sincity

When the Google Wifi was released in 2017, it quickly became our favorite mesh router, thanks to is diminutive size, user-friendly setup and value for money compared to the rest of the competition. And now it appears we're getting closer to the release of a follow-up, with new revelations from Chrome Unboxed indicating that a Google Wifi 2 is already on the production line, and could see its debut later this year. Codenamed Mistral (meaning wind), the next-gen Google Wifi will use Qualcomm’s new QCS400 series SoCs (system-on-a-chip) as its main processor. That's an unusual choice for a router, as the QCS400s are primarily designed for use in smart speakers. The new Qualcomm SoC also supports Wi-Fi 6, the next-gen wireless technology formerly known as 802.11ax. That means the Google Wifi 2 will be able to achieve higher peak bandwidth with better distribution across several devices, while also potentially being capable of voice input and audio playback. It’s all in the nameWhile the arrival of the Google Wifi 2 is still speculation – there's also the possibility that we could see these same features included in a Google Home 2 smart speaker that doubles up as a mesh router – the codename Mistral was discovered in April 2019 by Kevin Tofel who, at the time, assumed the device was a new smart speaker or display. However, Google has a history of naming its Wi-Fi products after types of winds – for example, ‘Storm’ for the OnHub routers produced in partnership with Asus and TP-Link, and ‘Gale’ for the first-gen Google Wifi – the first mesh system in the 'Made by Google' hardware range. The eagle-eyed folk at Chrome Unboxed also unearthed a rather convincing hint in a code change update for Mistral that pretty much confirms it’s a mesh router and not a smart speaker. 9to5Google has also sleuthed out some conversations between Google devs referring to both Gale and Mistral in the same breath. In any case, Chrome Unboxed has noticed that Mistral is already in the production validation test (PVT) phase, meaning we likely won’t have long to wait before we get a better look at this faster – and potentially smarter – Google Wifi mesh system. Best Wi-Fi extenders of 2019http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/EvE5YnOgzMw

Disney CEO Bob Iger announced a new bundle offer that will include the company’s three main streaming services - ESPN+, Hulu and the upcoming Disney+ - all for the same price as a standard Netflix subscription ($12.99 per month in the US). Iger made the announcement during a call with investors today, and was picked up quickly by The Verge. The bundle, which is only available in the US, will almost certainly put pressure on Netflix and Amazon who have similarly priced services - and could be a key strategy in getting folks to ditch those services for ones offered by Disney. “The positive response to our direct-to-consumer strategy has been gratifying, and the integration of the businesses we acquired from 21st Century Fox only increases our confidence in our ability to leverage decades of iconic storytelling and the powerful creative engines across the entire company to deliver an extraordinary value proposition to consumers,” Iger said in a press release accompanying the announcement. Of course if you don’t want all three services, Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ will still all be available separately for $6.99, $5.99 and $4.99 per month respectively. Disney bundle vs Apple TV+The other competitor for Disney is Apple's upcoming Apple TV Plus service that will launch right around the same time as Disney+. The former has yet to be given an official price yet, but that could be something Apple will announce at its next event. Should Apple's streaming service cost more than Disney's newly announced bundle, it could be in trouble from the outset. But, that said, now that Disney has shown its hand, Apple could announce a lower, more compelling price point or choose to bundle Apple TV+ with Apple Music for the same price as Hulu/Disney+/ESPN+. Though, Apple will likely have an easier time in overseas markets like the UK and Australia, where it's already announced plans to offer its streaming service - something Disney has yet to confirm. So when can you get your House of Mouse fix? Disney+ is expected to launch on November 12, 2019 in the US, with a global rollout expected in early 2020. These are the 25 best shows on Huluhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/Zh5qsGgZuNQ

If you're looking for the best cheap printer (very little) money can buy in 2019, then you've come to the right place, as on this page we've listed the top budget printers that strike that careful balance between affordability and print quality. In this best cheap printers guide, we've only included budget printers that don't compromise on the quality of your printouts in a bid to lower costs. Just because they are cheap, it shouldn't mean they are badly built or lack features as well. However, finding the best cheap printer for your needs can be time consuming and confusing, as it's an extremely competitive market, and there's a huge amount of budget printers out there – and that can sometimes be pretty daunting. It does mean, however, that no matter what kind of cheap printer you're looking for – be it a color or monochrome printer, or whether you're looking at ink jet and even laser printers, there should be a budget printer for you. Not only have we listed the very best cheap printers, our very own price comparison tool will scour the internet to make sure you get the very lowest prices for these already cheap printers. One important thing to keep in mind when buying a cheap printer is that some manufacturers lower the price of the printer to entice people to buy, but keep the price of its consumables (such as ink cartridges) high, making their money back that way. This means some apparently cheap printers end up being quite expensive over the course of their lifetimes. We've kept this in mind while compiling this list of the best cheap printers of 2019. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gngv24Wmv7MWLqDKUWDi9H.jpg The Deskjet 3630 is a fantastic printer that shows how the best cheap printers can offer print quality that can rival more expensive devices. Like some budget printers, the standard ink cartridges can be quite expensive, but if you use it a lot, HP's Instant Ink subscription service ends up being much better value for money, meaning this is a brilliant cheap printer that actually remains cheap throughout its life. Read the full review: HP Deskjet 3630 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7G3LD6CBEZANz9FuJFDW5X.jpg The HP Envy 5540 All-in-One printer is a cheap all-in-one printer that offers printing, scanning and photo printing, supports not just USB but Wi-Fi, Wireless Direct and AirPrint wireless printing, and it even offers automatic double-sided printing. Basically, it comes with an over abundance of features that you'd expect to find on much more expensive printers. Sure, it's a bit pricier than the other cheap printers in this list, but the features and print quality of the HP Envy 5540 more than justify this slightly higher price. It's certainly a cheaper option to buying a printer, scanner and photocopier separately. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/h5chgftyxuDpDvcd8gPvXc.jpg The HP Deskjet 2130 All-in-One printer is another great example of a cheap all-in-one printer. It's cheaper than the HP Envy 5540 (above), but the lower price does mean you don't get quite as good a print quality as HP's other printer. It's also a bit slower, and feels a little cheap at times. However, if you only want a cheap printer for occasional use (rather than heavy-duty printing), and also need a scanner and photocopier, then the HP Deskjet 2130 All-in-One printer is probably the best cheap printer for you. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2d4df1aff8ed691543ae390a8b87ff33.jpg The M2070W is our pick for the best cheap printer for business users. It offers some brilliant features considering its low price, such as 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. It has print speeds of 20ppm, a clever scan to mobile feature and an effective print resolution of up to 1200dpi. It only prints in monochrome, but for most businesses that will be fine, and the low price makes this a brilliant budget choice for the office. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8a5319c9816ec18c1566b2d60cd74d10.jpg The Brother HL-3140CW is another brilliant cheap laser printer, and in fact is one of Amazon's best-selling laser printers, and with good reason – for very little cash you're getting a superb wireless color laser. Sure, some compromises have been made to keep the price of this printer as low as possible, so it doesn't have automatic duplexing or an Ethernet port, but the HL-3140CW delivers superb print quality, reasonable mono running costs and good wireless features for a very low price. If you're looking for a business printer and you're on a tight budget, then the Brother HL-3140CW will prove to be a worthwhile addition to your office. Check out our list of the best printers of 2018http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/0XbMGexk0V8

