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With the opening of a cluster of data centres in Bahrain, Amazon Web Service AWS), an Amazon.com company, now spans 22 geographic regions and 69 availability zones worldwide. Vinod Krishnan, Head of Middle East and North Africa at AWS, told TechRadar Middle East that Bahrain has three Availability Zones and it is known as a Region. An availability zone means a cluster which contains one or more data centres. He said the data centers will be completely isolated from each other and can withstand the failure of each other, with different power sources and networks. So, he said a customer can use all the three availability zones. “We add infrastructure on a daily basis that is needed to power a $7b business globally,” he said. Biggest cloud services providerAWS also has announced plans for nine more availability zones across three more AWS regions in Indonesia, Italy, and South Africa. The new hyper scale infrastructure brings advanced technologies that open up opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital transformation. AWS is currently the biggest cloud services provider and already has two data centres in the UAE — DataMena and Smart Hub — that have been operational since August last year. Oracle recently opened its Abu Dhabi data centre in February and Microsoft also opened its data centres in Dubai and Abu Dhabi recently. “The cloud has the chance to unlock digital transformation in the Middle East,” Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon Web Services, said in a statement. “Today, we are launching advanced and secure technology infrastructure that matches the scale of our other AWS regions around the world and are already seeing strong demand in the Middle East for AWS technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning, data analytics, IoT, and much more. We are excited to see how our cloud technology will provide new ways for governments to better engage with citizens, for enterprises to innovate for their next phase of growth, and for entrepreneurs to build businesses and compete on a global scale,” he said. AWS Summit in Dubai focuses on growing MENA customer baseAmazon overtakes Google and Apple to become the world’s most valuable brandhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/iWtklyIDOqc

Despite rumors arising from the Tor Project, Mozilla says it has no plans at the moment to integrate Tor Browser into Firefox as a kind of 'super secure' browsing mode. However, the two organizations are working together to make both browsers more secure and give power to web users. During a recent meeting of the core Tor team in Stockholm, one member proposed the idea of packaging Tor with Firefox to give users a way to browse the web even more securely than Firefox's existing private mode. Check out our ultimate guide to the best browsersWant to stay secure online? These are the best VPNs of 2019Protect your PC with our pick of the best antivirus softwareSeveral news sites, understandably excited, have jumped at the idea and reported that merging of the two browsers is imminent, but in a statement to TechRadar, Mozilla denied that that's the case. "We haven’t yet made a decision to create a Tor mode," the spokesperson said. "We continue to explore how we can best support the Tor engineering team’s use of Firefox through the Tor Uplift project, as well as possible future integrations that would enhance the experience of our users." Tor Uplift is a project that began in 2016, and involves integrating security and privacy features from the Tor Browser into Firefox. Those include the anti-fingerprinting technology that rolled out with Firefox 67 earlier this year, which prevents ad agencies building up a unique picture of your computer's hardware settings, which can be used to follow you around the web without any tracking cookies. Sharing is caringMozilla is currently investigating how it could create a premium version of Firefox that offers new privacy features to paying users, enabling the non-profit foundation to pay its bills without resorting to advertising. A Firefox VPN and ad-free news subscription appear to be on the cards, but it seems unlikely that Mozilla would charge for access to the Tor network, which is currently free. It's possible that a future free version of Firefox may offer full Tor integration, but porting features across seems to take quite some time, so we wouldn't count on it happening soon. If you can't wait though, third-party browser extension Onion Browser Button does the same job, allowing you to connect to the Tor network while using Firefox. Firefox 68 is here with a new look reader mode and recommended extensionshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/HdlZYN33Vaw

MediaTek has announced two new chipsets in its gaming-centric G-series. The Helio G90 and G90T chipsets feature HyperEngine technology which helps boost the graphics performance. Both chipsets are the first of their kind by the Taiwanese chipmaker and are aimed at the mid-range smartphone market. During the launch, Manu Kumar Jain, MD, Xiaomi India revealed that the company will soon launch a phone that uses the Helio G90T processor. MediaTek's new chipsets are fabricated on a 12nm TSMC FinFET architecture and use ARM Cortex-A76 and Cortex-A55 CPUs with Mali-G76 as the graphics processor. Interestingly, these are same processor cores used by Qualcomm on its flagship SoC. The G90T supports upto 10GB RAM while the G90 is only compatible with upto 8GB LPDDR4x RAM. The Helio G90T comes with the support of four cameras and upto 64MP sensor whereas the regular version tops out at a triple setup and 48MP camera. Additionally, the new chipsets also offer support for Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) and HDR10 standard. TL Lee, General Manager, MediaTek Wireless Communication said, “With the Helio G90 series you get a super-fast and responsive display and reduced lag for smoother gameplay – because every millisecond counts in the game world. Whether it’s Fortnite, PUBG or other top titles, this chip is a gaming powerhouse." MediaTek's new chipsets support dual Wi-Fi bands. This enables a single antenna to be connected to two Wi-Fi bands or routers simultaneously to maintain a consistent connection with the Internet while decreasing latency and jitter. The rapid response engine increases touch input for a more fluid gaming experience. With the two new chipsets, MediaTek is aiming to make an impact in the mid-range smartphone market and with a soon-to-be-released phone by Xiaomi, we'll soon see their claims put to test. Also Read: Google Pixel 4 will resurrect one of Samsung's most useless Galaxy featureshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/z8VNI0423uM

The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 launch date is set for August 7, but at this rate there won't be anything left for Samsung to reveal, as Note 10 details continue to leak online, with a bundle of new information having just hit the web. First up, a post from Twitter leaker Ishan Agarwal appears to reveal a number of details about the Galaxy Note 10 series of handsets (we're also expecting to see Samsung launch a premium Galaxy Note 10 Plus) including super-fast wireless and wired charging, and a main 12MP camera with an f/1.5 aperture. However, there are a couple of bigger reveals in play here, with the first being the claim that the standard Galaxy Note 10 won't have a QHD display, and will have to settle for a Full HD+ resolution instead. This would be a huge shift from Samsung, as it has packed a QHD resolution screen into every Note handset since 2014. Its last phablet flagship that came with a Full HD display? The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 back in 2013. We'd take this particular part of the report with a healthy pinch of salt then, but if Samsung is going to launch two variants of the Note 10 it will need to differentiate between them in a few ways to justify their existence – so this screen resolution change could conceivably happen. Another interesting nugget from this Galaxy Note 10 leak is the claim that the handsets will come with an IP69 dust and water resistance rating. The Galaxy Note 9 arrived with an IP68 rating. The '6' refers to its dust protection, and 6 is the highest level a device can achieve, which (according to The Enclosure Company) makes it "totally dust tight. Full protection against dust and other particulates, including a vacuum seal, tested against continuous airflow." It's the second digit we're interested in though. A '9' for water resistance would provide the Galaxy Note 10 with "protection against high-pressure, high-temperature jet sprays, wash-downs or steam-cleaning procedures." Just how useful this additional level of protection would be on a smartphone isn't immediately clear, as the commonly used IP68 protection found on many flagship phones already protects against complete submersion in water - handy if you accidentally drop it in the bath. Again, we'd take this Note 10 leak with a pinch of salt. 5G phones are hereAre you ready for foldable phones?The new iPhone will arrive later this yearNew Galaxy Note 10 colorThat's not all though, as a separate Samsung Galaxy Note 10 leak has potentially also revealed a new color option for the upcoming handset. A render published by WinFuture apparently shows the Galaxy Note 10 in a pink hue, and the shade is said to be coming to the standard handset as well as the Note 10 Plus. If this Galaxy Note 10 leak is correct, the new color would add a cool additional choice to a range which will also apparently include blue and green variants. However, you may not get the option to choose from all the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 colors, as in the past Samsung has made some color options exclusive to certain regions and countries. The good news is there's not long to wait to find out, with Samsung's August 7 Unpacked launch event just around the corner, where all the details will be revealed. We'll be reporting live from the New York launch event to bring you everything you need to know as it breaks. Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus confirmed by Samsung itselfhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/ZMtfrw7P5WM

With the number of leaks surrounding the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 it looks likely the slate will arrive alongside the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 on August 7, and a big specs leak today suggests it might even steal some of that phone's thunder. That's worth emphasizing because Samsung didn't put top-end power in its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4. But according to Ishan Agarwal (a leaker with a decent track record) the Galaxy Tab S6 will have a top-end Snapdragon 855 chipset. And that’s not the only high-end spec rumored. He also lists a 2560 x 1600 AMOLED screen, a 7,040mAh battery, and a dual-lens rear camera, with both a 13MP f/2.0 main lens and a 5MP f/2.2 secondary one. Read our full iPad Pro 11 reviewSee what we think of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S5eCheck out our guide to the best Android tabletsAdditionally, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 supposedly has an 8MP f/2.0 front camera with facial recognition (though he’s not sure whether it uses 3D or 2D recognition), and an S Pen with an unexplained ‘Air Mouse’ feature. That S Pen can apparently last almost six hours with standard use, but only around 30 minutes when using Air Gesture/Air Mouse features. He also mentions dimensions and weight, saying that the Tab S6 will be 244.5 x 159.5 x 5.7mm and 420g. That would make it smaller in every sense than the 249.3 x 164.3 x 7.1mm Galaxy Tab S4, as well as being lighter. That smaller size is likely down at least in part to smaller bezels, which you can see in leaked renders shared by the same source. You can also see that the S Pen seems to sit on the back of the slate. The color shown incidentally is apparently Mountain Grey, though we’d expect other shades to be offered too. Filling in the gapsThese leaks largely tally with other recent information shared by MySmartPrice. The site agrees with the battery size, weight, chipset and camera megapixel counts, though slightly differs in saying that the main shooter is f/1.9 rather than f/2.0. This MySmartPrice leak also fills in some of the gaps, adding that the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 will apparently come with a choice of 6GB or 8GB of RAM (which is another way in which it would more or less be top-end), and 128GB or 256GB of storage, along with a microSD card slot. The site also claims the screen is a 10.5-inch "likely 2K" one, that there’s an in-screen fingerprint scanner, and that there are four AKG-tuned speakers, along with Samsung DeX support, which would allow you to use the Tab S6 with more of a laptop/desktop interface. Finally, the site notes that a tablet with the model number SM-T865 – which has been linked to the Tab S6 in the past – has been certified by the IMDA (a regulatory agency in Singapore). That further suggests the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 is landing very soon, as this sort of certification usually happens close to launch. Check out the best tabletshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/ip6dNfWtQac

