sincity

From Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg to Larry Page and Sergey Brin - some of the world’s most powerful CEOs have cut their teeth as computer developers and coders. However, despite these high-profile examples, developers have often been criticised for not having much talent for, or even interest, in the business side of things. But as the world becomes increasingly led by technology, what was a rare sight at the beginning of the noughties - companies led by developers schooled within computer or design studies - is now becoming more common. You only need to look at the likes of Patrick Collison, CEO of Stripe, Evan Spiegel of Snapchat and Brian Chesky of AirBnb. Tech's ultimate success: software developers are now more valuable to companies than moneyWill technological developments pose a threat to compliance?Low-code could lead to improved job satisfaction for IT developersAnd even if a CEO has no background in development, you can hedge your bets that they’re doing their utmost to harness and grow the talent and capabilities of developers within their organisation. Developers now run this worldWhereas in the past CEOs have been the traditional figurehead of the business, and developers firmly down the chain of command; the skills required, and the powers that operate under them, have evolved. This is no more truer than in my industry - skillful developers and coders are the driving force behind fintech in the UK and beyond. One of the reasons why the UK’s fintech industry is so strong is because of the power given to developers. We challenge the status quo; just because something already exists and works, doesn't mean that it's perfect. We use technology to make traditionally clunky or unfriendly customer experiences better, simpler and faster. This is something traditional banks have long struggled to do, as they’re hamstrung by legacy systems. And once we’ve developed a solution, we’ll constantly work to improve it. Every software developer I’ve met firmly believes that they can develop and build something better than the guy sitting next to them; a rounder, better wheel. It’s this energy that makes developers so valuable in a forward thinking company. Through thinking and acting with a developer mindset - one which focuses on a customer’s pain points - we develop solutions that make their life easier, improving overall customer experience, and growing their business through tech-led solutions. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gPtw5yGFNKLernfM3jBcVe.jpg Image credit: Pexels CEO’s aren’t irrelevant, but their roles are changingSo what does that mean for a CEO with little development knowledge? Well, what previously defined a leading CEO: a strong, dominant, leader, focused on creating a company that led from the top-down, with a hierarchical structure, has shifted towards a figurehead that needs to be much more in tune with the technical background of a company, and open to ideas from the bottom-up as well as the top. As Steve Jobs famously said: “It doesn't make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.” Modern CEOs understand the power of smart thinking, and the technology powering the company much more than they used to. This is further represented in a change in the career path towards CEO. Whereas in the past a CEO would have often held a COO position before stepping up, particularly at large corporations, we’re seeing a lot more CEOs entering the field with a developer background. But that doesn’t mean every developer has the characteristics to be a CEO. Far from it. For every success story, there’s probably hundreds others that have failed. But what unites the skill traits of a good future CEO is an appreciation of development. If the CEO doesn't have a developer background, then they will certainly need to understand the power of the developers in their business. If developers are the wind, then CEO’s are the sailsDevelopers want to drive things forward at a quick pace. They want change, and they want it now. It’s down to modern day CEOs to nurture this attitude. A developer spirit to make the impossible possible is unrivalled, while modern, successful leaders have clarity of vision, they have empathy, they can reach out to people’s minds and inspire them. Combine these traits together, and you can create a forward thinking disruptive company. Developers now run this world, and this shift is reverberating across the c-suite. Ed Addario, CTO at Currencycloud We've also highlighted the best laptops for programminghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/IKijkFqqvZg

Prime the vocal cords, pull on the sequins, prepare to be fabulous. The Eurovision Song Contest is back for 2019 - the 64th edition of the annual singing extravaganza. This year all eyes are on the Tel Aviv Convention Centre in Israel after the country won in 2018 with Netta's (frankly brilliant) song "Toy". Before we get to the main event, there's the semi-finals and then we march on to the final this Saturday night - and we have all the information here about getting a 2019 Eurovision live stream. 18 acts are due to sing in the second semi-final after 10 successfully went through on Tuesday. The top ten from each will progress to join the host nation Israel as well as the "Big Five" of the UK, France, Italy, Germany and Spain, for a 26 act final event. That's where the real business really begins, with acts from the Netherlands, Russia and Sweden the early favorites to take home the trophy and the right to host next year's event. Once everyone has performed Madonna is set to take to the stage for a highly anticipated performance. Word is that she'll be performing the incredible Like a Prayer, in addition to one of her new tracks. Winners are then picked based on viewers' votes and with up to 20 votes available per song, it's important to play your part if you want to be involved. So watching the event is key and we're going to tell you exactly how you can live stream the Eurovision 2019 song contest from wherever you are in the world. How to watch the Eurovision Song Contest from outside your countryThis year the semi-final events, as well as the grand final, will all be available to watch via the Eurovision YouTube channel. This means easy access through any device that you can get at YouTube with. The downside? You'll miss out on the commentary (or perhaps that's a positive if you're hosting a Eurovision party and really like the limelight). If you're more interested in watching your home country's coverage - and there are details on watching in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, US and Canada further down this page - but you're abroad this week, then you'll soon discover that the Eurovision goodness is geo-blocked by the broadcaster. Annoying, if you take particular delight in your domestic coverage. But the good news is that there's another way to get hold of it. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/B9XNGCRYNHKJzN5zVfTMje.jpg How to live stream Eurovision 2019 in the UK for FREE:Good old aunty Beeb will be broadcasting the entire Eurovision Song Contest for free (assuming you have a TV Licence, of course). That means you can watch the main final via the BBC One on your TV from 8pm BST but it also means you can enjoy it online and on mobile via the iPlayer with Graham Norton as your wise-cracking host. For the semi-finals you'll need to find your way over to BBC4 where Scott Mills and Rylan Clark-Neal will be commentating. Representing the UK is 21-year-old singer Michael Rice who was voted in after competing on the BBC's You Decide selection show. He will sing a song called "Bigger Than US" which was written by Laurell Barker, Anna-Khara Folin, Jonas Thander, and John Lundvik. Outside the UK this week? Fear not, as you can follow our instructions above to use a VPN and watch as if you were back in blighty. So that means no need to miss out on Graham Norton's unique take on the whole thing. Once downloaded, installed and a UK server has been chosen, head over to TVPlayer.com for a steady, free stream. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/D39crXd3gob7KPsE3LAFUo.jpg How to live stream Eurovision 2019 in Australia for FREE:Since Australia's SBS is airing the whole final it should be easy to enjoy it on the big screen. That also means you can get all the fun online using the SBS On Demand service that works on multiple devices – ideal if you're on the go. Just remember to set your alarm if you want to watch all the singers live, as the show begins at 5am AEST. Find out more in our full guide on live streaming Eurovision in Australia. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kZWNrTtXZs7Ep2c7452KSo.jpg How to stream Eurovision live in New Zealand this year:New Zealand's usual Eurovision broadcaster, UKTV, doesn't appear to be airing the event this year. But you don't need to be home in New Zealand to enjoy. You can still watch all the action online using a VPN. Check out how easy that is up the page with our handy guide. Once you've sorted that, the next step is working out how you'll get up early enough to watch it! http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/x4WvmjGdnEUCFeqhMUrnWo.jpg How to watch the Eurovision Song Contest in the US:It doesn't look like there'll be any dedicated stateside broadcaster showing 2019 Eurovision. Sorry. Luckily, there's always that YouTube coverage. Or, if you want a more thorough watching experience, grab a VPN and watch via another country's home broadcaster. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jgvvohCEmS99W9XuRfJMSo.jpg How to live stream Eurovision 2019 in Canada:This year OMNI Television will broadcast the Eurovision 2019 event in Canada. Not heard of it? It's a specialist multicultural station, so Eurovision is an obvious fit. But if you're out of Canada at the time but are still interested, scroll up to see how you can enjoy the contest using a VPN. It means you can watch everything for free from elsewhere on a tablet or phone. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ebGZgkd4qVX7mUuvz3WNkH.jpg http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/3Cgp2wQRKmE

Everyone likes a free game, and here’s a real tempter from the folks over at GOG.com, who are offering The Witcher: Enhanced Edition with no demands on your wallet. That said, there are a couple of small strings attached. Firstly, you must subscribe to GOG.com’s newsletter, and then you need to add Gwent (the Witcher-themed card game along the lines of Hearthstone) to your game library (it’s a freebie also, so this still doesn’t cost you any money – just a little effort). You will also be gifted a free card keg (a pack of cards you can use in your deck) for Gwent into the bargain. Diablo Immortal: everything we know about Blizzard's mobile RPGHarry Potter RPG release date, news and rumorsThese are the top free games to download on PCMore perceptive gamers with longer memories may recall that GOG.com has actually run this exact same offer before, just over a year ago in fact. So if you missed out that time, now’s your chance to play the original Witcher. Unpolished gemIt’s certainly not as polished as the following games in the series – you’ve got to bear in mind that it’s pretty old now, having been released in 2007 – but it’s still well worth experiencing, if only for the nostalgia factor, and to see where everything began. It might also get you in the mood for the Netflix adaptation of The Witcher which is expected to kick-off before the end of 2019. There are a lot of reasons to like PC gaming, and one of those is the plentiful supply of freebies. Most notably, Epic has been giving a lot away lately via its new games store, which may run with a highly controversial policy of continuing to pursue exclusives, but of course it’s hard to say no to free stuff. Epic’s most recent giveaways have been Transistor and hit puzzle game The Witness. Check out our best gaming laptops of 2019Via Wccftech http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/RksltsojhEo

In our increasing digital-by-default society, children are being exposed to the online world from a very young age. In fact, many children get their first smartphone, and therefore access to the internet, at just six years old. While the internet certainly has many benefits, not all of its content is suitable for those under 18. As such, there is the possibility of minors stumbling across inappropriate or harmful material – such as pornography – which studies show can be damaging to their mental health. The NSPCC, for example, recently cited widespread confusion amongst minors over what constitutes “normal” intimate activity after being exposed to pornographic content. Safeguarding children online and helping to prevent them from readily viewing such material, is therefore of significant importance. Starbucks plans to block adult content on its Wi-Fi in 2019PornHub launches its own VPNTumblr announces adult content banLegislation brought in under the Digital Economy Act aims to address this issue. This new regulation, which is more commonly – and somewhat misleadingly - being referred to as the ‘porn ban’, will require all adult content websites to implement age verification systems onto their digital platforms. However, despite general agreement that such measures will help protect children online, there is growing confusion around how the regulation will work in reality. For example, some believe it is just a ploy to help businesses collect user data, while others suspect it is a censorship tool. Understandably, these rumours and misconceptions are causing people to doubt the motives behind the new regulation. With that in mind, let’s review some of the key concerns and bust some common myths. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/cq549vNncukg9YTBwPtCGa.jpg Image credit: Shutterstock 1. My data will be hacked or leakedPerhaps unsurprisingly, the incoming legislation has triggered privacy fears. Will adult companies be able to link people’s identities to their pornographic preferences? This is a very valid concern. The sure-fire way to avoid highly sensitive data leaking is to make sure that such data is not created in the first place. In this respect, it’s vital that age verification is performed by independent age verification systems and not by the adult sites themselves or organisations affiliated with them. AgeChecked, an independent age verification provider, never stores personal information on its users and credentials are completely anonymised. When a user tries to access an age-restricted website or service, the website will only receive a simple ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ alert - nothing more. 2. It’s just a censorship toolGiven that the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), a ‘106-year old censor’, will act as regulator, fears are circulating that the ban is part of a wider censorship tactic. This has arguably been amplified by its misnomer - “the porn ban” – as this wrongly suggests people will be prevented from accessing adult content that, until now, has been readily available. However, the age verification measures will not have any control over what content adults can and cannot view. Instead, these will simply help prevent young children – who do not seek out pornographic sites - from stumbling across graphic, harmful content. 3. People can bypass the systemOnline age verification works by implementing barriers that make it as difficult as possible for young children to stumble upon inappropriate or damaging adult content. There will always be a minority that tries to undermine these barriers, which is unfortunate but unavoidable. That’s why it’s so important that age-gating software should not be expected to work in silo, but rather play a role in an overall approach towards online child protection. Underage access to adult content is an issue that needs the attention of parents, educators and government agencies to be properly addressed. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/GJkXom5LMrQCzuDxH9sWKn.jpg Image credit: Pixabay 4. It is pointless because social media is excludedThe regulation states that it does not apply if pornographic material makes up less than one-third of the content made available on or via a digital platform. Therefore, users will still be able to access porn on social media sites such as Twitter, REDDIT and Imgur. This has left people wondering – ‘what is the point of the new legislation if doesn’t apply to all pornographic content?’ However, there are thousands of UK porn sites that will have to comply and use age verification systems. This will significantly reduce the likelihood of children stumbling across inappropriate content. Also, it is clear that social media sites are receiving increasing political pressure to act with more social responsibility. It is very likely that age verification will be adopted in some form on social media sites in the not too different future. Keeping the end goal in mindWith various misconceptions populating the headlines, it is easy to forget the core purpose of this legislation - to protect and prevent vulnerable youngsters from needlessly stumbling across graphic content that they find upsetting. Going forward, people need to remain mindful of this to help prevent their perception of the Act being tainted by misconceptions. Alastair Graham, Chair of the Age Verification Providers Association and CEO of AgeChecked This is everything you need to know about the UK porn blockhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/EKCPP6MwBuM