Microsoft has unveiled a series of new Gears of War 5 products, including a line of peripherals from Razer and Seagate, plus a special edition Xbox One X with a custom controller. Microsoft made the announcement on the Xbox Wire where we got some details on the branded gear. Of the entire lineup, the product gamers will be most interested in is the special edition Xbox One X. It’s the first special edition version of the console since the Project Scorpio launch edition that was available at the console’s launch that will launch alongside the game on September 10, 2019. The $499 (£449) Xbox One X bundle will include the limited edition 1TB Xbox One X, a Gears 5 Kait Diaz Limited Edition wireless controller, a full-game download of Gears 5 Ultimate Edition, a full-game download of Gears of War Ultimate Edition, full-game downloads of Gears of War 2, Gears of War 3, and Gears of War 4, and 1-month memberships to Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Live Gold along with in-game Ice Kait and the Ice Jack Character Skins. If you don't want the custom console, you can also snag a regular black Xbox One X console with all the Gears games for the same price or a regular Xbox One S with all the games for $299 (£249). Get the full Gears loadoutOf course if you want to really feel like your part of the Coalition, Microsoft has partnered up with Seagate and Razer to offer a number of Gears-themed peripherals too. From Razer, you can get a Razer Thresher for Xbox One – Gears 5 Edition wireless headset or a Razer Turret for Xbox One – Gears 5 Edition. The latter offers a ten keyless keyboard with an inbuilt mouse mat, paired with a mouse for $299.99. Last up, if you need more storage for your Xbox One X - and, given the console's limited 1TB hard drive, you do - there's a new $99 2TB Seagate Game Drive for Xbox Gears 5 Special Edition that has the same color scheme as the console, and if you need even more storage, Microsoft says there will also be a 5TB external drive available exclusively from GameStop for $149. For folks who don't want a new console, the game will be available in physical and digital copy (and part of Xbox Game Pass) starting on September 10, or on September 6 if you're part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Need something to play while you wait? These are the best Xbox One gameshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/uW-pt5qpz_s

Had that Nvidia Shield TV on your shelf a bit too long? Well, it looks like you'll soon have two separate options for upgrading your hardware - or making an argument to come to the Shield TV platform for the first time. While speculation around a possible refresh - mainly to update the device's processor - have been circling for a few months now, there's now evidence of a wholly different model focused even more firmly on streaming, without either a TV tuner or USB port. A breakdown of the code in the latest Shield Experience 8.0 update - the operating system on the Shield TV - shows files referring to a separate "sif" model with the above changes, while the "sif" file name also reappears in the Nvidia Shield's TvSettings app (via XDA-Dvelopers). It looks to come with the new refreshed Tegra X1 processor of the primary model, also found in the incoming Nintendo Switch Lite. Nvidia Shield TV reviewFire TV vs Roku: which streaming platform is better?What's this about Google Stadia?The Nvidia Shield TV has been the leading Android streaming box since it came out in 2015, bundling in a brilliant Tegra X1 processor for TV, 4K resolution video, HDR, as well as streamed or downloaded games. We saw a small refresh in 2017, slimming down the console's silhouette and dropping the micro SD port, and after another two years on the market it makes sense to update some of the device's internals - possibly with a new remote and gamepad. What makes this even better timed is the incoming November launch of Google Stadia, the video game streaming service looking to take on Xbox Games Pass and PlayStation Now. Both Sony and Microsoft are looking ahead to the future of games streaming, with the latter already having released the disc-less Xbox One All Digital Edition. But with the current Shield TV model costing only $199 / £189 / AU$245 RRP, around half of a brand new Xbox One, there may be a strong argument for streaming the games of tomorrow on a Nvidia Shield TV instead. New Nvidia Shield may support Google Stadia at launchVia SlashGear http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/BFxgzNra9Hk

Since becoming a sub-brand under Xiaomi's umbrella earlier this year, Redmi has brought some great and value for money options to the smartphone market. In India, Xiaomi's latest Redmi Note 7 series is selling like hotcakes, currently clocking over 5 million shipments alone. Now, Lu Weibing, General Manager at Redmi, has hinted that the company is working on the Redmi Note 8 and it is going to be "much stronger" than the competition. Previously, rumors surrounding the possible launch of Redmi Note 7 successor in August were rife, and Weibing's comment only adds more fuel to the fire. Xiaomi's next big innovation could be a solar-powered smartphoneRedmi and Realme prepping to showcase their 64MP camera tech this weekRedmi Note series is Xiaomi's most popular line-upThe Redmi Note 7 series was announced back in February this year and has grown to be quite a popular mid-range smartphone in India. With its successor waiting in line, we could see a bunch of upgrades when it comes to the camera performance and processor. But there's no further information on either of those features yet. Recently, Xiaomi announced that they would be bringing a Redmi smartphone with the latest MediaTek Helio G90T gaming chipset. Further, we also know that the company is developing a smartphone with a 64MP camera sensor that is slated to be unveiled later this week. Though, it is still too early to say that we will be getting the Redmi Note 8 this month. Moreover, Xiaomi's arch-enemy in India, Realme is also going to unveil its 64MP camera technology on August 8. Whether it brings a difference in the mobile photography space remains to be seen. Also Read: Walmart owned Flipkart to enter video streaming service in Indiahttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/YpXfoFqEtPc

If you're looking to buy the HTC Desire 12, Desire 12 Plus or Desire 12s in the UK you may have trouble finding them, because sales of the handsets are to be suspended. Why? The handsets have been found to be infringing an IPCom (an IP management and patent licensing company) patent after the firm tested the Desire 12 earlier this year and found it to not be using a previously agreed workaround. The Galaxy Note 10 is about to launchHere's what we know about the new iPhone so farGoogle Pixel 4: everything you need to knowThis story starts way back in 2012, when IPCom took the phone maker to court, claiming HTC had "infringed upon IPCom's Patent 100A, a standard essential patent (SEP), which governs how a handset connects to a network, prioritises emergency calls, and adheres to internationally recognised telecoms standards." The court ruled in IPCom's favour and HTC agreed to a workaround sanctioned by the court for all future handsets. Fast forward to 2019 and it appears that workaround is missing from the Desire 12, and potentially other HTC smartphones. At the time of writing the HTC Desire 12 is still on sale at Littlewoods, Very and Amazon in the UK, although HTC's own website said it didn't have stock of any of its devices listed. You also won't find any HTC handsets available at EE, Vodafone, O2, Three or Carphone Warehouse, although the retailers had stopped selling the Taiwanese firm's devices before this patent dispute broke. HTC's smartphone business has been going through a trying time recently, and as a result it's seeing its devices ranged in fewer places, but this latest development will do it no favours. HTC's 5G home hub router isn't affected by this patent dispute and will remain on sale. Xiaomi in the cross hairsChinese manufacturer Xiaomi may find itself in hot water very soon as well, as IPCom claims the recently released Mi Mix 3 "has also been found...to utilise the patent, and which is currently on sale in a number of retail outlets. "As a result, IPCom has filed a complaint in the UK High Court against Xiaomi, seeking relief against the Chinese giant unless it enters into a reasonable licence agreement." Pio Suh, MD at IPCom added "we’re in conversation with the team at Xiaomi and hope to conclude the matter and avoid it going the way of HTC." It's currently not clear whether the suspension of sales of HTC and Xiaomi smartphones could spread to other countries. We have contacted HTC, Xiaomi and IPCom for further information and will update this article when we know more. Google Pixel 3 users are reporting shaky photo and video stabilizationhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/SxiOBbMlg9o

