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Think of the name Orbitsound and you'll probably think of cheap and cheerful soundbars. But the company's latest product is an altogether different beast – the Orbitsound Air D1 is a one-box £12,000 (around $15,000 / AU$22,000) speaker aimed at the luxury end of the market. Citing Dire Straits' Mark Knopfler as a fan, the Orbitsound Air D1 is built with the company's Airsound technology to deliver a stereo sweetspot wherever you are in a room. This is despite being a single-unit active speaker, rather than having two channels that can be discretely positioned. The proprietary technology is helped along by the Air D1's speaker configuration – not only do you have speakers on the front of the box (with each driver having its own analogue amp), but also to the sides. The best wireless speaker: find the best connected speakers for your homeWant true stereo speakers? These are the best bookshelf speakers money can buyhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qJQ3jzirYwztjShNmrnm5E.jpg Image Credit: TechRadar Unique designIt leads to an unusual design for the Air D1 – a large tower-like box, but one that can also pivot on a stand bracket from which it is suspended to further improve the sense of a stereo image for different areas of a room. It's also using an engineering technique called transconductance, which sees the speaker's performance monitored at all times, with the amplifier's output corrected based on that reading to counteract distortion in the signal. As for inputs and connectivity, the Air D1 offers up Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, one optical connection and a trio of aux inputs. It's also got an Ethernet port if your wireless connection isn't up to scratch. At present, the speaker is exclusively available through Harrods in the UK, at a price of £12,000. But Orbitsound is in talks with global retailers too at the moment, so expect that to widen internationally in due course. The Air D1 represents a departure for Orbitsound, an entrance into a new world of luxury audio. While it may not spell the end for its budget-orientated speaker systems, there's also the suggestion that the company could be partnering with OEMs, including within the automotive industry, to bring its patented brand of stereo to a wider audience. Watch this space. Best Bluetooth speakers 2019: the best portable speakers for any budgethttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/8lMv_lEw1Rg

Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), the parent company of du, is expecting a 60% increase in capital expenditure (capex) this year to AED 1.6 billion compared to AED 1 billion last year. The Dubai-based telecom operator has invested AED 181 million in the first three months of this year, witnessing a 74% growth compared to a year ago. Osman Sultan, Chief Executive Officer of EITC and du, told TechRadar Middle East that du is ramping up preparations for the launch of 5G and to help drive digital transformation. “Our network is ready for 5G and it is happening much sooner than expected. [However], the handsets and CPE (customer-premises equipment), wireless routers for broadband services, are not available commercially.” he said. Mr. Sultan believes that at start, speed is going to be the key differentiator for 5G, which will be targeted more towards outdoor coverage rather than indoor. The lower latency part will come at a later stage. In this quarter, we will have significant 5G coverage in DubaiOsman Sultan, CEO of EITC and du With the likely introduction of 5G in the UAE, Sukhdev Singh, Executive Director at research and consulting services provider Kantar, said that it is expected that service providers would look at new avenues of business growth, which could be driven more by enterprise solutions to begin with. The operator has signed partnerships with Nokia, Affirmed Networks and MediaTek to launch next-generation Narrow-Band IoT services, which is critical to the successful adoption of 5G technology. “We are creating a new track of revenue streams by forming alliances, as it will enable devices to deliver a wealth of smart city applications ranging from smart metering, smart parking, trackers, smart health, industrial and agriculture use cases,” Sultan said. 5G holds the keyOn the industrial front, Francis Sideco, Vice-President for technology at IHS Markit, said in a statement that 5G will be a key to expanding and realising the full promise of the internet of things (IoT), with the technology’s impact to be felt in smart homes, smart cities and smart industries. “The world is moving towards digital whether we like or not and we, as a telco, are at the heart of digital transformation. The strategy for this year will be to monetize data usage on the connectivity business, specifically on the pre-paid side, by offering more incentives, and on the enterprise segments,” Sultan said. According to GSMA Intelligence, publisher of industry reports and research for GSMA, which represents the interests of more than 750 mobile operators globally and over 350 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, 83 per cent of the 9.6 million population in the UAE was pre-paid subscribers in 2018. The UAE has 18.6 million mobile connections in 2018 with a 194% SIM penetration rate and with an 84% mobile broadband connection. “We take a long-term view and remain focused on implementing our strategy to drive more efficiency in our core business while capturing new areas of growth through ICT, as we reposition our company for the future of the telecom business,” he said. Profits for du shrink to AED 449mhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/MSeqkaeW7PM

The surge of the adrenaline, the smell of the vaseline, the shine of the silver foil blanket. It must be London Marathon time! 26.2 gruelling miles around the streets of the UK's capital city, it's one of the world's most famous long-distance road races and thankfully getting a 2019 London Marathon live stream is a heck of a lot easier than trying to compete in the thing. And the 2019 edition is likely to be one of the most watched in recent years, thanks to the presence of one Sir Mo Farah. Yep, Mo's back again. But with the fastest marathon time of 2hrs 1mins 39secs set by Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge in Berlin last year, he's the one to watch. Will it be misery or the Mobot? Either way, TechRadar will tell you how to live stream all the Marathon action. But the London Marathon isn't just about the so-called elite runners. It's the fun runners, wheelchair athletes and plethora of weird and wacky fancy-dress costumes that make the event so iconic. Around 40,000 people will be running today, the vast majority fulfilling long held dreams. And the great news is that getting a live stream of the 2019 London Marathon is really easy, as the BBC has the rights to show it in all its glory - just as it has since the inaugural year in 1981. And even if you live outside the UK keep reading as we’ll show you how to live stream the London Marathon 2019 from wherever you are in the world. Football fan? Get yourself a Premier League live stream from anywherehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/B9XNGCRYNHKJzN5zVfTMje.jpg How to watch the London Marathon for free: UK streamStream the London Marathon from outside your countryWe've got your UK and US watching options covered in this article. But if you try to watch the 2019 London Marathon and you're abroad, you're going to be out of luck - coverage will be geo-blocked. Luckily, there's an easy way around even this hurdle. Simply download and install a VPN to change your IP address to a server back in your country. That way, your laptop, mobile or streaming device will think it's back at home and thus the geo-block will be avoided. Lovely! http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/x4WvmjGdnEUCFeqhMUrnWo.jpg How to watch a 2019 London Marathon live stream in the USIf you’re in the US and want to watch this year’s London Marathon, then you’re in luck as you have several ways to watch the event. NBC Sports will air all the action on the day with the Elite Men's race starting from 5.10am ET, 2.10am PT. If you’d prefer to stream the London Marathon on your computer, streaming devices or on mobile, the NBC site and NBC Sports App will also be streaming the event. If you want more athletics for your buck and plan on tuning into the Diamond League as well as the rest of the IAAF Championships, NBC Sports Gold also offers a Track and Field Pass for $74.99 a year. The service lets you stream all of the top marathons and other athletic events without commercial interruptions and if you happen to miss an event, you can always watch it later on-demand. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ebGZgkd4qVX7mUuvz3WNkH.jpg http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/cj9OsycKEoo

Apple AirPods rumors are like weeds, just when you thought you’ve cleared your yard of them, another one pops up. Such was the case today when we caught wind of the new Apple AirPods 3 in a report corroborated by analysts. The original report, which came from DigiTimes, said that the third-generation of Apple AirPods will arrive by the end of 2019 and will actually pack the features we believed the second-generation headphones would have like noise-cancellation and water-proof casing. Don't miss our round-up of the best true wireless earbudsWe also have a list of the best wireless headphonesWe pit the Apple AirPods 2019 vs the Samsung Galaxy BudsShortly after that news broke, an analyst (TF International Securities’ Ming-Chi Kuo) told 9to5Mac that he expects another two models to join the line-up either in late 2019 or early 2020. One of these models would be another incremental update on the second-gen AirPods that just came out, while the other would be something more substantial - i.e. the Apple AirPods 3. Now, I know what you’re thinking: ‘How can there possibly, possibly be more rumors about a pair of headphones that just came out a few weeks ago?’ To be honest, I’m not sure... but there are. PSA: Predictions can be wrong Here’s where it’s our job to point out that predictions, rumors and conjecture can be (and often are) wrong. It’s not that analysts and journalists - ourselves included - aren’t providing the best data we have, we are, but sometimes internal deadlines shift and entire products end up on the chopping block. With all that being said, you should take rumors with a grain of salt - especially when they involve the most popular products that everyone wants to know more about. The counterpoint to this is that, sometimes, rumors are accurate and they can be a good way of starting a conversation about the next-generation of technology. Without direct confirmation from Apple the veracity of these rumors won’t be determined today, but in Kuo's and DigiTime’s defense, the rumors of noise-cancelling AirPods have been floating around for over a year now and at some point are bound to be true - even if the expected release date slips further back. To a certain extent we’ll get some of these features in the new PowerBeats Pro that are due out shortly and are both sweat-resistant and mildly noise-isolating according to the folks that tried them at a private Apple press event. What's new with the latest 'Pods? Check out our Apple AirPods 2 review to find outhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/31nqYdRnJqM