4K Ultra HD: the resolution giving you more pixels than ever in your home television. Remember when Full HD seemed like the sharpest picture you could get? With four times as many pixels as HD, 4K resolution has completely changed the level of visual detail and clarity we've come to expect from our screens. Whereas traditional HD is limited to 1920 vertical columns and 1080 horizontal rows of pixels, Ultra HD has a total resolution of 3840 pixels by 2160 – a slightly smaller resolution than the 4,096 x 2,160 resolution seen on cinema screens (that, for the record, is called Cinema 4K). We're used to being slightly wary of new television technologies that try to entice us into parting with our hard-earned cash (thanks 3D), but when it comes to 4K there are few downsides. The initial price barrier has dropped massively over the past few years too, with 4K coming to all sorts of budget and mid-range sets, and it's never been easier to get a 4K UHD television into your home. This is especially helpful on television's that are 50-inches and above. Check out our guide to the best 4K TVs.At the end of the day it might not be the raw resolution of 4K that tempts you into your next TV purchase, but the inclusion of other cool technologies like High-Dynamic Range, Quantum Dot and OLED panels. Before we get into the specifics of each technology, here's a video outlining 4K in a nutshell. Check out our video below for an introduction to the world of 4K. What is 4K?Pure and simple, 4K means a clearer picture. It's more pixels (8,294,400 to be exact) on the screen at once that creates images that are crisper and capable of showing more details than standard HD. That's it?That's it. What is the resolution of 4K?4K resolution, at least the way most TVs define it, is 3840 x 2160 or 2160p. To put that in perspective, a full HD 1080p image is only a 1920x1080 resolution. 4K screens have about 8 million pixels, which is around four times what your current 1080p set can display. Think of your TV like a grid, with rows and columns. A full HD 1080p image is 1080 rows high and 1920 columns wide. A 4K image approximately doubles the numbers in both directions, yielding approximately four times as many pixels total. To put it another way, you could fit every pixel from your 1080p set onto one quarter of a 4K screen. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/cPULzeaxknqS7SEBJLPFQE.jpg Samsung's new QLED TVs are 4K HDR with insanely high peak brightness levels of up to 2,000 nits. Why is it called 4K?Because the images are around 4,000 pixels wide. And before you ask, yes, the industry named 1080 resolution after image height, but named 4K after image width. For extra added fun, you also might hear this resolution referred to as 2160p. Welcome to the future. It's confusing here. Do all those extra pixels matter?They matter very much. More pixels means more information. More information means sharper pictures. Sharper pictures are more engaging. More engaging content is more fun. And fun... well fun is the thing, isn't it? So I'll see a huge difference?That's where it gets sticky. We're talking about a similar jump in resolution as the one from SD (480 lines high) to HD (1080 lines high). And 4K screens are noticeably sharper than 1080p screens. But there are a few reasons you might not feel the same thrill you did when you upgraded your old CRT to a flatscreen. When most people went from a 480 to a 1080p set, there was a good chance they were making a big jump in TV size as well. In terms of wow factor, display size is more powerful than any resolution jump could ever hope to be. Last time around most people got big jumps to both screen size and resolution. But this time screen sizes are staying about the same, with the most popular models falling in the 40 inch to 70 inch range. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5294c7a5bae453d4ba63d3c7f1e03c15.jpg If you have the bandwidth, you can now watch many of Netflix's shows in Ultra HD 4K Most importantly, though, you'll only be able to see the resolution difference on a 4K set if you're 1) watching 4K content through it and 2) you're sitting close enough. Sitting close enough?Yup. Remember when Apple made a big fuss about "retina" displays a few iPhones back? "Retina" refers to screens that have sufficient resolution that at a normal viewing distance your eye can't make out individual pixels. Get far enough away from a 1080p set and, hey presto, it's a retina display! More importantly, at that same distance, your eyeballs won't be able to squeeze any more detail out of a 4K image than a 1080 one. If you're at "retina distance" from your 1080p set now and don't plan on moving your couch closer, upgrading to 4K may not make a big difference to your experience. This chart shows how close you need to sit at any given screen size to see the difference. So I should sit closer?Oh my yes. The ability to get up close to the screen without the image breaking down is one of the most intoxicating things about 4K. Sitting closer allows the same sized screen to fill more of your visual field, which yields greater immersion. The up-close factor is one of the reasons 4K computer monitors have become one of the technology's fastest growing sectors. 4K monitors remain pin-sharp even when you're just a foot or two from the screen, as you are when you're sitting at your desk. Difference between Ultra HD and 4KTechnically, "Ultra High Definition" is actually a derivation of the 4K digital cinema standard. However while your local multiplex shows images in native 4096 x 2160 4K resolution, the new Ultra HD consumer format has a slightly lower resolution of 3840 x 2160. This is one reason why some brands prefer not to use the 4K label at all, sticking with Ultra HD or UHD instead. However, the numerical shorthand looks likely to stick. Why should I care about 4K Ultra HD?There are many reasons why 4K should make you rethink your next TV purchase (actually, there are eleven and you can read about them here), not all of them immediately obvious. Photographers who routinely view their work on an HD TV are seeing but a fraction of the detail inherent in their pictures when they view them at 2160p. A 4K display reveals so much more nuance and detail – the difference can be astonishing. While 3D has proved to be a faddish diversion, 4K comes without caveats. Its higher resolution images are simply better. The higher pixel density of a 4K panel also enable you get much closer without the grid-like structure of the image itself becoming visible –this means you can comfortably watch a much larger screen from the same seating position as your current Full HD panel. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KYGKqfYEHvDkHfSfwsoxHP.jpeg Ultra HD PremiumIf you're sitting there thinking that all these new technologies and acronyms sound confusing then you'd be right. That's why a group of companies decided to form the UHD Alliance with the expressed aim of defining what technologies should be included in the next generation of TV sets. The UHD Alliance is comprised of 35 companies including television manufacturers such as LG, Panasonic, Samsung, Toshiba, Sony, Sharp, audio companies such as Dolby, and film and television production companies such as Netflix and 20th Century Fox. The idea then is that if everyone can agree on what features they think UHD should include, then Disney (an example member of the alliance) can produce a movie that Netflix will be able to stream through a Samsung TV, and the eventual image will be exactly what the director at Disney intended. The result of this alliance was the UHD Premium specification announced at CES 2016. The specification comprises a list of features that should be included in products like TVs and Blu-ray players to ensure maximum compatibility with other content and hardware produced. Currently, in order to adhere to the UHD Premium specification a product must have: A resolution of at least 3840x216010-bit color depth, allowing for 1,024 shades of each of the three primary colors red, green and blue, as opposed to the 256 allowed by the current 8-bit standard.Be capable of displaying pixels at a certain brightness and darkness for HDR purposes (technically this light level is from 0.05 to 1,000 'nits' for LEDs and 0.0005 to 540 'nits' for OLED sets for all you number lovers out there). Adhering to these standards means blacks should look truly dark as opposed to just milky black and whites should really pop.Now that this standard has been defined it should just be a case of checking that your next purchase has the 'Ultra HD Premium' logo and not having to worry about your set being incompatible with the slew of 4K content that's about to emerge over the next few years. Except of course it's not that simple. Samsung and Panasonic are embracing the new standard, with both of their flagship lineups wearing their UHD Premium badges with pride. Sony however have decided to go down a more confusing route and have decided to stick with their internal '4K HDR' label despite their sets all actually meeting the required specification. Philips won't be using the alliance's badge, but its sets don't currently meet the specification anyway. It's only natural that while a technology is still emerging these problems will continue to exist, but we hope that soon we'll be able to recommend looking for a UHD Premium set without reservation. Until the whole industry unambiguously backs the standard however, we'd still recommend you tread carefully to ensure maximum compatibility. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/w8XfCUhqXmMApxbuLPktWb.jpg And what about 8K?We thought that might come up. You may have heard some of the buzz around 8K resolution - a new visual standard with four times the number of pixels of 4K. Basically it doubles the pixel height and width again to yield approximately 32 million pixels. It's a regular pixel party - though you can find out more about the new resolution in our 8K TV guide. Confusingly, an 8K display would also be considered 'Ultra HD'. Should I just get an 8K TV instead?If you want? The 8K standard was, until recently, still primarily for the exhibition market (aka movie theaters). To make that many pixels matter, you need to be feeding a pretty big screen and sitting close enough to tell the difference. We're starting to see commercial 8K televisions come to market, though they'll cost you - and there isn't much in the way of 8K content to truly recommend them. You'll still get the benefit of advanced upscaling from HD or 4K, though, and if you fancy being at the cutting edge of TV technology, an 8K TV is probably what you want. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/0bbbebf0a516ecf551fce19b3766db53.jpg My friend told me about 4K OLED. What's that?More acronyms! Isn't this fun? OLED - organic light emitting diodes - have been around for some time, but producing big screens using this technology has proven to be prohibitively expensive, something which has so far prevented OLED television from being a mainstream proposition. It's a real shame because OLED technology can be stunning, offering vibrant colors, deep blacks and bright whites. But don't give up hope just yet. Several companies (most prominently LG) are laboring away to bring OLED to 4K televisions. They're certainly gorgeous, though pricing remains high years after they first came to market - and it's generally accepted that they don't have the longevity of LCD screens. I've heard Netflix has been streaming in something called HDR. What is that?HDR, UHD, OLED... there's no shortage of acronyms in home entertainment. HDR, or high dynamic range, essentially increases the difference between the lightest and the darkest portions of an image. Blacks get properly dark rather than milky grey, and whites get blindingly light. This means that images have more depth to them, and you should also be able to perceive more detail in the lightest and darkest portions of the image. Netflix was the first content provider to release HDR video in 2015, but Amazon Instant Video also offers high dynamic range content. HDR has also been included in the new Ultra HD Blu-ray standard. You can read our full explainer on High Dynamic Range here. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/boAovkERCVYhC9GQyxrRQn.jpg Why isn't broadcast TV all in 4K?Because every 4K frame contains four times the information of HD, 4K content is four times more bulky than regular HD content in terms of its raw file size. That makes it a challenge to get it to you. Steps are being made to get 4K content into broadcast television. In the UK, Sky has started broadcasting select sports in 4K, and BT is also using IPTV technology to do likewise. On the streaming side, bandwidth is a definite issue. The internet's bandwidth is already dominated by Netflix's traffic, prompting ISPs to go after them for extra cash, and that's with most of its streams at SD and HD levels. Upping everything to 4K doesn't sound like a reasonable option just yet. And even if it were possible to stream 4K content to everyone without breaking the internet, streaming 4K content requires a 25Mbps or faster downstream internet connection, which is faster than most people have at the moment. So what can I watch in 4K?Your best UHD options right now come from Netflix and Amazon. Netflix is leading the 4K streaming waters with most of its original shows (The Defenders, House of Cards, Dark, The Blacklist) being available in 4K, alongside select films (Ghostbusters, The Smurfs 2). The selection might be more limited than the amount of HD content, but it's increasing day by day. Amazon has also gotten into the 4K UHD streaming game by offering some of its highest-rated shows – Transparent, Mozart in the Jungle, Man in the High Castle, The Grand Tour and Mad Dogs – in Ultra HD. Both streaming services say even more content is on its way and expects the roll-out to ramp up once more TV watchers make the jump to the higher-resolution standard. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dSm8kGXxJ4tDnA6NFmF2TB.jpg If you have the bandwidth, you can now watch some Netflix shows in Ultra HD 4KWhat about gaming in 4K?We had 4K gaming on the PC for a while before consoles, but the more advanced versions of Sony and Microsoft's gaming machines can certainly compete. Sony got the ball rolling with the PS4 Pro, which uses an advanced form of upscaling to generate a 4K image. It might not be native 4K, but we think the results are excellent. Although Microsoft dipped its toe in the 4K water with the similarly upscaling Xbox One S, things got serious with the release of the Xbox One X - a powerhouse console which offers native 4K resolution on a handful of titles. What kind of cables will I need for 4K?The two standard cables you're most likely to use are either a standard HDMI, or if you're connecting a PC to a Ultra HD monitor, DisplayPort. HDMI cables now come in four flavors: high speed with ethernet; high speed without ethernet; standard speed with ethernet and standard speed without ethernet. Standard speed cables are capable of 1080i, but aren't able to handle the bandwidth of 4K. High speed cables can do anything higher than 1080i. Now, as long as you're using the same class of cable, there is no distinguishable difference in terms of performance between one manufacturer's set of cables and another's. The speed of your connection, however, will depend on the types of connectors. HDMI 1.4 connectors support a 3820x2160-resolution at 30 frames per second (fps), while HDMI 2.0 can output video at Ultra HD resolution at 60 frames per second, and HDMI 2.0a is capable of HDR. The latest spec, HDMI 2.1, goes that bit further with 4K at 120fps, or 8K at 60fps. The bottom line is that if your HDMI cable is able to handle 1080p (the standard for a number of years now) then it should be able to also do 4K. Don't get conned into buying expensive cables. The other type of cable you can use is DisplayPort. DisplayPort carries 4K image and audio signal from most high-end graphics cards to monitors without any noticeable artifacts or delays. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DfYVgPtTF39sLSJN6oNozX.jpg PS4 games like God of War offer incredible detail in 4K So should I buy a 4K set now or should I wait?If you're buying a TV that's 50-inches and above you should absolutely think about investing in 4K. All of the major players are embracing it as the new standard, and the amount of content is only going to increase over time. If you're buying a TV smaller than 50-inches, the answer is less obvious. The problem is not that 4K doesn't make enough of a difference at these sizes, but instead that the additional technologies that have been combined with 4K in most sets haven't trickled down to the smaller models just yet. As a result, while it's totally possible to get a 4K TV that's as small as just 40-inches, at this point it's unlikely to have a decent level of HDR (which we'd consider as going as bright as 1000 nits or more), 10-bit color, or wide color gamut. Sure you'll get the right amount of pixels, but they won't have the additional technologies to make them look really beautiful. Eventually they'll make their way to small TVs, but for now 4K is at its best at 50 inches and above, where you can get all the bells and whistles that really matter. Scott Alexander originally contributed this article. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/WP_pJjBPFZ8