You may have been happily enjoying the Red Dead Redemption 2 online multiplayer portion of the game, Red Dead Online, so much that you'd forgotten it was actually still running in a beta testing phase. That has now come to an end with a massive update, with Rockstar now confident enough in its open-world cowboy simulator that it can pull that beta tag altogether. Not that Red Dead Online will now be a static, unchanging game – as a 'live service' accompaniment to the solo epic Rockstar created, the multiplayer game will still get loads of regular updates. Red Dead Redemption 2 PC: will it ever hit computers?Red Dead Redemption 2 hunting guideRed Dead Redemption 2 Easter Egg guide: the best secrets on the priarieBut it's reached a point where its systems are finely-tuned enough for Rockstar to now focus more closely on new content rather than bug fixing and balance tweaks. And the new content with the latest update brings lots of meaty additions... What's new in Red Dead Online?Perhaps the most meaningful change is a new anti-griefing system. Players will be able to set their profile as either offensive or defensive, increasing or decreasing respectively their visibility on the map to those looking to engage in player-vs-player combat. The penalties for attacking both play styles will scale intelligently with new hostility system tweaks, making those that continually disrupt peaceful players' games likely to find themselves in the firing line. The core Jessica LeClerk online story campaign also gets updated, with new story missions for both honourable and dishonourable players, while characters from the main Red Dead 2 storyline will now pop up in free roam. New mission types include jailbreaks and wagon thefts, while the dynamic, random encounters you'd face out on the prairies in the solo game (such as sucking venom from a snakebite victim) will now be introduced into the online mode, complete with rewards of their own. Gold payouts for missions is now up across the board, with the biggest rewards now as much as doubling compared to previous rewards. Poker tables have been added for gamblers, and Posse Versus activities now include fishing, bird shooting and herb gathering challenges. That's just the tip of the iceberg for a very rich update. Find out more in Rockstar's complete patch notes. Red Dead Online: latest news, updates and multiplayer featureshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/dBrtRJdSbyY

Enterprises in the UAE are rushing to digitally transform themselves in a bid to be operationally efficient, more agile, create new experiences for customers and create new revenue streams. About one-third of the spending in the third-platform technologies [social media, mobile, cloud, big data and analytics, and internet of things] in the UAE today is driven by digital transformation of projects, said Jyoti Lalchandani, vice-president and regional managing director for research firm International Data Corporation (IDC), to TechRadar Middle East. “Some of the traditional IT areas such as devices and infrastructure is slowing down and companies are using investment to drive adoption of more disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotic process automation, internet of things, big data analytics, blockchain and cloud to cut costs and drive more efficiency.” http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3uWR5SmedbhVzQj3Ywt4MS.png Lalchandani said that a lot of the investments the companies were making were around dashboards and helping sales and marketing teams. Data is the new oil“We are seeing big data investments to drive new revenue streams. There is a lot of focus on mining data and organizations are looking at monetizing that data.” He sees the opportunities for data-driven business models in the quality of the data and interlocking of the data. “Data is the new oil. If organizations can extract the real value from structured and unstructured data [along with] data coming from various other sources such as IoT devices and AI-based feeds and make sense of it, to identify and sense opportunities to drive the business. We believe that about 70% of the new technology investments will be on data,” he said. Prominent use cases are in the retail, public sector, transportation and utilities but he sees a scarcity in the right skills resources for this. Artificial intelligenceIn the Mideast and Africa, the AI investment is expected to be $263 million this year compared to $200 million last year. This investment is expected to grow between 25% and 30% annually. At least a quarter of the investment is coming from the UAE, Lalchandani said. The AI investment in the UAE is expected to be $56.03 million this year compared to $37.54 million last year, registering a growth of more than 49%. The use cases are in utilities, banks, fraud analysis, automated threat intelligence, Dubai Department of Economic Development, land department, transportation and public sectors. Moreover, he said that there are some interesting pilots taking place in the healthcare sector. He believes that AI will be one of the most disruptive technologies in a wide range of sectors such as banks, retail, public sector, utilities and healthcare, etc. In the next three to four years, as [AI] technology evolves, he said that there is going to be a lot more pressure on the governance, public and private sectors to set up rules and compliance around the use of data and AI. “Great as a technology, there is a very thin line between ethics versus leveraging this disruptive technology. We think that there is going to be more oversight and regulation but unfortunately, this technology is moving faster than the regulatory and compliance agencies can keep track with,” he said. By 2022, IDC expects about 65% of the organizations going to ask the chief information officers to modernize and transform the AI-related policies. Internet of ThingsThe IoT investment in the UAE is expected to grow by 17% to $672.75 million compared to $574.89 million a year ago. The use cases are in transportation, smart grids, airlines, police using smart cameras, freight monitoring, production management, manufacturing operations, connected oil exploration, digital signage, and smart home and wellness sectors. With the introduction of 5G cellular network, more connected devices are expected to be connected to the network. BlockchainIDC saw a big uptake of blockchain initially in areas like banking and financial services, trade financing, etc. In the last few years, Lalchandani said that adoption of blockchain by public sectors is gaining more traction and has seen use cases in education, property and utility sectors. “What we are seeing is a high-value and low-volume transactions but in the next few years, we will see blockchain technology embedded into the computing. There will be some sectors which will leverage the blockchain technology as early adopters. The movement the public sector gets into the blockchain, it will force a lot of private sectors to follow. The paperless strategy by Dubai is going to force everybody to adopt blockchain,” he said. IDC sees a 110.9% growth in blockchain spending in the Middle East and Africa to $189.32 million compared to $89.77 million. AI is the fuel to develop non-oil industries in UAEICT spending in UAE to grow 2.5% to $16.7b this yearhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/YuXKgUnJags

With the Tokyo 2020 Olympics just months away, one of its most popular disciplines could be set for a major technological upgrade thanks to Fujitsu. The Japanese technology giant has revealed a partnership with the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) aimed at introducing AI-assisted judging technology, with tests now underway in preparation for possible use at Tokyo 2020. Fujitsu hopes that its “judging support system” technology could help eliminate possible errors that could be the difference between medal glory and defeat. The 2020 Olympic medals will be made of all smartphones600 driverless cabs aiming to hit Tokyo in time for 2020 OlympicsForget quantum computing - Fujitsu has a much better ideaPerfect 10The company revealed more about its technology at the Fujitsu Forum event in Tokyo this week, attended by TechRadar. The system uses 3D laser scanner sensors to capture the gymnasts’ movements in real time, providing two million shots per second on areas such as arm or leg bend angles, angles of elevation and height of particular moves. This is then compared to a database of existing recognised moves and routines to hopefully provide a more accurate picture of an athlete’s routine for the judges. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NR6gxid3dYxAJzfzmdExUX.jpg (Image credit: Mike Moore) Fujitsu says there are typically 100 judges per 200 athletes at FIG competitions, so its new system could help cut down on the number needed and reduce possible bias or errors made due to tiredness or simply not spotting a mistake. The technology is now planned to be deployed at the forthcoming Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, held from October 4th-13th in Stuttgart, Germany, with further tests planned as Fujtisu aims to get it included at Tokyo 2020. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jRDpfmfeCbZGMUb89FCZZh.jpg Asides from helping judges, Fujitsu says that the technology could also be utilised by the athletes themselves in their training routines - helping them spot areas where they may be falling short in certain moves. TV viewers or audiences at events could also track athletes at a competition in real-time via a companion app (shown off by Fujitsu at the show) to provide in-depth access to why judges scored a particular routine. And away from gymnastics, the company showed off how the system could be used to help scoring in other sports too, including trampolining and skateboarding - meaning that it could well be making a splash at further Olympic events. Here's all the other technology powering the 2020 Olympicshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/dlCkSC8WBck

Looking for a tablet and thinking about an Android device? Well, there are other options out there with Windows 10, such as the Surface Pro 4 - but tablets running Android remain the main rival to the iOS-toting iPad, iPad Pro, iPad Pro 9.7 and iPad mini 4. Plus, there are so many choices and variants to choose from! Some Android tablets have 10-inch screens, others seven, while the rest land somewhere in between, with a handful pushing the boundaries past 10 inches. There are also big differences in battery life, processing power, RAM and price. We've gathered the best the Android tablet market has to offer, across all price and size points, so read on to see which Google-powered slates you should be considering. Want to include some iPads or don't have as much to spend? Step right up and see our: Best tabletshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EFpWUyhhkCEt4atehZyEjV.jpg The Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e is an impressively lightweight, compact Android tablet. It has a vivid display and long-lasting battery life, which makes it ideal for those who want a bigger, better screen for multimedia consumption. It runs Android 9 Pie out of the box, and while the absence of a headphone jack might get a raised eyebrow, the box contains an adaptor that allows you to use your regular wired headphones with the USB-C port. The camera performance isn't the best, and the back design is rather uninspired, but it's a solid option if you don't want to splurge on the fancier, pricier S4 tab. Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e review http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vSqD8JZxuZunAhcLmxRwr.jpg Samsung's Galaxy Tab S4 is our favorite Android tablet right now and replaces the Galaxy Tab S3. It's got a large and bright 10.5-inch Super AMOLED display that's perfect to binge watch while also being equally powerful to run some graphic intensive titles. The S Pen comes in handy for taking notes but its real prowess lies in illustrating and drawing. All of this is powered by a huge 7,300mAh battery which supports fast charging. Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 reviewhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/w4fji5mJeqRPHoYcvjtP7U.jpg Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 has a powerful processor and an excellent display that's prepped to show you HDR content, something even the iPad can't do yet. There's an S-Pen stylus included in the box on top of which you have the option of purchasing the keyboard, but do keep in mind that it's a little pricey. Galaxy Tab S3 is expensive, but it's worth it when you look at all of the power and amazing features you'll get for that amount of money. Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BjPgmD34Q4UhTM6jGChsXf.jpg Honor Mediapad T3 10 The Huawei MediaPad T3 10 carries a similar look to the MediaPad M3 Lite 10. Its aluminum back plate and rounded edges feel wonderful in your hands and make the device easy to use. The tablet is powered by the entry-level Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 quad-core processor which is capable of handling a set number of tasks easily including some heavy games. The two variants are 2GB/16GB and 3GB/32GB, the former obviously being cheaper. It runs on Android 7.0 Nougat with the company’s own UI on the top. Considering the price, the tablet offers decent performance and good battery life. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/cc22a6ea5ce16d370784d0f26186d809.jpg Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro The Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro is packed full of media-focused features and sports a uniquely distinctive design. There's a built-in stand to take the heft off your hands, while the integrated projector means you can enjoy big screen entertainment away from your TV. Even otherwise, the screen exhibits enough sharpness that you won't always feel the need to use a projector anyway. All that technology heaped into one phone does make it less portable than most tablets on this list and the UI could be better, but it's a fairly unique option. Read the full review: Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/1305238b70a234c0b94582d369ab54a1.jpg Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 There are plenty of reasons to invest in the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 - especially if you're after one of the best Android tablets on the market but at a cheaper price than the Galaxy Tab S3 above. It's reading and web surfing-friendly, while the new 4:3 screen and general size and shape works for casual tasks. Videos work better on the Tab S3 as compared to its the Tab S2 thanks to its elongated aspect ratio - but they don't exactly look bad here. You can choose between the 8-inch and 9.7-inch variants, which challenge Apple's iPad and iPad mini ranges, with the smaller option being more portable and cheap. Almost impossibly thin, pumped full of power and with a slick version of Samsungs' TouchWiz interface on board, the Galaxy Tab S2 gives the iPad Pro 9.7 and Pixel C a real run for their money. Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/GPQ5zE3xmYuvNAbye4hC9.jpg Amazon Fire Tablets don’t get any cheaper than this – well, functional ones don’t anyway. The incredibly low price and sturdy design make the Amazon Fire a great choice to give to a kid – in fact, Amazon’s even built a (pricier) version specifically for children. Even for the grown-ups, the Amazon Fire far exceeds expectations, with a fairly bright 7.0-inch screen, acceptable speakers, solid battery life paired with reasonable performance. The snappy interface gives you the ability to run most of the games. Fire OS won’t suit everyone and isn’t a tablet that impresses once you take the price out of the equation, but for what the Amazon Fire costs it would almost be rude not to buy it. Read the full review: Amazon Fire Didn't find the right tablet? Check out the best 4G tablets in the market on a budget.Or maybe, you would prefer smartphones with big displays for your requirement.Need an even bigger screen but don't want to compromise on portability? These are the best 13-inch laptops in the market.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/7bYj2W3_C48

