by its mic as well. This is definitely a Bluetooth headset worth investing in if you rely on voice-free calls. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/A8c6UCFTifpkiWLxPUQYSZ.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bVmun993jS8JUb2xtzXRfL.jpg The Sennheiser Presence UC is a brilliant Bluetooth headset if you work in a fast-paced environment where you need to multitask, as it has a multi-connectivity feature that connects to both your phone and computer, so you can quickly switch between the two. It has very good sound and recording quality, and talk time is also very impressive. It's not the most comfortable headset, however, so if you need something that you're going to wear all day, then something like the Jabra Motion will be better suited to your needs. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/A8c6UCFTifpkiWLxPUQYSZ.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fhX3iZHoLorqHvy3dEddag.jpg If you work outside in noisy environments, and need a robust Bluetooth headset that can eliminate background sounds, then the Jabra Steel is the best Bluetooth headset for you. Resistant to dust, dirt and water, it can also survive high drops, making it an excellent headset for outdoor use - and it comes with a 5 year warranty as well. It also features aggressive noise cancellation which will make your voice calls nice and clear, even if you work somewhere where there is a lot of background noise. Sadly, though, there's no physical volume control buttons on the actual headset, which makes it a bit annoying if you need to adjust loudness. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/A8c6UCFTifpkiWLxPUQYSZ.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/aef47408ddc21f3c510c2c0d8048b547.jpg The Plantronics M70 is the successor to the popular M55, and like its forbear, it is a budget headset, but you get a lot for your money. While it doesn't have a premium build it's perfectly comfortable to wear, it supports voice commands for truly hands-free use and the sound quality is good, especially when aided by the built in noise-cancelling tech. The M70 also has a DeepSleep mode which activates when it's separated from a paired smartphone for 90 minutes and leaves it with up to five months of battery life, but simply bring your phone within range and it will quickly wake up again. This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Plantronics Voyager Edge http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/A8c6UCFTifpkiWLxPUQYSZ.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/a8b654b4cc053119f7d9edf5e7be152e.jpg With a talk time of over eight hours the Jabra Wave is a Bluetooth headset which just keeps going and going, making it a great choice if you're going to be away from a charger for an extended period. Its fairly large size means it's not the most discreet of headsets, but it's a worthwhile trade-off for all that battery life. It also features strong audio quality and is good at suppressing noise, especially wind. Add to that easy pairing and the ability to connect it to two devices at once and the Jabra Wave is a good option. This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Plantronics Voyager Edge In the market for wireless headphones rather than a headset? We've got you covered there too.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/T2LF_-JQ1Fk

It has been a few years since the conclusion of the smartphone megapixel wars. Back then, manufacturers from across the industry sought to undo one another, cramming as many pixels as possible into each smartphone iteration released. This mostly stopped by 2016, with manufacturers moving onto what was the next marketing speak craze of the moment, wider apertures. In 2018 however, with the release of the Huawei P20 Pro, the Chinese behemoth fired the starting shot in the next phase of this war with its combined 92MP across four cameras. Though none as of yet have answered the challenge, 2019 is set to bring an onslaught. The main weapon in this next phase will be the latest smartphone camera sensor developed by imaging giant Sony - the IMX586. Behind the generic name lies a whopping 48 million pixels, grouped together, each with a 'compact' size of 0.8 microns. With Xiaomi, Huawei and Honor (with the View 20) reportedly among the first buyers, and Sony and Samsung rumored to be working on using a similar megapixel count in future devices, it seems the 48MP smartphone onslaught is about to explode onto the scene. What does this mean for you?A lot has been done to deride the notion of stuffing megapixels into a smartphone camera, with the common assumption being that image quality is actually harmed through an abundance of them. Historically, this has been true. Mainly however, keen to differentiate themselves, marketing teams for smartphone manufacturers have used megapixels counts as absolute measures of image quality. They are most certainly not this, and in the past having a few too many on a small sensor impaired low-light capabilities, but times have changed and technology has advanced. The main advantage of more megapixels is greater detail representation. More megapixels means more image data making it to the processor, which means larger files, which means more versatility. Famously, the Nokia Lumia 1020 had up to 4x lossless digital zoom thanks to its 41MP snapper. Those purchasing 48MP monsters in 2019 will be able to zoom in closer to their subjects than ever before, and all with little to no degradation in quality. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/p5dpaWgDKLXjnd72tvqYaL.jpg The Nokia Lumia 1020 boasted a 41MP camera when it launched in 2013 Secondly, there is the matter of low-light capability to consider. Typically, in the past, in order to achieve excellent low-light performance, three ingredients have been necessary: optical image stabilization (OIS), a wide aperture and a relatively restrained sensor resolution. The first allows for the shutter to be held open for longer, allowing more light in, while the second performs roughly the same function, though in a different manner. As for the last point, if we think of a smartphone sensors as a rectangle (as they are), pixels are 'windows' crammed into this rectangle. One megapixel is shorthand for one million pixels, and the more megapixels crammed into the sensor, the smaller each individual pixel needs to be (to squeeze them all in). These 'windows' let light in, and what allows the processor to recreate the scene in front of it. The fewer pixel 'windows' there are, the larger each