Razer already started off 2019 on a strong note with the release of a new 15-inch Razer Blade gaming laptop that ranks among the best gaming laptops around. And, now it's earned a second place ranking for best tech support in the 2019 Tech Support Showdown published by our sister site, Laptop Mag. The ranking sees Razer take second place with a score of 88 points out of a possible hundred. This puts it in second place right behind Apple in first with 91 points. The scores are based on a combination of web support and phone support. Razer scored 58 points out of a possible 60 for web support, earning it the highest grade in that category of all 11 brands considered. But, it only earned 30 points for phone support, which wasn't even available a year ago, and thereby fell below Apple. Check out the best laptops of 2019See our review of the Razer Blade Early-2019Here the details on the new Razer Blade Pro 17 and Blade 15 refreshUp and up for RazerWhile coming in second place may not sound like the biggest feat, it's a major step up for Razer. The company hasn't been in the laptop-building game for nearly as long as competitors like Apple, Dell, or HP, but it's put on a solid showing against them. Last year, Laptop Mag had rated Razer second to last for its tech support. So, the rise to second place is a big improvement for Razer. And, that big improvement comes on top of some other positive shifts for the company. The Razer Blade 2019 released earlier this year is the most improved release from the company yet. It has great battery life, powerful gaming performance and a sleek design. But, Razer has already upped the ante, releasing a refresh of that Blade with options for a 240Hz 1080p panel or a 4K OLED panel with 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space. It's also launched a new Razer Blade Pro 17. The combination of new and improved hardware, on top of dramatically improved suppor,t could make this a year for Razer to truly shine. Check out the new Intel H-Series mobile processors appearing in high-power gaming laptopshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/WPl3NgwXX88

Update: We've updated the list of phones that can upgrade to Android Pie, along with when other phones are expected to get the update. Google's Android Pie update launched in late 2018 with a host of improvements to make your phone more personal, more efficient, and overall easier to use - all with a free upgrade to your operating system. After lots of testing, we've found Android Pie to be a splendid feature-filled operating system update with that will have you asking: when is the Android 9 Pie release date for my phone? Good news for some of you: the final software is out on plenty of new flagship phones from Google, Essential, Samsung, Nokia, LG, Sony, Xiaomi, Huawei and more. We've got a full list below, which we will continue to add. The truth is the Android Pie release date will be staggered for many people, with manufacturers (and in the US, the carriers) required to tweak the software before their phones can enjoy the free upgrade. Many phones were updated by the end of 2018, but owners of some phones will have to wait later into 2019. Expect noticable design changes, helpful shortcuts, and a big focus on AI through adaptive settings. We have a full Android Pie features list below, too, along with a phones list detailing which devices are compatible. Here's what you'll see with Android Pie when it comes to your phone. Click here to download Android Pie todayCut to the chaseWhat is Android Pie? It's Android 9, the newest version of AndroidWhen can get you Android Pie? Right now on select phones, 2018-2019 for othersHow much will Android Pie cost? It will be a free updatehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Q696z9AFT63oyykcebxVV4.gif Android Pie release dateThis... is complicated. Android Pie did indeed start rolling out in August 2018 as a free over-the-air update. You should see it in the software update menu by now...if your phone is ready to update (for most Android phones, upgrade by navigating to Settings > System > System Update). While many phones have been able to update to Android 9, it still hasn't reached some older phones. As expected, Google Pixel phones were the first to get the update, and all can be upgraded. The Essential Phone also got Android 9 Pie when it launched. Since then, others - starting with flagship models from the big phonemakers - have gotten the greenlight to update. And it should be noted that phones that have come out past Android Pie's launch date generally support the new OS out of the box – especially those that are launching in 2019. The big question is when older phones are getting updated. Here's which phones have already been updated, divvied up by manufacturer. Asus: - Zenfone Max Pro (M2) - Zenfone Max Pro (M1) - ROG phone - Zenfone 5/5Z - Zenfone Max M1 - Zenfone Max M2 Essential: - Essential Phone Google: - Google Pixel 3/3 XL - Google Pixel 2/2 XL - Google Pixel 1/1 XL HMD/Nokia: - Nokia 9 Pureview - Nokia 8/8 Sirocco - Nokia 7.1/7 Plus - Nokia 6/6.1 - Nokia 5/5.1/5.1 Plus - Nokia 3.1/3.1 Plus - Nokia 2.1 (Go edition) Honor: - Honor View 20 - Honor View 10 - Honor 20i - Honor 10/10 Lite/10i - Honor 8X - Honor 8 Pro/8a Pro - Honor Play 8a - Honor Magic 2/2 3D HTC: - HTC U11 Life (in Europe) Huawei: - Huawei P30/P30 Pro - Huawei Mate 20/Mate 20 Pro/Mate 20 X - Huawei Mate 20 RS Porsche - Huawei P20/P20 Pro - Huawei Mate 10 Pro - Huawei Mate 9 Porsche (in China) - Huawei P10 - Huawei Nova 4e - Huawei Nova 3 - Huawei P Smart 2019/P Smart Plus 2019 - Huawei Enjoy 9e/9s LG: - LG G8 - LG G7 One Moto: - Moto Z3/Play - Moto G6/G6 Play/G6 Plus - Moto One/One Power OnePlus: - OnePlus 6/6T/6T McLaren - OnePlus 5/5T Oppo: - F11 Pro - Oppo R15 - Reno Razer: - Razer Phone 2 Samsung: - Galaxy S10/S10e/S10 Plus - Galaxy S9/S9 Plus/ - Galaxy S8 - Galaxy Note 9 - Galaxy Note 8 - Galaxy Note FE - Galaxy A8/A8 Plus/A8 Star - Galaxy A10/A20/A30/A40/A50/A60/A80 - Galaxy A8s Sony: - Xperia 1 - Xperia 10/10 Plus - Xperia XZ3 - Xperia XZ2/XZ2 Premium/XZ2 Compact - Xperia XZ Premium/XZ1/XZ1 Compact Vivo: - Vivo V15/V15 Pro - Vivo X27/X27 Pro - Vivo iQOO - Vivo S1 - Vivo X21/X21UD - Vivo Nex S/Nex A - Vivo NEX dual display Xiaomi: - Xiaomi Black Shark 2 - Xiaomi Mi 9/Mi 9 Explorer/Mi 9 SE - Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite - Xiaomi Mi A2/Mi A2 Lite - Xiaomi Mi A1 - Xiaomi Mi Max 3 - Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 - Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S - Xiaomi Mi Play - Xiaomi Pocophone F1 - Xiaomi Redmi 7 - Xiaomi Note 7/Note 7 Pro ZTE: - Nubia Red Magic Mars - Blade V10 Android Pie release date: soon (2019) While some manufacturers have announced launch dates when their phones are updated, that date might be pushed back later than was initially projected. This is typical of Android updates, especially in the US where carrier approval is required. Asus: - Zenfone 5 Lite (5Q) (expected Q1 2019) - Zenfone 4 pro (expected Q2 2019) - Zenfone 4 (expected Q2 2019) BlackBerry: - BlackBerry Key2 (expected Q1 2019) - BlackBerry Evolve X (expected Q2 2019) - BlackBerry Evolve (expected Q3 2019) Huawei: - P20 Lite/Nova 3e LG: - LG G7 - LG V40 - LG V35 - LG V30S Moto: - G6/G6 Play/G6 Plus (pending carrier support) - Z2 Play/Z2 Force (pending carrier support) - Moto X4 Android One (pending carrier support) OnePlus: - 3/3T (currently in beta) Samsung: - Galaxy A6 - Galaxy A6+/A7/A9 (2018 models - currently rolling out) - Galaxy J8 (currently rolling out) - Galaxy A8 Plus (currently rolling out) - Galaxy J6 (May 2019) Sony: - Xperia XA2/XA2 Ultra (currently rolling out) Xiaomi: - Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 (planned) - Xiaomi Mi Note 3 (planned) On to the major Android Pie features. Adaptive battery lifehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zihZD9RrYf4xiocZrH9jtb.gif Android Pie has been designed to give you a more consistent battery by using on-device machine learning to figure out which apps you'll use in the next few hours and which you won't use until later, if at all today. With 30% reeducation in CPU app wake-ups for apps, adaptive battery helped us eke out a few more hours of device use when we tested it. And now the software is final, so it should be even better. Google partnered with Deep Mind to refine its deep learning algorithms and it's having a big effect on Android battery life, according to Dave Burke, Google's VP of Engineering for Android. Adaptive brightness is the most meaningful new Android Pe feature in our own deep minds. Adaptive brightnesshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6dRsBKbu3Y5Roz6rcdgNu.gif Current auto-brightness settings aren't good enough, according to Google, and that's why it's giving phone makers a more power efficient way to calibrate phone screen brightness based on both the environment and learned behavior. Google calls this adaptive brightness and claims that 50% of users who tested this Android Pie feature have stopped manually adjusting the brightness because of it. Even if you still reach to manually adjust the brightness, overall, you should be doing it less. That's what we experiencing when running Android Pie on a Pixel 2. App actionshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nKe2f7kwcFPJnJAeTLvMmH.gif Google is inserting more prediction tools into its app drawer. Previously, you'd see a top row of predicted apps, normally based on your usage history. That was helpful. Android Pie goes a step further with app actions that predict what you'll do next, and these shortcuts sit in a row right underneath the predicted app icons. This boils down to shortcuts for calls, or a run routine based on the fact that you just plugged in headphones and run every day at this time with an app like Strava. It's like Android Pie is reading your mind. App sliceshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/P32U6mRq4YFtFUFsFohTED.gif You won't see app slices until later this year, but Google has issued an API to developers to create more shortcuts around its operating system interface. This is starting in search, of course (after all, this is Google, we're talking about). The best example at Google IO was with the ride-hailing app, Lyft. Searching for 'Lyft' will provide the app as an answer, but also shortcuts to your top destinations, like work and home, each with a price already listed. It's saving you from having to go into the app menus in order to select these options. App slices via the search bar can