In 2001, when Microsoft unveiled its tablet PC to the world, it was a futuristic, pen-enabled idea contrived to encourage laptop makers to start building touchscreen devices. While the Microsoft Tablet PC wasn’t a remarkable success, it did influence devices down the line, such as the Apple iPad. It took nine years after that for tablets to take off with general consumers, but once they did, there was no going back. Though most of the Windows tablets could be more suitably classified as 2-in-1 notebooks, the best ones continue to thrive through portability and finesse. Below you’ll find what, we feel, are the best Windows tablets available right now. Each is unique in build and style, but they all share one common trait - running on Windows 10. The best tablets you can buy in 2018http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/4723d965327338bce482edf19dcba06c.jpg Surface Pro 4 While it may soon be outdone by its successor, plainly called Surface Pro, for now at least the Surface Pro 4 reigns supreme as the all-round best Windows tablet. Albeit for a pretty penny, it's well worth the expense knowing you’ll get a premium build quality, perfect screen and ample power for the price. Microsoft's latest tablet introduces a larger and sharper screen, bettered only by a redesigned keyboard that makes it truly, as Microsoft’s marketing buzz would suggest, the tablet that can replace your laptop. Read the full review: Surface Pro 4 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/a38TSWapXNmDLyWhv3KvLa.jpg Samsung Galaxy TabPro S The Samsung Galaxy TabPro S is a knockout 12-inch tablet that's thinner and better built than most Windows 10 slates. It also offers a uniquely vibrant Super AMOLED screen you won't find on any Windows device either, plus a pair of punchy speakers that actually sound good. Its keyboard feels a bit lacklustre but if you get over this short coming, it's the perfect Windows 10 tablet to use while streaming media and games. Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy TabPro S http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8a9940ee2d498800832826c6f700bc83.jpg HP Spectre x2 HP's Spectre x2 bears a striking resemblance to the Surface Pro 4. Take a closer look and you’ll notice that it’s thinner and lighter than Microsoft’s slate. Although the Intel Core M processor might leave you a bit hesitant to adopt the HP Spectre x2, this isn’t the Core m3 we’re talking about. This is a 6th-generation, Skylake Intel Core m7, which bears almost the same performance as the full-blown Core i5 chip harbored by the Surface Pro 4. All the while, it’s cheaper and more power efficient as well. Read the full review: HP Spectre x2 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/4a700483a6663888c5b665a8e432149d.jpg HP Pavilion x2 Getting into the world of Windows 10 convertibles isn't cheap unless we're talking about the Pavilion x2. This 10-inch hybrid comes packed with a surprising amount of goods even if it’s a short stack. The frugal slate comes equipped with a HD screen and more than enough power to get you through a day of web browsing and basic image editing. And when you’re ready for leisure hour, you can pop off the hood for a sublime tablet experience. Just bear in mind that a lot of retailers are starting to drop the HP Pavilion x2, so if you want one soon, you better act fast. Read the full review: HP Pavilion x2 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gS2nwao9w6osQHXWfFXUth.jpg Lenovo Miix 510 In a sense, the Lenovo Miix 510 is the Surface Pro alternative that you buy when you’re fed up with Microsoft’s reluctance to move forward with its connectivity practices. USB-C is here, and it’s brought the USB 3.0 with it. While the screen is limited to 1080p, the Lenovo Miix 510 comes with an active stylus, a detachable AccuType keyboard and an articulating kickstand for flexibility without limits. While the battery suffers, the Lenovo Miix 510 is still a surefire win. Read the full review: Lenovo Miix 510 Top 10 business tablets of 2018http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/mn1Dl2528xE

The whole catalogue of fitness-centric tech products have seen immense demand over the past few years, but the most sought after way to track your daily activities seems to be the fitness bands. In India, we have fitness bands ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 30,000 and the market for such products is growing. While brands like Xiaomi have some dependable products like the Mi Band at unbelievably low costs, the segment is still dominated by known names like Garmin, Fitbit and TomTom. A fitness tracker is the best way to monitor your health and activity without having to pay too much attention to it. It can constantly measure your vitals, quality of sleep and step count effortlessly and accurately. The differentiating factor that's used to judge a fitness band is its accuracy and usability. In India, the fitness band market is filled with amazing devices, where almost all of them can do a fair job tracking basic activities. But we are only interested in the best, and here's the best fitness bands for your fitness needs. Best smartwatch 2018: The top smartwatches available in Indiahttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qoAjUvy9FAY64DgV2JtQPR.jpg The Moov Now is our favorite fitness band in the world right now. The best part is the price, which justifies the quality and features it comes with. It doesn't end there, as the band promises to offer a six month-long battery life. On top of sleep monitoring features, the lightweight fitness band also comes with boxing and rep-based training with a dedicated swimming feature on top of basic sleep and steps tracking. One compromise that you have to make is the GPS, but the price makes up for it. Read the full Moov Now review http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mdfpXw7nnLzDWcJueMKEPk.jpg The Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro hasn't made any hefty changes to the company's wearable line since the Gear Fit 2, but there are a few improvements to an already great tracker that seats it in second place. The Gear Fit 2 Pro has a gorgeous design that looks fantastic on your wrist and it sports a big, beautiful AMOLED display which lets you see all of your stats nice and clear. It also comes with GPS built-in so you can leave your phone at home while you go for a run as well as a top-notch heart rate sensor that should give you one of the most accurate readings possible from a wrist-based tracker. Plus it will track your swimming too. Read the full Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro review http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YhLge9vXSuHsTto9V2Kz2U.jpg The TomTom Spark 3 is the third best fitness watch that's also one of the most feature-rich out of the lot. You can upload and listen to music directly from the watch, without asking for a help from your smartphone. You just need to pair your watch with supported Bluetooth earphones and head out for a run. More impressive features include the GPS tracking, heart rate monitor and route navigation, which makes it a great wrist companion while discovering new places. Read the full TomTom Spark 3 review http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nMW3LxcJ82hHFoMCoat43Z.jpg Huawei Band 2 Pro is a sleek little fitness tracker that packs tons of features into its compact size and comes at a reasonable price. The Band 2 Pro has heart rate monitoring, VO2 max, GPS, step and sleep tracking and a seriously impressive battery life. The slim screen means that this tracker will work just as well with running gear as it will with a business suit, although it isn’t going to be as easy to read as some of the competition. So if you are on a lookout for a fitness device that promises accurate and precise metrics, then you might have to consider the option above but its slim, compact body at this price point is not for someone who wants to buy their first smartwatch. Read our Huawei Band 2 Pro review http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/k4AxbgJGHYpq3EsonjM3hf.jpg This may look more like a smartwatch than any of the other devices on this list, but as it runs its own software and has a very big focus on fitness we've decided to include it in our list of the best fitness trackers. The Amazfit Bip design has been influenced by the Apple Watch (there's no denying that) and it comes packed with tons of features including GPS, an accurate heart rate tracker, multi-sport tracking, sleep tracking and VO2 Max features too. If you're looking for a more watch-like design than everything else on this list, the Bip will be up your street. It's lightweight too and other highlights include the always-on display and strong battery life that should last around a month depending on your usage. If this all sounds good, you'd be hard pressed to go wrong with the Amazfit Bip. It's worth noting the fitness tracker isn't available in all markets at the moment though and you may struggle to find the Bip where you live. Read the full Amazfit Bip review http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/R743iSa6UWm7QdQ2ZxoEck.jpg In fifth place is the Garmin Vivosmart 3, which is on the more expensive side of the fitness trackers listed but offers almost everything you'll want from an exercise tracker. With a six-day long battery life, a heart rate monitor and fitness age feature, this is a device created more for gym-goers than runners. The Vivosmart HR+, the device Garmin released before this tracker, came with GPS built-in but this newer version has dropped the feature, which is a shame for anyone who wanted to take this watch running. Even so, you should definitely consider the Garmin Vivosmart 3, especially if you're looking for a band that can do high-end fitness tracking with almost a week-long battery. Read the full Garmin Vivosmart 3 review http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wTWkNQzTZ8QXWh85PXhfhB.jpg The Garmin Vivofit 3 is one of the best fitness trackers the company has ever created and that now means it sits in this prestigious list alongside some other fantastic tracking products. We particularly like the super-long battery life of the Vivofit 3, which means you won't need to recharge your device for a whole year. You'll miss out on phone notifications by buying this tracker, but you do get the benefit of an always-on display and some great fitness tracking features. Read the full Garmin Vivofit 3 review http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VnsXg7gu9XznGwFDVGZvB.jpg The Fitbit Charge 2 is the best Fitbit tracker you can buy right now. It's more expensive than some of the other options from Fitbit, but if you're looking to go jogging this is a great choice that won't cost you as much as a traditional running watch. It connects with the GPS on your phone, has a large screen to display your data, a heart rate tracker and new fitness features we've only previously seen on the Fitbit Blaze. It may not be the cheapest device on the list, but this is the best Fitbit tracker money can buy. Read the full Fitbit Charge 2 review http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/K2zU3aV2mzsbMr3vjsLrQV.jpg Want a fitness tracker that looks more like a watch? You'll likely like the look of the Fitbit Blaze - it's one of the best fitness watches on the planet. The first tracking watch from Fitbit is a strange looking device, but suits a lot of people and comes with automatic fitness tracking features that make it possible to just jump into an exercise and wait for the results to roll in right away. With good battery life and a plethora of extra features compared to most other Fitbit devices, this may be the best tracker for you. Read the full Fitbit Blaze review Looking for a more affordable fitness band? Here are the best cheap fitness trackers of 2018http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/i4l__Cnilpc