Esports is the fastest-growing sport in the world in terms of overall viewers, but while Australia has made some big strides in the increasingly popular pro-gaming scene, it's safe to say that it's still chasing true mainstream acceptance Down Under. One of Australia's most respected and established pro-gaming organisations is Legacy Esports, which has routinely competed in tournaments at an international level since it was first formed in 2014 – back then, the team was known as Avant Garde Ascension. In 2017, Legacy made history when it was acquired by the AFL's Adelaide Crows, becoming the first Aussie esports team to score such a high-level partnership. Legacy has since picked up major sponsors like Samsung and Optus and further cemented its reputation as one of the most formidable forces to be reckoned with in the Oceanic Pro League (OPL). Over the years, Legacy has earned a dedicated fanbase – one which has supported the organisation through numerous tournaments that have played out on an international stage, and competed across a range of popular games including Rocket League, StarCraft II and League of Legends. In an effort to find out how Aussie pro gaming compares to that of the sport's most established market, we recently accompanied Legacy's League of Legends team on a trip to Seoul, South Korea to visit the headquarters of the world-renowned Gen.G Esports organisation, where the two teams faced off in a friendly match. Here's how it went down. Esports: everything you need to knowEsports on another levelhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/4DKdigrAX3bBQMtoVLeUVe.jpg Gen.G's HQ in Seoul is an formidable seven-floor concrete facility, and upon arrival it's clear that the boys from Legacy are a little taken aback by the sheer scope of the Koreans' approach to professional gaming – it's a far cry from the Aussie team's more discrete office in Sydney. Our hosts waste no time, however, and we're immediately conscripted into a multi-level tour of the facility. On each floor, we come across room after room of gaming PCs, each boasting top-of-the-line specs – and a requisite amount of multi-coloured RGB lighting and, of course, Gen.G branding. A few of these rooms are adorned with a prominent 'Combat Room' label – but more on that later. Eventually, we enter a room containing a wall filled with championship trophies for a variety of games. In the same room, we also find a collection of very expensive single-malt whiskies that, despite being provided for the players, remain completely untouched. Clearly, Legacys players are more interested in winning than letting their hair down. How to start watching esportsBest of the besthttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7nzPB5xMyFTXVkKCmJb3M6.jpg Once the usual introductions and presentations are out of the way, the boys from Legacy Esports are given the chance to sit down with Gen.G's chief operations officer, Arnold Hur, who proceeds to impart some knowledge on what it's like to compete at the highest level in professional gaming. While these words of wisdom were strictly for players ears only, we did sit down with Hur a little later to discuss Gen.G's goals, what it's like to run a global esports organisation, and the world of esports in general. “One of our greatest missions is really to try and bridge the gap between East and West, so what we believe to be the largest esports markets in the world, and really create a new brand that can be for esports all over the world,” says Hur. One way of doing this involves picking the right talent to represent your esports organisation, something that Hur says involves a number of variables. "It depends on every esport, so the ones that are a little bit more developed and further along, we’ve now created a more rigorous process in picking the best in the market. We’re kind of benchmarking how professional sports does it." "We’ve been very lucky where we have very senior traditional sports executives that have now joined and helped us really create a new system that’s a little more professional, so a great example is we are the first team in Korea with an actual scouting team for League of Legends, and the same for Overwatch." http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/c2q3gHDJnCjYib77W5HSTK.jpg So how does the esports scouting process compare to that of traditional sports? "We’ve even consulted with scouts from the Lakers [NBA team], scouts from the MLB, scouts from the NFL, so we can see and benchmark what works for them and what doesn’t work, and kind of take best practices knowing that you can’t copy-paste it." It probably won't come as a surprise that this kind of practice is uncommon in Australia, where professional gaming is still a relatively new concept. So what does Australia need to do to take its esports scene to the next level? Hur briefly pauses, before explaining that "Australia cannot follow the North American route of importing talent and trying to run it that way." He believes that, despite stuff competition, Asia is a more natural home for Aussie teams. "The more that Australia can lean into more competition with Asia... at first it's going to be rough, right? Especially in certain esports where Asia excels and Australia is still beginning." "The biggest impact that we've seen is more game time with high level talent, which right now exists in China and Korea for certain esports. For other esports, it's in Europe," he continued. "So basically, figuring out where the closest market with the highest level of competition is, and then going after that market, bootcamping in that market, learning how they're using their systems, how they're playing, and then really, really getting that competition in... I think that's the most important thing that Australia can do," Hur explained. And on this trip, Legacy Esports was there to do just that. Following Hur's words of wisdom, Legacy's team members met with Gen.G's renowned League of Legends team and got the chance to ask Gen.G's players some incredibly specific questions about their LoL strategies – so specific, in fact, that this writer didn't understand them at all, or Gen.G's translated responses. We assume, however, that Legacy did understand them, and would be putting them into practice during their upcoming skirmishes. How esports are taking over the worldLet slip the dogs of (friendly) warhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Z5ckB7nzdLm5RDCnwW9faL.jpg With both teams having had the chance to sit down and grill each other, the time for talk was officially over. Now, we head back to the aforementioned Combat Rooms to witness an East vs West battle to rival that of classic Eric Roberts martial arts film, Best of the Best – hopefully, with less crying. After a few minutes of setting up a networked game, players from both teams are ready for battle. The two teams are situated in adjacent rooms, and while they cannot see physically see each other, their opponents' presence is definitely felt. Of course, there's also a dedicated screen in the corner of Legacy's room that allows us to follow the action. The goal of League of Legends is relatively simple, but requires killer instincts and an incredible amount of skill in order to master. Players on each team must work together in order to destroy the opposing team's towers, which they must do in order to reach their enemy's main base and destroy it. Each member of the team controls a powerful and unique character and has an assigned role which they must stick to in order to achieve victory. In essence, it's a lot like any other team-based competitive sport, such as baseball or basketball. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/LEw9dT4w5BFt3DzEPqwKEW.jpg The first friendly match between Legacy and Gen.G starts in a fairly straightforward manner, with both teams sticking to their usual strategies. In each room, the players are supported by coaches and managers who watch over the match with deadly serious expressions on their faces. Think Phil Jackson in the middle of the NBA playoffs. At around the 10 minute mark, the Korean team gains an advantage over the Aussies, and the energy in Legacy's room immediately becomes more heightened. Now, the Aussies are taking a pummelling, and communication between each team member is laden with F-bombs. After roughly 20 minutes, the match is over, and Gen.G Esports is victorious. Mercifully, this is only the first in a handful of planned matches, so the Australians still have a chance to redeem themselves. Having taken a beating in the first match, Legacy regroups and begins discussing its next plan of attack. Impressively, each member of the team seems to know exactly where they fell short and what they should do to remedy this in the next battle. Players are able to skip around through a replay of the previous match, pinpointing exactly when and where the opposition secured the win. Now, it's time for round two. Having completely changed its strategy, this time Legacy is able to take Gen.G by surprise, delivering a full-scale assault that forces the Korean team to come up with a new plan of its own. Unlike the first match, the second battle sees each team take (and lose) the lead on numerous occasions. However, after roughly 40 minutes of intense battle, the Aussies emerge victorious, proving that a thoughtful strategy is the best weapon to have in your arsenal. How 20,000 League of Legends fans convinced us esports is ready for prime timeA learning experiencehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/H9aJYbebpEGJU8BqGr59JZ.jpg So what did the Legacy Esports team take away from their visit to Gen.G headquarters and the friendly matches that took place therein? "It was clear just by playing against them that they're on another level than myself and Mark [Lewis] in terms of communication," said Legacy's William "Crayzee" Dobie, who plays in a support position for the team. "Whenever they were doing something, they were doing it together and doing it instantly, so I didn't even need to hear that because I know they're just a step above and that's something I want to work towards." For Tim "Carbon" Wendell, head of Legacy Esports, the experience was both eye-opening and rejuvenating. "Experiencing the HQ at Gen.G really renewed my love of esports and for managing esports teams," explained Wendell. He continued, "seeing what's possible is inspiring and super reinvigorating for me, just knowing that somewhere down the line, potentially I could be doing the same thing that they're doing and provide the same kind of stuff that Gen.G provides their players, so I'm really keen to get back home and get back to work." Stephen Lambrechts travelled to Seoul courtesy of Samsung Australia. Pro gamers in South Korea train for 15 hours a day – here’s what’s involvedhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/K3YRYrzFVA0