extend to Google Photos, too. If you look up Hawaii, you'll see photos from a vacation, for example, and checking into a hotel may soon be easier when you look up your hotel name. Instead of having to wade through the clunky third-party app, you may be able to just select 'check in'. Android 9 Pie vs Android 8 Oreo: what's changedAndroid Pie navigation changeshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Lvb3RD8gYq6kMEc6VoSYgS.gif Android Pie has a new system navigation interface in order to make multi-tasking easier to understand, with a single clean home button. It's very much an iPhone X horizontal bar to replace the typical home and recent buttons. This is part of Google's plan to make the UI simpler and adapt to the all-screen phone designs out there. It's more approachable to new users, according Google. You can swipe up from the bottom anywhere in the operating system to see recent open apps as well as five predicted app at the bottom of the screen to save you time. Swiping up a second time and you'll see your app drawer. With this one-two swipe gesture, Google has essentially combined the all-apps and overview spaces gesture into one. You can do one better than Apple's iPhone interface. Android Pie will let you scroll through all of your apps very quickly by sliding right and left with the horizontal bar at the bottom. It's like a video you're scrubbing through, but for app selection. Form our experience, it takes time to get used to the navigation changes (as do almost all software changes), but retraining your brain for Android Pie is worth it in the end. Everything feels intuitive. Volume slider and screen rotation fixedThe volume slider has moved again, and this time it's off to the right side near the volume rocker. That makes sense, but it does more than just get a new home. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nqynjEiqTFNJLx9N7H95wa.jpg Pressing the volume keys will now adjust the media volume instead of sometimes (but you're not quite sure when) controlling the ringer volume. The ringer can be turned on and off through a software toggle button when you adjust the volume. Your reaction may be like ours: "Why wasn't it always this way?!" You can also now manually control screen orientation. This is done via a pop-up icon that appears when you rotate the screen. You won't have to rely on the phone to (often mistakenly) rotate the screen for you. Android Pie 'Digital Wellbeing'It's no secret that we use our smartphones too much, and you probably do, too (you are on a technology website, after all). But how much time? http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ZkngGWQUgd9UHAY5TNgow7.gif http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/P9gQib7dnFrEKudY2xx3Bb.gif Like a Fitbit tracker gauges for activity and informs to motivate you, Google's Android Pie update includes a 'Digital Wellbeing' dashboard to monitor how long you've been using your phone and specific apps. Digital Wellbeing is supposed to aid you in understanding what you're spending too much time on so that you can adjust your behavior. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/oDKRmCHpAdG2w9PkKniH8b.gif It even comes with an app timer and to send you notifications when you cross a self-imposed threshold, and a new Shush feature is launching as a Do Not Disturb shortcut when you turn your phone over on its front face. In addition to silencing alarms, it won't even display visual notifications. Think of Google as eliminating both audible and visual noise from your life when these modes are enabled. Digital Wellbeing is one of the biggest, most fundamental new features in Android Pie and we've already taken a deep-dive into it, explaining it in detail and giving an early verdict on it. Given that it's still in beta we were fairly impressed, but noted that it needs a degree of pro-activeness to get much from it and that it could really do with parental controls. You can find our full thoughts on it here: Android Pie Digital Wellbeing Beta: a deep-dive into Google's new phone featureMaking room for more Android notch displaysAndroid Pie makes room for notched displays, and we've seen a lot of them on new Android phones in the last few months – pretty much everyone but Samsung. The use of a notch cutout means that some of Android's standard interface staples have shifted. Looking for the time? It's now on the top left corner of the screen. App notification icons pile next to it, which could get dicey if A.) you use a lot of apps, or B.) your next Android phone has a notch (Google has planned ahead for this, thankfully.) Some other design changes we noticed: Text is more sharp, there's generally more color in the menus, transition animations have been touched up, and some stuff has been moved around. It looks and feels fresh, even in this very early software build. The Pixel Launcher now has a rounded-off edge, matching the look of notification windows that you see when you wake up your phone. This is obviously a minor touch, but it plays into the overall look that Google is going for with Android Pie. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NhPogitLFM4we9iLWmdrDL.jpg Ambient Display has been overhauled, at least compared to what came before it on Pixel XL and what currently exists on the latest Pixel 2 XL Oreo software. The date and day of week no longer display underneath the time, but it still displays app notification icons. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eaZ8BoiSAVMZkE252kW5MJ.jpg You'll have to squint to notice this welcome improvement The biggest change here is that down at the screen's bottom, it displays the battery percentage, so that you don't have to wake it to know whether you need to plug in or not. We look forward to Google making more updates to Ambient Display as the dev preview continues. We also have a wish list for Wear OShttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/wd-PZzBLQIw

While AMD Ryzen 2nd Generation launched in April 2018 and brought notable performance and power improvements. Then, in August 2018, AMD launched Threadripper 2nd Generation, producing the very best high-end desktop (HEDT) processors on the market – well, at least until Intel’s Basin Falls Refresh launched (albeit for a much higher price). Similar to the move from Ryzen to Ryzen 2nd Generation, the second release of Threadripper gives us a big boost in performance and efficiency. It’s not just core counts that see a boost, but Threadripper 2nd Generation boosts power management and brings higher clock speeds across its lineup. This helps boost the price to performance ratio in chips like the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X. Ryzen 3rd Generation is on the horizon now, too, and it looks like AMD is ready to repeat its magic with Threadripper 3. Plus, we’re already starting to see some rumors trickle out about the architecture that will be behind Threadripper 4th Generation. So, now that AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation processors have been on the market for nearly a year, we decided to explore everything there is to know about the workstation processors. So, b e sure to keep this page bookmarked – we’ll keep it updated with any Threadripper 2nd Generation information that pops up. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/y2LdE7QmktCxg25fV7g6sZ.jpg Cut to the Chase What is it? AMD’s next generation of high-end desktop CPUs When is it out? August 13, 2018 What will it cost? $649 (about £500, AU$880) for the 2920X – $1,799 (£1,639, AU$2,679)Ryzen Threadripper Generation 2 release date Since Computex 2018, we knew that Ryzen Threadripper Generation 2 would launch in the second half of 2018. And, now the entire lineup, including the the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX and the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X has launched between August and October 2018. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EXEFXm2Ley7dKm9BsEsvLU.jpg Ryzen Threadripper Generation 2 price Ryzen Threadripper proved to be a much more affordable line of high-end desktop processors than Intel Skylake-X, and it appears these 2nd Generation chips will continue the trend. Here’s the pricing of the AMD Threadripper Generation 2: Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX: $1,799 (£1,639, AU$2,679)Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX: $1,299 (about £1,000, AU$1,755)Ryzen Threadripper 2950X: $899 (about £690, AU$1,210)Ryzen Threadripper 2920X: $649 (about £500, AU$880)Although Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation introduces two higher-end SKUs to the series, AMD’s new HEDT chips (processors for high-end desktop computers) are actually more affordable than the ones they’ve replaced. The $899 (about £690, AU$1,210) Ryzen Threadripper 2950X is notably $100 cheaper than the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X that initially launched with a $999 (£845, AU$1,359) price tag. Likewise, the Ryzen Threadripper 2920X runs for $649 (about £500, AU$880) and is also more affordable than its predecessor, the $799 (£689, AU$1,069) Ryzen Threadripper 1920X. At the top-end of the series, the $1799 (about £1,380, AU$2,430) Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX remains more affordable than Intel’s flagship $1,999 (about £1540, AU$2,700) Core i9-7980XE. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qfg9hDcTYgwskChRMA9L5a.jpg Ryzen Threadripper Generation 2 specsThanks to moving to the same Zen+ 12nm architecture used in the recent Ryzen 2nd Generation processors, Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation gains better power management, higher clock speeds and most notably a huge increase in possible core counts. Here’s a quick spec breakdown of the current Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation lineup: Ryzen Threadripper 2920X: 12-cores, 24-threads, clocked at 3.5GHz to 4.3GHzRyzen Threadripper 2950X: 16-cores, 32-threads, clocked at 3.5GHz to 4.4GHzRyzen Threadripper 2970WX: 24-cores, 48-threads, clocked at 3.0GHz to 4.2GHzRyzen Threadripper 2990WX: 32-cores, 64-threads, clocked at 3.0GHz to 4.2GHzOf course, the highlight of AMD’s Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation lineup has to be the 32-core and 64-thread 2990WX. What’s more impressive is that the CPU is apparently capable of running up to 4.2GHz – a noticeable upgrade over the 1950X top speed of 4.0GHz with half as many cores and threads. Some may point out that the 28-core processor that Intel showed off at Computex hit 5GHz, but we’re still not 100% sure of the particulars (i.e. cooling setup) surrounding that demo and Intel later clarified it achieved that speed with overclocking. You may have also spotted the WX suffix at tail end of AMD’s two top-end HEDT processors, and this is to signify a new series of consumer workstation-grade processor meant for creators and innovators. AMD is specifically targeting these two CPUs at creators and innovators such as video editors, those in design and general media creators. Meanwhile, the X-series Threadripper 2nd Generation processors, the 2920X and 2950X, cater towards streaming gamers who need that extra processing power to drive 4K livestreaming as they game. Once again AMD flexes the strength of its 12nm architecture, by giving us an 2950X that’s 0.3-0.5Ghz faster than the 1950X it replaces, and we haven’t even gotten to overclocking yet. Luckily, AMD is also sticking to the same TR4 Socket, so anyone looking to upgrade once Threadripper Generation 2 drops shouldn’t have to worry about buying a new board. However, unlike the Ryzen 2nd Generation jump to an X470 chipset, AMD isn’t introducing a new chipset to replace the existing X399 platform – at least in name anyway. Instead, users will find a few new Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation-ready X399 motherboards designed with improved overclocking performance and power consumption. Thankfully, though, older motherboards are compatible after installing the latest BIOS, and it won’t require you to boot them with an original Ryzen Threadripper CPU or UEFI Boot Kits. Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation featuresAlthough Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation hasn't jumped to a new chipset, it has got a new bag of tricks thanks to enhanced features and even one that's brand new. Precision Boost originally controlled CPU frequencies down to 25MHz increments. Now with version two, AMD has sprinkled in an algorithm that ensures the processor intelligently runs at its thermal and electrical limit whenever tasked. Extended Frequency Range 2 (XFR2) has also seen a significant buff allowing it to enable 16% additional processor performance across any number of cores and threads. On the previous generation of Ryzen Threadripper chips, XFR could only influence a small number of cores. Lastly, Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO) is a brand new feature that allows AMD's newest HEDT CPUs to exceed their specifications and max out their power draw from the abundant VRMs on X399 motherboards. Though users will technically void their warranty by doing so, PBO can help users achieve overclocks hitherto undreamt of. AMD itself achieved a 5.1GHz overclock across all 32-cores with a liquid-nitrogen cooled processor. AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation Performance We finally got our hands on the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX, and we have to say: the performance is phenomenal. While a lot of the benchmarks need to be updated to recognize the bonkers amount of cores that the 2990WX offers, you can basically throw any workload at the 2990WX and have a ton of performance to spare. Where the 2990WX falters is in its gaming performance. It falls behind the much more affordable Intel Core i7-8700K and the Ryzen 7 2700X, but that should be expected. Do us a favor – don’t spend $2,000 on a processor for gaming, it’s just not worth it. Buy two RTX 2080 Tis instead. Then, there’s the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX. At $1,199 (£1,199, AU$2,729), it does keep up with other HEDT processors like the 2990WX or the Intel Core i9-7980XE. However, oddly enough, it’s beaten out by the Intel Core i9-9900K in a lot of workloads. This is worrisome because of just how much cheaper Intel’s mainstream Core i9 is. Even if the Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX does beat Intel’s chip in heavily multi-threaded tests like Cinebench, the value just isn’t there right now. So, unless your workload specifically demands all the cores and threads you can get, like say, if you’re working in an animation studio – you might want to look at the Intel Core i9-9900K and save a couple bucks. Best processors 2018: top CPUs for your PChttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/BG4ryraLZUs

The wait for the next iteration of Intel’s HEDT lineup is over, and it’s been quite a ride. There was speculation that there would be a Coffee Lake-X, a Cascade Lake-X or a new Skylake-X HEDT platform. The latter proved to be the one that actually existed, this ‘Basin Falls Refresh’ is out now, helmed by the new 18-core Intel Core i9-9980XE. However, right now it’s rumored that Intel is planning on releasing a Cascade Lake-X later this year, based on its 14nm process. In a lot of ways, the Basin Falls Refresh lineup looks a lot like the initial Skylake-X line that it follows. It features the same amount of cores, but the clock speeds get a boost, along with some enhanced features. These new HEDT processors largely follow in the footsteps of Coffee Lake Refresh, another CPU lineup announced at the same event. The biggest question that crops up with Basin Falls Refresh, though, especially in the midst of the heightened Intel vs AMD battle, is whether or not these new processors provide a better value than the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation processors. To answer that question and more, we decided to gather up everything there is to know about Basin Falls Refresh. From the release date to pricing, and even a bit about the performance of Basin Falls Refresh. So, keep this page bookmarked and we’ll keep this article updated with all the latest Basin Falls Refresh news. Cut to the chaseWhat is it? Intel’s 9th-generation Core X-series processorsWhen is it out? November 2018How much will it cost? From $589 (about £450, AU$830) to $1,979 (about £1,520, AU$2,800)Intel Basin Falls Refresh release dateThe AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation platform launched back in August 2018, and ever since then, we’ve been waiting with bated breath for Intel to launch something to compete with it. Now Basin Falls Refresh processors are finally here, and ready to take Threadripper 2nd Generation on. Intel Basin Falls Refresh priceWe were initially hoping that Intel would price this new HEDT platform more competitively – especially considering how AMD is gaining popularity right now. Unfortunately, that didn’t seem to happen, with Intel instead pricing its Basin Falls Refresh pretty much exactly how it priced its 7th-generation Skylake-X processors. The prices for all the new X299 chips are as follows, from lowest to highest price. Intel Core i7-9800X – $589 (about £450, AU$830)Intel Core i9-9820X – $898 (about £690, AU$1,270)Intel Core i9-9900X – $989 (about £760, AU$1,400)Intel Core i9-9920X – $1,189 (about £910, AU$1,680)Intel Core i9-9940X – $1,387 (about £1,060, AU$1,960)Intel Core i9-9960X – $1,684 (about £1,290, AU$2,380)Intel Core i9-9980XE – $1,979 (about £1,520, AU$2,800)It’s pretty clear that these processors, like their predecessors, are extremely expensive, and are probably not a great value for most everyday desktop users. However, with some of these chips being nearly double the price of their Threadripper equivalents (at least in terms of core counts), it remains to be seen whether or not they will be competitive among content creators and enthusiasts. Only time and benchmarks will tell. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WHuX3jCKkGtx9YbeZ7DKQc.jpg Image Credit: Intel Intel Basin Falls Refresh specsIt goes without saying that these new Basin Falls Refresh processors bring some major improvements to Intel’s HEDT lineup. The biggest improvement here is the support of up to 68 PCI-E lanes (still only 44 natively on the CPU, though, the chipset supports the remaining 24). These new processors also feature much higher clock speeds, which should help in single threaded applications like gaming. The Specifications of the Basin Falls Refresh is as follows: Intel Core i7-9800X – 8-cores, 16-threads, 3.0GHz base clock, 4.5GHz boostIntel Core i9-9820X – 10-cores, 20-threads, 3.3GHz base clock, 4.2GHz boostIntel Core i9-9900X – 10-cores, 20-threads, 3.5GHz base clock, 4.5GHz boostIntel Core i9-9920X – 12-cores, 24-threads, 3.5GHz base clock, 4.5GHz boostIntel Core i9-9940X – 14-cores, 28-threads, 3.3GHz base clock, 4.5GHz boostIntel Core i9-9960X – 16-cores, 32-threads, 3.1GHz base clock, 4.5GHz boostIntel Core i9-9980XE – 18-cores, 36-threads, 3.0GHz base clock, 4.5GHz boostIt should be immediately noticeable that as the core count goes up, the base clock speeds go down, this is largely due to increasing power and heat constraints as the core denisty goes up throughout the processor family Still, the boost clocks are pretty stable throughout. Unfortunately, cache on these new Basin Falls Refresh processors is identical to the last generation, with 24.75MB on the Core i9-9980XE, which is the same amount found on the 7980XE. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fJCp7hsjMkP5RbEvyaCZvg.jpg Image Credit: TechRadar Intel Basin Falls Refresh performanceNow, we’ve only tested one of the Basin Falls Refresh chips, the Core i9-9980XE. However, we can use this flagship chip to get a feeling for how the Basin Falls Refresh lineup performs. The improved clock speeds on these Basin Fall Refresh processors lead to improved performance across the board, but in heavily threaded workloads, like Cinebench R15, the Intel Core i9-9980XE still lags behind the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX. Now, Intel claims that this new lineup is going to lead to up to 108% faster performance over the 2990WX in Adobe Premiere. You might want to take this with a grain of salt, because while we haven’t measured Adobe Premiere performance ourselves, we do have Cinebench numbers for both the Intel Core i9-9980XE and the 2990WX. The Threadripper 2990WX scored 4,913 in Cinebench, whereas the Intel Core i9-9980XE scored 3,640. Now, obviously Cinebench and Adobe Premiere aren’t the same program, but the tasks are comparable enough to make Intel’s claims seem fishy. Looks like you won't need a new motherboard to use these processorshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/jhO8RB2x__g