Windows 10 could soon allow you to factory reset your PC using the internet – in much the same way you can reset a Mac or MacBook using macOS’s Internet Recovery feature. This is according to renowned Microsoft leaker WalkingCat, who claims that in a future version of Windows 10, you’ll be able to reinstall Windows from an internet download – rather than an image stored on your PC’s hard drive, or on a USB stick. How to update drivers in Windows 10Best Windows 10 antivirus of 2019100 Windows 10 tips and tricksAccording to WalkingCat, this new feature would be present in Windows 10 build 18950 – which is still some way off from being made available to users. People testing early versions of Windows 10 on the Windows Insider Fast Ring are on build 18945, for context. A better way to reinstall Windows 10If this feature does make it to Windows 10, then it will be a welcome addition. Currently, if you want to factory reset your Windows 10 PC or reinstall Windows 10, you do so either from an image stored in the ‘recovery’ partition of your hard drive, or by using an image on a DVD or USB drive. This isn’t always useful, because if your hard drive becomes corrupted, you won’t be able to use the image stored on it, and some laptop and PC makers either don’t include an image, or limit how many times you can use it. Using an image from a USB drive means you have to keep it somewhere you can easily find – otherwise you’ll need to use another PC to download the image and turn the USB into a bootable drive if your main PC no longer works. These images aren’t always the latest releases, and may not have the drivers for all your hardware. If Windows 10’s ‘cloud download’ restore feature works in a similar way to macOS’ Internet Recovery, then you’ll get the latest version of Windows 10 with all the drivers you need. Internet Recovery is one of the most useful features of macOS – especially if you’re restoring your Mac to sell it on or to fix any problems – so we’re excited to see a similar feature (hopefully) coming to Windows 10. These are the best laptops of 2019http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/6W8sgsg3JV4

When Transport for NSW first introduced the ability to pay for your transit fare using your credit card or phone’s contactless payment functionality, the feature was rather limited. Initially, it was only available for light rail and ferries, and you wouldn’t receive any of the rewards that you normally would when using your Opal. Now, much of this has changed. As Transport for NSW has officially partnered with CommBank, passengers paying for their train, light rail, Sydney Metro or ferry fare using contactless payment will receive the same benefits as if they used an Opal card. This includes off-peak pricing, the transfer discount applied when changing between modes of transport, the half price fares after travelling eight times in a week, and the caps applied to daily, weekly and Sunday trips. NSW commuters can now use Samsung Pay on Opal terminals while lockedAlthough the partnership is with CommBank, this is simply due to the company's key role in Australian contactless payment infrastructure and any format is compatible – including Visa, Mastercard, American Express and smartphone systems. There are some caveats however – the system only applies to adult fares, so senior and concession commuters will want to keep using their physical Opal cards for the time being. While buses don’t yet have access to the feature, they’ll be getting it “soon”, according to the Transport NSW post, so we can expect to all-but ditch our Opal cards by the end of the year. Uber's flying taxi will slash your commute by 2023Uber joins the partyAnother win for Sydney commuters comes from the likes of Uber, which has started to roll out a new feature for its ride-sharing app that integrates public transport information as an alternative to get to their destination. Sydney is the first city in the Southern Hemisphere to see the feature added, and only the fourth in the world following Denver, Boston and London. When users select their destination using the company’s app, the “Public Transport” option will appear beneath the regular host of Uber offerings, and once selected, it will show real-time transit alternatives including bus, train, ferry and light rail. Included in the details on offer are the pricing of the whole trip, how long it will take, as well as directions to walk to the nearest station, bus stop or ferry terminal. Uber is using Australia as a testing ground for a few of its services – passenger drone service Uber Air will be trialled in Melbourne in 2020, and the company has launched ScUber in Queensland to take passengers on a tour of the Great Barrier Reef. Uber launches ScUber: an underwater ride-hailing servicehttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/BfcFxpflGkg