The RV400 by Revolt Intellicorp is one of the most anticipated 2-wheelers in a long while. It seems like that wait is about to get over soon as a final launch date has been set - August 28. This final launch date comes via Financial Express and the event is also expected to elaborate on specifics such as the price, final range, internal specifications, charging network and other relevant information which the consumers have been waiting for. Back in June, Revolt had a small unveiling event where the RV400 was shown, and some of the features were showcased. However, a lot of questions were left unanswered. The all-electric bike was open to pre-orders where patrons in Delhi and Pune could reserve one for just INR 1,000 via Amazon India. Some 2,500 people already pledged their interest in the EV which should begin shipping later this year. So what does India’s first AI-enabled electric motorcycle offer?The Revolt RV400 isn’t just on its way to being India’s first electric bike, but will also come with features and related services that are going to put it ahead of the competition. It has an ARAI (Automotive Research Association of India) certified range of 156 km on a single charge. It runs on lithium-ion batteries which are subject to government subsidies that should bring the bike’s price down. Since the original unveiling, the GST on electric vehicles has been brought down to 5% from 12%. The Revolt RV400 has a top speed of 85 km/h in the Sport mode. There will also be an Eco and a City mode for better range. These settings can be toggled from within the app, which also has options to order batteries and change the exhaust sound. 156 km range85 km/h top speedMobile battery swap stationsPerformance equivalent to 150cc regular motorbikeSpeaking of batteries, Revolt Motors plans on offering Mobile Swap Stations where riders can come and get a new, fully charged battery in just a few minutes. Along with that, the battery can also be detached and taken to any regular charging point, with the supplied charger taking about 4 hours to charge at an output of 15 Amps. During the last presentation, Revolt’s CEO Rahul Sharma mentioned “We haven’t even unveiled 25% of what the RV400 can do!”, and ended the event with a teaser that pointed at voice control for the bike. Even with such little information available around the bike, it is already shaping up to be one of the most exciting vehicles to hit the Indian roads in near future. Revolt Motors RV 400: All you need to knowWireless charging isn’t just for phones - electric cars are nextTesla brings back free, unlimited supercharging for Model S and Model X carshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/0-iodWfHck8

Being the tenth-largest country for streaming services, India is set to get a new video streaming platform in Walmart-owned Flipkart. Flipkart Videos is expected to be up and ready by Diwali festivities which are scheduled in October this year and will be available to Flipkart Plus members. As of now, there are no additional charges that a user will have to pay to access Flipkart's catalog. In an exclusive report by Moneycontrol, industry sources have cited "video" as the only thing missing from the online shopping platform. With the addition of a dedicated video section in the Flipkart app, the company hopes to attract more subscribers. Also, signing up to Flipkart Plus isn't that difficult. One needs to shop from Flipkart and collect 300 Super Coins (reward points) after which they can join the Plus membership. The thing to note here, however, is that this move comes in the wake of Amazon doubling-down on its original content and especially in India. The platform currently serves 13 million viewers and wants to strengthen its foothold by offering more local content. Amazon's Prime membership, however, comes at Rs 1,000 in India. And that's all the difference between a practically free group and one that asks you to pay upfront, especially in such a price-sensitive market. Flipkart Videos will not be getting into producing anytime soon, at least that seems to be their initial plan. The platform will curate movies and TV shows from different sources. Flipkart aims to steer into Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities with its entertainment offering as it looks to target the next 200 million potential customers in the country. The current overall revenue generated from streaming services in India is roughly Rs 4,462 crore with players like Hotstar, Zee5, ALTBalaji, Voot, Eros Now among others. An average Indian viewer is spoilt for choices, with so many OTT platforms to choose. Flipkart Videos could carve its niche in the Indian video streaming market if it manages to bring ample titles to its catalog. Also Read: Redmi and Realme prepping to showcase their 64MP camera tech this weekhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/-3Fx1fksyq8

The Google Pixel 3 is often praised as one of the best camera phones that's been produced to date, but a new issue is leading many users to complain of violent camera shaking, flickering and autofocus problems in Google's community forums. As noted by Android Police, Pixel 3 owners are reporting camera stuttering and shaky image capture, even when the phone itself is completely still, as demonstrated in this video from YouTube user Julius Gunnilstam: Google Pixel 3 vs Google Pixel 2: is the newer phone better?Google Pixel 3 vs Apple iPhone XSGoogle Pixel 3 vs Samsung Galaxy S9As you can see, the Google Pixel 3's camera sensor appears to be shaking around uncontrollably, despite the fact that the phone itself is not moving at all. This has led many to believe that the root of the problem lies in the Pixel 3's camera stabilization. At present, it's unknown whether the issue is related to the Pixel 3's hardware, or if the autofocus and optical image stabilization are going haywire due to a software problem. If the problem is indeed caused by the latter, then Google might be able to resolve it via a software update. If not, those experiencing the issue may end up having to contact Google about a replacement. Google Pixel 4 release date, price, news and leakshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/78UDZaSEINg

Nintendo recently announced a trimmed variation of its flagship gaming console, appropriately dubbed the Switch Lite. Unlike the original Switch console, though, the Lite can only be played in handheld mode and has shed some other features to make it more affordable. While the Switch Lite has had to make multiple compromises, one of the promised improvements was an (albeit minor) increase in battery life – specifically from the original’s 2.5 - 6.5 hours to 3 - 7 hours, depending on how demanding the game being played is. A new FCC filing which shows photos of a Nintendo Switch Lite teardown confirms that, despite this slight bump in battery life, the upcoming handheld console will be sporting a smaller battery (13.6 watt-hours compared to 16). Nintendo Switch Lite release date, price, games and moreNintendo Switch vs Nintendo Switch Lite: is bigger really better?Nintendo Switch Lite won't be VR compatible (or good for Labo)Despite that, there are multiple contributing factors that will allow the Switch Lite to eke more life out of its battery reserves, including having to power a smaller display (5.5-inches rather than 6.2) and losing the need to charge a pair of detachable Joy-Cons. As Nintendo told the Verge, the Switch Lite also apparently sports “a more power-efficient chip layout”. It’s likely that this is the same chip upgrade that Nintendo is bringing to its improved version of the original Switch. While everything about the improved Nintendo Switch has remained the same – including the 16Wh battery capacity according to the aforementioned FCC filing – Nintendo has promised the battery life to be significantly boosted over its predecessor, increasing from 2.5 - 6.5 hours to 4.5 - 9 hours. New Nintendo Switch arrives with better battery life while looking exactly the sameNew Nintendo Switch 2: everything we want to see from the next Switch consoleA Switch by any other name...Another discovery by the Verge relates to the naming convention Nintendo has used on all three Switch products chipsets. The original Switch has ODIN printed near its chipset, while the Switch with improved battery life bears MODIN (possibly to signify a modified version of ODIN), and the Switch Lite features VALI. As pointed out by the Verge, Vali is one of Odin’s sons in Norse mythology and, given speculation around an upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 (or Switch Pro), we could well see one of Odin’s other children (Thor, for instance) be the namesake for its presumably more powerful processor. While this latter element is definitely in the realm of speculation, the details on the battery size of the revised Switch and Switch Lite are from official FCC filings. We’ll learn more about the upcoming Switch Lite on its September 20 launch. Nintendo Switch Lite is available to pre-orderhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/EEpudLn7UTo