Intel used to be the de facto ruler of the processor world, crafting the best processors on the market – no contest. However, with Ryzen, the game changed entirely. And, now that AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation has been out for a while, Team Red is dominating the market, more than doubling the sales of Intel’s chips, according to a German retailer. As far as the current generation goes, though,we’ve had a chance to review a wide range of Ryzen 2nd Generation processors from the Ryzen 5 2600X to the powerhouse that is the Ryzen 7 2700X, we know AMD isn’t holding back as it pushes power and value even further. We have also heard rumors of a Ryzen 7 2800X, which should give the recent Coffee Lake Refresh processors a run for their money – but, with the advent of AMD Ryzen 3rd Generation, likely at Computex 2019, we doubt that particular processor will ever surface. Plus, AMD is hard at work on Zen 2, the architecture behind the next generation of Ryzen. And, according to the latest rumors, we could see up to 16-cores on the flagship, and clock speeds up to 5.0GHz. If any of this is real, the processor world will shake when these next-gen chunks of silicon drop sometime in mid-2019. Cut to the chaseWhat is it? AMD's upgraded, budget-friendly processor chipsWhen is it out? April 19, 2018What will it cost? $199 (about £140, AU$260) starting price for the Ryzen 5 2600http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HYxcyWLdpffeDKY2f5MbrC.jpg Image Credit: AMD AMD Ryzen 2nd Generation release dateThe wait for the new AMD chips is finally over. The first generation Ryzen processors shipped out in March 2017 and rolled out throughout 2017. Now, Ryzen 2nd Generation chips have launched at around the same time of year, on April 19, 2018. Beyond the first few chips AMD released, the timeline points to released for both the 2nd Generation Ryzen Pro and Ryzen Threadripper chips throughout the second half of 2018. Ryzen Pro chips are designed for business and IT use-cases, with up to 8-cores and 16-threads. Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation is the ‘big daddy’ of AMD’s offering with up to 32-cores for die-hard creative types. AMD also announced a Ryzen 5 2500X and Ryzen 3 2300X, but at this point we don’t think these mid-range chips will ever make it to market. Intel’s Coffee Lake Refresh has been out for a few months now, and Ryzen 3rd Generation chips are supposedly right around the corner at Computex 2019. Those are all desktop chips, and AMD has launched the Ryzen 7 2700U, along with Ryzen 5 and 3 parts earlier this year. And, laptops are starting to roll out with these chips. And, even though AMD Ryzen 3rd Generation is right around the corner, AMD may be releasing 50th anniversary editions of some of its parts, including the beloved Ryzen 7 2700X. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/CZviGy39iYmnEbqdPQVty7.jpg Image Credit: AMD AMD Ryzen 2nd Generation priceAMD plans for its second generation of Ryzen chips to be just as affordable as the first batch. Granted, delivering more affordable CPUs has always been AMD's edge, but for the first time in years, the cheaper Ryzen chips could honestly hang with, if not surpass, Intel's offerings. AMD has decided to continue its course with the 2nd Generation models. It was imperative that it delivered affordable, high-performing CPUs. And while we haven’t seen the pricing for the mid-range chips, what we’ve seen so far seems to fall in line with the pricing for the first generation. AMD Ryzen 7 2700X: $329 (£329, AU$509) AMD Ryzen 7 2700: $299 (£279, AU$419) AMD Ryzen 5 2600X: $229 (£209, AU$338) AMD Ryzen 5 2600: $199 (£179, AU$259) Last year, the quad-core Ryzen 3 1300X debuted at $129 (£112, AU$169), while Intel's Core i3 7350K went for $149 (£169, AU$299). Bump up to the hexa-core Ryzen 5 1600X, and we saw it offered for $249 (£249, AU$359) – compare that to the quad-core Intel Core i5-7600K at $239 (£219, AU$339), although you lose a couple of cores in the process. We saw the biggest price difference with the Ryzen 7 1800X, which at $499 (£500, around AU$650) was nearly half the price of Intel's Core i7-5960X/6900K. Of course, this lead to Intel introducing a more affordable Intel Core i7-8700K and Intel Core i7-7820X. Meanwhile, the AMD Threadripper 1950X came in at $999 (£999, AU$1,439) and delivered even stronger performance than Intel's like-priced Core i9-7900X. Of course, AMD recently dropped its Ryzen prices across the board alongside the 2nd Generation announcement, keeping things competitive with Intel as the two companies wage war for your CPU-buying dollars. AMD Ryzen 2nd Generation specsRyzen 2nd generation processors offer quite the generational leap over their predecessors. They're built using a new 12-nanometer process, which will cram in even more transistors and thus provide more raw speed along the way. According to AMD 12nm process results in an approximately 16% performance increase and 11% better lower power draw over the original Ryzen's 14nm process. We have finally seen some rumors swirling around about the Ryzen 2nd Generation APUs, which will succeed the Ryzen 5 2400G and Ryzen 3 2200G. According to PCGamesN, the next generation APUs will be coming out next year, and will feature the same Zen+ 12nm architecture as current Ryzen 2nd Generation CPUs. This could mean APUs could see a similar boost to performance as we saw when the first generation Ryzen chips were succeeded. AMD says that the Ryzen 2nd Generation chips will be the smallest and fastest desktop processors to date – lofty promises, but ones that are sure to excite PC enthusiasts and users of all stripes. Ryzen 2nd Generation chips will deliver higher clock speeds and introduce the enhanced Precision Boost 2 technology to boost performance during high-drain scenarios. And, now that we’ve gotten our hands on the Ryzen 7 2700X and the Ryzen 5 2600X, we know that AMD has succeeded in pushing its specs. The 2700X with its 8-cores, 16-threads and speedy boost clock of 4.3GHz that outperforms the Intel Core i7-8700K, AMD has fully embraced the enthusiast market. Even the lower-end Ryzen 5 2600X pushes performance into the next generation with 6-cores, 12-threads and a 4.2 GHz boost clock. We’ve also seen leaked benchmarks for the yet-to-be announced Ryzen 3 2300X and Ryzen 5 2500X. The former is apparently a four-core, four-thread processor clocked at 3.5GHz and a 4.0GHz boost clock. Meanwhile the rumored Ryzen 5 2500X is a four-core, eight-thread chip, featuring a 3.6GHz core clock, boosting up to 4.0GHz. We don’t have any pricing or release date information on these rumored chips, but we assume they’ll be great entry-level and mid-range options, respectively – when and if they come out. Recently, we saw a leak from ASRock pointing to the existence of some low-power E-series Ryzen 2nd Generation chips, the Ryzen 5 2600E and Ryzen 7 2700E. These chips will have a much lower 45W TDP and feature an 8-core design for the Ryzen 7, and 6-cores for the Ryzen 5 – according to the rumor reported by Wccftech. But, it doesn’t end with the desktop chips. AMD has also released Ryzen 2nd Generation mobile chips in the Ryzen 7 2700U, Ryzen 5 2500U, Ryzen 3 2300U and Ryzen 3 2200U. These all have Vega graphics packed in, meaning you can comfortably do some light gaming on them. The two higher-end chips are four-core, eight-thread processors with boost clocks of 3.8GHz and 3.6GHz for the Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 5, respectively. The Ryzen 3 2300U and 2200U are four-core, four-thread chips with 3.4GHz boost clocks. The core difference in these two chips is that the former features stronger Vega graphics, while the 2200U has a higher base clock of 2.5GHz. AMD Ryzen 2nd Generation is a distillation of everything AMD wanted to do with Ryzen. And, if the specs of the early Ryzen 2nd Generation CPUs are anything to go off of, we’re very excited to see what this lineup looks like by the end of 2018. AMD has a very technical primer on Precision Boost 2 from its Ryzen Mobile Processor with Radeon Vega Graphics, in case you want to dig into the specs. We've seen some SenseMi improvements in AMD's recent Ryzen-based desktop APUs, so it stands to reason that we'll see similar performance and efficiency increases in the Ryzen 2nd Generation line. That could include optimized power usage through Pure Power smart sensors and improved overclocking potential from Extended Frequency Range 2. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VuqMtn7BAfVNfCuoD5ztw7.jpg Image Credit: AMD Anyone looking to upgrade from Ryzen Gen 1 will be happy to know that AMD has kept the same AM4 socket intact, so you won’t need to buy a new motherboard to slot one of these CPUs into your machine. There is also an enhanced X470 chipset that’s optimized for Ryzen 2nd Generation with lower power consumption. Keep in mind that AMD calls the heart of Ryzen 2nd Generation the Zen+ architecture, rather than Zen 2. What’s the difference? Well, Zen 2 will be an entirely new architecture built on a 7nm process, which – as you can imagine – could provide a world of difference when it comes to power and performance. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QQvLNcf8k8gGeYoxiPh4m7.jpg Image Credit: TechRadar AMD's roadmap shows the Zen 2 and Zen 3 (listed at "7nm+") cores coming somewhere between the release of the Zen+ and the year 2020, so that's more likely to appear in 2019. Zen 2 design is reportedly complete at this point, and it "improves on Zen in multiple dimensions" according to AMD. And the Zen 3 is "on track," as well. AMD could be primed to shake up the CPU industry all over again with the Zen 2, but that's not what we'll see this year: Zen+ is what's powering the Ryzen 2nd Gen chips. Even so, there's plenty of reason to be excited for the Ryzen 2nd Generation chips, especially if you’re in the market for a PC upgrade this year. And, even with Intel on the defensive, it’s safe to say that AMD knocked it out of the park. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/SohKu0JaaHQ

It's now been nearly five years since the release of Dragon Age: Inquisition and although we're still squeezing fun out of the game, we think it’s pretty understandable that fans are getting somewhat inquisitive (sorry) with regards to when we'll hear about the next game in the franchise. Even though we all knew, on some level, that there would definitely be another Dragon Age game, it was nice to have a confirmation from executive producer Mark Darrah. Whether it will actually be called Dragon Age 4 is up for debate – historical naming patterns in the series meaning it could really go either way – but we can still get excited. Named or not, now that we know Dragon Age 4 is officially in the works we think it’s time to start keeping an eye on the latest news, and start building a picture of what the game might eventually look like. So we’ve put together this hub of news and rumors to keep you up to date on the latest news from Thedas. Cut to the chaseWhat is it? The fourth instalment in the popular RPG franchise, Dragon AgeWhat can I play it on? Not confirmed but it's likely to be Xbox One, PS4 and PCWhen can I play it? At least a couple of years away Dragon Age 4 trailersAfter years without an update, BioWare finally announced that it will be returning to Thedas in a new Dragon Age title. All we have to go off of is a very short teaser trailer starring Fen'Harel, the elven god of betrayal, and Solas from Dragon Age Inquisition that ends with the hashtag #TheDreadWolfRises. You can watch the teaser trailer below: Dragon Age 4 release dateDespite the fact that the game’s development is currently a very open secret, Dragon Age 4 has only just been officially announced by BioWare. But, even now, BioWare isn't ready to say much about the game. "Hey everyone, we have been working on a new Dragon Age game for quite a while now and I am pleased to finally tease the existence of this project," said Mark Darrah, executive producer on a BioWare blog post. "While we won’t be sharing any details for now, I can tell you we have been building a new