Time to throw that old Discman in the trash, because the legendary alt-metal band Tool has announced that it will finally bring its entire catalog to "all streaming and digital formats" this Friday. The band took to its official Instagram page to reveal the news, and while there's no mention of specific streaming services, we can assume the music will land on Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal, Amazon Music Unlimited and more. Apple Music vs SpotifySpotify boasts twice as many paid subscribers as Apple MusicYou can now get Apple Music on your Amazon speakersTool story broThe news coincides with another major Tool-related announcement – the band will release Fear Inoculum, its first studio album in 13 years, on August 30, giving fans a little under a month to stream the group's back catalog in anticipation. One of the last major bands to enter the streaming age, Tool has never even released its music on iTunes – until now, the only legal way to acquire the art rockers' discography was by purchasing it on CD, cassette or vinyl reissue. With other longtime streaming holdouts like The Beatles and Prince (albeit posthumously) eventually relenting, it's no surprise that Tool would finally give in, especially with a new album on the way. However, the band's frontman, Maynard James Keenan, insists he isn't responsible for the Tool's long streaming delay, telling one irate fan on Twitter that he was "Squawking at the wrong tool". Spotify is quietly testing an Instagram-style Stories feature for artistshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/iSJxF4aZdq8

Google must be getting tired of leaks for its upcoming Pixel 4. The company just up and announced two huge features its flagship will feature: the air-gesture-control Motion Sense and Face Unlock. In a tweet and blog post, Google outlined the two features – along with the new tech embedded in the phone that makes them possible. Motion Sense is made possible by Soli, a motion-sensing radar Google says it’s been working on for the last half-decade. Soli is apparently a scaled-down version of the common technology, but used to detect intricate finger gestures instead of planes and ships. You’ll be able to use it for simple controls, like switching songs or apps, which makes it sound a lot like the LG G8’s Hand ID gesture control. Curiously, Google mentions that Motion Sense will only be available in “select Pixel countries.” Saying that, what it really reminds us of is Samsung's 'Air Gestures' on the Galaxy S4, a feature that goes down in TechRadar folklore as one of the most pointless features ever seen in a handset. The fact that LG and now Google are bringing this old feature back makes us feel that the tech is starting to get to a more useful level, but it still lacks the killer feature that makes waving our hands in front of a smartphone seem better than, you know, just touching it. Back to normality, and as described Face Unlock will work much like Apple’s Face ID, though it should start authenticating as soon as you lift the phone and work in nearly every orientation, even upside down. That seems more versatile, and hopefully as secure. (The Google post notes that facial recognition is processed on the Pixel 4 itself and stored locally, as is the Soli sensor data, which is “never saved or shared with other Google services.") http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/d2sBUfm9zfzVwwvwBLGGzC.png Both features are made possible by a new suite of sensors spanning nearly the entire top bezel (which might be why it kept the Pixel 3’s massive header). This includes an IR camera, dot projector, and flood illuminator – all for Face Unlock – along with a Soli radar chip. Google intends to improve these features over time, which is unsurprising given how long it's supported older Pixel handsets with new software. But, we imagine only the Pixel 4 and beyond will be able to support Motion Sense and Face Unlock. New features in, old features outSo, if Face Unlock just like Face ID on iOS, does that mean the Google Pixel 4 won’t have a touch sensor? None of the renders – or even the Google-released cropped teaser shot – show a fingerprint sensor on the rear or sides of the phone. The Google Pixel 4 could indeed have an in-screen fingerprint sensor, like most phones coming out this year. It would be a first for Google, as the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3a both have traditional rear fingerprint sensors. But, no leaked Pixel 4 renders have depicted in-screen fingerprint scanners (hard as that would be), nor have rumors mentioned any. While Google could be waiting until later to reveal the phone will have one, which would be far from the most exciting feature, we have to keep the possibility open that flagship Pixel handsets will rely on facial recognition for authentication from here on out. The Pixel 4 is shaping up to be a contender for our best Android phones listhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/F9RXlG2BRBg

While Android ransomware has been declining since 2017, ESET researchers have discovered a new ransomware family that uses victims' contact lists to spread further via SMS messages containing malicious links. The new ransomware, referred to as Android/Filecoder.C, was distributed on adult content-related topics on Reddit and for a short time via the “XDA developers” forum. The ESET researcher who led the investigation, Lukáš Štefanko provided further insight into the ransomware campaign the company discovered, saying: Businesses still aren't encrypting their removable devicesAndroid banking malware hitting more users than everRansomware attack leaves Johannesburg without power“The campaign we discovered is small and rather amateurish. Also, the ransomware itself is flawed – especially in terms of the encryption which is poorly implemented. Any encrypted files can be recovered without help from the attackers. However, if the developers fix the flaws and the distribution becomes more advanced, this new ransomware could become a serious threat.” Android/Filecoder.CAndroid/Filecoder.C gained the attention of ESET researchers because of its unique spreading mechanism. Before it starts encrypting files, the ransomware sends a batch of text messages to every address in a victim's contact list that contains a malicious link to ransomware installation file. In addition to its non-traditional spreading mechanism, Android/Filecoder.C contains a few anomalies in its encryption. The ransomware excludes large archives (over 50 MB) and small images (under 150 KB). It list of “fileytpes to encrypt” also contains many entries unrelated to Android while also lacking some of the extensions typical for Android which Štefanko believes is a direct result of its list being copied from the notorious WannaCry ransomware. Unlike typical Android ransomware, Android/Filecoder.C does not prevent users from accessing their devices by locking the screen. Additionally the ransom is not set as a hardcoded value and instead the amount requested by the attackers is created dynamically using the UserID assigned by the ransomware to the particular victim. This process results in a unique ransom amount for each victim, falling in the range of 0.01 to 0.02 BTC. To prevent falling victim to ransomware, ESET recommends that you keep your devices up to date, only download apps from Google Play or other reputable app stores, check the ratings and reviews of apps before installation, pay close attention to the permissions requested by an app and use a mobile security solution to protect your device. We've also highlighted the best free anti-ransomwarehttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/Aher_keKu7s

After eight weeks of romance, arguments, bizarre challenges and slow-mo Caroline Flack, we're sorry to say that Love Island 2019 is finally coming to an end. But don't think of this as bad news as there's still one last bout of drama to enjoy - prepare to watch the Love Island finale online tonight. With fans arguing over who was the perfect couple of this Summer experience, it's hard to guess who will win. Will it be Tommy and Molly-Mae who stuck it out the whole way through? Or the incredibly popular Amber and Greg? There's only one way to find out. Expect tuxedos, dancing and an emotional ending as the winner is finally crowned and we find out who wins that £50,000 and the title of the Love Island 2019 best couple. Airing tonight (Monday, July 29) on ITV, gather your friends for this final blow of overly tanned romance and flirting as you watch the Love Island Finale 2019 online. With the episode expected to be a whole 95 minutes long, it should be the best yet this year. We've listed all of the details of times and locations down below, giving you all the information you need to watch Love Island online for the final time this series. Even if you happen to be away on holiday, you can still see how to catch the ending. Want to watch the US version? Check out our How to Watch Love Island USA guidehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/B9XNGCRYNHKJzN5zVfTMje.jpg How to watch Love Island's Season 5 finale online for free in the UKIf you're going to be in the UK for the big Live Final episode tonight then watching is easy. Simply tune in at 9pm tonight (Monday, July 29) on ITV2 to catch all of the drama unfolding in the very last 2019 Love Island episode. But if you would rather watch Love Island online you can easily catch it via the ITV website or watch it on your mobile devices via the ITV Hub app which you can download here for Android and here for your iPhone or iPad. See how to watch Chernobyl online - TV's other most popular show right nowHow to watch Love Island online from outside the countryIf you’re from the UK and have planned a holiday while the finale is airing then clearly you're not very dedicated to seeing the winners of Love Island! But don’t worry as we can help you avoid any annoying geo-blocking allowing you and your friends to catch the Love Island final on your holiday. By using a VPN, you can change your IP address to one in the UK which will allow you to stream the event using your ITV account. Keep reading and we’ll show you how. Stateside? Check out the very best US VPN servicesWhich contestants are in the Love Island finale?- India Reynolds: 28-year old model from Reading - Greg O'Shea: 24-year old professional rugby player from Limerick - Maura Higgins: 28-year old model from Ireland - Curtis Pritchard: 23-year old Ballroom and Latin Dancer from Shropshire - Molly-Mae Hague: 20-year old social media influencer from Hertfordshire - Amber Gill: 21-year old beauty therapist from Newcastle - Ovie Soko: 28-year old professional basketball player - Tommy Fury: 20-year old Boxer from Manchester Who is expected to win the Love Island 2019 finale?Obviously with this being the very final episode, all of the couples still in are very much the public's favourites. However, with Tommy and Molly-Mae having been in a couple for the longest amount of time, they are likely to win. Or, based on which contestants have received the most support, Greg and Amber also seem likely to win the finale. Out of the remaining four, Curtis and Maura have the lowest odds. Want to see your favourite couple win? Tune in tonight to watch the Love Island Finale online as it happens. What will the winners of the Love Island finale get?With the winners being announced tonight, we will see who will be crowned Mr and Mrs Love Island 2019 (not a real title, although it does have a ring to it). The winners get themselves a mega £50,000, the chance to find their soul mate and of course, a lifetime of obscure promo ads and club appearances...but mainly the £50,000. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ebGZgkd4qVX7mUuvz3WNkH.jpg http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/gAbkETmqPvY

If you've got questions heading into this year's Back to School season, we want to be here to help. That's why we're running an Ask Me Anything question and answer session on Twitter this week, July 31 (10am ET/7am PT) through August 2 (4pm ET/1pm PT). If you follow us on Twitter at this link within that window and mention us in a tweet with the hashtag "#TechRadarUniversity" alongside your question, we'll pool our gadget nerd knowledge to answer. Whether you ask which graphics card to pick when upgrading your dorm PC or which budget phone to consider that will last you through the school term – or anything in between – our experts will find the answers to your questions. You've got a whole two days during which we'll make ourselves available for your questions directly. So, bring your Back to School tech buying questions and we'll be prepared to answer – on Twitter, starting July 31 at 10am ET. These are the best laptops for students writ largeOn a budget? Check out the best cheap laptop deals in the USWe've also covered the best cheap laptop sales and deals in the UKhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/tOkK0FtXE9k