Google has launched a number of initiatives aimed at reducing both its own and other companies' environmental impact over the years (even going so far as to create a dedicated subsidiary dubbed 'Google Environment' in 2009) and as part of that ongoing mission, the search giant has today made a two-part pledge towards sustainability around its hardware products. The first of those involves product shipping. Anna Meegan, the company’s head of sustainability, consumer hardware, used a blog post to state that “[by] 2020, 100 percent of all shipments going to or from customers will be carbon neutral.” Exactly how Google plans on achieving that goal is currently unclear, and in part, would depend on environmental commitments being made by the shipping companies the tech giant works with to move its products around the world. However, Google told Fast Company in an interview that it will also try and change shipping methods earlier in the supply chain, like switching to cargo ships instead of air freight and reducing Google’s overall carbon footprint by 40%. Read our Google Pixel 3 reviewA great value smart display: the Google Home Hub reviewedHands-on with Google Stadia, the company’s game-streaming platformThe second part of Google’s sustainable hardware commitment is to use recycled parts in all of its Made By Google hardware products by 2022. That includes the Pixel phones, Pixelbooks, its smart speakers, and accessories. This should be an easy goal to keep, as Google has already made a start on keeping the second promise, telling Fast Company that it has begun using recycled elements in its Chromecast devices, and that the fabric covering its Home range of smart speakers is made from recycled plastic bottles. Google hasn’t yet committed to making products entirely out of recycled parts, which is a goal Apple said it was pursing in 2017 – but which, admittedly, still seems to be many years from being achievable. A more sustainable futureWhile Google has partnered with hardware manufacturers to create its own branded devices for many years (such as its Nexus phone and tablets), the company's 'Made by Google' line of hardware products only launch three years ago, and Meegan does admit that at this point, it does lag behind Apple in sustainability efforts. Apple’s commitment to holding on to its eco-friendly ways is well known – every year, the Cupertino firm publishes a report on its progress in that regard. Apple even developed a robot in 2016 – called Liam – to take apart old iPhones and harvest recyclable parts. Now, a new recycling robot called Daisy helps out on the job. At present, Apple claims that several of its products contain at least 50% recycled plastic. It recycles cobalt from iPhone batteries so that it can be used in new devices, and also makes use of recycled tin, aluminum, gold and other metals. Other major gadget makers have also started making a push towards improving their environmental credentials. Earlier this year, for example, Samsung promised to begin using only eco-friendly packaging for its phones. Google is keen on keeping its sustainability commitment, with Meegan promising it will become standard in the hardware design process. The search giant already has a recycling program in place that provides a shipping label for users to send their old or unwanted Google products back to the company, although it is currently restricted to the US only. Over 6 million phones were recycled to make the Tokyo 2020 Olympic medalshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/zbfZV3__Ybo

Control is a hotly anticipated action-adventure from Remedy coming out later in August, and the good news is the recommended spec for PC gamers has actually been toned down considerably since the original very steep requirements were revealed. According to that initial spec (which was posted on the Epic Games Store page), you would need at least a GTX 1060 graphics card and an Intel Core i5-7500 processor at a bare minimum. These are the best graphics cards of 2019And check out the best PC componentsControl is what you'd get if you crossed X-Men with The X-FilesThe recommended spec for a GPU went even further and insisted on a GeForce GTX 1080 Ti, with nothing less than an RTX 2080 stipulated for those who wanted to run the game with ray tracing. Ouch, indeed. However, the ‘official’ requirements have now been posted on the game’s web page and are thankfully much less demanding, particularly when it comes to the GPU, with the minimum requirement now being an Nvidia GeForce GTX 780 (quite a step down from the GTX 1060). The equivalent from the AMD side is the Radeon R9 280X. And the minimum CPU is now an Intel Core i5-4690, stepping back three generations from the i5-7500 (the equivalent is AMD’s FX 4350). All changeAnd the recommended spec has lowered that GPU requirement from a GTX 1080 Ti to a GTX 1060 or 1660 (or AMD Radeon RX 580). So in other words, the GTX 1060 has switched from being the minimum GPU required to the recommended one. As for the recommended processor, that’s an Intel Core i5-7600K or AMD Ryzen 5 1600X. And for ray tracing duties, you’ll need an RTX 2060 as the recommended GPU, as opposed to an RTX 2080. Again, that seems far more palatable… So why the change? Presumably the previous requirements were more of an estimation or placeholder, and maybe some serious game optimization has been undertaken since those guesses were made. That said, it seems a bit strange that Remedy even let the previous spec go online, given the worry it caused many PC gamers in terms of their rigs potentially not being up to the job of running Control. What’s happened here is a bit of a mystery all round, then, but at least the outcome is clear: those with older GPUs aren’t going to be left completely out in the cold (at least in theory). Control is out on August 27, and on PC, will come with an uncapped frame-rate, ultra-wide monitor support, and customizable controls (which are all being delivered by Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s PC port, too, as we saw at the weekend). Are PC games still being held back by consoles?http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/xFpmCJqrLrU

Two pictures, allegedly of the OnePlus 7T Pro, have made their way on to the Internet. The OnePlus 7T and OnePlus 7T Pro are expect to be the successors to the OnePlus 7 series, which was unveiled back in May, but are unlikely be out before October this year, if you follow the firm's previous 'T' edition launches. This OnePlus 7T Pro leak saw images shared on SlashLeaks and Weibo, and provides us with a potentially clear look at the rumored handset which, from first glance, doesn't appear to be all that visually different from the OnePlus 7 Pro. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2TMi5DUyBBmRy8FAaffxKH.jpg As you can see on the pictures above, the OnePlus 7T Pro appears to be in a shell case and looks eerily similar to the 7 Pro, however on closer inspection you'll notice the speaker grills on the phone seem to be more prominent. This could mean one of two things: either the phone in the picture is the OnePlus 7T Pro or it's a prototype of the 7 Pro from before. What to expect from the new iPhoneThe Samsung Galaxy Note 10 launches on August 7Foldable phones will be available this yearInvisible upgrades likelyWe're not expecting a lot of cosmetic changes in the OnePlus 7T Pro from the 7 Pro - in the past the 'T' model have been incremental upgrades mainly focused on under-the-hood enhancements. That means upgrades may include the recently announced Snapdragon 855 Plus chipset, a higher refresh rate display, and even wireless charging. Additionally, one of the pictures also indicates that the phone is running on Android Q Beta. Likely, the pop-up selfie camera that debuted with the OnePlus 7 Pro will make an appearance in the upcoming successor. It's worth taking this leak with a pinch of salt as we're almost three months away from the expected official launch of the phones. Also Read: Inside OnePlus' new Experience Centerhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/KxgCQsDDhbs

Amazon's Dash Buttons will officially cease to function by August 31, following their discontinuation in February this year. This may come as a surprise to loyal Dash users, who were assured by Amazon that it would continue to service the self-adhesive controls as long as customers continued to buy products through them. Read our Amazon Echo reviewThe best smart speakers in 2019Need something with a screen? Check out the Amazon Echo Show 5Launched in 2015, the Dash Button was intended to be placed somewhere convenient inside your home, so you could re-order items from Amazon with a single press. This allowed time-pressed customers to order everything from laundry detergent to macaroni cheese, charging their accounts and dispatching the items as soon as possible. Did Alexa kill the Dash Button?As the Dash Button doesn't give you any indication of price when you place your order, Amazon has been criticized for the time-saving devices; after all, Amazon's prices fluctuate all the time, and using the Dash Button means you don't have the opportunity to shop around for a better price. In fact, German courts ruled that the devices violated the country's consumer protection laws, earlier this year. The death of the Dash Button could also be attributed to the rise of smart speakers and connected devices in the home, including Amazon's own Echo smart speakers. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ka2W2XpNdP9oDhFHiBbYvY.jpg Speakers like the Amazon Echo, Echo Plus, and Echo Dot have made voice shopping possible, somewhat negating the usefulness of the Dash Button. Of course, for some, the convenience of simply pressing a button every time you run out of cat food can't be beaten, even by the smarts of voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant. If you count yourself among those hangers-on, you've got a little under a month to make the most of your Dash Button. Amazon Prime Student: how to get the school discountVia Android Community http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/CTGH1SMhnD4