individual pixel can be. And the larger the pixel, the more light is let in. A clever trick is used by this new sensor to get past this old limitation however, which effectively combines information from groups of four pixels creating 'super' pixels. This brings the light gathering power up by a factor of four, making it roughly equivalent to a 12MP sensor of the same size. Sony says this should improve the dynamic range available by up to four times the average possible for the sensor, allowing it to really push the limits of what is achievable. The power withinA large part of what makes all of this possible is the raw computing power now available in the average smartphone. The 41MP-toting smartphone beasts from the past weren't known for being powerhouses. Though it was capable, 2012's Nokia 808 Pureview ran Symbian and had a single core processor, and while it had a dedicated imaging co-processor to handle the large file sizes produced, it couldn't keep with the best of them at the time. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ApegrDmNj2Yyvdxyfrd7DX.jpg The Nokia 808 Pureview changed perceptions of what was possible from camera phones in 2012 As for the Lumia 1020, though it produced lovely images, the shot to shot time was yawn-inducing, with the average wait sometimes in excess of 8 seconds. With the latest chipsets capable of easily plowing through the likes of PUBG and Fortnite on our mobiles, it's unlikely that a few chunky image files are going to hold things back. Not just that, but the advanced post-processing of current and future smartphones will make the situation even more interesting. Night modes with crazy motion adjusted long-exposures are commonplace, as is advanced auto-HDR. Combined with more exotic camera hardware such as the Sony IMX586, this promises to produce some game changing results. Samsung has its own version of the chip, the ISOCELL Bright GM1, offering much the same capability but for likely a lower price. There is no word as of yet as to whether rival manufacturer Omnivision will also jump on board, however it's likely with time. With warfare comes competition, with competition between manufacturers comes innovation, and with innovation comes benefit to the consumer. 2019 promises to be highly interesting for smartphone cameras, whether due to increased megapixel counts or otherwise, and everyone stands to benefit. Best camera phone 2018: the top smartphone snappers aroundhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/bnIOLtPcfv4

Consumers and businesses continue the trend of reducing their need to rely on local storage hardware and infrastructure by placing files and applications in the cloud. Given the multitude of cloud storage providers out there, one has to wisely choose a provider who will offer the maximum amount of low-cost storage and bandwidth, while still keeping your data safe. This list represents our top picks for cloud storage: most offer a free tier allowing you to see if they're right for you before handing over any hard-earned cash. Business users will need to consider carefully what their needs are as terms and conditions as well as quality of service is likely to differ significantly. Go straight to your desired option through the jump links below Best free cloud storageBest business cloud storagehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/R9ro5hj9HhfNWeZGaqq2bL.jpg The Granddaddy of cloud storage, Dropbox offers a rather measly 2GB of free storage, but this can be increased up to 16GB free of charge by linking your Dropbox to social media and referring friends to join the service. Dropbox Business subscriptions allow users to collaborate on work as well as giving each person unlimited space in a personal Dropbox account. There are also enhanced features for file recovery and versioning, and an add-on for Gmail. Business pricing starts from around $12.50 per user per month (£10, around AU$16.50), or you can give it a go for free with a 30-day trial. Price: 2GB free. 1TB for $10 a month (£6.58, around AU$11) with Dropbox Plus or 2TB for $19.99 a month (£15, around AU$27) with Dropbox Professional, which has some added extras. Sign up for Dropbox herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FS5auvryNgf2HEZWe76jt8.jpg Google Drive is a natural choice for owners of Android devices as it's already integrated, but users of other platforms may appreciate the generous free storage too. You can also store high definition photos on your mobile phone with companion app Google Photos, and make use of Google's own office suite (now known as G Suite). Also, upgrading to paid Google Drive plans is now called Google One (although it might not yet be available, depending on the region). Downsides include the fact that the web interface isn't very easy-to-use, although Windows and Mac users can download a desktop app to drag-and-drop files easily. Price: 15GB free. 100GB for $1.99 a month (£1.59, around AU$2.50). 200GB for $2.99 a month (£2.35, around AU$4.10). 2TB for $9.99 a month (£8, around AU$13). 10TB for $99.99 a month (£74, around AU$130). 20TB for $199.99 a month (£148, around AU$260). 30TB for $299.99 a month (£236, around AU$426). Sign up for Google Drive herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NFSLaiHjGVeRXQvTgMAUpb.jpg With an insanely generous free tier and a simple drag-and-drop interface, New Zealand-based Mega is one of the cloud storage heavyweights. There's a handy mobile app to allow you to upload files and photos, as well as sync clients with desktop machines. Mega claims that all data stored in its cloud is encrypted on your device before it reaches the firm’s servers. As the company has released the source code to its sync client, experts can check that there are no vulnerabilities. Price: 50GB free. 200GB for $6 a month (£4.50, €4.99, around AU$7.50). 1TB for $12 a month (£9, €9.99, around AU$16). 4TB for $23 a month (£17, €19.99, around AU$30). 8TB for $35 a month (£26, €29.99, around AU$46). Sign up for Mega herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wGqN2vziMPgdU9EbGX6wq8.jpg OneDrive (formerly SkyDrive) is integrated into Windows 10's file explorer. You don't have to download an additional app – it's there to use out of the box, which is obviously very convenient for those who have made the jump to Microsoft’s newest operating system. Microsoft's Photos app can also use OneDrive to sync pictures across all your devices. There's an app for Android and iOS devices, and there's even one in the App Store for Mac users (although it has received mixed reviews). Price: 5GB free. 50GB for $3 a month (£1.99, around AU$4). 