team around a core of Dragon Age veterans, people I’ve worked with on Dragon Age, Jade Empire, and some of whom I’ve worked with since the Baldur’s Gate days. "I’m so excited to show you more!" Back in May 2017, writer Alexis Kennedy revealed that he was working on a part of the game’s story in an interview with Eurogamer. This part of the story, he revealed, is “well-segregated from other parts of the game”. At this point in time, the game was still clearly in the very early stages of development. A later report from Kotaku suggested that some of the Dragon Age development team had been pulled off the title to focus on creating Anthem. In addition, a report by Venture Beat suggests Dragon Age 4's release date is at least three years away and a title for the fourth installation hasn't even been chosen yet "according to sources familiar with the studio". http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6e8wxwkswffjfR5kGT4EcS.jpg Dragon Age 4 news and rumorsOfficial announcement After years without an update, BioWare officially announced during The Game Awards 2018 that it will be returning to Thedas in a new Dragon Age title. The Game Awards 2018 According to a report by Venture Beat (and understood to be correct by Eurogamer), we expected an announcement regarding Dragon Age 4 during The Game Awards 2018. What that announcement turned out to be, interestingly, was the game's first 1-minute-long teaser trailer that re-introduced Fen'Harel, the elven god of betrayal, and Solas from Dragon Age Inquisition. We didn't get any gameplay or story details but, for now, the confirmation from BioWare is enough to keep the hype train chugging. Roundabout confirmations Regardless of whether or not BioWare had confirmed it, Dragon Age fans were pretty certain that another game was going to be in the works. Partly because they had faith in the power of their sheer force of will and partly because over the last couple of years there have been hints from BioWare that something would indeed be happening. It’s the secret that was never really a secret. The most recent non-official confirmation has come from executive producer Mark Darrah, who tweeted in January 2018 that he’s working on both Dragon Age as well as BioWare’s next big IP, Anthem. Though he’s now left the company, BioWare veteran Mike Laidlaw was tweeting that there was still another couple of games in Dragon Age series yet back in mid-2017. Even before that, Alexis Kennedy became the writer that launched a thousand headlines after comments he made in an interview with Eurogamer were taken as a semi-official confirmation of the game’s existence and his place in it. In the interview Kennedy teased that he's been "given considerable autonomy to work on a storyline bit of lore which is well-segregated from other parts of the game.“ ”I don't want to exaggerate the degree of the chunk [i'm writing],“ Kennedy he was at pains to add. ”It's nothing that grandiose, but it is distinct. It's a bit of lore which has not been addressed much to date in Dragon Age.“ Story and character Every game in the Dragon Age franchise has had a heavy emphasis on story and character and fans will be glad to know that Dragon Age 4 isn’t likely to be any different. After Mark Darrah tweeted that he was working on the game, BioWare general manager Casey Hudson chipped in with his own elaborative tweet. In this tweet he said it was “too early to talk details” but the game would be “story & character focused.” It’s not clear whether this will be a brand new standalone game or whether it’ll continue on directly from Inquisition. Certainly, the end of Inquisition's Trespasser DLC suggests there is a story thread to follow with Solas, which would see the Inquisitor chase the elf down to stop his plans. We already know there are writers working on lore and side quests, following Alexis Kennedy’s interview with Eurogamer in 2017 in which he confirmed he was working on a part of the game that’s “well-segregated” from the rest and focuses on some lore that’s not been widely addressed. Kennedy, who has worked on titles such as Sunless Sea and Fallen London, said the subject matter would not be surprising to those familiar with his work. To us this implies that his quest (or quests) will include thoughtful choices, themes of tragic love and desire and an underlying sense of unease. New live elements In the January 2018 Kotaku report on Anthem and Dragon Age, it was mentioned that sources had informed Kotaku that Dragon Age had been “rebooted” in order to implement more “live elements” into the game. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kuzgMdsNNpyCRRAMg4RzDf.jpg Naturally, there was some fan panic in response to this given EA’s increasing penchant for service-based games. Fans expressed concern that BioWare was going to take the Dragon Age series down a Destiny 2, always-online multiplayer route. That doesn’t appear to be the case, however. In his tweet, Casey Hudson also stated that the “live” elements being considered are actually ways of continuing the game’s story after the main story has been completed. This is something we’ve already seen in games such as Assassin’s Creed Origins. Things we'd like to seeA world like Dragon Age: Inquisition We hope that the next Dragon Age game has a map similar to the one in Dragon Age: Inquisition, by which we mean we hope it's big and open without being overwhelming. It was the perfect follow-up to the closed and repetitive maps of Dragon Age 2 and we’d like this approach to continue. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DbANfrjQZ5TeZxejzovEME.jpg Explore more of Thedas There’s one very notable part of Thedas that players have yet to be allowed to explore and that’s the Tevinter Imperium. Once the most powerful nation in Thedas, the Imperium is a shadow of its former self. Its history, stratified social structure and maintenance of a magocracy would make it an immensely interesting and different part of Thedas to allow players to explore, while allowing the franchise to continue to explore themes of social injustice, power and prejudice. The fact that the area is references throughout other Dragon Age games is enough to make us think it’s a viable setting for Dragon Age 4. However, the ending of Dragon Age: Inquisition’s Trespasser DLC makes us think it even more likely, as it sees the Inquisitor stab a dagger into a map of the Imperium with a vow to track down Solas. Solve that cliffhanger Our previous point brings us to this one – we’d really like that Solas storyline to continue to be explored. He’s the perfect focus for the next game and the player’s approach to him is the perfect narrative crux. (Image credits: BioWare) Everything we know about Anthem, BioWare's next big gamehttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/QUiDaPYMeFY

A content delivery network (CDN) works to accelerate almost any website by caching its files in servers around the world. Whether your visitors come from Europe, North America, Asia or anywhere else, content is automatically served from the nearest location for the fastest possible speeds. If you're new to the technology then it might seem intimidating, and there's no doubt that prices can be high, but don't let that put you off. A CDN is not just for massive corporations. You can set up the simplest services in less than five minutes, and if you choose your plan wisely, it might not cost you anything at all. Whatever your website, from a simple blog to a sprawling site for a big business, we've picked out some of the best services around to help point you in the right direction. If you find anything that looks interesting, give it a try – you can explore many of these CDNs for free, without handing over payment details or signing up for any contract. We’ve also rounded up the best VPN services of 2019http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/684e36528eca45e1971880b3630342db.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/iwxsPuWubYXaaYdKxdZVGR.jpg Cloudflare is a hugely popular American content delivery service which combines novice-friendly ease of use with expert-level features and functionality. Setup is simple, with no need to edit your code. Just update your DNS nameservers to use Cloudflare and the service kicks in automatically, caching content and serving it to visitors from their nearest location. But there's much, much more. Web filtering can block bots, limit content spam, keep you safe from hackers or detect and mitigate DDoS attacks. Smart image optimizations can reduce image file sizes by up to 35%, further improving speeds. There's wide support for standards like IPv6, HTTP/2 and SPDY, clever page rules to help you manipulate traffic, and a REST API allows developers to take full control of what the service is doing. Read our review of CloudflareCloudflare's free plan allows you to see what the service can do, without making any commitments. It's very usable, with unlimited bandwidth and no annoying restrictions to try and force you to upgrade. Upgrading to the Pro plan costs a reasonable $20 (£16) a month, and adds the image optimization rules, extra configurability and improved support. Whatever you choose, Cloudflare delivers great performance. As we write, the benchmarking site CDNPerf ranks Cloudflare at seventh place for worldwide HTTP request response times out of a field of 20 top CDNs. You can sign up for Cloudflare herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/684e36528eca45e1971880b3630342db.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XsTGuTeBf4DCANkDfvCJJe.jpg Fastly provides CDN tricks for some really big organizations, including the likes of Spotify and Reddit, and the firm lives up to its name, delivering impressively fast performance levels. Going by the rough guideline of CDNPerf’s rankings, it’s the second fastest CDN for the UK, and worldwide speeds are mostly good, too. Perhaps Fastly’s strongest point, however, is just how configurable the service is. For example, there’s diverse support for different types of video caching, and tons of low-level controls for those who want to get stuck into the likes of manipulating HTTP headers to customize how content is served. Read our review of FastlyOf course, some know-how is required to set up everything, and novices to the CDN world will doubtless be confused by all the options on offer. But for those who need this level of flexibility and configurability, it’s priceless to have. Speaking of the price, Fastly operates a pay-as-you-go model with a minimum charge of $50 (£37) per month. In addition, you can test up to $50 of traffic for free. You can sign up for Fastly herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/684e36528eca45e1971880b3630342db.