Though the Nintendo Switch Lite goes for a handheld-only design, the real joy of the Nintendo Switch is its versatility, what with its big-screen docked play along with its mobile form factor. But Nintendo's own dock, as well as being expensive to replace, doesn't always suit all needs, especially as it hides the screen away – and has been accused of warping the console itself. So, are third-party docks the answer? Possibly not. We've heard about off-brand Nintendo accessories actually rendering the console unplayable – known as 'bricking', given it turns your lovely hardware into a slab of useless plastic – for almost as long as the Switch has been on the market. But one engineer thinks he has the explanation for why. A Reddit engineer going by the name Vectordriver explains that the implementation of USB-C connections on third party docks could be frying the systems. Nintendo Switch vs Nintendo Switch Lite: is bigger really better?Nintendo Switch Lite release date, price, games and moreElectrifyingIn an analysis of bricked Switch systems, Vectordriver notes that it's the Power Delivery (PD) chip that's being burnt out by gadgets from accessory makers like Nyko. The Switch’s chip can only handle a maximum of 6 volts on the Configuration Channel (CC) pin, but some Nyko docks send out 9 volts, causing the PD chips to malfunction and the console to stop charging altogether. Design flaws by other manufacturers see them trying to ape the design of Nintendo's USB-C plug, but inadvertently resulting in the 15 volt VBus pin crossing with the CC pin. While Nintendo's unique design may mean that its PD controllers aren't working with standard PD chip compliancy, it's more likely that the third party docks are cutting corners with their own PD controllers, or are using poor quality USB-C connectors. With USB-C being a relatively new technology, the message seems clear then – if you love your Switch, stick with an official dock. Best Nintendo Switch games: must-have games to play in 2019http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/UpAMJd3J-RM

Xiaomi has filed patents with WIPO (World Intellectual Property Office) for a smartphone with a solar panel on the back. Xiaomi has become a significant player in the smartphone space around the world. However, this smartphone equipped with a solar panel is new, as it is something that hasn't been experimented with much. There are a few companies working towards a greener solution. As per a report by LetsGoDigital, the phone in the sketches features a full-screen display without any cutout for a notch. It could be possible that the phone uses a pop-up front-facing camera, but who knows. Then again, the patent sketches which reveal the top-edge of the phone, indicate that the phone doesn't have an outlet for a pop-up module. It is also rumored that Xiaomi is developing an in-display camera solution; however, we don't expect that to be a part of this phone with solar-panel. Though, there sure seems to be an in-display fingerprint sensor as the back-panel is largely covered in photovoltaic panels. Since we live in a time where smartphone usage has increased by four-folds, battery technology has also been improved and perfected to provider a better run-time than before. However, solar-panels on smartphones isn't something that has been trialed as the technology was in its infancy. Now that companies are focusing on real innovations, we can only hope that Xiaomi can put this phone out in the market, to see how it fares. We'll keep an eye out for the developments in this space. So, stay tuned. Also Read: Alleged OnePlus 7T Pro live images leaked on the internethttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/rdEfeMh1u50

Gift cards are a great shortcut when you're looking to buy a pressie for that hard-to-shop-for friend of relative. However, with both iTunes and Google Play gift cards going cheap in Australia at least a few times a year, they also offer a good way for savvy smartphone owners to save some cash when purchasing apps and games. And if you're an iPhone or iPad owner, now's your chance to stock up, with two major Aussie retailers offering 15% off select iTunes cards. App Store & iTunes gift cards come in $20, $30, $50 and $100 values, and you typically have to pay the full amount for one of those. Right now, however, both Australia Post and Officeworks have slashed prices on the $30 and $50 cards by 15% – meaning you'll be paying only $25.50 and $42.50 for them respectively. Currently neither AusPost or Officeworks have specified an end date for this offer, so if you're in the market for iTunes credit we'd get in sooner rather than later. Save plenty on the hottest tech by heading to our weekly round-up of the best Australian tech deals.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/EVzq97sn3IU

Huawei could launch its first smartphone running its in-house Hongmeng OS before the end of 2019. While the Huawei Ban that came into effect earlier this year threw the firm's Android alternative platform - Hongmeng OS - into the spotlight, the Chinese firm has actually been developing the software for a while. Details around Hongmeng are pretty scarce, but Huawei executives have referred to it as an operating system designed for connected internet-of-things products. An upcoming range of Honor TVs is expected to form the first wave of Hongmeng powered devices. Earlier this year, Huawei was subject to trade sanctions which disallowed any American company to trade with them. Companies like Qualcomm, Google, and Corning pulled their hands off Huawei, which led to a global crisis for the Chinese company. Ending partnership with Google means no access to Google Play services, hence no Android for Huawei phones. With the unparalleled market domination in the smartphone OS market, it’s unimaginable for any OEM to survive in the business without Android. Even though the trade ban is lifted, Huawei has learned from the past and wants to be more cautious with its dependence on these partners. Huawei's Android replacement might arrive sooner than expectedHuawei’s solution included creating Hongmeng OS which would go on to act as an Android replacement and is being developed inhouse. Details around Hongmeng are pretty scarce, but Huawei executives have referred to it as an operating system designed for connected internet-of-things products. An upcoming range of Honor TVs is expected to form the first wave of Hongmeng powered devices. However, Huawei is yet to confirm if Hongmeng will power future smartphones. The company’s chairman said that they prefer using Google’s Android for smartphones, but the switch could happen in the future as a part of their long-term strategy. A report by the Global Times via Reuters suggests that the first Hongmeng-powered smartphone will be a budget smartphone priced at around CNY 2,000 (approximately INR 21,000) and could go on sale later this year. No other details have been mentioned yet, and we will have to wait to learn more about this upcoming low-end smartphone. Historically, no other smartphone manufacturer has been able to split from Google and continue to flourish with Android and ancillary services. It will take a lot of R&D, developer support, and investment by the world’s second-largest smartphone manufacturer to be able to break that deadlock and emerge a victor. Even amidst this geopolitical trade war, Huawei exhibited steady growth in the first half of 2019, growing by 23%. Alleged OnePlus 7T Pro pictures leaked onlinehttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/6nEXoA5ljW8

Voice assistants are constantly getting new talents added to their repertoire by the companies that develop them in the hope that they will dominant the field and reach ubiquity ahead of their rivals. As discovered by AndroidPolice, Google Assistant has begun to expand one of its existing features significantly, allowing the virtual assistant to read aloud messages from apps outside of the default Android SMS messages app, as well as reply to these messages via speech-to-text. For the millions of Android users relying on apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Slack, or Discord rather than the default application, this makes the feature significantly more useful. How to use Google Assistant to control your smart home9 things Google Assistant can do that you may not know aboutWhen asking Google Assistant to “read my messages”, (assuming you’ve already allowed it to access your notifications), it now reads aloud the latest messages you’ve received and tells you on which app you've received them in. From there, you can reply directly by voice or typing, and your response will be sent from within the app the message was received, marking it as ‘read’ in the process. While this feature currently doesn’t support any media outside of text – it won’t play back any audio messages or videos that are sent, for instance – this could well be adopted in some capacity in the future. The feature hasn’t been officially announced by Google and not everyone has the functionality yet, so we can assume it’s in the process of being rolled out and should be available to all users in coming months. US ban crushes Huawei's Google Assistant smart speaker dreamsFacebook is developing its own voice assistant for Oculus VR and smart speakersAmazon Alexa skills get even smarter by working togetherhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/2wetoQs6qIo