1TB for $8 a month (£5.99, around AU$11). 5TB for $11 a month (£7.99, around AU$14) Sign up for OneDrive herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YAhFv8cwzt9vURJ9iFfjr8.jpg If you want to back up your iPhone to iCloud, you'll need more than the free 5GB allowance Apple gives you, but compared to rivals iCloud prices are very reasonable. The Mac Finder app integrates iCloud Drive, where you can store any files you wish. Documents created in the iWork office suite are also saved to iCloud and can sync across your devices. Windows users can also sync their files with iCloud Drive using the official client, and access the iWork apps on the iCloud website. Price: 5GB free. 50GB for $0.99 a month (£0.79, AU$1.49). 200GB for $2.99 (£2.24, AU$4). 2TB for $9.99 (£8, AU$13) Sign up for iCloud herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ndEHg5f32GXQymXmNUVxz8.jpg Box's website currently seems to be pushing its Business plans as clicking ‘sign up’ takes you to the pricing page where for $15 per user (£11, around AU$19) you can benefit from advanced collaboration options and unlimited storage. But there is a 10GB free option, too. As Box has been around for a while, it is supported by a number of mainstream apps such as Google Docs and Office 365. It's also integrated with G-Suite, which means Docs, Sheets and Slides are automatically saved and managed in Box. The Box Sync client is available from the Downloads page for Mac and Windows, plus there's also an official Android client. Price: 10GB free. 100GB for around $10 a month (£7.50, around AU$13) Sign up for Box herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/iiRtWC4hC9WFs4BA9RTBo8.jpg NextCloud isn’t an online cloud storage provider itself, but offers free software to download and install a cloud storage service on your own server. Using a server on your home network for cloud storage is much faster. You can also enable encryption and make sure the information never leaves your home network, which is far safer. If you've no server or IT experience, you can even purchase a preconfigured NextCloud Box (if you can find one) which comes with a 1TB hard drive and will work with an inexpensive Raspberry Pi board to keep your data synced. Unfortunately, NextCloud Box is sold out but you can check out the alternatives on their website Price: Free to install and use. Self-hosting so storage costs vary. Sign up for NextCloud herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/X3G2MRHcpJVy253jdnZcr8.jpg SpiderOak is part of a new trend of zero knowledge cloud storage providers. The website claims that after installing the client your data is encrypted before syncing. Unfortunately since SpiderOak hasn’t made the client source code public, there's no way to confirm this. The SpiderOakOne client is available for Windows, Mac and Linux as well as Android and iOS (although, both Android and iOS are read-only apps, meaning you can only view files, and can't upload or sync anything). You can also log in via the web interface but privacy lovers may prefer not to as it exposes your password to SpiderOak employees. Price: 21-day free trial. 150GB for $5 a month (around £3.75, AU$7). 400GB for $9 a month (around £7, AU$11.50). 2TB for $12 a month (around £9, AU$15). 5TB for $25 a month (around £19, AU$33) Sign up for SpiderOak herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xb66za23wWCGFhHnYiMks8.jpg IDrive offers continuous syncing of your files, even those on network drives. The web interface supports sharing files by email, Facebook and Twitter. Cautious or click-happy users will be pleased to hear that files deleted from your computer are not automatically deleted from the server, so there's less danger of removing something important accidentally. For photos, you have a neat facial recognition feature that helps you to automatically organize them. IDrive also offers IDrive Express – a service whereby if you lose all your data they will ship a physical hard drive out to you, allowing for the swift restoration of all your backed up files. Price: 5GB free. Personal: 2TB for $52 a year (around £40, AU$66). Business: 250GB for $74.62 a year (around £56, AU$98) Sign up for IDrive herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BjkyESDzetjo7pjY7FTH39.jpg While some bandwidth limits apply, there seems to be no limit to the size of files you can upload, so feel free to sync large media files with pCloud. The service is available for all desktop and mobile platforms – users can also log in via the website. The company itself is registered in Switzerland which has strong privacy laws, and you can also pay a premium of $4.99 a month (around £3.75, AU$7) for pCloud Crypto to lock (and unlock) individual files with passwords. Price: Up to 20GB free (You start with 10GB and can increase that by referring people). 500GB for $3.99 (around £3, AU$5) a month paid annually. 2TB for $7.99 (around £6, AU$10) a month paid annually. Lifetime plans are also available: 500GB for 175$ (around £131, AU$230). 2TB for 350$ (around £262, AU$460). Sign up for pCloud herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eaV3kfiKqe8HZw8guGnRxS.jpg Best free cloud storagehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/F44KmP4SYxso2AML5tDEpX.jpg Google Drive Free storage allowance: 15GB (expandable) If you're a Google user, you already benefit from Google Drive integration, such as the ability to save email attachments from Gmail. However, anyone can sign up for the free cloud storage, even if they don't have a Gmail address, by creating a new Google account. Google is also in a process of releasing Google One as a sort of substitution for Google Drive, although depending on your region it might not be available yet. With 15GB of space for new users, Google Drive is one of the more generous cloud offerings, and there are occasional ways to boost this capacity free of charge. The catch is that this Google storage space is also shared with a user’s other Google services including Gmail and Google Photos. Mobile apps are available to allow easy access for iOS and Android users, and Google’s Backup and Sync desktop app lets you synchronize files from your PC to the cloud. Google Drive also includes online office tools for word processing, spreadsheets and presentations which can makes sharing files with others effortless. Google Drivehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5Gzh4HQtxQCmgR9LX5EH6c.jpg pCloud Free storage allowance: 10GB (expandable) You might