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/GzoVYGgDuvep3nEBjWS5mJ.jpg KeyCDN is an easy-to-use budget CDN that might be a good pick for first-time users. Getting started couldn't be much simpler. Sign up with your email address and you get an immediate 25GB to play with, no payment details required. A well-designed web dashboard enables creating your first zone with the minimum of clicks, and there are guides to help you integrate the service with WordPress and other apps. Worth mentioning is that as of late November 2018, KeyCDN fully supports IPv6. More experienced users will appreciate options like Origin Shield – this allows you to specify a KeyCDN server to be the source for updates rather than the origin, reducing your server load. You're able to manipulate headers, cache or strip cookies, or set up a custom robots.txt. Once the service is running, a capable set of reporting tools enable watching CDN performance in near real-time. Read our review of KeyCDNKeyCDN's standout feature has to be its low prices. Bandwidth charges start at $0.04 (£0.032) per GB, less than half the price you'll pay with some of the high-end competition. The minimum charge is a tiny $49 (£39) a year. (Yes, really – a year.) The company doesn't even try to cash in on the extras, for example offering shared SSL and custom Let's encrypt SSL certificates for free. Perhaps unsurprisingly, these low prices don't get you leading-edge performance, but there's still plenty of power here and you do get a lot for your money. You can sign up for KeyCDN herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/684e36528eca45e1971880b3630342db.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gEXYhqeopJEqDrv6HbXzRX.jpg MetaCDN is an Australian company which combines the CDNs of Amazon Cloudfront, Fastly and Verizon's EdgeCast into a single speedy service. Why? It's all about performance. When a visitor accesses your site, MetaCDN has three networks and more than 120 locations to choose from – way more than anyone else. In other words, there’s a much greater chance any visitor will have a server near them. This matters because every CDN delivers its best performance in different areas. EdgeCast scores highly in North America, for instance, but Fastly is quicker in the UK. MetaCDN automatically chooses the best network for every visitor's location, giving you the best of all worlds. Read our review of MetaCDNThis approach does have a catch. When you sign up with a single CDN, you can get access to all its individual settings and options, but combining three means you only get settings which apply to all of them (for obvious reasons). Which essentially means MetaCDN has barely any configuration options at all. (Check the Support site to get a rough feel for how the system works.) Still, MetaCDN is nicely user-friendly and it could be a good pick if speed is your top priority. Pricing is complicated (although not bad for access to enterprise-level CDNs) and there are three plans, Basic, Lite and Pro. The most popular one, Lite, is $50 on a monthly basis (you can also choose a yearly rate, for a $39 a month). You can sign up for MetaCDN herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/684e36528eca45e1971880b3630342db.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/y9cC46sv3TJcJ62HGSDzRQ.jpg This CDN provider focuses mainly on the West, with 14 points of presence (PoPs) in North America, and nine in Europe. There are only five PoPs in Asia, and two in Australia and South America (Brazil). StackPath is user-friendly, complete with a straightforward web console to manage your settings, and if you do get stuck, there’s extremely efficient technical support available via either live chat or phone. Performance seems good in the US and UK, and indeed Europe, but further afield you may see things tail off a bit, which is hardly a surprise given StackPath’s aforementioned focus on Western nations. Read our review of StackPathAnother strength here comes on the security front, with this CDN giving users free shared SSL (or the option to use your own SSL certificate, if you prefer). There’s also anti-DDoS technology and a capable Web Application Firewall. All in all, this is a tempting offering with a baseline plan that charges $10 (£7.6) for up to 1TB of bandwidth per month. The first month is also free. You can sign up for StackPath herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/684e36528eca45e1971880b3630342db.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VQzk5gq5JJVgteVQSGB9fj.jpg Update: The service has been now integrated with StackPath - "Everything you love about MaxCDN is being integrated into the new StackPath CDN service." MaxCDN is actually owned by StackPath now (the previously mentioned CDN), but provides a standalone service of its own which is well-suited for novices. You get 24/7 tech support with speedy responses promised (and indeed these claims stood up to our testing), and it’s easy enough to set up, and indeed use going forward. You don’t get as many settings to play with as some of the more advanced services, but that’s hardly surprising when trying to keep things more user-friendly. Read our review of MaxCDNAnother definite benefit is a range of useful reports, and a solid core network. MaxCDN offers eight edge locations in the US, five in Europe – and you can add additional locations in Asia (and Australia), but you have to pay extra for those. Overall, though, pricing is a strong point, starting from $9 (£6.75) a month for a 100GB account, with a clean pricing structure which isn’t confusing in the slightest (often not the case with CDN offerings). Performance is, generally speaking, solid enough, and this CDN does pretty well for speeds in the UK and US. You can sign up for MaxCDN herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/684e36528eca45e1971880b3630342db.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/j5SDBwhgBmus2EbW97XC5J.jpg Amazon CloudFront is the CDN facet of AWS (Amazon Web Services), so it’s certainly part of a heavyweight operation. And indeed CloudFront offers a raft of advanced features as you might expect, and you can customize all manner of things such as enabling automatic GZip compression for better speeds. Another strength here is the in-depth analytics on tap, showing you details of your visitors’ device type, OS and so forth. There’s also the handy ability to set up alerts, meaning you can be warned when data transfer usage goes above a certain level. Read our review of Amazon CloudFrontThe downside to all the options on offer is that relative novices to the CDN world may find CloudFront’s control panel a little intimidating, at least initially. The other slight sticking points are that calculating pricing can be a rather tricky matter, and if you aren’t an experienced user familiar with CDN basics, tech support isn’t free – if you need help, you’ll have to fork out for it. Prices vary depending on region, but the good news is there’s a free tier (which gives you 50GB of data per month for one year). Performance levels are fairly average, too, but there’s no denying the power and configurability that Amazon offers to the slightly more tech-savvy user. You can sign up for Amazon CloudFront herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/684e36528eca45e1971880b3630342db.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6BaYxUDwpW9P3H9ifQi7E8.jpg As you’re doubtless aware, Microsoft Azure is a big old stack of integrated cloud tools for building and managing applications and services, with a wide range of coverage including a CDN offering, which is what we’re focusing on here, naturally. Note that this doesn’t use Microsoft’s own edge servers, but rather three plans that use other CDN networks: Standard Akamai, Standard Verizon, and Premium Verizon. We fully discuss these various plans in our review of Microsoft’s CDN service, linked below, but suffice it to say that in terms of pricing – which can be somewhat confusing to work out – this isn’t the cheapest offering around. Still, those who want integration with other Microsoft technologies and services may well find the price worth paying. Read our review of Microsoft Azure CDNYou get a web dashboard which is absolutely crammed with features, although as ever, this means it’s not particularly easy to use for beginners (and the setup process is pretty involved, too). Performance levels are impressive, and at the time of writing, according to CDNPerf, Azure CDN is the fifth fastest content delivery network in the US and worldwide. This has to be a tempting prospect if you’re using other Azure services, or if you’re a developer who will appreciate the likes of .NET or PowerShell management features. You can create a free account and get started with 12 months of free services. You can sign up for Microsoft Azure CDN herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/684e36528eca45e1971880b3630342db.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/CiUgtXSigTpBf9pJhZ6Awj.jpg CDN77 is a big-name player in the content delivery game, with some heavyweight clients signed up including the European Space Agency. It has an expansive CDN network with 33 data centers across the globe, with many of those in Europe and the US, but there are also locations in South America, Asia and one in Australia. The web console interface is very streamlined and keeps any jargon to a minimum, making it suitably user-friendly for novices to the CDN world. The flipside of this is that there aren’t a huge amount of options, although you can do some tweaking of various settings. Read our review of CDN77In terms of performance, CDN77 is solid enough, and it ranks as a lower-to-mid pack player that’s unlikely to disappoint, but certainly isn’t the fastest CDN network we found when reviewing these various services. You get a free Let's Encrypt SSL certificate, and CDN77 is pretty good value for money overall in terms of its per-GB pricing, although it’s not the cheapest outfit we’ve highlighted here. Pricing starts at $0.049 per GB of data for US and European locations, with Asia and Latin America being more expensive. If you want to test the waters, there’s a 14-day risk-free trial, and you don’t need to supply any payment details for this. You can sign up for CDN77 herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/684e36528eca45e1971880b3630342db.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2gn54atwVEN7YgTLWJbWdJ.jpg If you need a powerful CDN, look no further than Leaseweb, an enterprise-level operation which is still suitable for regular business users – just about, although we should say upfront that it isn’t cheap, as you might imagine. Pricing starts at $113 (£88, €99) per month for an entry-level plan with a 2TB data allowance, the good news being that even with this ‘basic’ subscription, you get all the same security and CDN features as the heavyweight enterprise plans. That includes a smartly designed console for overseeing your CDN needs, complete with an extensive raft of potential settings and tweaks, featuring many options you don’t get with your average service (like the ability to set the cache-control header, or determine how long to cache 404 responses). Read our review of LeasewebThere’s also an in-depth statistics section which displays graphs and charts showing many interesting stats, such as visitor and traffic breakdowns, cache performance and the top file types which are seeing action. The one somewhat bleak spot is Leaseweb’s performance, which seems somewhat off the pace going by CDNPerf’s findings, although it’s difficult to gauge exactly what results you’ll get in practice. Users who want a powerful range of features in their CDN could give the 30-day trial a go to find out. You can sign up for Leaseweb hereAlso check out our roundup of the best website hosting serviceshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/isCcWKGb6TI