The wearables space which started out as in form of pedometers for step counting has evolved into activity trackers which are powerful when it comes to keeping track of your activities and fitness. Right now, there's a huge development happening in the activity tracker space with more and more advancements like sleep analysis, heart rate monitoring and even blood pressure monitoring. These latest generation activity trackers can help one track steps, calories, distance travelled and monitor heart rate and sleep. However, what they all have in common is they can help anyone go from unhealthy to fit. Plus, now, they have an affordable price tag too. We filtered out the fitness bands that can get the job done, without hurting your pocket. So, here are the most affordable fitness trackers that you can buy in India right now. Not worried about the price? Check out our best fitness trackers listhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7PhLjcFWrdu5p2PawBVuVh.jpg The Moov Now wearable is one of the best movement trackers out there thanks to its 9-axis accelerometer - the same one used in missile navigation systems. As a result it can not only track your daily steps, calories and the like, but also other movements. That means guided, personalised training feedback. The Moov Now can measure running impact, gym repetitions and swimming strokes, so you can work out with a virtual personal trainer that knows exactly how well you’re doing and can tell you how to improve. It’s also waterproof and lasts a good six months before the watch battery needs swapping out. Read the Moov Now review http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nMW3LxcJ82hHFoMCoat43Z.jpg The Huawei Band 2 Pro is our second favorite cheap fitness tracker in the world as it offers a lot of decent features for relatively little money. Fitness band features include your standard step and sleep tracking but it also comes with a heart rate monitor, VO2 Max sensor, GPS for when you're out running and it offers some good battery life too. There's a very slim screen on the Band 2 Pro unlike the Moov Now above, but interacting with it is a little difficult and while it does show some notifications it's not always easy to read them. As an affordable fitness tracker though, there's a lot to love about the Band 2 Pro. Read the Huawei Band 2 Pro review http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nMKPM9YdH97CCgWARoFwH5.jpg The key addition over the entry-level Vivofit 3 is the always-on, color display that’s visible in sunlight. This is remarkably achieved without sacrificing the year-long battery life of the stellar third edition. Basic stats like steps, distance, calories and sleep are covered off, while there’s also automatic activity detection thanks to the Move IQ system. Thanks to the Garmin Connect app you can also customize the display, while setting timers and alarms directly from the wrist. Best of all the Vivofit 4 it also 20 per cent cheaper than the Vivofit 3’s 2015 launch price. Of course you’ll miss out on premium features like heart rate tracking and GPS, but that’s to be expected at this price. Read the Garmin Vivofit 4 review http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/p2tybPBh7At8jMrifnbJug.jpg Want the cheapest fitness tracker on this list? It's here and it's called the Mi Band 3, and it's not a completely useless device. In fact, the Mi Band 3 can do a lot considering how much it costs. It comes with a battery life that should last around a whole month depending on how much you'll be using it, and there is tons of fitness tech built-in. There's no GPS, but it comes with a heart rate monitor and tracking tech for your daily step and workouts too. It's not the most attractive fitness tracker you can buy, but it has a slimline design and it's light so you won't really notice you've got this on your wrist. The screen can show you stats for your workouts, and it's much bigger than the one on the Mi Band 2. If budget is your main concern in your search for a fitness tracker, it's hard to go wrong with the Mi Band 3 from Xiaomi. Read the Xiaomi Mi Band 3 review http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5RS9RZupDYDqex5rTTZbYL.jpg The Jawbone UP3 looks good, like really good. And there are plenty of colors and styles to pick from for your ideal model. Each features motion-sensing smarts to track steps, calories burned and various exercises automatically. But it’s the sleep tracking that Jawbone excels at. The UP3 will track light, deep and REM sleep variations after automatically kicking into sleep mode as you nod off. It also tracks resting heart rate, which can help to give a more accurate picture of health as it changes. What’s really useful is actual feedback in the app, with links to relevant scientific articles that could help offer ways to improve your sleep. Since it lasts for seven days on a charge and you rarely need to take it off. Read the Jawbone UP3 review http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yM8jimq3t2VUiQk4cxyoKh.jpg The Lenovo HX03F Spectra is very affordable for the build quality and features it offers. The 0.96-inch display is bright, and can be easily viewed under direct sunlight. Also, the touch response is quite fast. It has all the necessary sensors, including an optical heart rate sensor, which is rare at this price range. On top it offers features like Multi-Master Interface switching, anti-sleep mode and some innovative reminder types. It supports both iOS and Android, where it takes minimal time and effort to pair and sync. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EDcJRBJW2ApPZL8JcKihHB.jpg There’s a reason Fitbit was one of the first breakthrough activity tracker makers and is still going strong today - it works. And in the case of the Fitbit Flex 2 it works well, has a lot of features for a low price. The Flex 2 will do all the usual step, distance and calorie burn tracking using its motion sensor smarts, but it goes further. You can also track sleep and even do exercises that the band will automatically detect and track. Everything syncs wirelessly to the smartphone app and offers clear feedback to help you make health progress. The Flex 2 is also swim-proof, comes in different styles and uses LED lights and vibrations to notify you about calls and texts from a connected smartphone. All that and it should last five days before needing a charge. Read the Fitbit Flex 2 review http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dK9gNmCWvxitPRy8p9LVmC.jpg Perhaps one of the more innovative devices on this list, the TomTom Touch is a fitness tracker with a built-in body fat scanner that should be able to give you a clearer picture of your fitness than most other trackers. Press the button on the top and it will do a scan of your body fat to work out the ratio of flabby bits compared to what you should have. It also comes with all the other tracking tech you'd expect, including a heart rate monitor and step counter to make sure you're doing your best to keep fit and healthy. Read the full TomTom Touch review http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/28142a2ab7400fb995d8114e4b7bb981.jpg The Misfit Ray is an affordable yet very attractive activity tracker that should appeal to anyone wanting to make sure their wearable enhances their look. There are plenty of muted color options to pick from and each features the same anodised aluminum central device with LED lights. There’s also a smart button that can be set to control aspects of your smart home, for example. The swim-proof wearable uses replaceable batteries for a charge-free six months of constant use. That includes step and sleep tracking plus vibration alerts for calls, messages, reminders and alarms. Read the Misfit Ray review http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/174b147d8de242ecea1374ea62e34561.jpg If price is your main focus, you may want to opt for the Misfit Flash. You can get this tracker for so little money now we were surprised while writing this guide. We originally gave the Misfit Flash a three star review, which isn't very good, but since the price has dropped we think this tracker is a lot better value now and worth picking up if you're looking for something very simple to track your steps. It won't be able to do a lot of what the other trackers on this list can do though, so if you want much more than a glorified pedometer you should look elsewhere. Read our Misfit Flash review Not on a budget? Check out the best fitness trackers money can buyhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/voj7UEd-Fmg

Welcome to TechRadar's latest OnePlus launch live blog. It's the big day for the Chinese phone maker, with the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro due to be unveiled at a special event in New York, with a parallel event in London. It's the first time the company has released two phones at the same time, and while we've learned a lot about both devices through teasers and consistent leaks, there's still plenty to get excited about. If you want to follow along with us as the new phones are announced, we'll be sharing our experiences of the entire day below. We're at both the live New York and London launches for the two phones, and we'll bring you our instant reactions and analysis as the OnePlus 7 phones are unveiled. It's all set to start at 9am PT / 12pm ET / 4pm BST (that's 3am AEDT on Wednesday 15), and we're currently covering it in real-time with a OnePlus 7 liveblog below. OnePlus 7 launch live blogAll times in Eastern Standard Time (ET) 11:05am: Kyle Kiang, the OnePlus Chief Marketing Officer, has taken the stage calling this particular OnePlus launch event special. 11:03am: We have a seat at the latest OnePlus launch event and are starting up the liveblog. Things are a little behind schedule, actually, but that's okay. We know so much about this new phone already thanks to leaks. 10:37am: We're going into the OnePlus 7 launch event venue now, and expecting things to start on time given the worldwide launch event. Fingers crossed the Wi-Fi holds up with all of the Instagram-using OnePlus fans here. 09:35 - Pete Lau, the CEO of OnePlus, is awake - we presume showered - and practicing his lines for the launch later today. You can see his tweet about it below: 07:30 - Yawn and stretch - we really should make tracks to the office to get ready for today. We're pretty sure there will be a couple of phones in the offing as well as probably some accessories too - so we need to make sure we're powdered, powered and armed with all the kit needed to bring you the key updates. While you're waiting, don't forget to check out everything you need to know about the new OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro - we've spent hours scouring the rumors to bring you only the key info. Don't make us feel like we're wasting our time, now... 05:50 - Good morning! It's early, but it's time to get prepped for a day of brand-new phones, as the OnePlus 7 launch is set to take place later today. While last year's OnePlus 6T launch was held at Pier 36 in New York City, this year's event is at Pier 94. Our TechRadar colleagues in the UK will be dropping in here as well, with coverage from the London event. Now, time for breakfast... Tune in yourself: how to watch the OnePlus 7 live streamhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/Gb2Jxt95mRs

If you're in the market for a streaming device, then you've come to the right place. Amazon has slashed the price on its best-selling Fire TV sticks. Prime members can get the 4K Fire TV stick on sale for $34.99. That's a $15 discount and the best price we've seen for streaming media player. Amazon also has the 2nd generation Fire TV stick on sale for Prime members for just $24. The powerful 4K Fire TV stick allows you to stream your favorite movies and TV shows in 4K Ultra HD. The streaming device also features an Alexa remote so you can launch Netflix, turn up the volume, browse TV shows and more with the command of your voice. You'll have access to over 500,000 movies and TV shows and the storage capacity for thousands of apps, games and Alexa skills. You can also use the remote to control your other smart home devices using your voice. Like we mentioned above, this is the lowest price we've seen for the 4K streaming device and a limited-time sale.The only catch is that you must be an Amazon Prime member to get the discount. If you're not an Amazon Prime member, you can always sign up today to receive a 30-day free trial and cancel at any time. Prime members can also get the 2nd generation Fire TV stick on sale for $24.99. While the media player lacks 4K streaming, it does offer an Alexa remote so you can stream you favorite content using your voice. You can shop more Fire TV device deals with the best Amazon Fire TV deals, prices and sales that are happening now. Interested in other smart home devices? We also have the best cheap smart home devices and gadget deals that are currently available. Learn more about Prime Day with our guide on Amazon Prime Day 2019: everything you need to know for the July deals event. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/S8xOLLgXk90