not recognize the name, but if you're looking for a decent chunk of cloud storage free of charge, pCloud could be just the ticket. To kick things off, you're given a fairly generous 10GB to play with, and there's a bandwidth allowance of 50GB of downlink traffic per month. While we're primarily interested in the free version of pCloud, note that you can upgrade to 500GB of space for a monthly plan of $4.99 (£3.70), or 2TB for $9.99 (£7.50) a month – both of which are great deals for storage. You also have annual and lifetime plans, which are a cheaper option in the long run. The initial 10GB free offering can also be expanded up to 20GB via an additional 4GB for completion of offers, as well as referrals that add 1GB each. It’s also worth noting that pCloud offers well-designed desktop and mobile apps that supplement the website for seamless integration into a user’s workflow. With no limit on file sizes, and simple sharing options, pCloud is a great way to send large files to friends and colleagues – it's even possible to share with people who aren't using the service themselves. Add in decent streaming options and a neat online interface, and pCloud is well worth a look. pCloudhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rgwYvF9LN4zWZNs4WzcBu7.jpg Microsoft OneDrive Free storage allowance: 5GB Coming from Microsoft – a company with plenty of money to throw at the cloud – it's a little disappointing to find that OneDrive doesn’t include more space free of charge. Free users get a mere 5GB of storage, although it's relatively inexpensive to increase this to 50GB. If you have Office 365, you'll automatically get boosted to 1TB of space, but not everyone wants an Office subscription. The best free alternatives to Microsoft OfficeLike Google Drive's appeal to Google users, OneDrive will be a good fit for anyone who is committed to using Microsoft's services. There's neat integration with Outlook.com, for instance. OneDrive also ties in nicely with Windows 10, and there is a selection of reasonable mobile apps to facilitate access on the move. It's possible to share files with other people even if they aren't OneDrive users (complete with customizable permissions), and the ability to edit files online without downloading them is a welcome touch. Microsoft OneDrivehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/CriMMgJRgzUNoW3auz5aCG.jpg Dropbox Free storage allowance: 2GB (expandable) Dropbox is a stalwart of the free cloud storage world, with a web interface that remains streamlined and easy-to-use. Despite its popularity, Dropbox actually has one of the least generous free packages for new users (just 2GB), but there are various ways to boost this space without paying, including inviting friends to join (you get 500MB per referral up to 16GB), completing the Getting Started guide (250MB) and contributing to the Dropbox forum (which elicits 1GB per 'Mighty Answer' provided). DropBox really comes into its own when you start delving into the service’s extra features. There's a great collaborative working tool called Dropbox Paper that acts as a group workspace, and – if you install the desktop app – you can back up photos automatically. The File Requests feature also allows you to request another user to upload a file to your Dropbox account. There are desktop apps for Windows, Mac and Linux, and mobile apps including Android, iOS and even Kindle. This gives Dropbox broad appeal, as does the support for third-party apps and services. The web version of Dropbox lets you edit files without needing to download them, and really the only thing that counts against the cloud storage service is that most alternatives offer more space to free users. Dropboxhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/iCxnW7a7ucGSaf78YttsMQ.jpg MediaFire Free storage allowance: 10GB (expandable) MediaFire has been around for over a decade, and those years of experience really show. You're given 10GB of free space initially, but you can boost this by an extra 40GB through activities like referring friends and following MediaFire's social media accounts. Few people would disagree that 50GB of free cloud storage is impressive. Free accounts carry ads, but this is a small sacrifice to make. There's support for large files up to 4GB, and the sharing options are very impressive, even allowing sharing with non-users. The web-based interface is excellent too, and MediaFire offers mobile apps for convenient uploading and downloading on iOS and Android. These make it easy to access files you're storing in the cloud, and include convenient features such as automatic photo syncing. MediaFirehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eaV3kfiKqe8HZw8guGnRxS.jpg Best business cloud storagehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8R6kk5HLUoMktPiDqvEUVh.jpg SpiderOak SpiderOak is a collaboration tool, online backup and file hosting service founded in 2007. The platform allows users to access, synchronize and share data using a cloud-based server. The company places a strong emphasis on data security and privacy. They offer a cloud storage, online backup and sharing service which they claim uses a ‘zero knowledge’ privacy environment. This means the client is the only one who can view all stored data. Not even SpiderOak themselves have access to your data. SpiderOak’s main focus is on privacy and security. As a result, the tool itself has a very basic design. This makes the admin console and all central device management very straightforward to use. They also include a handy drag and drop feature for organising files. From the centralized device management dashboard, users can access settings for all applications such as backup selection and sharing. The dashboard also allows users to manage their accounts, set group permissions and gain insight into usage. Prospective business clients will need to contact SpiderOak’s Sales Team directly to obtain a quote. 