Details on Apple's anticipated 16-inch MacBook Pro are coming hot and heavy, and the latest bit of news suggests that the model could launch as soon as September, DigiTimes reports. The key detail of this new report is that the 16-inch MacBook Pro presumably will launch alongside Apple's next iPhone, the iPhone 11 (or whatever Apple decides to name it), during a September launch event. That date isn't confirmed yet, though. And, if it does happen in September, the actual retail availability could still be slightly later. It also wouldn't be surprising for the MacBook Pro to launch at a slightly later date. Apple has had separate events for product lines in the past, even if they were launched close together. Launching the iPhone 11, a popular consumer device, alongside the more niche, professional-oriented MacBook Pro would make less sense than having two separate events with one focused on general consumers and the other focused on prosumers. Check out the details on the MacBook Air 2019Learn all about macOS CatalinaSee the Huawei laptop ready to challenge AppleOther details and rumorsAlso detailed in the reports is that the new model will maintain a similar physical footprint to the current 15-inch MacBook Pro while using a 16-inch LCD display. The resolution may be a somewhat curious 3,072 x 1,920, giving it a 16:10 aspect ratio. This would make it more like the LG gram 17 we saw at CES 2019, and target competition from the likes of the Surface Laptop 2, which has a productivity-focused 3:2 aspect ratio. It's also suggested that Quanta will be the manufacturer of this new MacBook Pro model. This is just the latest in a string of details about the MacBook Pro. It's also been reported that the new laptop will ditch the butterfly keyboards that have been plaguing Apple's MacBooks for the last few years. Instead, the new model could have a keyboard using more common scissor switch mechanisms. One rumor that doesn't seem to be playing out is that of an OLED display. While they can be stunning, as we saw from the Alienware m15, some of the quirks may prevent them from being a perfect option for a machine likely to be used by content creators. See the latest info about iOS 13Via 9to5Mac http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/qOTfHDVgi24

While gaming laptops used to be niche enough that it was a little easily to search for the one that happened to be packing the best processor, GPU and RAM assortment, the field has exploded since then and it can be a little harder to determine the best gaming laptop. The gaming laptop we're used to seeing – thick chassis with RGB and tapered flares – isn't the only option any more, with a variety of advancements (such as Nvidia's Max-Q technology) allowing the sleeker ultrabook form factor to harbour some incredible grunt as well. Regardless of if you're in it for the stealthy, sleek numbers to slip in your satchel on the go, or an all-in-one replacement for a desktop rig, we've sifted through what's on offer to bring you the best gaming laptops available in Australia. The best laptops of 2019 in Australia: our picks of the top laptops on sale nowhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/cxyU49vRf2uKPVa7KNPBUk.jpg It used to be that the best gaming laptops were thick, bulky devices that were necessary to experience the best PC games on the move. Those days are over. The Gigabyte Aero 15 packs a 6-core 8th-generation Intel Core i7 processor and a GTX 1060 into a package that allows it to pass as an Ultrabook. And, thanks to that beefy 6-core processor, it’s not just the best gaming laptop right now – it’s one of the best laptops, period. Read the full review: Gigabyte Aero 15 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mPiaXGCBPsAZynfD7uaJqN.jpg If you want to play some of the best PC games on the move, but you don’t want everyone to know you’re playing games, the MSI GS65 Stealth is the best gaming laptop for you. Coming in at just 17.5mm thick and featuring impressive hardware like Intel Coffee Lake processors and Nvidia GeForce GTX 10-series – refreshed with RTX 20-series graphics at CES – the MSI GS65 Stealth packs a ton of power into a very svelte package. There’s nothing you won’t be able to throw at this thing that’ll slow it down. And, thanks to the subdued design, you’ll be able to bring this beefy rig everywhere you go, making it on of the best gaming laptops on the market right now. Read the full review: MSI GS65 Stealth http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/moWbzkvuFnGAJ49sRjQkxW.jpg The 15.6-inch Razer Blade might look a lot like its 2018 predecessor, but the RTX upgrade marks a significant improvement to this gaming powerhouse. Beyond its insanely high-end specs and beautiful (and slightly tweaked) chassis, it can fit up to a 4K Ultra-HD display, with the specs to actually back it up. It might be expensive, but if you’re a Razer fan looking for the best gaming laptop, or simply want a portable way to experience the cutting edge of Nvidia's latest RTX cards, it might just be for you. Read the full review: Razer Blade 15 (2019) http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mshe2Fg8qjeY6DvNQAghnB.jpg Thin and light gaming laptops are everywhere right now, but if you don’t care about that, and want a thick, heavy and monstrous laptop that can demolish any game you throw at it – the Asus ROG G703GI is for you. This is a massive – and expensive – laptop, but it justifies its size and price with gaming performance that rivals the best gaming PCs. Just don’t think you’ll be able to haul it along with you to your local coffee shop without its two power bricks – or awkward stares. Read the full review: Asus ROG G703GI http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/k976GJLUC9iNfC5orutNqk.jpg If you want one of the best gaming laptops, but don’t want to miss out on the ultra-portable craze, you need to consider the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1. Packed with an Intel Kaby Lake G-series processor, this gaming laptop can keep up with its competitors rocking a GTX 1050 without featuring truly discrete graphics. And, when you combine that gaming horsepower with a chassis that looks this good, it’s a total win – even if you have to endure some fan noise to get there. Read the full review: Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/89WdmUiJGNqvgFkXUsYfMb.jpg While there are other gaming laptops opting for the sleekness and subtlety of an ultrabook, the HP Omen 15 offers up aesthetics that are unashamedly on the louder side of gaming. Thankfully, this is matched with a solid, sturdy chassis and some seriously solid performance to back it up. In fact, for the price, the Omen 15 performs remarkably well with either its GTX 1060 or 1070, and all of its configurations will offer up something of value to those who buy it. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eZuwQhcHM5JWvWK6FeHXW3.jpg When you’re setting out to buy one of the best gaming laptops, one of the first things you’ll likely notice is how expensive they can get. Luckily, the Dell G3 15 is not just extremely affordable, but it punches above its weight class with great 1080p gaming performance. With up to an Nvidia GTX 1060 GPU, you’ll be able to play all the latest games at 1080p without breaking a sweat, even if it’s not at max settings all the time. And, that blue on black color combo is quite a looker, if that’s your aesthetic. Read the full review: Dell G3 15 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qobgxXAkenBef6LuhLEUi.jpg While there are a handful of laptops in the budget space that offer great gaming solutions for those who are tight on cash, the Acer Nitro 5 is this year’s budget-laptop to beat. Whether it’s the entry level offering that doubles the RAM allocation to 16GB and throws in an additional 16GB of Intel Optane system memory/storage, or the mid-tier option offering a Nvidia GTX 1060 GPU, the Acer Nitro 5 is really showing up the competition in the budget gaming space Read the full review: Acer Nitro 5 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JaB68VCWuZLTgd69JyfWaF.jpeg Although the Predator Helios 500 from Acer might be almost as big as some desktop rigs, it's sporting an awesome 17.3-inch screen and has the performance to back it up. With a 144Hz refresh rate and G-Sync, this huge display matches up with a GPU that performs considerably better than other laptops with the same configurations. As long as you're not having to carry this one too far, the Predator Helios 500 is a great choice. Read the full review: Acer Predator Helios 500 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/aVJYnow5kyS8vKcDQAWXHA.jpg Kicking Nvidia’s Max-Q technology off right, the Asus Zephyrus GX501 combines the heralded thinness of an Ultrabook with the performance of a gaming PC to bring the best of both worlds to your fingertips. Despite exhibiting subpar times in our battery life benchmarks, this svelte powerhouse of a notebook is one for the books when it comes to both portability and style. Plus, it’s virtually silent if noise is a cause for distraction in your everyday routine. Read the full review: Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501 Want more choices? Check out our list of the best laptop 2019http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/Udx7yiSeq3o

Oppo has teased a prototype with a new 'waterfall screen' technology and a taller aspect ratio. However, that's not the most striking feature of this new display. Through pictures shared on Twitter and Weibo, we can make out that the prototype has a marginally higher screen-to-body ratio than usual and the display wraps around the edges at almost a 90-degree angle. While Samsung has been known to implement curved screens on its flagship phones from quite some time now, it seems as Oppo has taken it up by a notch. The curve looks extremely tapered with thin and symmetrical bezels on the top and bottom of the phone. There have been rumors surrounding a new phone by Oppo that offers over 100% screen-to-body ratio, and this prototype could be it. The phone is also considerably taller than the previous offerings by the company and could have a 21:9 aspect ratio as we have seen on the Xperia 1 or the Motorola One Vision. Notably, there isn't a front-facing camera on the phone as we can make out from the pictures. However, it could be possible that Oppo has gone with an in-display selfie camera for this model. The camera sensor sits underneath the display and only gets triggered when a user accesses the front camera. Oppo hasn't revealed much information about the hardware. This prototype phone is powered with, but we hope to see more of this in the coming few months leading up to IFA 2019 which kicks off from September 6 in Berlin. Also Read: Nintendo Switch gets unofficial Android porthttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/M-CXsprE9c8