The Best Over-Ear Headphones Buying Guide: Welcome to TechRadar's round-up of the best Hi-Fi over-ear headphones that you can buy in 2019. There are many great headphones on the market, including sturdy in-ear 'phones designed for workouts, wireless Bluetooth buds and now a few good true wireless options to give Apple's AirPods a run for their money. However, if you're looking for good quality sound and best-in-class performance, nothing beats the full immersion you'll get from a pair of top over-ear headphones. Of course it's all down to personal preference, but if pristine audio performance matters more to you than a wireless pair of headphones or buds that are super compact, then you can't do better than the headphones we've listed below. As with most tech these days, you need to be willing to make a few trade-offs. Whether that means buying a pair of wired headphones instead of wireless ones, or losing out on features like active noise cancellation so that audio can sound as neutral and clear as possible. Looking for the best Sony headphones? Read our round up of the best Sony headphones we've reviewed so farBefore you invest in a pair of the best over-ear headphones, you'll need to consider what your priorities are. If you're looking for the best wireless headphones and best noise-cancelling headphones guides specifically, we can help you out, but don't feel bad if you're specifically looking for Hi-Fi headphones and don't mind shaving off some of the non-essential features to get it. We also have a guide specifically about Beats headphones. Although we like slick design, comfort and portability in our headphones, this guide will focus on sound quality above all else. There are a few wireless and noise-cancelling equipped choices in our list, but that's only because they sound great in addition to packing these new features. Be sure to keep checking back, as we'll be constantly updating this guide with the best headphones - which, as you can expect, changes frequently. That said, you can expect this guide to be as up-to-date as we can get it on any given day, ensuring that you're getting out top picks all year round. Without further ado, here's our guide to getting the most for your money, whatever your budget. What are the best over-ear headphones?http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JKzTNsGEtVsPb6yBgQtRVB.jpg Image Credit: Beyerdynamic While Beyerdynamic may not be as well known as its German brother, Sennheiser, the audio company has a history of creating some of the best sounding audio gear on the market – the company’s DT770, DT880 and DT990 were renown for their excellent build and sound quality. Above them all, however, stands the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro, an open-back version of the Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro, a headphone which won our Editor’s Choice for its imaging, design and value for the money. Both headphones are priced the same ($599, £589, AU$1,159), so you won’t find a deal picking up one over the other. The difference here comes down to sound. As they’re open-back, the DT 1990 Pro are meant to be used at home or in the studio for serious analytical listening. Sound is able to get in and out but the good news is that the open-back design gives you the DT 1990 Pro a great sense of space. Soundstage is quite wide, too, allowing even the most lackadaisical listener to pinpoint the exact location of where each instrument is playing. If you've been searching for a pair of Hi-Fi headphones that are used by some of the world's leading audio engineers, these are them. Read the full review: Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U6D3ofXKriRQ8SrHtFkjL4.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/e1affbb654a32ee44e5d8caaf7f7bd13.jpg Image Credit: Philips The Philips Fidelio X2's are a superb pair of headphones offering premium comfort and build quality with a sound that rivals even the most vaunted audiophile cans. Perhaps on sheer sound quality they're a notch off the likes of the top Oppo or Sennheiser offerings – but the fact that you'd be saving vast amounts of cash by opting for the Philips is just a no brainer. Read the full review: Philips Fidelio X2 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U6D3ofXKriRQ8SrHtFkjL4.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/d204f36ea5d8ca3a3e017c1f9247ade7.jpg Image Credit: Beyerdynamic The Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pros are a stunning pair of headphones. Are they expensive? To some no, to most yes; but for the sheer listening experience they deliver you'd be hard pressed to take them off after putting them on, even using them with portable HRA players and mobile phones. That said, they really do push the boundaries of what you can do with a dynamic driver. All praise to Beyerdynamic for putting together such a wonderful product. Read the full review: Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U6D3ofXKriRQ8SrHtFkjL4.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/cimnHGZdKQPRxfKakwozd5.jpg Image Credit: Sennheiser The fourth entry on our list easily could've been the first if it didn't cost well over $1,000/£1,000. The Sennheiser HD 800 are, hands down, one of the best-sounding pairs of over-ear headphones on the planet, affectionately praised by inner circles of audiophiles the world over. When paired with the proper hardware, they sound absolutely excellent – balanced in every way. Unfortunately, they're supremely expensive and require more audio equipment than the average consumer is ready to buy. Should you find yourself in need – or, let's be honest, in want – of amazing over-ear headphones, these are them. Read the full review: Sennheiser HD 800 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U6D3ofXKriRQ8SrHtFkjL4.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Q2ZCYXBBtjkaizsuVYLsfe.jpg Image Credit: 1MORE If you’re looking for a pair of audiophile headphones that won’t break the bank, the 1MORE Triple Driver over-ear is a great place to start. Its build quality and detailed sound really impress and we think bass-lovers will like the slight mid-bass emphasis and control in the lower registers while not sacrificing the mids or highs. The headphone reveals a good level of detail throughout the frequency range and never get harsh in the upper registers. To that end, it’s hard to fault the $250 (about £190, AU$338) 1MORE Triple Driver Over-Ear, making them an easy recommendation for the price. Read the full review: 1MORE Triple Driver Over-Ear http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U6D3ofXKriRQ8SrHtFkjL4.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/200470e3c22b307f1c70ebedea33e8e4.jpg Image Credit: Bowers & Wilkins The B&W P9 Signatures are simply some of the best-sounding headphones we’ve ever used. They have a tight, refined sound that offers an almost unmatched level of detail. That said, the fact remains that they’re a comparatively feature-light pair of cans. If you want to spend less then you can get a much more portable pair that’ll be better suited to the morning commute or a plane ride thanks to additional features like noise-cancellation and Bluetooth connectivity. But, if you’re looking to invest in a seriously high-quality pair of headphones to listen to a high-quality music collection, then there are few that can match the P9s at this price point. Read the full review: B&W P9 Signature http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U6D3ofXKriRQ8SrHtFkjL4.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2SqPQj4CcRktWmw2YAWbSH.jpg Image Credit: Sony It's almost unfair to stick them in the same category as the more critical listening-focused over-ear headphones, but the Sony WH-1000XM3 are one of the best all-around headphones we heard last year. Not only do they sound great and pack excellent noise-cancellation, but they manage to do this all wirelessly. Other headphones on our list offer superior sound quality, sure, but the WH-1000XM3 manage to offer the best balance of features and performance. And while it's the noise-cancellation that really sell these headphones, they've also got a couple of interesting tricks up their sleeves like built-in Google Assistant and Alexa, plus support for NFC and aptX HD with some Android devices. Offering all of this without a serious price-premium over the competition means the Sony WH-1000XM3 are a great all-around choice for on-the-go music listeners. Read the full review: Sony WH-1000XM3 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U6D3ofXKriRQ8SrHtFkjL4.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/43ebb824dd4a4fec94975cb7ecff4ff1.jpg Image Credit: Audio-Technica Audiophiles typically shun wireless headphones because of poor sound quality. However, Bluetooth audio has improved tremendously over the years. There are now plenty of wireless headphones that can please the music enthusiast, with Hi-Res Audio support being more and more prevalent. That said, the Audio-Technica ATH-SR5BT feature some of the best wired and wireless sound quality for a headphone under $200 (£150). They play well with all music genres and offer a near-flat response curve. They're extremely comfortable for long listening sessions and are well built. Battery life is equally impressive with nearly 40 hours of playback from a charge. And while they lack some features of more expensive wireless headphones like active noise cancelling and multi-device pairing, these are tradeoffs worth making for phenomenal sound. Read the full review: Audio-Technica ATH-SR5BT http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U6D3ofXKriRQ8SrHtFkjL4.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5qdJydXJzY7myaJaWU2RVJ.jpg Image Credit: Beyerdynamic The Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless are the best-sounding wireless headphones you can buy, period. Sound is spacious, detailed, and makes you want to rediscover your music library. Their bulky design and average noise isolation make them terrible for travel but if you’re looking for the best sound from a wireless headphone, this is it. Read the full review: Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U6D3ofXKriRQ8SrHtFkjL4.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/d39889d326fc6682a15be4f43d2db7a4.jpg Image Credit: Bose After cutting the wires off its flagship cans with the Bose QC35 headphones, Bose's QC35 II are a slightly more minor upgrade. This time the big addition is Google Assistant, which can be summoned with the press of a button. Otherwise these are more or less the same headphones that we enjoyed the first time around. The QC35s aren't the best sounding out there, but their noise-cancellation is class-leading and if that's your priority then they're a great choice. Read the full review: Bose QC35 II http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WeAzGVGa9HsyWbpcPmS5Ph.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/54pj8jhJXSpJdPyCrVLQpL.jpg Image Credit: TechRadar For the money, the JBL Live 650BTNC punch above its weight in terms of sound quality, build, and features. The cons we have listed above – like mapping the assistant to the touchpad and its use of microUSB – are simply nitpicks with none of them being outright deal-breakers. That said, we came away very impressed at the well-rounded package JBL created for the market and would certainly recommend them to anyone in the market for a cheap pair of noise-cancelling headphones. Read the full review: JBL Live 650BTNC review http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WeAzGVGa9HsyWbpcPmS5Ph.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2Qx8uYZarrmmfdTpb87Fbi.jpg Image Credit: TechRadar The SXFI Air headphones are something of a mixed bag when used in Bluetooth mode, and if you’re mainly planning to use them indoors then it’s tempting to opt for the less expensive wired version instead. However, the wired mode really shows off the SXFI holographic audio to best effect, adding a dramatic sense of space to music, games and video alike. There’s still some room for improvement when listening to music – but for gaming and video the SXFI Air is about as good as you’ll get for just over $150. Read the full review: Creative SXFI Air headphones review http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WeAzGVGa9HsyWbpcPmS5Ph.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fXZCXQnd3cPxs6GhaBivxj.jpg Image Credit: Microsoft Overall, Microsoft’s Surface headphones are surprisingly good, with a stunningly warm sound, and generous bass frequencies, which means your music will sound great whether you’re listening to subby hip-hop or acoustic singer-songwriters. One criticism of this warm sound is that it can take some of the attack away from lower-mid frequencies, which some users may find a bit underwhelming. However, if sharp trebles and mids tend to give you listening fatigue, these could be the perfect headphones for you. The calling card of these headphones is the active noise cancellation, which we felt worked really well, and we loved how easy it was to control this using the inbuilt dials on each housing. Although we were initially unconvinced by the high price (particularly when you can buy quality cans from heritage audio brands for less), the features work so seamlessly that it feels justified. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yQkjpUqMnQuPgJ5uWJ9Y7E.jpg Image credit: TechRadar The Focal Stellias sound absolutely fantastic. Their wide-open soundstage and detailed, accurate sound treatment means they make any genre of music sound brilliant. If you listen to songs you think you know inside out, the Stellias' precise separation of the frequencies means that you will probably hear details you’ve never noticed before. So why didn't they make the list? Well, we included them as a bonus option because they're incredible. But they're very, very expensive. They're $3,000. And as good as they are, therein lies the problem: the Focal Stellias are prohibitively expensive for most people, at 10 times the price of our current favorite headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM3s. Read the full review: Focal Stellia review Check out TechRadar's exhaustive guides to the best headphones to buy today including the best on-ear headphones and the best in-ear headphones.For some more specialist pairs, take a look at our guides to the best wireless headphones and the best noise-cancelling headphones.Looking for some headphones you can take in the pool? Check out our guide to the best swimming headphones.Check out our videos below for a roundup of the best headphones available. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/E2vth26-Xdc

Google Assistant has finally arrived on the Sonos One smart speaker and Sonos Beam soundbar, via a free free software update in the United States. Sonos says that the update will be rolled out to the "UK, Germany, Canada, Australia, France, and The Netherlands" in July, with "additional countries to follow". Read our Sonos One reviewThe best smart speakers of 2019The best soundbars for TV, cinema, and gamingThe company originally promised both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa support back in 2017, and despite a number of updates to the Sonos One – including AirPlay 2 support – Google Assistant hadn't been among them until now. Flexibility for the smart homeThe integration with Google Assistant means that Sonos One and Sonos Beam users can "easily start a song, queue a TV show, check the weather, and control the smart home" by giving voice commands to the built-in assistant. It will also be possible to control compatible Google smart home devices that work with Google Assistant via the Sonos One or Sonos Beam. In a letter sent out to Sonos shareholders, CEO Patrick Spence said that the new feature "will truly elevate the customer experience and marks the first time that consumers will be able to buy a single smart speaker and get to choose which voice assistant they want to use". "We think giving consumers choice is always the right decision, and we anticipate this philosophy will be adopted in the industry over time." Having interoperability between different voice assistants could prove very lucrative for the company, especially if customers value flexibility in their smart home products as much as Sonos is clearly hoping. In a press release, the company said that Sonos customer "will have the ability to choose an assistant for each individual speaker", which means you could have Alexa built-in to the Sonos Beam in your living room, while the Sonos One in your kitchen is set up with Google Assistant. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2PsDDTUdFby2wuiZV9zS6o.jpg The Sonos Beam (Image credit: Sonos) The Sonos One was recently updated with a second generation model, but as Sonos said “the original Sonos One will continue to be supported through regular updates", Google Assistant will be available on the original model as promised. Due to the recent upgrade, you can find the original Sonos One on sale for around $179 / £179 / AU$279 while the second gen model picks up the previous price tag of $199 /£199 / AU$299. The Sonos Beam soundbar, which impressed us with its compact design and superb sound quality, comes in at $399 / £399 / AU$599. The cheapest Sonos speaker deals and sales this monthhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/pyZFC8n4k-c