500 users minimum is required. Online commentators have observed that SpiderOak lacks many of the collaboration tools available from other cloud storage providers. You can sign up for SpiderOak herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6XTwHErmi6SMhAGfgUfq29.jpg Tresorit Tresorit is a cloud storage provider based in Hungary and Switzerland. It was founded in 2011. The provider emphasizes enhanced security and data encryption for businesses and personal users alike. If you are concerned with ensuring that your stored data is kept safe online then Tresorit is the service for you. This provider allows you to keep control of your files through ‘zero-knowledge encryption’ meaning that only you and the chosen few you decide to share with can ever see your data. Your Tresorit account can also be secured by two-factor authentication login. Tresorit’s ‘Small Business’ Packages starts at $25 (£19.60) per month (or $20 monthly for the annual plan) for teams with 2-9 users. This includes 1000GB encrypted storage, secure access on up to 10 devices and synching of existing folder structure. Tresorit’s ‘Business’ plan begins at $30 (£23.30) per month (or $24 monthly for the annual plan) for businesses with over 10 users. This comes with extras such as digital rights management, remote wipe and phone support. At the time of writing there is a 50% discount on "Business plan", so you can pay as low as $12 (£9.4) per month The ‘Enterprise’ tier weighs in at $34 (£26.65) per month (or $27 monthly for the annual plan) for businesses with more than 100 users. Extras included in this are personalized staff training, admin API and on-premises deployment. In order to sign up for this plan, users need to contact Tresorit directly. All tiers come with a 14-day free trial. The extra security offered by Tresorit makes it relatively expensive compared to other cloud backup solutions. However most users will probably appreciate the greater piece of mind and extra features offered by Tresorit. You can sign up for Tresorit herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QeYRCr278wniKgnh3o47FS.jpg Egnyte Egnyte was founded in 2007. The company provides software for enterprise file synchronization and sharing. Egnyte allows businesses to store their data locally and online. All types of data can be stored in the cloud, whilst data of a more sensitive nature can be stored on servers on-premise. This makes for better security. Business teams can work how and where they want with an easy to use collaboration system through Egnyte’s content services platform. Egnyte integrates with popular industry applications such as Office 365 or Gmail. This allows both remote and internal employees to access all files with ease. Egnyte’s ‘Office’ plan starts at $8 (£6.21) per employee per month. This covers 5-25 employees, 5TB of storage and 10GB max file size. The ‘Business’ packages starts at $15 (£11.65) per employee per month. This includes 25-100 employees, 10TB online storage and 10GB max file size. In order to take advantage of their ‘Enterprise tier’, which includes over 100 employees, 25GB max file size and unlimited storage, you will need to contact Egnyte directly. Egnyte offer a 15-day free trial for all packages. Users have observed that some files, such as photos, can take a long time to load. You can sign up for Egnyte herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MdFkGVLit8RtqP2PzcrVVh.jpg Dropbox Business Dropbox is one of the oldest cloud storage providers. It was founded in 2007. To date it is one of the simplest storage providers to use. Dropbox can be installed on most computers or devices and syncs easily between apps. The app can store almost any kind of file while never having any issues with compatibility. You can drag and drop files into the desktop app with ease. You can also share files with other users easily through links. These can be shared with users who don’t have a Dropbox account. As Dropbox has been around for a long time it integrates with most other apps such as MS Office and Slack. All files and folders can be shared with other users even if they are not part of your account. These users will be limited to their own plan's storage limits. Dropbox Business can be connected to your personal account so you can access all your files in once place. Personal account feature "automatic camera upload" is now also available to Business accounts, as of November 2018. The dashboard is simple and easy to use. From here, admins can see how many team members they have as well as any pending invites. You can restrict sharing, and allow/block commenting as you see fit. The dashboard allows you to access settings and to monitor usage. Dropbox offers a 30-day free trial which asks for your payment details. Your plan will automatically upgrade after the trial at which point your card is charged. The ‘Standard’ plan starts at $12.50 (£9.71) per user per month starting at 3 users and includes 3TB storage. The ‘Advanced’ package begins at $20 (£15.70) per user per month with unlimited storage. In order to subscribe to the ‘Enterprise’ tier, users will need to contact Dropbox directly. Some users have commented on the lack of online editing tools. You can sign up for Dropbox Business herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U73mqWVuVAxgiqQiDyiPpE.jpg Box for Business Box is a cloud content management and file sharing service for businesses. It was founded in 2005. Box offers strong management capabilities and security features. The interface is made for ease of use and is simple to navigate. The dashboard allows access to settings, files and folders. Admins can manage all users, monitors activity and control sharing. As Box has been around for a while, it is supported by a number of mainstream apps such as Google Docs and Office 365. The Box Sync client is available from the Downloads page for Mac and Windows. There's also an official Android client. Box offers a 14-day free trial for all packages. Their ‘Starter’ plan is priced at $5 (£3.88) per user per month. This includes 100GB secure storage, 2GB file upload with a maximum of 10 users. The ‘Business’ plan starts at $15 (£11.80) per user per month which includes unlimited storage, 5GB file upload and no maximum number of users. The ‘Business Plus’ package is $25 (£19.60) per user per month and comes with unlimited storage, 5GB file upload and unlimited external collaborators. In order to subscribe to Box’s ‘Enterprise’ plan, users will have to contact them directly for a quote. If you choose to share files external users are limited to read-only access. You can sign up for Box for Business herehttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/hdrKNajSPRs