While they started out as somewhat of a gimmick, Bluetooth earbuds have become all-but ubiquitous for everyday use. To begin with, the audio quality was almost always poor, but thanks to increasing development in Bluetooth standards as well as codecs like aptX, wireless earphones are some of the best available. Regardless of whether you're interested in the increased range of motion you can achieve by cutting the cable or are turning to Bluetooth audio because your phone has ditched its 3.5mm audio jack, you're in luck! All the best consumer brands – Jaybird, Plantronics, Apple, Jabra and more – are lending their weight to the cause so we can keep listening to top-notch audio, cable-free. While the neckband-style wireless earphones have had their popularity cemented, the likes of the Apple AirPods and other truly wireless Bluetooth earbuds have changed the game once more. Don't worry, we'll explain the differences shortly. It can be tricky to choose a pair with so much variety out there, but thankfully TechRadar has been painstakingly reviewing these earbuds over the years and have a solid idea of what's worth the dosh. On this page, we'll take you through the best wireless, Bluetooth earphones on the market right now so you can find exactly what you want. Can't decide which type of headphones to buy? Check out our guide video: Wireless earbuds vs true wireless earbudsBefore we dive too deep down the rabbit hole, we should cover the whole true wireless vs wireless discussion happening in the audio world right now. Wireless headphones – the earbuds you see in front of you now – have existed for some time now, basically since Bluetooth as a standard was invented. For years they went largely unrecognized by the audio community because Bluetooth, despite being ultra-convenient, didn't do the best job transmitting music at a high enough resolution. That changed with the advent of aptX - a codec that allowed for higher bitstreams at lower latency. While aptX was changing the game for the whole of the audio community, audio manufacturers were working on an entirely new form factor: True Wireless. True Wireless Headphones have no cord whatsoever. While wireless allows us to wear headphones a few feet away from our music players, True Wireless cuts the cord between the earbuds, giving us true freedom. This round-up primarily focuses on the former, but, if you're looking to go full wireless, we also have a round-up of the best true wireless headphones to help you live that cord-free lifestyle. What are the best wireless earbuds?http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Ci8NjrBUePRPSDgHrFwuwm.jpg Jaybird Tarah Pro While Jaybird has consistently offered some of the best bang-for-your-buck Bluetooth 'buds, the sport-centric company's first foray into 'Pro' territory proves that they're not just for the conscious. Improving on almost everything that made its predecessors great, the Jaybird Tarah Pro offers excellent sound (tweakable via the simple Jaybird app), great comfort and fitting options, and all the conveniences you'd come to expect in the ultimate pair of wireless in-ears, such as a 14-hour battery life, magnetic driver housings, and a rugged design. Read our full review: Jaybird Tarah Pro http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VgyagGS9HpAEPUQtUJBfrg.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/GmpGhEGZXyqxEU4HjcbVCm.jpg Sony WI-1000X Sony’s excellent WH-1000XM3 are the gold standard when it comes to active noise cancelling headphones but the WI-1000X is Sony's compact, in-ear alternative to the prize cans. These wireless noise-cancelling earbuds offer some of the best sounding wireless audio we’ve heard in a robust form factor that can survive the abuse of a daily commute or visits to the gym. The headline feature of the WI-1000X headphones is its excellent sound quality thanks to aptX HD support and, despite some average battery life, these in-ears do so much right that it more than makes up for it. Read the full review: Sony WI-1000X http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U6D3ofXKriRQ8SrHtFkjL4.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ndoVVMQJErGxtxmztmd4we.jpg Jaybird Tarah While we've put the Pro version in at first place, the budget alternative offers an equally compelling package for a different reason. Weighing it at around half the price of the Tarah Pro, these trimmed-down buds offer much the same core experience (excellent and customisable sound with a rugged, sports-centric design) as their more expensive brethren. You will be losing a considerable amount of battery life (down to 6 hours) and some of the niftier features, but if you're conscious then the discount will more than make up for it. Read the full review: Jaybird Tarah http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U6D3ofXKriRQ8SrHtFkjL4.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DsZY9kVjsTPqScUbK4gnES.jpg Beats X There will always be those who are ready to complain about the sound performance of Beats headphones, but the inclusion of Apple's proprietary W1 chip has been a boon for the strength of their wireless connectivity. Functionally that makes these wireless earbuds a joy to use (with Apple products, at least), just don't expect the most detailed or broad soundstage. If you’re shopping for a no-fuss pair of earbuds that charge in 5 minutes and don’t mind spending a little extra money on them, the Beats X are for you. Read the full review: Beats X http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U6D3ofXKriRQ8SrHtFkjL4.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fa14e2cc2fe3560c9099cf90608623df.jpg Bose QuietControl 30 Life is full of compromises, and it's no different with the Bose QuietControl 30s. On the positive side you get a level of noise cancellation that comes close to what's offered by the brand's over-ear headphones, but the concession here is on sound fidelity, which just isn’t on the same level as that of other in-ear or over-ear headphones we’ve tested. There's also that neckband which adds an unfortunate level of bulk to what should otherwise be a slimline pair of headphones. Read the full review: Bose QuietControl 30 The best True Wireless Earbudshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MkKFYNPNRw8mZbXGXx3VKE.jpg Sony WF-1000XM3 Sony's fabulous WH-1000XM3 noise-cancelling headphones have gotten a true wireless counterpart, and they're every bit as solid as their over-ear siblings. With state-of-the-art noise-cancelling, a crystal clear yet warm audio signal, and an impressive 24-hour battery life (when using the ANC and recharging with the case), these earbuds are worth every dollar spent on them. They also avoid the foibles of many other non-Apple true wireless buds by establishing a connection between each bud and your device individually, thus dodging the sometimes flaky signals that result from a single primary bud having to connect to both your device and a secondary bud. Read the full review: Sony WF-1000XM3 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VgyagGS9HpAEPUQtUJBfrg.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/i3vjimPp7jb7ALq966Ei6T.jpg For those rocking an iPhone, the simplicity of pairing with the AirPods was a joy, but now you can have that same ease-of-use but with true wireless earbuds made to be pumped at the gym. With one of the most secure fits to date, the PowerBeats Pro are sure to stay in your ear when you're sweating it up, and the IPX4 resistance makes sure that sweat won't break your buds. The sound is typically punchy, as is the style of Beats, and very suitable for modern electronic, hip hop and similar genres. In most ways, these are in improvement on the AirPods, and even feature the same smart H1 chip that helps with pairing and allows for on-board Siri communication. Read the full review: Beats PowerBeats Pro http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VgyagGS9HpAEPUQtUJBfrg.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/aXQiCwizzJw4f2zPfYUeZ9.jpg Jabra Elite 65t Although these have been surpassed by the Sony WF-1000XM3 and PowerBeats Pro, the Jabra Elite 65t still offer a great true wireless solution and are more affordable to boot. After spending over a month with them, we came away impressed with the well-rounded package that Jabra managed to create: The earbuds offer a subtle, mature look and a reliable wireless connection, which isn’t always the case with truly wireless earbuds. Plus, they sound great compared to much of the competition. Read the full review: Jabra Elite 65t http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VgyagGS9HpAEPUQtUJBfrg.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WF2oNJ87mzPnQYV4aB6Lzj.jpg Image credit: TechRadar The second generation Apple AirPods, the AirPods (2019), aren't quite the AirPods 2 we were hoping for, but they still boast some cool features. They still sport the iconic design of the original AirPods (a good or bad thing depending on your point of view), and sound quality hasn't changed at all. The bulk of the upgrade comes from the new H1 headphone chip, which improves connectivity and battery life, and allows for a new ‘Hey Siri’ voice activation feature. The AirPods (2019) also come with an optional wireless charging case, which means you can use a Qi-compatible charging mat to power the case, rather than sticking a cable into the Lightning charging port in the bottom of the case. Like their predecessors, they are super easy to pair, but they are very much optimised for using with iPhones and are somewhat pricey. Read our full review: Apple Airpods (2019) http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VgyagGS9HpAEPUQtUJBfrg.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/63a7CYTTnZd5wiUqnfunmm.jpg If you're deep into fitness and the tracking thereof, the Jabra Elite Sport are currently the ultimate true wireless earphones for you. There’s a heart rate sensor on the right earpiece, letting it monitor your exertion level as you exercise. A Jabra companion app lets you track your exercise, and you can kick off a workout by pressing a button on one earpiece, and the heart rate tracker is more reliable than most wrist-worn models... as long as you fit the Elite Sport buds properly. The Jabra Elite Sport don't perch in your ears, they fill them rather like a custom molded earphone. As a result, sound isolation is excellent and the fit is very secure. To sweeten the deal, Jabra recently updated the Elite Sport to boost stamina to a better-than-average four-and-a-half hours per charge – more than enough to get you through your weekly workouts – before hanging up the towel. Read the full review: Jabra Elite Sport http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/ABr_ia-iuHI