Ask someone to name a photo editor, and it's likely that Photoshop will be the name that leaves their lips. Such is the power of Adobe's image manipulation software that it has not only become an industry-standard tool, it has become a verb – much to the chagrin of Adobe. With nearly 30 years of history behind it, Photoshop has grown immensely, and there really is little it can't do in the right hands. But while the software is almost unbelievably powerful, it is not necessarily for everyone. GIMP is frequently touted as the free alternative to Photoshop, but does it really stand up to this comparison? We compare the two programs to find out. GIMP vs Photoshop: the basicsThere are a couple of hurdles to overcome if you want to get on the Photoshop wagon, and the first is the price. This is not a cheap piece of software by any stretch of the imagination; it is a professional-level tool, and it has a price tag that reflects this. Secondly, there is the learning curve. Photoshop isn't a program you just jump into and are immediately producing incredible results – although there are a number of automated and semi-automated tools to help you. People dedicate entire careers to mastering Adobe's famous software, and to get the most out of it you really have to be willing to put in the hours. That's not to say that GIMP is a simple piece of software by any means. In the right hands GIMP can do most of what Photoshop is capable of. It may do things in a slightly different way, it may not be quite as refined, and it may take a little more legwork, but if you know where to look, you have powerful arsenal of tools at your disposal. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/x2fsXvDiwTMqWsEuDV8ef.jpg GIMP is the most powerful free photo editor around, and will be enough for many hobbyist photographers (Image credit: GIMP) InterfaceBoth GIMP and Photoshop have a great deal to offer, and this means their interfaces are littered with buttons, windows, toolbars and menus – to the point that it can be a little overwhelming. Thankfully, both offer the option of reining things in a little and hiding at least some of the tools you either don’t use very often or don’t need at all. GIMP has evolved in recent years from a multi-windowed interface to a more familiar (for Windows users, at least) single window look. With both programs, you will need to spend time not only learning what all of the tool do, but where you can find them. In fact, this can be half of the battle with using Photoshop or GIMP – knowing where to find the tools you are trying to use! As you become more familiar with the layout of the options, you'll find that your workflow improves and you'll also have more time to experiment rather than just sticking with the tools and options you know already. FeaturesNeither Photoshop nor GIMP skimp on features. The chances are that – unless you're a designer or a very serious hobbiest – you simply won't use half of what's on offer in each of them. Photoshop has just about every tool imaginable, and GIMP does a very good job of trying to replicate its selection. However, the free program simply does not manage to life up to the capabilities of Photoshop. While GIMP has a healing brush tool, Photoshop has no fewer than three healing tools. This isn't to say that you won’t be able to get the same results in GIMP, just that you will have to do a little more manual work to do so. Both image editor support RAW files, which is great news for serious photographers, but you may find that GIMP is a little less reliable in this department. A key advantage of Photoshop for photographer is its unparalleled non-destructive editing, while designers will appreciate CMYK support. But while both programs are immensely powerful, their incredible range of features can be further bolstered through the use of plugins. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/tPRogRamVRJGdWXttR3oh5.jpg Photoshop is a professional-level photo editor, and has a learning curve to match (Image credit: Adobe) PluginsSome people would argue that image editing is all about plugins, and you're somewhat spoiled for choice whether you opt for Photoshop or GIMP. Photoshop is famous for its exhaustive range of plugins, and it would be easy to spend more on extending the capabilities of the program than you do on the program itself – although there are plenty of free plugin available as well. GIMP supposedly works with Photoshop plugins, but support isn't guaranteed, so you may find that some don’t work at all or are a little unstable. That said, there are plenty of alternatives to Photoshop plugins should you find that one of your favourites does not work properly. Ease of use and performanceBoth GIMP and Photoshop take time to get to know, and time to master. 'Ease of use' is a difficult term to apply to the programs because just how simple they are to use really depends on what you're trying to achieve. That said, there are a wide range of tutorials online for both image editors, covering just about every tool, scenario and problem you could imagine. There's a wider range of tutorials available for Photoshop, and they are generally of a higher standard, but GIMP users aren't left entirely to their own devices. Where Photoshop does win, however, is support. The fact that you are paying for the software gives you access to a dedicated team of experts at Adobe who can help you out should you get stuck. Photoshop and GIMP are both standalone products, but Photoshop benefits from fitting into a Creative Cloud workflow. If you use other Adobe products to manage your photo library and perform imaging work, you'll find that Photoshop slots very neatly into your working process. GIMP truly is a standalone program, though, and there are not accompanying or supporting tools to use alongside it. This means that if you want to use a photo management tool in addition to GIMP, you will have very different working experience rather than the unified interfaces provided by Adobe. One more thing you will need to consider if you are still torn between these two programs is the hardware you have. While both can be very demanding of a computer, Photoshop really requires a powerful system if you are to get the most out of it and not become frustrated by slow performance. GIMP will run rather more happily on older, slower computers, but as with any program, it appreciates faster hardware. Your operating system also matters. GIMP is available in Windows, macOS and Linux variants, while Photoshop is only available for Windows and macOS. Check out our full guide to the best free photo editorshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/j0PUWn4J96E

Welcome to our guide on the best thin and light gaming laptops in 2019. Not too long ago, buying even the best gaming laptop meant having to lug around a big and heavy machine that wasn't much more portable than a desktop PC. However, thanks to modern advancements in technology, which has seen smaller, more power-efficient, mobile components being made, gaming laptops can be almost as thin and light as standard laptops. For example, Nvidia's Max-Q design technology allows laptop makers to create thin, light and powerful gaming laptops that make use of the company's best graphics cards. No longer do you need to make a choice between power and portability. However, thin and light gaming laptops can be a bit more expensive than regular gaming laptops, due to the complex parts and careful construction they require. That's where are best thin and light gaming laptops guide comes in. We've selected the very best slimline gaming laptops to help you make your decision easier. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MauzThBhdM4zX4eyPnuGPL.jpg This amazing gaming laptop is just 0.7 inches thick, yet it houses an Intel Coffee Lake Core i7 chip, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q graphics and 16GB of RAM. That means you can crank any PC game under the sun to max settings, and take it with you wherever you go. And, of course, it’s packed with RGB lighting that’ll dazzle anyone that looks at it. Asus' range of Zephyrus laptops have always been known for offering exemplary gaming performance in thin and light designs, and its latest flagship carries on that fine tradition. Read the full review: Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ntt7dmr4iRnVnhjsppoaiS.jpg At just .7 inches thick and featuring beefy Coffee Lake processors, the MSI GS65 Stealth isn't just one of the best thin and light gaming laptops ever made, it's one of the best devices you can currently game on full stop. It features an Intel Core i7-8750H CPU and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 graphics, which gives you plenty of power for playing the latest games with the graphical settings set to 'high', and it all comes in a brilliantly thin and gorgeously-designed body. Read the full review: MSI GS65 Stealth http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2C9weNubGhDnJUvkFBViWQ.jpg The latest Razer Blade Stealth is an absolutely brilliant thin and light gaming PC. It's a brilliant demonstration of just how far gaming laptop technology has come, with Razer fitting some seriously impressive components into the slimline body of the Blade Stealth. The 2018 version comes with some of the most up-to-date hardware money can buy, and it benefits from a brighter (and larger) display and a new, more subtle, design. Read the full review: Razer Blade Stealth http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/cxyU49vRf2uKPVa7KNPBUk.jpg The Gigabyte Aero 15 proves that you don't need to be big and bulky to be a brilliant gaming laptop. It packs a 6-core 8th-generation Intel Core i7 CPU and a GTX 1060 into a slimline body that you'd expect from an Ultrabook. And, thanks to that beefy processor, the Gigabyte Aero 15 isn’t just one of the best gaming laptops – it’s just as good when you need to get some work done. Read the full review: Gigabyte Aero 15 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/k976GJLUC9iNfC5orutNqk.jpg Okay, so the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 isn't billed as a gaming laptop, but within its thin and light frame are components that will give you a brilliant gaming experience. Packed with an Intel Kaby Lake G-series processor, this gaming laptop can keep up with its competitors. While you may not be able to play the very latest games at the highest graphical settings, with a bit of tweaking you'll find that this thin-and-light laptop is brilliant for gaming. Plus, it has a gorgeously-thin design from Dell that makes it stand out from the crowd. Read the full review: Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 Don't care about the size? Here's the best gaming laptops of 2018http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/qGcHfWSORRg

When it comes to SIM only deals, competition has become fierce. We often see the best of the best getting the upper hand by offering cashback, unlimited data, the cheapest price, or in the case of Smarty, a free month of your SIM. Paying absolutely nothing for your first month sounds suspicious right...what's the catch? There's no need to fret as there is no catch. Exclusively for TechRadar readers, you simply buy one month and the second will cost you nothing, pretty great right? The news only gets better considering the fact that Smarty Mobile is flexible with it's plans. That means you can sign up for just 1 month if you want to, giving you a 2 month SIM only plan from as little as £3.12, an unbeatable price. But 2 months isn't long, decide to stay longer than that and you'll still get your free month but also get to enjoy Smarty's money back on unused data scheme (explained below), bringing even more affordability to this offer. Below you'll find all of Smarty's options when it comes to SIMO, each at a different price and data point. If you would rather go for something different, more data perhaps? then you can find all of the options on our SIM only deals page. Smarty's SIM only deals in full:1GB data, unlimited calls and texts - £6.25 per month2GB data, unlimited calls and texts - £7.50 per month4GB data, unlimited calls and texts - £10 per month8GB data, unlimited calls and texts - £15 per monthUnlimited data, calls and texts - £25 per monthSave money on unused data with SmartyOn the merits of the above promotion alone, Smarty is looking like a clever SIMO option at the moment for new and old SIM-free mobiles alike. But its other USP is really worth reminding you about, too. It will give you money off for any data allowance that you don't use in a month. So if you have a month where you hardly use your phone away from the Wi-Fi at all, you may be eligible for money off your next phone bill. The tariffs include a base price of £5 per month which is non-refundable. So whichever plan you go for (other than the basic 1GB or unlimited data options, of course) you will get a discount on your next month by £1.25 per GB you don't use. Worried about reception? Again there's nothing to be afraid of - Smarty piggybacks on the Three network which covers 97% of the UK. Check out this deal at Smarty.co.ukWhat is Smarty? Find out morehttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/b4p0q6gogY8

For many people, internet is one of the most necessary tools that help in turning the wheel of life. Imagine that you have to spend one whole day without using Google, posting photos on your social media platforms or checking emails/messages from friends. Internet for business-use makes it one of the most indispensable tools to carry out multiple operations. These tasks include video conferencing, training employees and much more. There will come situations when you would need to download large sized files, stay updated about the on-going events happening around you. You need internet and there’s no doubt about it. No matter what kind of business you run or team you work with, you won’t be able to last longer without connecting to the internet. Even a slow internet connection can decrease the productivity of your work. In the worst case scenario, it can affect the profit and loss margins of your work. Selecting the most useful internet connection adds value to your business. It becomes a make-it or break-it situation when opting for an internet service provider for yourself. All you need to do is select an internet service provider that conforms to your needs and fits your budget. Else, it is very easy to sign up for your first internet service provider. It requires you to consider certain variables when making a buying decision and then close the deal with your ISP. Here are a few things that you can consider when selecting the internet service provider for your business. 5G: How will businesses benefit?Why your small business team needs a VPNSD-WAN is the future for EMEA businessesIs the bandwidth enough for your business?This is one of the key elements and requirements that you as a business owner or manager should evaluate. The bandwidth needs of your business will depend on the nature of your business and the size of your business operations. Keeping this in mind, assess the ISP on the following basis: How fast do you want your internet speed to be? How much bandwidth your business requires? Are you going to need a point-to-point connection?How many devices or users will connect with the same network?Once you've answered these questions, your next step is to learn about the different types of high-speed internet options. Here's a list of the primary options to consider: Cable Internet Service Cable internet service relies on the standard coaxial cable lines used to run television service. This is going to be one of the most popular options for homes as well as offices. However, the speed offered by these services gets slower during peak hours. This is because the bandwidth gets shared amidst different users. Digital Subscriber Line or DSL This is one of the oldest internet technologies yet it is quite affordable. Keeping in mind the affordability of this type of connection, you can’t expect it to be reliable as well. This type of internet connection requires users to transmit data using telephone lines. The more distant you are from the line, the more inconsistent your connection becomes. Fiber When it comes to using the internet from a business perspective, this is going to be a better option than DSL or Cable Internet connections. One of the biggest fortes of using Fiber internet is that it provides users with scalability. This means that you can start with a speed of 10 megabytes as well as 100 megabytes or maybe more. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UJ5CFPQLDaMmXUqcw3CEXh.jpg Image credit: Shutterstock Ensuring your connection is secureThis is one other variable that you MUST consider and discuss when taking up services from your ISP. When it comes to security, Data Center security breaches is one of the biggest risks associated with small businesses. You can select from one of the many service providers that are available in the market. But there are some ISPs who guarantee protection against spyware, spam, virus and other threats. So keep your eyes and ears open for such options. Prompt Support and Access To Customer Services In case there is a sticky situation with your internet connection, you need an expert who gets you support services and goes an extra mile with that. You are dealing with machines, servers, and data that travels in bits and chunks. If your internet service provider lacks human intervention, it becomes a burden on yourself. So, it’s a better option if you switch your business internet service. In many cases, a customer support service is also worth it even if it costs you a few dollars. So having a 24/7 technical support and customer service is always an important thing to have. Short Installation Timelines Many internet services providers take around 30 to 60 days to get the internet connection up and running. This depends on area-to-area. When you are shopping for your business internet service provider, make sure that you understand and consider your and your service provider’s timetable and set the expected delivery time accordingly. Routing We all know that the internet is a global system that comprises of a set of computers that are interconnected. These computers use Internet protocol suite or TCP/IP. This helps us link billions of devices across the world. Internet Service Providers connect your network in the office to many other connected networks and make up the internet connection you have. The ISP gets access to the network using transit and non-transit connections. This connection to all networks in the world is a route. Reliable and consistent upload and download speedsYou should be able to realize the upload/download speeds you need for your office. Do you need speedy downloads or uploads? Or you need to send and receives emails or files or browse the internet and get the job done. Also, keep in mind the number of users who will connect to your network at one time and what operations will they perform using the internet. Do ask your internet service provider if the internet service they provide fluctuates at a certain point in time. When you select an Internet service provider, make sure that you know what you are looking for. This is going to predict the future of your business and the profitability of your business. You are the one who knows the full nature and whereabouts of your business and its operations. So the bottom line is that when you set out to find an ISP, ask for services by the one who understands your business needs. Also, make sure that they can make the necessary adjustments and accommodate your long-term goals and needs in the short-run as well. Nathan John, Content Editor at Spectrum Offers We've also highlighted the best business broadband dealshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/6aQ3kj9y7Jk