Actor, comedian and musician Jack Black is now on YouTube. The star of School of Rock and voice of Kung Fu Panda will be looking to further the entertainment of the masses with his new YouTube channel, 'Jablinski Games', covering topics as far-ranging as "games, food, and life". Currently the only video on the channel is the announcement clip below, where Black voices the ambition to be "bigger than Ninja... bigger than PewDiePie", citing two of the video platform's biggest names. There are a few inside jokes that might be confusing for some – the adjustable chair is a callback to an old PewDiePie video – but take a look for yourself. A star is born?Despite the very low-key introductory video, Jablinski Games currently has over 1m subscribers at the time of writing, with that number rising steadily every day. The channel will reportedly be releasing a new video 'every Friday', so there could well be one online over the next few hours. While YouTube is often looked to as a place for rising stars and content creators starting out in the entertainment business, it's also become a place where high-profile A-listers can connect to their fans and audience in a different way. The videos on Jablinski Games will be edited and produced by Jack Black's twelve-year-old son, rather than any official production team, according to the description on the video posted above. Are we looking at a short-lived family project, an intriguing intergenerational look at gaming and wider culture, or one big in-joke? We may find out very shortly. YouTube TV: everything you need to know about the TV streaming serviceThe best free YouTube downloader 2018http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/NRSeD8G7f4Q

CES 2019 is nearly upon us – and while there are sure to be some surprises in store, we've also had a flurry of announcements from LG, Samsung and others on what they're planning or not planning to showcase at the massive Las Vegas convention. We've been keeping up with all the updates as they happen and our team has been hard at work prepping coverage for this year's event. What we're expecting is an absolute deluge of news on January 8, followed by a non-stop scavenger hunt trying to find the best products of the show. It's exhausting work, but there's no place like Vegas during CES. Every year, Sin City plays host to the gadget extravanganza that is the Consumer Electronics Show, now officially shortened to its acronym, CES. It's the time of year where tech innovators from all over the world gather together to announce the latest and greatest in smartphones, wearables, TV and audio tech, with new laptops, tablets and smart cars filling row after row of booths at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Last January we saw innovation in droves at CES 2018, from Samsung's 146-inch modular MicroLED TV, The Wall, and the incredible HTC Vive Pro to LG's rollable 65-inch OLED TV and the Huawei Mate 10 Pro. It's the world's biggest tech show, and it's poised to become even bigger in 2019. Can't wait until opening day on January 8? Read on! We've got all the details, predictions and postulations for what you can expect to see at CES 2019. [update: CES will continue its streak of producing TV consortiums this year, as the newly formed 8K Association will take the stage for its first keynote address on January 9, 2019. Details are still vague on who's in the 8K Association, though it seems likely that Samsung has something to do with it. In the world of projectors, LG has announced a sequel to its 2018 Cinebeam line-up, the Cinebeam 4K, while over in TV land Samsung announced the arrival of a QLED-equipped The Frame TV in 2019. We've heard tantalizing rumors about a number of 8K TVs from various TV makers in 2019, and are likely to see LG's rollable OLED on the show floor.] What and when is CES 2019? The 2019 International CES will begin on Tuesday, 8 January and end on Friday, 11 January. It's been taking place since 1967 and is staged by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), a trade organization that represents over 2,000 consumer tech companies in the U.S. Though it gets a lot of attention from the world’s media, this is not an event where the public can go see the latest tech. Unlike the IFA exhibition in Berlin each August, the CES is open only to the electronics trade, as well as journalists, bloggers and plenty of blaggers. (You know who you are...) How big exactly is CES? It's huge. If you're going for the first time, go on a few five-mile walks in the preceding weeks. Seriously, it's hiking boots-big. There are 2.75 million net square feet of exhibit space. Eleven venues. 24 product categories. Some company's booths are vast and complex, while other, smaller firms grab a table in one of the 25 marketplaces. In terms of footfall, the CES attracts about 180,000 people from 155 countries, as well as 6,500 media, who visit 4,500 exhibiting companies. All the biggest tech companies in the world gather ... well, except for Apple. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MzPd77YQfkZvxE2WmzaJQi.jpg Where will CES 2019 take place?Since 1978 the CES has been staged in Las Vegas. Why? Hotel rooms, all 150,000 of them, and counting. The main venue is the Las Vegas Convention and World Trade Center (LVCC), which is a short (and very busy) monorail ride from The Strip, where most of the hotels are. Along with the nearby Westgate Las Vegas and Renaissance Las Vegas, this is referred to as Tech East. This is where most of the major booths are. Tech West (comprising the Sands Expo, The Venetian, The Palazzo, Wynn Las Vegas, and Encore) is where you'll find hi-fi and audio. At Tech South (ARIA, Park MGM/Park Theater and Vdara) you'll see VR, AR, and gaming. There are shuttle buses between the venues, but it's best to stay put for the day at one of the three areas to avoid the traffic. When do all the announcements happen?Although the weeks before the CES are packed with rumors and reports of what may or may not be launched or announced at the CES, it's not until Sunday, January 6 and Monday, January 7 – the two days before the show opens – that there will be any concrete news. These are the two media days, and they're when the all-important press conferences are held, and consequently when a lot of the headlines are written. Sunday is typically light on news, and in 2019 it's Monday that will see the big companies' press conferences at the Mandalay Bay Hotel at the south end of The Strip. In 2019, confirmed press conferences include Hisense, Hyundai, Intel, LG, Panasonic, Qualcomm, Samsung, Sony, TCL, and Toyota. As for whom is actually giving these nail-biting presentations, the first will come from LG on Monday, 7 January; its President and Chief Technology Officer Dr. I.P. Park will discuss AI and 'self-evolving' products … and a foldable phone? January 8 will see keynotes from IBM Chairman, President and CEO Ginni Rometty (trust, AI and quantum) and Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg (5G), while January 9 has AMD's president and CEO Dr. Lisa Su discuss next-gen computing. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dTTq353TuNKJzPtVpTFVnV.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eaV3kfiKqe8HZw8guGnRxS.jpg CES 2019 predictions: what's going to be announcedJust give the attendance list a cursory glance and you'll see that a lot of bases are covered at CES - you'll find AR and VR, voice control, connected cars, robotics, smart home, smart cities, health, wellness, sleep, sports, accessories companies, and everything in between. However, in 2019 there are some trends that are likely to dominate. The most obvious will be voice control. "Well definitely see more smart speakers with screens," says Jack Wetherill, Principal Consultant: Home Electronics at Futuresource, who also thinks CES will see voice creep into more and more product categories, such as soundbars possibly from Samsung, Sony and LG. The TV remote control could finally begin its death throes. "There has already been one TV with far-field microphones in the set itself," says Wetherill, referring to Toshiba's upcoming OLED, 4K HDR, and Full HD smart ranges with Alexa built in. CES could also see the spread of Netflix Calibrated Mode beyond some Sony TVs. Headphones will also get chatty. "A new Alexa development kit from Qualcomm means we'll see more integration of voice into headphones," says Wetherill. "We're waiting for headphones that respond to a wake-word, and while that probably won't emerge at CES 2019, we will see true wireless earphones with longer battery life – it would be logical if Sony brought more ‘true wireless’ products at CES." Another trend will be foldable displays, with the Samsung Galaxy X likely to feature alongside LG’s foldable. However, foldables could go much deeper than mere phones. "Where we’re expecting real change is laptops and tablets," says Tom Morrod, Senior Research Director, IHS Markit. "We are expecting to see foldable laptops with OLED screens that extend across the entire keyboard area – this means you could open them up to monitor size, or to book format, or use them as a normal laptop format with the keyboard as half of the touch panel." But how, exactly, Android and Windows adapt their OS for foldable devices will be interesting. Last but not least, connected cars at CES 2019 could also see integrated OLEDs to replace wing mirrors. Want specific predictions for each company? We've got those, too! http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eaV3kfiKqe8HZw8guGnRxS.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/cfJj6pCQCmXKMjbSsWhgd4.jpg Aircharge at CES 2019Wireless charging is on the up, and the CES will definitely see three new products from Aircharge: a Fast Wireless Charger 10W, Fast Dual Charger 10W, and a PS4 DualShock 4 Wireless Adapter. Both chargers will deliver 10W fast wireless charging, including both Apple and Samsung fast wireless charging. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U6D3ofXKriRQ8SrHtFkjL4.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/oYkLAKcvA47v6XPRwQneCh.jpg AMD at CES 2019Semiconductor company AMD has already said that it intends to show-off its 3rd-gen Ryzen processors and new graphics products at CES 2019. According to a recent leak, that will include three new entry-level Ryzen 3 processors (3300, 3300X, 3300G), three mid-range Ryzen 5 processors (3600, 3600X, 3600G) and two Ryzen 7 processors (3700, 3700X). On top of the mainline processors, AMD might also surprise us with a few new mobile processors in the form of the 2.6GHz AMD Ryzen 3 3200U, 2.1GHz AMD Ryzen 3 3300U CPU and 2.1GHz AMD Ryzen 5 3500U. Beyond processors, CES 2019 might be the place that we see the company's next AMD Navi GPUs – though, that seems a little less likely than the 3rd-gen processors. There's also talk of a new Radeon graphics card, with 7nm Vega II GPUs possibly making an appearance. All the latest AMD CES 2019 news: AMD may launch a new Radeon GPU at CES 2019AMD to announce 7nm processors and graphics cards at CES 2019AMD Ryzen 3000 next-generation 16-core processors leakedNext-gen mobile AMD Ryzen processors spotted in laptop benchmarksAMD’s X570 chipset might be the first to add next-generation PCIe supporthttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U6D3ofXKriRQ8SrHtFkjL4.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dcgFbXAqkdacw628ud7xGh.jpg Asus at CES 2019How about a high-end 10-inch Chrome OS tablet? That's what AndroidHeadlines.com reports that ASUS will be using CES 2019 to announce. With last year's revamped Zenbook models and Alexa-enabled mesh router, the Asus Lyra Voice, we're excited to see what else Asus could show off this time around. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U6D3ofXKriRQ8SrHtFkjL4.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fyTD5rrNDhp2pZRKCLUtdm.jpg Canon at CES 2019CanonRumors.co reports that CES 2019 could see the unveiling of a Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III – complete with a new image sensor and a longer zoom range – and possibly a G9 X Mark III. That rumor seems to be even more likely than ever now that Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III product images surfaced online. All the latest Canon CES 2019 news: Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III product images surface online http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U6D3ofXKriRQ8SrHtFkjL4.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VvAgQgWg9YM2AUwkHkMSDR.jpg Intel at CES 2019Is Nvidia about to get a serious challenge in the high-end graphics card market? If reports from Anthony Garreffa at TweakTown are anything to go by, a discrete graphics card could be coming from Intel. In the world of processors, rumor has it that Intel is developing a new 10-core, 20-thread CPU codenamed Comet Lake that will be based on yet another iteration of Intel’s 14nm process. If the rumors are true, this will be the first time Intel has outpaced AMD in the CPU core war in a very long time. All the latest Intel CES 2019 news: Intel rumors suggest mainstream 10-core processor could be on the wayhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U6D3ofXKriRQ8SrHtFkjL4.