Toshiba has now launched its latest 4K TV ranges for 2019, and it's got a bit of help from the Amazon Alexa smart assistant – but not in the way you expect. The budget L5 series and mid-range L7 series are Ultra HD televisions aimed at providing market value to consumers – with HDR support and Onkyo-designed speakers making a fleshed-out television package even at this low price. But there's also a new accessory that rethinks the way to integrate voice assistants with your home television. Should I buy a Toshiba Fire TV?Check out the smart TV platforms you should considerWhat are the best cheap TV deals?The jazzy new accessory in question, Toshiba Connect, is an Alexa far-field microphone, connected via USB, enabling the television set to pick up voice commands from across the room – you know, while you're watching TV or arguing over the remote. Increasingly, TV makers will look to include support for the likes of Alexa and Google Assistant, though you'll usually require a compatible smart speaker or relevant smartphone app to actually make your commands heard. While some sets will have microphones placed in the TV remotes, it's also a feature normally saved for the likes of OLED TVs and other high-end models. To start, you'll only be able to buy the Alexa microphone with the UL5A model when shopping at Argos – though it will be available separately for any other 2019 Toshiba smart TV beginning later in the year. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zxD9tE7j63o4dyy5wKez5S.jpg Toshiba Connect Smarts on the cheapThe Toshiba 2019 range includes the UL7A, TL7A, UL5A, AND VL5A models. The UL7A and TL7A both come in 49- and 55-inch sizes, while the UL5A and VL5A come in 43-, 49- and 55-inch sizes – as well as a 65-inch size for the VL5A. Toshiba isn't known for making high-budget televisions, and even these 4K sets will cost sub-£500 for the mid-range L5 series, and sub-£600 for the more premium L7 models. They will also all have Dolby Vision and HDR10 – even for the cheaper models. You may not be getting the full impact of HDR at this price point, but you'll certainly be able to play the formats and get the beginning's of sharper contrast and more vivid colors. It's only the L7 series, though, that will offer the Wide Color Gamut needed to really make these colors pop. The UL7A will feature 42W speakers – the loudest of the range – and also come with a slimmer, chrome casing. The TL7A, meanwhile, features front-firing speakers, but without the increased audio output. Full pricing and availabilityToshiba UL7A is available from Dixons in 49” RRP £449 and 55” RRP £549.Toshiba TL7A is available from AO.com in 49” RRP £449 and 55” RRP £549.Toshiba UL5A is available market-wide in 43” RRP £349, 49” RRP £399 and 55” RRP £479.Toshiba UL5A with Toshiba Connect is available from Argos in 43” RRP £369, 49” RRP £419 and 55” RRP £499.Toshiba VL5A is available from Dixons in 43” RRP £349, 50” RRP £399, 55” RRP £479 and 65” RRP £699.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/Nsok78P-UT8

Streaming services make a hefty number of dollarydoos in Australia, with Netflix boasting 11 million Aussie subscribers according to the latest market research from Roy Morgan. However, despite these impressive numbers, the US giant has only poured a small amount of that money back into the local film and television industry, producing only one Australian Netflix Original series (Tidelands, pictured) since its launch in 2015. Netflix vs Stan, Foxtel Now and Amazon Prime: Australian streaming services comparedNetflix to be more selective with big-budget showsWhat's new on Netflix Australia this monthThat could all change following a new report from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), which sheds light on the practices of digital platforms and how they conduct business in Australia. The report, released by treasurer Josh Frydenberg and communications minister Paul Fletcher, puts forward a total of 23 recommendations for increased regulation of digital platforms. Following the inquiry, Fletcher appeared on ABC's Insiders program to discuss local content rules that weren't directly addressed in the report, with the communications minister recommending that digital platforms like Netflix, Google and Facebook be held to the same laws and regulations that other media companies are forced to abide by. "Clearly, one of the questions is: obligations on free-to-air television networks and on subscription TV for Australian content, does it stack up for Netflix not to have such obligations, those are questions we'll consider," said Fletcher, further stating that the ACCC will "be interested in the feedback of stakeholders." He continued, "as this report analyses, there's a set of obligations on one set of businesses, serving Australians and providing content, namely traditional free-to-air and pay TV operators. There is no such obligation on Netflix, or indeed on Stan, or others which are also providing content to Australians." "It raises significant policy questions, those are precisely the kinds of questions that this comprehensive ACCC report [examines]," said Fletcher. [via The Guardian] Netflix Australia’s best TV series: over 60 great shows to stream in 2019http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/68x3iEzO7uU

For many, the Nintendo Switch has a form factor and interface that would make it ideal for running a mobile operating system on and, along with it, the wealth of popular mobile gaming titles. However, it’s fair to assume that Nintendo would not be so keen on this idea. The Japanese gaming giant is well known for being overly protective of its property and how exactly it’s used, but that hasn’t stopped the enthusiasts over at XDA Developers from releasing a publicly available (and highly unofficial) Android ROM for the portable console. The firmware is based on the Nvidia Shield TV operating system – LineageOS 15.1, which itself is based on Android 8.1 – and can be used to browse the web, play mobile games, and (theoretically) anything else you could do on a mobile device. With LineageOS 15.1 installed on your Switch, you’ll be able to use it in both handheld and docked modes, with audio and Joy-Con support in both modes. Nintendo Switch vs Nintendo Switch Lite: is bigger really better?Nintendo Switch Lite release date, price, games and moreThere's a catch...Naturally, this comes with a pile of caveats too, the foremost of them being that Nintendo obviously doesn’t support this kind of meddling and wouldn’t help you if any kind of issue were to befall your console as a result of the hack. You’ll also need a Switch console that is able to run the Hekate bootloader, something that might not be possible if you’ve purchased one of the updated consoles after June 2018. Apart from that, some other listed limitations include poor battery life, a lack of auto-rotation, Joy-Cons not communicating properly with some apps, and various patchy Wi-Fi and docking problems. While this is certainly a hack reserved for those with some knowhow at this stage (we don’t recommend trying this if you’re inexperienced, for fear of bricking your console), it does mark a significant milestone for cracking open the Nintendo Switch’s full potential. Nintendo Switch Online nears 10 million usersBest Nintendo Switch games: must-have games to playhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/F--S0rFrjNw

First there were rumors of Apple not having a 5G-capable handset until 2021, but then just 10 days later, there were whispers of a 5G iPhone arriving in 2020 after all, with the latter becoming possible thanks to Apple finally settling its dispute with chipmaker Qualcomm. The latest report from renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, though, suggests that Apple will be embracing the new cellular transmission technology in a big way, with all three of its 2020 iPhone models set to be 5G ready. Kuo had previously predicted that only the premium (and more expensive) 5.4-inch and 6.7-inch iPhones would support 5G. Kuo's change of heart comes after Apple penned a US$1 billion deal to acquire Intel’s modem business, meaning the Cupertino tech giant “has more resource for developing the 5G iPhone”. Everything you need to know about 5GJumping off the Qualcomm bandwagonApple’s acquisition of Intel’s modem business means the iPhone maker will be able to move away from its dependency on Qualcomm modems and develop its own. However, that will take time and it’s likely Apple will make use of its six-year contract with Qualcomm to get smartphone modems for the 2020 iPhones. Apple-made modems are not expected to be ready until 2021. Kuo predicts that by 2020, many smartphone shoppers will assume that 5G handsets are the standard. So iPhones, which are generally more expensive than Android alternatives, will have to be 5G-capable to “[win] more subsidies from mobile operators and consumers’ purchase intention”. Kuo further speculated that the three 2020 iPhone handsets will support both mmWave 5G (as used in the US) and the sub-6GHz spectrum version of 5G (found elsewhere), but that doing so means the handsets will be expensive. It's as yet unclear whether Apple will look into producing 5G iPhones supporting just the sub-6GHz spectrum for the Chinese market, which would help to lower costs. The count so far: all the 5G handsets coming our way[Via MacRumors] http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/B3DjXziaIRo

Adobe is offering huge discount on Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps slashing 40% off an annual subscription for one day only With Adobe's Deal of the Day, you'll pay just £30.34 per month for Adobe's entire suite of creative software, down from the regular price of £49.94. That's a saving of over £200 over the course of a year. For that, you'll get unlimited access to Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, Premiere Pro, Illustrator, InDesign and many others. You'll also receive 10GB cloud storage, plus access to Adobe Fonts, Adobe Portfolio and Adobe Spark with premium features. Adobe rarely cuts more than 20% off its regular prices, so if you've been thinking about signing up for Creative Cloud then this is the perfect time. The deal is only available on July 29, so don't hang around. The best photo editor to kickstart your creativityhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/iPRbRKWs92c