Databases have become an essential part of IT services, as the powerhouse for storing and retrieving data. There are different ways in which data can be recorded though, depending on how the different information you want to use is intended to be cross-referenced. Traditionally the most common form of database was a relational one, as used in Microsoft Access and it's more powerful big brother, MySQL. In these sort of databases there is a direct relationship between the different points of data, arrange in columns and rows. However, these days non-relational databases have become more common, in which data is stored without explicit structure and mechanisms to link it. These have become more in demand for business intelligence, which seeks to connect underlying trends which might be otherwise hidden. Whichever types of database you need, most providers offer the choice of different database formats to use as required. Here we'll look at the best of them. We've also highlighted the best cloud brokersWant your company or services to be added to this buyer’s guide? Please email your request to desire.athow@futurenet.com with the URL of the buying guide in the subject line. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/D7CikWxVBe8MoMpxVAVoSV.jpg Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a subsidiary of Amazon.com, founded in 2006. It provides on demand cloud computing to individuals and businesses. AWS is a cloud-based program for building business solutions using integrated web services. They give users access to a wide range of cloud services such as content delivery and database storage. Amazon Relational Database is a Database as a Service (DBaaS). It is suitable for experienced data users, data scientists and database administrators. This is a good choice for developers already familiar with AWS services. Users need to contact a Database Administrator to get setup as the process is technically involved. Users can build databases specifically geared around their needs. You can create templates or write code. Users can control the type of database, as well as where data is stored. Specific database formats that are supported include Amazon Aurora, PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, Oracle Database, and SQL Server. The service offers 750 free hours. There is a price calculator online to help calculate AWS costs but this is tricky to figure out. Users can get assistance from their database administrator. AWS has three different pricing models; ‘Pay as you Go’, ‘Save when you reserve’ and ‘Pay less using more’. However, AWS provides a free tier. This offers users certain services for 12-months. After that, you have to choose to sign up for any of the plans above or to cancel your AWS subscription. You must have an existing AWS subscription to access the Amazon Relational Database Service. You can sign up for Amazon Relational Database herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hY97suUcTrLm5Fzspzwh3Y.jpg Microsoft Azure was created by Microsoft to build, test, deploy and manage applications and services though their data centres. It was released in 2010. Microsoft Azure not only offers database as a service but also platform as a service, software as a service and infrastructure as a service. With Azure, clients can use the services purely on the cloud or it can be combined with any existing applications, data centre or infrastructure you may already have in place. Azure’s SQL database has the familiar look and feel of Microsoft. It has a strong SQL engine compatibility and machine learning. The service offers all SQL tools and applications needed for creating a database. It's easy to use. Microsoft Azure SQL database has an online portal with access to everything you need. Setup is quick and painless but users need to have a Microsoft account to get started. Subscribers can use the ‘Connection Libraries’ to choose which operating drivers they want to connect. From here you can also choose your preferred language settings, database name, identify a source and a price tier. Azure offer users 12 months of free usage. This includes $200 credit and more than 25 ‘Always free’ services. The platform works on a ‘Pay as you go’ subscription so you only pay for what you use. Online commentators have reported some issues with support. You can sign up for Microsoft Azure SQL Database herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2EDhe6QGWTkAhTDQ2Byc5d.jpg Oracle Cloud Database is part of Oracle Cloud, which belongs to the Oracle Corporation, founded in 1977. Oracle Cloud Platform works as a combination of open source technology and Oracle technology. This enable users to more efficiently build, deploy, integrate and manage all of your platform applications. The solution uses a mixture of machine learning and AI to provide a service that offers self-repairing abilities. It also reduces business start-up costs and offers predictive insights. Oracle Database as a Service supports any size enterprise. It provides a high level of encryption which spans multiple layers. The database can be setup in a matter of minutes and is simple to navigate. Users can add ‘on-capacity demand’ so as they grow they can increase in scale. All of your data and applications can be integrated. The solution enables the user to migrate all processes to the cloud. Everything is managed via a single platform. All data is encrypted by default. Oracle Cloud Platform claims their solution does everything for you. This saves time on repetitive tasks such as system maintenance, deploying solutions and necessary updates. The platform comes with a 30-day free trial which includes $300 credit and up to 3,500 hours. There is a ‘Pay as you Go’ tier or a ‘Monthly Flex’ plan. With the ‘Flex’ plan users commit to a monthly amount in cloud services with a contract ranging from 1-7 years. In order to sign up for either of the above, users will need to contact Oracle directly. Users have reported some issues with customer support. You can sign up for Oracle Database herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ppXkvdduZS3t2tihB5T6bf.jpg SAP Cloud Platform is a platform as a service developed by SAP SE. It creates new applications in a secure cloud environment. It was founded in 2012. The platform includes the in-memory SAP HANA database management system. It connects both on-premises and cloud-based systems running SAP or other third-party software. SAP Cloud Platform is geared towards larger enterprises with huge amounts of data sets. The system is generally straight forward to setup and will guide you through the process step by step. Use the ‘Data and Storage’ option to choose which database management systems you want to use. You can also choose the type of data migration. SAP offer users a free trial. There are two commercial pricing plans to choose from. Sap have created a PDF with all their prices clearly explained. Online commentators have complained that SAP is not as competitively priced as other providers. You can sign up for SAP Cloud Platform herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/G6J3FsNoPtBypjNCcytnXa.jpg Rackspace Cloud is a set of cloud-computing products from the US company Rackspace. It was founded in 2006. The solution offers web application hosting, platform as a services and cloud services amongst others. Racksapce allows you to choose a cloud provider with which you can then interact via Rackspace’s platform. The service has partnered with major cloud providers such as Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services and WMware. The advantage of this system is that you have the scalability of some of the biggest cloud providers around but with the customer support of a smaller company. Rackspace offers a wide range of cloud services. These include public cloud, private cloud, hybrid cloud and multi-cloud. When it comes to their IaaS and DBaaS solutions, Rackspace now builds entirely on the open source OpenStack cloud operating system. Cloud Databases gives users simple, on-demand provisioned and open API’s. Users can deploy MySQL, Persona Server or MariaDB. Rackspace Cloud databases allow users to add or remove replicas, move between instances sizes up to 64GB RAM and scale storage up to 1TB. Users can schedule backups and restores. The platform offers container-based isolation for near bare-metal performance. The platform offers 24/7 support with databases specialists available to assist with any query. You can sign up to Rackspace for free which includes a technical account manager, security guidance and free server monitoring and reporting. Rackspace has an in-depth guide into their prices. This way you can pick the package that best suits your needs. Users have mentioned issues with documentation but this is balanced out by excellent service support. You can sign up for Rackspace Cloud herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/4CKb3s4EgrMAtAiiK6w6Bc.jpg Other cloud databases to considerThere's been a profusion in the number of cloud platforms in recent years, offered by a large range of companies. As database-driven software remains the norm, it remains key to ensure whichever cloud platform option you take that it can probably support your database types and size, and properly integrate with other IT infrastructure, not least monitoring for security or errors. Here we'll briefly cover some additional cloud database options worth looking at as well: IBM Db2 on Cloud is just one of the service offerings from service giant IBM, as part of its comprehensive cloud management platform. IBM's Db2 on Cloud is a fully managed SQL database that runs in the cloud. It's quick and easy to set up and allows for flexible scaling, so you only need to pay for what you actually use in terms of resources. Security patching it automated, and it's easy to retrieve datasets as and when you need to look at them. Db2 on Cloud can also be set up on a private VPN. Zoho Creator is something a little different - it's not so much a cloud database management platform as much as an easy way to build your own database in the cloud. This is especially useful for smaller companies who might want to build their own apps but would otherwise find a big-name cloud management package overkill. It runs through a simple drag-and-drop interface which allows full customization, and as part of the Zoho suite of apps means it will easily integrate with other Zoho products. Couchbase is also a little different in that it allows you to build your own databases running N1QL, which allows for far more complex data storage than MySQL normally allows. This means being able to build databases in the cloud which are layered and works better for JSON. Additionally, it has built-in analytics, easy replication, and enterprise-grade security. So if you require a more innovative database platform with the flexibility of NoSQL, Couchbase may be worth looking at. MongoDB Atlas is an automated cloud service that makes it much easier to manage databases in the cloud, allowing users to focus on application development instead. It offers global support for over 60 cloud regions and comes with distributed fault tolerance along with backup options to ensure business continuity. On-demand scaling, resource optimization, and fully automated structure provisioning means that MongoDB could be particularly attractive for innovative enterprise. Google Cloud Database Services comes as part of Google's cloud platform services, and is the last of the big name cloud providers we'll mention here. There are a lot of options for users to choose from, not relational vs non-relational ones. The Cloud SQL option provides managed support for PostgreSQL & MySQL, while the BigTable option provides a petabyte-scale, fully managed NoSQL database service for large analytical and operational workloads. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/KmZoTRsNDtc