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vRD5nXtaEaWKka4874HdAU.jpg LG at CES 2019It's confirmed, LG will definitely have TVs at CES 2019. We can safely say that because the Korean-based electronics manufacturer already announced the Alpha 9 (Gen. 2) TV processor that will power its 2019 OLED TVs. Details were sparse on how it would significantly improve this year's Alpha 9, but it could be saving that for CES. We've also heard a lot of buzz about LG's rollable OLED that was available to see behind closed doors at last year's CES. It's not confirmed yet, but there's a good chance it will be available to see on the show floor in 2019. (Actually, that's almost a given considering that it could be on sale in 2019.) We also know LG will be showcasing two new 'ultra' monitors for the worker bees and committed gamers out there: one being a super-sized 49-inch UltraWide monitor, the other a new 144 Hz UltraGear gaming monitor. LG will also be showing off a new range of high-end Dolby Atmos soundbars, all three of which are launching with Google Assistant built in. Will LG bring more 'ThinQ' branded smart home products? Probably. However, there are also rumors that LG's CES 2019 keynote will see the unveiling of a foldable phone – though, it might not be available to check out at the show. We may instead have to wait until MWC 2019 to hear about that, though in the meantime we're likely to hear more on the LG G8 flagship phone before it releases in March with a built-in 3D camera. Either way, look out for pre-Christmas, pre-CES announcements of B-lister products – it's an annual tradition from LG's predictable Comms team. All the latest LG CES 2019 news: LG readies high-end Dolby Atmos sound bars with Google AssistantLG G8 release date set for March with 3D cameras but not 5GLG to showcase new 'ultra' monitors at CES 2019LG's foldable phone probably won't appear at CES 2019LG announces new CineBeam laser 4K projectorLG unveils the brains behind its 2019 OLED TVsLG's rollable OLED TV could be on sale as soon as 2019http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U6D3ofXKriRQ8SrHtFkjL4.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rJpiAdTVQuW7r4sW3vaU5j.jpg Nvidia at CES 2019According to a fresh rumor, Nvidia will reveal its GeForce RTX Mobility graphics cards at CES 2019, supposedly on January 6, which would be in the pre-show run-up to the official start of the event (on January 8). If the rumor from Wccftech turns out to be true, we'll see the RTX 2070 and the 2070 Max-Q parts along with the 2060, 2050 Ti and 2050 in Vegas early next month. Moreover, Nvidia may be preparing more than just RTX graphics for laptops at CES 2019, with a reference to MX250 graphics just appearing in an HP laptop listing. The supposed HP Zahn 66 Pro 14 G2 Notebook PC was reportedly listed somewhere by HP with an Nvidia GeForce MX250 with 2GB of GDDR5 memory, first shared by Twitter user Momomo. All the latest Nvidia CES 2019 news: Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics for laptops rumored for CESGigabyte GeForce RTX 2060 leak reveals photos and robust specsNvidia GeForce MX250 graphics pop up in HP laptop leakhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U6D3ofXKriRQ8SrHtFkjL4.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/K29caiqPCb2cRwR26wmsj8.jpg Royole at CES 2019The world's first foldable phone? That could well come at CES from Royole, which recently teased the FlexPai, the 7.8-inch AMOLED screen that folds in half. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U6D3ofXKriRQ8SrHtFkjL4.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7gwM2W7TcGtgEKjsPRo8d5.jpg Samsung at CES 2019A CES launch for the previously announced Samsung Galaxy Home smart speaker – compete with Bixby – seems a shoo-in, but will Samsung launch its Galaxy X foldable phone? "While the full Samsung launch might be at Mobile World Congress we could instead see the Samsung Galaxy S10 launched at CES, which won’t be foldable but will have 5G and triple camera, plus a new notch design on the front panel," says Tom Morrod, Senior Research Director, IHS Markit. Looking to get ahead of the deluge of news, Samsung has announced two new versions of its Samsung Notebook 9 Pen 2-in-1 laptop. Scheduled for a vague ‘2019’ release and with no pricing to speak of, the laptops are both a rehash (13.3-inch) and an expansion (15-inch) of the late 2017 debut model. We will also almost certainly see Samsung refresh its TV line-up, which will mean more advanced QLED TVs (though probably not a new version of the recent 85-inch Q900R 8K QLED TV). However, if a recent patent filing is anything to go by, we could see a transparent TV. Since Samsung is often launching design-led screens, that wouldn't be a surprise – though if you're after some more practical features, the newly announced Remote Access should be able to source files, programs and cloud services from connected devices and computers direct to your TV. What we do know for sure at this point is that Samsung will enhance its Serif TV and The Frame designer screens with QLED tech. The new screens will make their debut at the show and, according to Samsung, will reside in the large lifestyle TV exhibition zone of Samsung’s booth. The last rumor we've heard concerning Samsung 2019 TVs is that they might include both Bixby and Google Assistant – giving users the choice over which assistant they'd like to use. All the latest Samsung CES 2019 news: Samsung's 2019 TVs will let you access your computer remotelySamsung debuts Notebook 9 Pen with fresh design, introduces 15-inch modelSamsung’s The Frame TV is getting a QLED performance upgradeSamsung TVs could be getting Google Assistant as well as Bixbyhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U6D3ofXKriRQ8SrHtFkjL4.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/H9mqawC3eqCT7Y2oPEEnpE.jpg Sony at CES 2019There's likely to be an almighty rush to launch the first 5G-ready phones in 2019, and Sony’s desire to be first-to-market could mean that the CES 2019 sees the appearance of a 5G Xperia phone. It's also possible that Sony will use CES 2019 to launch its 5.9-inch XA3 and 5.7-inch Xperia L3 budget phones, according to KnowYourMobile.com. Sony may also launch a smart speaker-with-a-screen, following in LG's footsteps. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U6D3ofXKriRQ8SrHtFkjL4.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/B7R5bDXD3uJmK2jotuNDZo.jpg Spotify at CES 2019The streaming service doesn't normally deal in hardware, but could Spotify use CES 2019 to launch its own voice search interface to compete with Amazon Echo and Google Home? Spotify has suites reserved at the Wynn Encore … One thing’s for sure, after CES 2019 the world of tech won’t ever be the same. New year, new tech – check out all our coverage of CES straight from Las Vegas, the greatest gadget show on Earth http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/-nMMQ5OUCFA