Trucking is a mucky business, so German engineers have fitted a three-mile stretch of Autobahn with overhead power cables that will provide hybrid vehicles with a constant source of juice as they go about their business hauling goods between Darmstadt and Frankfurt, Trucks on the eHighway (as the test road is known) use pantographs like those on trams to draw power from the overhead cables. At the end of the line, sensors prompt the vehicles to switch back to their combustion engines. Electric vehicles explained: everything you need to knowHow wireless electric vehicle charging worksPolestar's new electric sports car is built to take on TeslaThe cables are suspended from several hundred masts – even under bridges – and provide a source of uninterrupted power. Surplus electricity generated while the trucks are braking is fed back into the system, and if a line is broken it will shut down automatically. There's even an anti-icing system to avoid the cables becoming frozen and brittle in the frosty German winters. A small test took place last year, but the unusually mild weather meant the lines didn't get a thorough testing. Haul change, pleaseThe trucks themselves are built by Scania, a Swedish company owned by Volkswagen whose juggernauts rule highways around the world, while the electrical infrastructure was engineered by Siemens. The project is starting small, with just five of the special vehicles making trips up and down the eHighway each day, but if it works well, the cables could eventually be fitted to 620 miles of Germany's Autobahn network – and beyond. Tesla Model Y release date, news and rumorshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/66dF4l9k7oc

Looking for the latest Games with Gold titles? You've come to the right place. One of the main benefits of being an Xbox Live Gold subscriber is definitely the fact that each month you get access to a range of free games across the Xbox One and Xbox 360 platforms. If you’re an Xbox One owner, backwards compatibility means you get to take advantage of the Xbox 360 titles too. This is a great way to try games you might not otherwise have played, whether because they're indie titles that slip under your radar or simply because you don’t have the funds to buy several games a month. Even if you don’t have the console memory or the time to spare right now, we’d say it’s always worth claiming them every month anyway as you’ll then have free access to them for as long as you have an active Xbox Live account. Looking for the latest free Games with Gold titles? You've come to the right place for finding the newest free games, and how long it'll be available for. We've also included some previous game offerings underneath the list. Games with Gold (May 2019)http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JjiAGyNb7tXKQexcBuCw7H.jpg Marooners Marooners - Available May 1 to 31 on Xbox One (usually $9.99 / £7.99 / AU$13.45) Frenetic and fun in equal measure, Marooners lets you take on your friends online or locally in a series of imaginative mini games – the emphasis is on the social here, with detailed stories and visuals losing out to the sheer enjoyment of battling against your friends to come out on top. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/tYyhXFtdXLKcscV4qksh8n.jpg The Golf Club 2 The Golf Club 2 featuring PGA Tour - Available May 16 to June 15 on Xbox One (usually $49.99 / £44.99 / AU$69.95) Almost as good as getting out on the greens yourself, the Golf Club 2 lets you play on a variety of famous courses using some of the most realistic golf sim interfaces ever releases in a game. You've got a choice of playing modes to cycle through as well, to keep it interesting. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Nm7YaTqGqaTmpbGH2SzTzU.jpg Earth Defense Force Insect Armageddon Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon - Available May 1 to May 15 on Xbox One and Xbox 360 (usually $19.99 / £14.99 / AU$29.95) In this EDF spin-off you have to take down wave after wave of deadly alien insects – not unlike that Starship Troopers movie – and to help you out you've got more than 300 different types of weapon and armor to pick from. Happy bug hunting. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/TPP7RrYbTui6SMgNoC24aX.jpg Comic Jumper Comic Jumper - Available May 16 to May 31 on Xbox One and Xbox 360 (usually $14.99 / £9.99 / AU$14.95) One of the quirkiest games available on Microsoft's gaming console, Comic Jumper has you... well... jumping from comic to comic to fix problems and save the day. Perfect for anyone who's a fan of comic books or just action games in general – it's unlikely that you've played anything quite like it. Games featured previously in the programAssassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia - available June 1 to June 30, 2018 (usually £7.99/ $9.99/ AU $13.49) Smite: Gold bundle - available June 16 to July 15, 2018 Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed - Available June 1 to June 15, 2018 Lego Indiana Jones 2: The New Adventures - Available June 16 to June 30, 2018 (usually £8.99/ $19.99/ AU $29.95) Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain – Available May 16 to June 15, 2018 (usually £42.49/$19.99/AU $72.45) Super Mega Baseball 2 – Available May 1 to May 31, 2018 (No price available) Sega Vintage Collection: Streets of Rage – Available May 1 to May 15, 2018 (£6.75/ $9.99/ AU $9.95) Vanquish – Available May 16 to May 31, 2018 (£19.99/ $14.99/ AU $29.95) The Witness - Available April 1 to April 30, 2018 (usually £31.99/ $39.99/ AU $52.45) Assassin's Creed Syndicate - Available April 16 to May 15, 2018 (usually £24.99/ $49.99/ AU $49.95) Cars 2 - Available April 1 to April 30, 2018 (usually £8.99/ $19.99/ AU $29.95) Dead Space 2 - Available April 16 to April 30, 2018 (usually £14.99/$19.99/ AU $29.95) Trials of the Blood Dragon - March 1 to March 20, 2018 (usually £11.99 / $14.99 / AU $21.95 ) Superhot - March 16 to April 15, 2018 (usually £19.99 / $24.99/ AU $33.45) Brave: The Game - March 1 to March 15, 2018 (usually £8.99 / $19.99/ AU $29.95) Quantum Conundrum - March 16 to March 31, 2018 (usually £7.99 / $9.99 / AU $11.45) Shadow Warrior – February 1 to February 28 (usually £19.99/ $29.99/ AU $36.70) Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India – February 16 to March 15 (usually £7.99/ $9.99/ AU $14.95) Split Second – February 1 to February 15 (usually £8.99/ $19.99/ AU $29.95) Crazy Taxi – February 16 to February 28 (£6.75 / $9.99/ AU $9.95) The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing III – January 1 to January 31 (usually £11.99 / $14.99/ AU $19.95) Zombi – January 16 to February 15 (usually £14.99/ $19.99/ AU $29.95) Tomb Raider Underworld – January 1 to January 15 (usually £14.99/ $19.99/ AU $29.95) Army of Two – January 16 to January 31 (usually £14.99/ $14.99/ AU $19.95) Back to the Future: The Game - December 16 to January 15, 2017 (usually £19.99/$19.99/ AU $33.45) Warhammer: End Times - Vermintide - December 1 to December 31, 2017 (usually £31.99/$39.99/ AU $69.95) Child of Eden - December 1 to December 15 (usually £11.99/$29.99/AU $19.95) Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death - December 16 to December 31 (usually £9.99/$14.99/ AU $14.95) Tales from the Borderlands – November 16 to December 15 (usually $14.99/ £11.99/ AU $19.95) Trackmania Turbo – November 1 to November 30 (usually $39.99/ £29.99/ AU $59.95) NiGHTS into Dreams – November 1 to November 15 (usually $9.99/ £6.75/ AU $9.95) Deadfall Adventures – November 16 to November 30 (usually $39.99/ £34.99/ AU $69.95) Gone Home – October 1 to 31 (usually $19.99 / £15.99/ AU $26.95) The Turing Test – October 16 to November 15 (usually $19.99 / £14.99 / AU $29.95) Rayman 3 HD – October 1 to 15 (usually $9.99/ £6.75/ AU $9.95) Medal of Honor: Airborne – October 16 to 31 (usually $19.99/ £14.99/ AU$19.95) Forza Motorsport 5: Racing Game of the Year Edition – September 1 to 30 (usually $39.99 / £23.99/ AU $69.95) Oxenfree – September 16 to October 15 (usually $19.99 / £15.99 / AU $26.95) Hydro Thunder Hurricane – September 1 to 15 (usually $9.99/ £7.69/ AU $12.29) Battlefield 3 – September 16 to 30 (usually $19.99/ £14.99/ AU $29.95) Slime Rancher – August 1 to August 31(usually £15.99/ $19.99/ AU $26.95) Trials Fusion – August 16 to September 15 (usually £15.99/ $19.99/ AU $29.95) Bayonetta – August 1 to August 15 (usually £14.99/ $19.99/ AU $29.95) Red Faction: Armageddon – August 16 to August 31 (usually £24.99/ $29.99/ AU $49.95) Grow Up – Available July 1 to July 30 (usually $9.99/ £7.99/ AU $14.95) Runbow – Available July 16 to August 15, 2017 Kane & Lynch 2 – Available July 1 to July 15 (usually $14.99/ £11.99/ AU $19.95) LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game – Available July 16 to July 31(usually $19.99/ £8.99/ AU $29.95) SpeedRunners - Available June 1 to June 30 Watch Dogs - Available June 26 to July 15 (usually $29.99/ £23.99/ AU$39.95) Assassin's Creed III - Available June 1 to June 15 (usually $19.99/ £8.99/ AU$14.95) Dragon Age: Origins - Available June 16 to June 30 (usually $14.99/ £14.99/ AU$19.95) Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris – Available May 16 to June 15 (usually $19.99/ £14.99/ AU $26.95) Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams – Director's Cut – Available May 1 to May 31 (usually $14.99/ £11.99 / listed as Coming Soon on Australian store) Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II – Available May 1 to May 15 (usually $19.99 / £11.99/ AU $29.95) Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga – Available May 16 to May 31 (usually $19.99/ £11.99/ AU $29.95) Ryse: Son of Rome – Available April 1 to April 30 (currently only available as part of a bundle in US and AU for ($29.99/ AU $69.95) The Walking Dead: Season Two – Available April 16 to May 15 (usually £19.99/ $24.99/ AU $33.45) Darksiders – Available April 1 to April 15 (usually £14.99/ $19.99/ AU$29.95) Assassin's Creed: Revelations – Available April 16 to April 30 (usually £8.99/ $19.99/ AU $9.95) Layers of Fear – Available 01/03 to 31/03 (usually £15.99/ $19.99/ AU $26.95 Evolve: Ultimate Edition – Available 16/03 to 15/04 (usually £34.99/ $49.99/ AU $54.95) Borderlands 2 – Available 01/03 to 15/03 (Usually £19.99/ $19.99/ AU $49.95) Heavy Weapon – Available 16/03 to 31/03 (usually £7.99/ $9.99/ AU $14.95) Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime – Available 01/02 to 28/02 (usually £11.99/ $14.99/ AU$19.95) Project Cars Digital Edition – Available 16/02 to 15/03 (usually £23.99/ $29.99/ AU$39.95) Monkey Island 2: Special Edition – Available 01/02 to 15/02 (usually £6.75/ $9.99/ AU$9.95) Star Wars: The Force Unleashed – Available 16/02 to 28/02 (usually £11.99/ $19.99/ AU$19.95) Van Helsing: Deathtrap (£15.99/ $19.99/ AU $26.95) Killer Instinct Season 2 Ultra Edition (£31.99/ $39.99 / AU $52.45) The Cave (£9.99 / $14.99/ AU$14.95) Rayman Origins (£11.99/ $14.99/ AU$19.95) Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition - December 2016 - (£23.99/ $29.99/ AU$39.95) Outlast (£15.99/ $19.99/ AU$26.95) Super Dungeon Bros - November 2016 - (£15.99/ $19.99/ AU$26.95) Murdered: Soul Suspect (£15.99/ $19.99/ AU$26.95) Monkey Island Special Edition (£7.99/ $9.99/ AU$13.45) Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon (£9.99/ $14.99/ AU$14.95) Super Mega Baseball: Extra Innings - October 2016 - (£15.99/ $19.99/ AU$26.95) The Escapists (£14.99/ $19.99/ AU$26.95) MX vs ATV Reflex (£24.99/ $29.99/ AU$49.95) I Am Alive (£9.99/ $14.99/ AU$14.95) Earthlock: Festival of Magic - September 2016 - (£23.99/$29.99/AU$39.95) Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Chine (£7.99/ $9.99/ AU$13.45) Forza Horizon (no current pricing available) Mirror’s Edge (£14.99/ $14.99/ AU$19.95) Looking for more? These are our favorite games for the Xbox Onehttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/u9qTCaU73xw