With the Women's World Cup, Copa America, African Cup of Nations and Gold Cup, football has barely gone away for the summer. And that's before you even get to the high profile pre-season friendlies and Champions League qualifying. But the centrepiece of English football returns in just a few days - the Premier League. Now if you fall neatly into the Venn diagram of football fan and somebody needing to renew their broadband deal, there are some fantastic offers floating around now that will let you sort out your internet and television subscriptions in one go. You can even add call plans for a home communications hat-trick! With Sky, Virgin Media, BT and Now all with some silky tricks in the locker to tempt you their way for the new season, the only winner is the consumer (and, let's face it, probably Manchester City). So keep reading to discover the best broadband and TV deals around to get the most from this season's football action. And we tell you more about who'll give you a better view of the action - Sky Sports or BT Sport...or Amazon Prime. Our guide to the UK's best broadband dealshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VgyagGS9HpAEPUQtUJBfrg.jpg BT Broadband with FREE BT SportNow Broadband Fab Fibre + Sky SportsSky Broadband + Sky SportsVirgin Media fibre + Sky Sports AND BT Sporthttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Lrs5TKUjmh7zZwqhUbtzoM.jpg 2019/20 Football on Sky SportsGo for a broadband deal that comes with Sky Sports and you'll get exclusive access to more matches than any other broadcaster can come close to offering. And it's not all about the Premier League. Namely: 128 Premier League matches183 EFL matches (including Championship, League One and League Two)EFL CupUEFA Nations League30 Scottish Premiership matchesNorthern Irish PremiershipScotland, Wales and Northern Ireland European Championship qualifiersMLShttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ZApYpJYn7UHAvRgsQAPFPB.png 2019/20 Football on BT SportSky was the only place you could watch live Premier League football for years. But now BT Sport has a decent share of the action. Go for BT Sport and broadband for exclusive coverage of: 52 Premier League matches30 FA Cup gamesChampions League Matches including the finalEuropa League matches including the finalCommunity ShieldNational League (one match per week)30 Scottish Premiership matches, as well as Scottish League CupGerman BundesligaFrench Ligue 1Italian Coppa Italia cup matcheshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EaJx7PLL3rAQSY9BEgEGi3.jpg 2019/20 Football on Amazon Prime VideoWell this is new! Amazon has managed to bag exclusive coverage of 20 Premier League games this season - all in the crucial December period. Read more about the new arrival in our dedicated news story from when the fixture list was announced. Watch Sky, Now or BT when abroadIf you're intending to be out of the country a lot over the course of this Premier League season and so aren't sure whether a premium sports TV subscription is worth while, we can put your mind at rest. Grab yourself a VPN and then login to live stream the football online as if you were back in the UK. Best broadband and TV dealsHaven't quite found the right plan for you above? No worries - head to our broadband and TV deals page and you can have a Claudio Ranieri-like tinker with TechRadar's price comparison table to help you choose the perfect package package. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VgyagGS9HpAEPUQtUJBfrg.jpg http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/4BsRRPtMMrY

The two best football teams in England meet at Wembley today for the 2019/20 curtain raiser - the FA Community Shield. After last season's tightly contested title race between Liverpool and Manchester City, the two sides will face each other again today. It looks set to be an intriguing affair and, with our help, you can get a Liverpool vs Man City Community Shield live stream wherever you are. The Community Shield traditionally pits the FA Cup winners against the Premier League champions. However, with Man City having pulled off an historic domestic treble, league runners-up Liverpool will step in for this year's early-season showdown at Wembley. Not resting on their laurels, City have spent almost £75m on three players this summer - with a cool £62.5million of that outlay spent on Spanish midfielder Rodri, who is expected to start in today's game. With Jurgen Klopp having largely resisted dipping into the transfer market during the close season - Dutch teenager Sepp Van Den Berg's £1.7million move from PEC Zwolle to the Reds currently their only signing of note - Liverpool's line-up should have a familiar look to it today, Come May next year it'll have been 30 years since Liverpool will have won the league. Having come so close last year, Klopp will be keen to get this year's campaign off on the right foot with a win today at Wembley against the team most likely to stand in their way of ending that drought. So will it be Liverpool or Manchester City that gets to lift the trophy today? Below we're going to talk you through the best ways to watch the Community Shield action with a Liverpool vs Man City live stream no matter where you are in the world. Cricket fan? Then check out our guide to getting an Ashes live streamhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VgyagGS9HpAEPUQtUJBfrg.jpg Live stream Liverpool vs Man City from outside your countryFurther down the page we have details of catching the Community Shield in the UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. All require some kind of subscription. But if you've paid for that subscription but are outside the country this weekend, then you'll soon find your access geo-blocked when you try to watch. To stop feeling like you've wasted your money (and assuming it's within the services Ts&Cs), you could use a VPN to watch as if you were back at home. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/B9XNGCRYNHKJzN5zVfTMje.jpg How to live stream the Community Shield in the UK:http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/x4WvmjGdnEUCFeqhMUrnWo.jpg How to watch the Community Shield: live stream in the UShttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/D39crXd3gob7KPsE3LAFUo.jpg Live stream Liverpool vs Man City in Australiahttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jgvvohCEmS99W9XuRfJMSo.jpg Live stream Community Shield soccer in Canada http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ebGZgkd4qVX7mUuvz3WNkH.jpg http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/95dBGdoHDYQ

Windows 10 made big gains while Windows 7 experienced a large drop in users last month, as it appears that folks are finally starting to take the impending end of support deadline for the latter OS seriously. This is according to figures from Net Applications for July, which found Windows 10 increased its share by 3.1% to stand at 48.9% in the overall desktop market (meaning not just Windows installations, but macOS, Linux and Chrome OS too). Are you thinking of upgrading to Windows 10?Here’s everything you need to know about using Windows 10Want to stick with Windows 7 after 2020? It’ll cost you...The analytics firm reported that Windows 7 dropped 3.6% – down to 31.8% – and it’s a fairly reasonable assumption to make that the majority of this shift consisted of folks upgrading to Windows 10. Particularly when you consider that Windows 7’s lifespan is rapidly dwindling, with support for the OS officially ending on January 14, 2020 (only five months away). Indeed, Microsoft has already started actively warning Windows 7 users that their time is running out, so it appears that people are finally listening, and making the move away from the venerable operating system. Telling declineWhat’s also very telling is that Windows 7’s decline of 3.6% in July is the second largest drop that Net Applications has ever observed, and equally, the boost for Windows 10 is the second largest increase – seemingly underlining the shift that is going on here. All of which is good news for the overall security picture of Windows PCs, because as of mid-January 2020, Windows 7 will be open to all manner of exploits going forward, seeing as any vulnerabilities that pop up in the OS won’t be patched. That didn’t stop folks sticking with Windows XP long past its sell-by-date, mind you, and we’re likely to witness the same scenario with a good number of hardcore holdouts staying on Windows 7 as we move further into 2020 and beyond. What’ll be interesting to see is if Microsoft will step in to save Windows 7 users from a major malware attack post-support deadline, as it did with Windows XP and WannaCry (and indeed further spins on that particularly nasty ransomware). Or if this time around, the software giant will stick to its guns, and say that no patches really means no patches. Some of the best laptops of 2019 run Windows 10Via Computerworld http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/LYohSUUrnjA