One of the biggest hurdles for budding filmmakers is getting decent gear. A decent film camera, like the Sony Alpha A7S II, can cost a four-digit price, then you’ve got to buy or rent tripods, lights, light stands, boom or lapel mics, field recorders, and much, much more – in short, filming can be inaccessible for those with limited funds. One of the key selling points of the Sony Xperia 1 is the Cinema Pro app. This app, which comes loaded on the phones, recreates the experience of a Sony Alpha camera, with a similar interface and technology. It lets you record high-end-quality video on your not-as-high-end smartphone, making film recording accessible and easy. At least, that was Sony’s pitch, and it was certainly a good one, as the smartphone (and app) have proven quite popular. Indeed, in our own review, based on some hands-on time with the phone and our experiments with the Cinema Pro app, we praised the ease of the app. This is what we thought about the Sony Xperia 1These are the best smartphone camerasThese are the best 4K camerasHowever proper budding film-makers aren’t going to simply film some bushes and rocks, as we did for our review; they’re going to be using the phone to film proper projects, with multiple scenes, in different locations, and shooting different shots. So as a budding film-maker myself, I decided to use the Sony Xperia 1 to film an entire short film, just to see if it could be done. About the projectThe short film was based on a poem by a friend, and the footage would be b-roll style material to play over the top. That way the cinematography wouldn’t need to be too wild or experimental, as it can often be a little confusing shooting with a new camera – especially if that camera is a long, fragile smartphone. The kit I used to shoot with included two soft lights on tripods, and a smartphone-specific tripod to hold the Xperia 1 for static shots. I also did some handheld shooting, and you can be sure we’ll get into that later. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ybQMDF67AcLiXSEiAgjaR6.jpg As a final point, I actually wrote and followed my shot list on the phone itself, instead of having it as a separate form – this made it super easy to quickly find what shot to set up next, and how I had envisaged each scene, as instead of digging through a stack of papers I could easily switch apps to Google Sheets. Once I had my shot list, and kit prepared, and the Sony Xperia 1 charged, with plenty of memory spare, I was ready to film. Setting up on a Sony Xperia 1The first shot I needed from the Sony Xperia 1 was a static shot of someone sitting in bed – easy enough. I set up the phone tripod at the end of the bed, with the two soft lights behind it, and got ready to film. Or, at least, I tried to get ready to film. You see, my tripod used a grip to hold the smartphone in place – which was conveniently position so that when it gripped the phone tight, it pressed the power button, turning off the phone. Eventually I managed to angle the clasp so it sat between the volume rocker and power button, but the phone was decidedly lop-sided when I did. No matter, after a while of tinkering and angling the (admittedly rather cheap) tripod, I was ready to film again. Note to prospective Xperia 1 film-makers: don’t cheap out on your tripod! http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SdvdemHYkEVZDMWPoNzrhF.jpg Now it was time to find the ‘look’ of my film – I needed to choose which lens to use, as well as white balance, ISO, framerate, resolution and more. Thanks to the Cinema Pro app this was easy, and I could see the effects of each choice immediately on the master display – it’s not like with actual film cameras, in which I’d need to unscrew the screw in different lenses to test them. This made it super easy to optimize settings for each shot. The different options also helped me learn more about the effect of changing certain options, like the color grade or white balance, as often these are the kind of things you only think about when editing. Filming on a Sony Xperia 1When I filmed the rest of the short on the Xperia 1, I stopped viewing the device as a smartphone, and considered it more like a camera-lite. That sentence makes my opinion seem a little ambiguous, but it’s safe to say, that’s it’s a huge compliment. One problem with cameras is that they can be quite bulky, and doing handheld shots for long periods of time can be tiring. The Xperia 1 weighs less than 180g – while I’ve skipped arm day for the last three years, even that’s easy enough to carry for long periods of time. The portability of the mobile device also meant moving shots were much easier to film, as the lightweight device took no effort to lift or move. That said, not all my handheld shots are particularly stable, and I feel like the image stabilization could have been a little better to balance the natural shake and sway of human hands. In some of my footage, you can see a bit of sway that made footage look a bit too disconcerting to use, particularly in panning or tracking shots. If we’re on the topic of things I found a little bit annoying – most cameras have movable screens, so you don’t have to be facing the device straight-on to see what you’re filming. This isn’t the case for the Xperia 1, so shots at weird angles are a little challenging. At one point I tried to film an object dropping on the floor, from a floor-level perspective. It was impossible to see what I was filming, in order to line up a shot, and I didn’t manage to capture a useable video of this particular shot. One final, minor nuisance? Auto-focus was great, but it was a little fiddly trying to work manual focus while also holding the Xperia 1 straight, and it took many takes to get this to look good. But back to the positives – the screen-grab mode let me take a still of what the phone was pointed at, so I could show the actor, and we could work on their performance. Not all video cameras can do this, but it was really useful to be able to do so, and saved a lot of time when I’d otherwise have to describe what I wanted in greater detail. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/f5zTTkDjNrRy9NKCNrUs2D.jpg Using the screenshot mode I coud work out how overexposed this shot needed to be. I also want to sing the praises of the Cinema Pro app – it loaded up quickly whenever I closed it to bring up the shot list, the interface was easy to work my way around, and since it sent videos straight to the phone’s main gallery, I knew where to go to replay old footage. But the Sony Xperia 1 is still a phone!While filming, I started to view the Sony Xperia 1 as a camera, and forgot it was just a smartphone (thank you, airplane mode) – and by that I mean, I forgot that it had a battery that could run out quickly if I tried to film a lot. And it did. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gxse2wRar7DuofUZLFSdhf.jpg After only a few hours of filming, the battery was sub-30%, and the phone had long past the ‘worryingly warm’ stage. Of course, it’s nice to have an excuse to take a lunch break, but the battery and heat limitations are something you don’t get on a standard video camera, and depending on the shoot, (especially if you’re in a remote location) frequent recharging isn’t always possible. Luckily, I was filming in my flat, so I could easily plug it in to charge when I needed. But you don’t always want to film in an interior with easy access to plug sockets, so you’re going to need to find the best power bank you can if you’re filming outdoors. Memory was less of an issue, though, as the Sony Xperia 1’s 128GB was enough. After two days of filming (one day for the main project, a second, half day for practicing and some b-roll) I had just under 80GB of film files, and despite all the apps, pictures and files I had on the phone already, I didn’t come close to the storage limit. So how did the film turn out?One major disadvantage the Sony Xperia 1 has over its camera competitors is that, in video cameras, it’s easy to take the memory card, insert it into your computer, and have all the files ready to edit in minutes (well, many minutes, but still). However, for the Xperia 1, the files were too big to transfer them over the web, so I had to plug the handset into my computer. Remember when people used to do that? I barely do. It took nearly eight hours to get all the files through – which wasn’t exactly ideal. I had to do this because, while the Xperia 1 has its Cinema Pro app for shooting footage, it has no app for editing footage, and I didn’t want to ruin the 21:9 experience by downloading a third-party app, so using a PC video editor was the only way. Would I recommend the Sony Xperia 1 to film a short film on?Learning to film with cameras is quite a steep learning curve, and it’s also rather expensive – the Sony Xperia 1 and its Camera Pro app solve these problems, and I found the experience of filming on the smartphone incredibly easy and relatively painless. Of course, I only tested with a film that was all indoors, with a relatively simple selection of shots, and enough gear to see me through, so in other contexts, and for other shoots, people may have a different experience. But for budding film-makers, people who don’t want to carry loads of camera equipment around with them, or just people who think phones are the future, I’d wholeheartedly recommend the Sony Xperia 1 as an easy alternative to cameras for creating a short film. These are the best Sony smartphoneshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/p-wWXSMXhbA

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 is expected to be launched within the next couple of weeks – perhaps just ahead of the Galaxy Note 10 – and thanks to documents filed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), we've got an early look at it. As spotted by Droid Life, the FCC filing is unusual in actually including pictures of the device being registered, something that doesn't usually happen. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/m9pBmUsVVh8o8nVhWxEKod.jpg The pictures don't actually reveal too many surprises about the wearable, with a design largely unchanged from last time. The rumor is that Samsung has added a rotating touch bezel to the watch, but it's hard to tell from these snaps. Get ready for some new iPadsFitness trackers and eating disordersIt's a September launch for the Galaxy FoldBased on earlier tips, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 could make its appearance on Monday August 5, so all will be revealed soon. That would be two days before Samsung's scheduled August 7 event for the Note 10. The story so farIf the leaks so far are to be believed, the watch is going to turn up in a choice of 44mm and 40mm sizes, carrying a 1.4-inch and a 1.2-inch display respectively. Both sizes will offer a 360 x 360 pixel resolution and a Super AMOLED screen. As well as that touch bezel, the Galaxy Active Watch 2 is expected to come with an Exynos 9110 chip inside (the same as in the original Active Watch) plus 4GB of storage. The Bluetooth model of the Galaxy Active Watch 2 is going to come carrying 768MB of RAM, according to reports, while the brand new LTE version introduced this time – for standalone calls and data access without Wi-Fi – will turn up with 1.5GB of RAM on board. Black and silver are said to be the colors you've got to choose between, while stainless steel and aluminum finishes are apparently on the cards as well. In a little over a week we should get all the details confirmed. Samsung Galaxy Watch Active update will make it easier to usehttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/pJlX_v5gaVc

The heights of future buildings are poised to grow higher as more people are expected to live in cities due to the shortage of space and urbanisation. Current high-rise buildings have an average height of 300 metres but the Burj Khalifa in Dubai has a height of 828 metres while Saudi Arabia’s Kingdom Tower will have a height of 1,001m when completed in 2020. “The higher the building gets in the future, the more the technology is needed. The actual technology the roped elevator can go has reached the maximum and new technology is needed to attain further heights,” Prof. Michael Cesarz Miguel, CEO for Multi elevator system at ThyssenKrupp Elevator, told TechRadar Middle East. Vertical and horizontal movementsMulti makes use of the linear motor technology developed for the Transrapid train or Japan’s maglev train and allows multiple cars in a single shaft, both vertically and horizontally. Moreover, Miguel said the rope-less elevator technology has the potential and a much-needed solution for sky bridges. Economically and technically, he said the ropes can go up to between 300 and 400 metres and up to 500 metres with stress, which means the efficiency of a traditional elevator suffers. With Multi, he said it can go up to 5,000 metres but “we have regulations as nobody thought of buildings with those heights some years back. In our portfolio, it can go up to 1,600 metres.” “Multi is an ideal solution for the UAE as the country is an early adopter of innovative technologies and is at the forefront of the real estate development,” he said. Less sensitive to earthquakesThe world’s tallest buildings need to support increasingly heavy cables required to lift elevator cars but the swaying of buildings due to heavy winds puts a lot of stress on conventional cabins and the elevators may not be used for safety reasons. Since Multi is not electrified, Miguel said that linear motors are powered by electromagnetic coils embedded in the rear wall of the shaft. As multiple cars can share the same shaft space, he said the amount of real estate lost to elevator infrastructure is less than the conventional system and it is less sensitive to earthquakes. “It is not a mass product and more expensive than a conventional elevator but needs fewer shafts. So, the real estate developer can rent out more space,” he said. Furthermore, he said that the initial investment for installing a Multi will be higher but the cost can be offset by the reduction in the number of elevator shafts. Working on 20 projects globallyThe company is working with OVG Real Estate’s new East Side Tower in Berlin to install Multi and expect to be operational by 2025. “We will be showcasing our technology at Dubai Expo 2020. We are working on 20 projects globally, three projects in the Gulf. Without smart buildings, you cannot have a smart city. We will use less ropes in the future and more linear motors, but that will take time,” he said. Miguel, who is an architect himself, has worked on both the technological and architectural aspects of buildings across several real estate asset classes, including Dubai’s Majid Al Futtaim Shopping Mall, said that the rope-less technology offers new architectural and design possibilities. CIOs losing visibility and control over apps and workloads in the cloudDigital journey should be naturally pushed by CEO, CFO and CIOFirst UAE-made electric scooters to be rolled out in Septemberhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/PIcYgE47Vnw