Alexa now works with over 60,000 smart devices, making it the most widely available voice assistant on the market. According to Digital Trends, this represents a significant increase in availability, as "just one year ago, Amazon reported that the voice assistant was compatible with 12,000 devices". The best smart speaker of 2019Alexa games: the best games you can play on your smart speakerAmazon Echo vs Google Home: which speaker is best for you?As Amazon reported that Alexa was compatible with 20,000 products in September 2019, the company has "increased the number of products that support Alexa by 200%" over the last eight months. Smartphones vs smart speakersIn terms of compatibility with smart devices, competing voice assistants like Google Assistant and Apple's Siri are lagging behind, with Google Assistant supporting "10,000 devices from more than 1,000 popular brands as of October 2018". This number could have increased significantly since then if Alexa's growth is anything to go by – even so, Google has a long way to go if it's to catch up with Amazon. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/whSxwyr5KndDChWEtRRtDZ.jpg The new Google Nest Hub Max (Image credit: TechRadar) That margin could increase further still, since Google scrapped its 'Works with Nest' program following its integration of the home security brand and subsequent launch of the Google Nest Hub Max. According to Engadget, Google's new privacy initiative will "allow data sharing between connected devices and apps, but only for a handful of tightly screened partners". Despite Alexa's compatibility with so many devices, Google Assistant and Siri are still the most widely used voice assistants as they come built into smartphones – and smartphones are, of course, far more popular than smart speakers, and probably will be for the foreseeable future. This technology could make Alexa and Google Assistant better listenersVia Digital Trends http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/ojxDp-onc7g

Pure has now launched its first Alexa-enabled speaker: the Pure StreamR. Pure is traditionally best known for its range of DAB radios, though naturally it's had to get increasingly digital with the technological changes happening in the speaker market. Enter the Pure StreamR ('streamer', geddit?): a portable Bluetooth speaker that hopes to bridge Pure's radio heritage with the AI smarts of Amazon's Alexa voice assistant. The best Bluetooth speakers out thereBest DAB radio: which should you choose?The best Alexa skills and commandsWith 15 hours of battery life, DAB+ and FM radio, 30W audio and a touch-sensitive display, it certainly has the specs to compete in a crowded speaker market, though you'll be paying £169 for the privilege. Pure will also be launching a more compact Pure StreamR Splash later in the year, which will retail at £119 and trade some of the audio capability (10W output, no tweeter) for IPX67 water resistance and a longer 20h battery life. Both will be available in either Charcoal or Stone Grey. There's still no sign of the Pure DiscovR speaker (SRP £229) we first heard about last year, though it appears to be a beefed-out version of the StreamR speaker intended for use in the home. While Alexa is appearing in more third-party products, not all of them pull their weight, and we're hoping Pure's track record will ensure StreamR makes more of a splash than some of the Amazon Echo's current competitors. The best cheap Amazon Echo prices and dealshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/UOcXdjYQJcY

You may have read the recent news about the maiden voyage of the London-Glasgow sleeper service. It wasn’t quite the debut anyone had hoped for. The 140 passengers on the train experienced booking mix ups, water leaks into the cabins and a delayed driver. This is the kind of experience that can make or break a brand, especially as disgruntled customers frequently turn to Twitter and Facebook to make their frustrations known within a matter of minutes. But it wasn’t all doom and gloom for the sleeper service. Despite reams of angry tweets and some negative press, we need to remember that a lot of customers actually left feeling positive about their experience. Why? Because diligent and helpful train staff were there to help them through their journey, answering questions and generally being on hand. Sounds pretty simple right? Speaking to staff face to face can alleviate all manner of customer pain points. But there are still so many brands that don’t get this right. In this piece, I’ll delve into how brands can deliver a seamless customer experience – one that balances technology with the human touch. Industry 4.0 suffering major security issuesWhy IT-OT convergence could spell chaos for industrial operatorsWhy mobile is at the heart of Industry 4.0Listen to the feedbackIn the example of the Caledonian Sleeper – passengers felt listened to despite teething problems. Reports showed that passengers recognised the effort that had gone into the upgrade of the service, enjoying the positive elements such as oven-cooked meals, lockers and more legroom. They clearly felt their past feedback had been listened to and were therefore more understanding of the current shortcomings. This just shows the power or listening to basic feedback and acting on it. This can help your brand retain a customer base and instill more patience and understanding in your customers if a future issue does arise. Not only this, according to our own data, improving customer service now outranks net profit and revenue growth as a business priority. Listening to feedback is a strategic imperative – not a ‘nice to have’. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pNcsnN3Fm9CSEGfA9NG26h.jpg Image credit: Pexels Enable staff to deal with the hiccupsChatbot and AI technology is undoubtedly streamlining the customer experience journey for many brands – but human touch still remains crucial. Investing in technology accounts for quicker, simpler and more flexible service for your customers, but human staff should still be empowered and trained to deal with customer queries and complaints. In the case of the Caledonian Sleeper, passengers overall praised train staff for how they dealt with the many issues on their journey. Staff were reported to be cheerful and resilient as they juggled with the numerous mishaps. They passed out compensation forms and even went as far as to book taxis for customers who missed connections. The social media team was also incredibly active – responding to as many tweets as they could as fast as they could. By all means embrace the many new and exciting technologies which are out there – but don’t let this be at the expense of investing in your team. Our ‘The Customer-Centric Organisation’ report found that 78% of businesses consider employee attitudes as the main vehicle to ultimately improve customer engagement. Your people are you best advocates. The human touch can power you forward Delays, data breaches, missed deliveries – no matter what your brand and your service, hiccups are going to happen. But when they do, a well trained and motivated customer experience team can help to keep customers feeling listened to and valued. As organisations increasingly take a multi-channel approach to customer experience, examining how people interact with them digitally and by phone, this Caledonian Sleeper example is a timely reminder of how neglecting face-face interactions can be very damaging. It reveals the importance of harnessing a customer-centric culture so that when things go wrong, the company has a motivated and well-trained workforce to leave a long-lasting positive impression. Simon Brennan, VP Sales at EngageHub This is everything you need to know about Industry 4.0http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/ZmtK7J_V-gI

We're expecting to see the OnePlus 7 Pro launch on May 14, alongside the non-pro OnePlus 7, at OnePlus' community launch event. There's a lot we already know, thanks to a combination of OnePlus' slow drip-feed of information, and a plethora of leaks, but there's still a lot we've yet to find out. The big question mark lies over the 'Pro' suffix – OnePlus series usually consist of a standard phone, like the OnePlus 6, then a 'T' variant later in the year, like the OnePlus 6T. The company hasn't released a Pro phone however, so we don't really have historic phones to analyse to try and figure out what exactly OnePlus is about to release. This is what we know about the OnePlus 7 | OnePlus 7 ProCheck out our thoughts on the OnePlus 6TThese are the best camera phones So instead of speculating endlessly on possible OnePlus 7 Pro features – which we've already done – we've put together a list of features that typical OnePlus phones don't have, that we'd like to see. 1. Wireless charginghttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YRFdYWAET6aqfp9UcRh6cS.jpg Image credit: Samsung Something we see in an increasing number of high-end smartphones is wireless charging – it's convenient, it's fairly quick, and it's a lot easier than fiddling with a load of wires. So far OnePlus has avoided introducing wireless charging capability into its phones, largely because the tech can be expensive and OnePlus phones are typically mid-range, but we'd love that to change for its first true premium phone. OnePlus founder and CEO Pete Lau did say future OnePlus phones won't have wireless charging, so we're not holding our breath, but Lau's line of reasoning isn't exactly solid. He pointed out that wireless charging is slower than powering up using a cable, which is true, but speed isn't the only factor – wireless charging is far, far more convenient, and we're not sure time is a huge constraint for too many people powering up their phones. With wireless chargers making their way into more and more homes, we'd love to see OnePlus catch up with the times and embrace wireless charging. 2. Interesting design variationshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uUe57WKrkR3yVtJZjRPnVD.jpg OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition. Image credit: OnePlus OnePlus phones typically have a fine design, but the company has shown it knows how to make a great-looking handset with the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition – its black body and gold trim is eye-catching and, more importantly, rather unique. While phones like the Huawei P30 and Honor View 20 have bright and colorful rear designs, you could just as easily find them eclectic and garish. On the other hand, the McLaren Edition handset is understated and bold, and so we trust OnePlus with making a great-looking device that doesn't rely on bright colors and crazy patterns. We'd even be happy with a few newer colors – most handsets launch in black, white and sometimes blue, so if OnePlus picked any other colors it'd make for a novel design. We've heard rumor that the company is working on an Almond variant, which could be some kind of light brown, and if OnePlus uses a design similar to the McLaren phone it could look pretty classy. 3. Support for microSD cardshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/GrzYu88diTwhkWci5znsfj.jpg The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 has expandable memory. Image credit: TechRadar OnePlus phones have typically had storage options that only go up to 256GB, which is fine for most consumers, but power-users often want more storage, and if OnePlus is going to kick off its Pro range with a device designed for hardcore phone users, it couldn't go wrong with expandable memory. Few phones have expandable memory these days, and it feels a lifetime since handsets like the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 offered the possibility, but it's still a valuable addition to devices. MicroSD slots do take up valuable space in a phone, so instead of allowing for expandable memory, OnePlus could also consider creating a 512GB storage version of the phone, which is again something it hasn't done before. Since 'plus-sized' phones can sometimes have up to 1TB storage, like in the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus, this isn't outside the realms of possibility. 4. Some kind of reinforcement for mechanical partshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8xZx9dFA7GVcPbS7rcZPja.gif The Oppo Reno 10x Zoom. Image credit: TechRadar Many rumors about the OnePlus 7 Pro state it has a full-body screen and a pop-up camera and, as with any mechanical or moving part in a smartphone, we've got our worries. Will it break if we drop it, or hit it too hard against a surface, or will it just fall apart through normal use like many reviewers' Samsung Galaxy Fold devices? Some phones with moving parts have fail-safes in case of trouble, for example the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom, with a pop-up 'shark fin' design, has an accelerometer – if you drop the phone the fin pops down, like a turtle retreating into its shell. Similarly the Samsung Galaxy A80 and Oppo Find X have moving parts that are fairly large, so aren't big enough to be damaged by a few knocks. If the OnePlus 7 Pro is to have a study pop-up camera, OnePlus is going to need to find a way to protect this mechanical part. 5. A better speaker arrayhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gkgbFVoWfDHSgARkxQpkcQ.jpg The OnePlus 6 had only a single speaker location. Image credit: TechRadar Many smartphones have a single speaker for music and sounds – this can be fine for if you're going to put on some tunes while the phone lays around, but if you're trying to stream a film or play a game you can often find your hand covering the speaker, so your music is muffled. In addition music quality can be fine through one speaker, but it's often far better with the surround-sound effect that can be created when a handset has multiple speakers. If the OnePlus 7 Pro is to be a premium device, one great way of OnePlus setting it apart from the competition would be to include a high-end audio setup, with multiple speakers and a great dynamic range. Alternatively OnePlus could distract us with a 3.5mm headphone jack, which so many phones seem to be dropping these days. We wouldn't mind standard speakers if we could just listen to tunes through our traditional wired headphones. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/U3JBGOCofCg