The European Commission has sided with Volkswagen and its plans for a WiFi-based standard for internet connected cars dealing a serious blow to BMW, Qualcomm and others endorsing Wi-Fi over 5G. The EU executive is currently trying to set benchmarks for internet connect cars and the issue has split the auto and tech industries with both sides lobbying fiercely for Wi-Fi or 5G. Renault, Toyota, NXP, Autotalks and Kapsch TrafficCom all support Wi-Fi as the standard for connected cars while Daimler, Ford, PSA Group, Deutsche Telekom, Ericsson, Huawei, Intel, Qualcomm and Samsung have all backed 5G. Mobile industry pushes 5G as EU debates Wi-Fi standard for connected carsWhy functionality continues to rule over security in the connected cars industry8 things the connected car can offer enterprises5G presents a wider range of applications in entertainment, traffic data and general navigation since the standard hooks up to both cars and devices in the surrounding environment but the Commission has defended its stance on Wi-Fi since, unlike 5G, the technology is already available and would help boost road safety. 5G or Wi-FiCritics of the EU's connected car plans have said that a requirement that new technologies be modified to be compatible with older technology is unrealistic and would hamper innovation. 5GAA explained its views on the current situation, saying: “The text, as currently proposed by the Commission, fails to ensure a level playing field between existing technologies ... by imposing discriminatory interoperability and compatibility requirements against newer technologies.” Director general of the telecoms lobbying group ETNO, Lise Fuhr shot back with her own criticism over the EU's decision to choose Wi-Fi over 5G, saying: “Europe cannot mandate only one technology for connected driving. Member states can now correct this by bringing 4G and 5G back into the picture: global competitiveness and safety are at stake.” To overturn the proposal as it currently stands, opponents would require a blocking majority though the European Council has not yet released details as to when it will make its final decision. Via Reuters This is everything you need to know about 5Ghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/NLt1H0_3Ke8

Starfield is going to be huge for Bethesda. It's the gaming giant's first new IP for 25 years and will be a single player game that marks the start of an all-new epic franchise. But just what is the game about? And, more importantly, when will we be able to play it? Bethesda's E3 2018 conference had plenty in store for fans of its much-loved franchises. We got the reveal of a Doom sequel and confirmation that The Elder Scrolls 6 is officially in development (finally). One of the most shocking announcements, however, was for an entirely new IP named 'Starfield': what Bethesda director Todd Howard called "our next-generation, single-player epic". Starfield will be a brand-new single-player RPG from the developer behind the Fallout and Elder Scrolls games. Instead of the medieval fantasy or post-apocalyptic wasteland of its other tentpole franchises, however, this new game will be taking players to outer space. [Update: Bethesda has announced that its E3 2019 press conference will take place on Sunday 9 June, with Doom Eternal its first confirmed highlight. Could Starfield enter our orbit at E3 too with some concrete details? Read on for more info.] Cut to the chaseWhat is it? A single-player RPG in outer space from the makers of Fallout and The Elder ScrollsWhat can I play it on? It's almost certainly coming to PC, PlayStation and Xbox, but we might have to wait for the next generation of consolesWhen can I play it? No word yet, but we may be looking at 2020Starfield release datehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nmY6pfWxvdfxVy6nYpUp4C.jpg So far, what's been released is a title, trailer and, well, promise of greatness to come. With details so thin on the ground, the earliest we'd expect to see a Starfield game would be 2020. Bethesda Game Studios Director Todd Howard has stressed that "everyone should be very, very patient". In Bethesda's E3 2018 presentation, Howard referred to the first Starfield game as "next-gen", suggesting it might not see a release before the next generation of consoles (either the PS5 and Xbox Two). He might, however, just mean the game will use the capabilities of the PS4 and Xbox One's recent mid-cycle upgrades, in which case late 2019 or early 2020 would be a more likely window. In an interview with Eurogamer, Howard elaborated: "What systems we put it out on - what's the hardware requirements - is still to be determined. We're pushing it; we're thinking very, very far in future so we're building something that will handle next-generation hardware. That's what we're building on right now, that's where our mind is, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't exist on the current systems as well." Starfield trailersWe saw our first glimpse of the game on June 10th in the teaser trailer below. it's not much more than a title and setting at this point, but the video does introduce us to an unnamed planet, a floating satellite or space station, and some sort of... glowing wormhole? Starfield news and rumorsBethesda's E3 2019 showcase dated and confirmed Bethesda's E3 2019 showcase kicks off at 5.30pm PDT on Sunday 9 June, with the horror shooter Doom Eternal taking center stage. But could we see some surprises too? First announced at last year's E3 show, could we finally get a glimpse at Starfield? It's no secret that Starfield is a long time away from public consumption, but with the PS5 and Xbox Two apparently around the corner, we're hopeful that Starfield could be revealed alongside them. From what we gather from Bethesda's chat around the game so far, it looks the perfect accompaniment for new, super-powered hardware. A whole new world Bethesda has reportedly been talking about making Starfield for years now. There have been rumors flying around about the game since Bethesda publisher Zenimax filed a trademark for the name as far back as 2013. Given how much mileage Bethesda has achieved out of its other tentpole IPs – Fallout and The Elder Scrolls, which have both seen various spin-off entries and MMO variants – it is presumably hoping to make Starfield a far-reaching franchise in the same vein. ...and whole new systems The idea behind Starfield has been floating around as far back as 2004, and Howard has said it has the recognisable Bethesda DNA to it – so expect deep character customisation and open exploration. But also expect all new ideas entering into the mix – this won't just be Fallout or Skyrim in space. Speaking to Eurogamer, Howard stated "[...] it has a lot of new systems we've been thinking about for a while that fit that kind of game really well." So don't be surprised if there's some sort of on-theme space flight element involved too. Bigger than ever before Both the Elder Scrolls and Fallout series have shared a similar character progression system and open-world backdrop, partially rooted in their sharing of the same gaming engine. While we haven't heard specifics on gameplay, Starfield looks set to follow in the same vein, albeit in a more galactic setting. But the final frontier could hold much larger potential for exploration, allowing players to travel across various planets and encounter unknown civilizations. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/AcuqpUnSmeTC7USucriq4C.jpg There's a big gap in the market for sci-fi RPGs With the future of the space-opera RPG series Mass Effect looking uncertain, and the unfulfilled promise of the planet-hopping exploration game No Man's Sky, Starfield will be entering a gaming market hungry for a sci-fi RPG done right. With the proven success of Bethesda's other franchises, could the developer have the next Mass Effect up its sleeves? (Image credits: Bethesda) Keep checking back here for all the latest Starfield news Keep up to date with all our game coverage of E3 2018http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/gKja0P4bPbc

It was during its E3 2017 livestream that Nintendo announced Metroid Prime 4 for Nintendo Switch with a logo and little else. No release date, no developer information, no footage. Nothing. To say fans were left hungry for details is an understatement; ten years is a long time sans new Samus. A brand new Metroid Prime title for the Switch is an exciting proposition - the Metroid Prime games, released between 2002 and 2007, were critical gold for the GameCube and Wii consoles; to see the series return on Nintendo’s most successful console in years would be fitting. However in January 2019 fans were disappointed to learn that Metroid Prime 4 is now even further away as Nintendo scrapped the project and decided to start again with the help of Retro Studios. Regardless of the extra wait time, we're excited to see Metroid Prime 4 on the Nintendo Switch (whenever that will be). So here's everything we know about Metroid Prime 4 on Switch so far. Cut to the chaseWhat is it? A brand new Metroid Prime game What can I play it on? Nintendo Switch When can I play it? No release date just yet, but don’t expect it for a while Release dateWe weren't quite sure when Metroid Prime 4 would release but now we know it definitely won't be for a while as Nintendo announced in January 2019 that it had scrapped the project and started again with help from Retro Studios. TrailersBack at E3 2017, Nintendo released a first-look trailer for Metroid Prime 4. Check it out below: News and rumorsNintendo scrap Metroid Prime 4 and start again In a shock announcement back in January 2019, Nintendo revealed in a development update video that it scrapped the current project as it wasn't happy with the current progress. However, Nintendo still plans to reboot the project with help from original creators Retro Studios. “This change will essentially mean restarting development from the beginning, so completion of the game will be delayed from our initial internal plan,” Nintendo's senior managing executive officer Shinya Takahashi explains in the update video. “We strongly recognise that this delay will come as a dissapointment to the many fans who have been looking forward to the launch of Metroid Prime 4.” You can watch the development update from Nintendo below: Bandai Namco developing Metroid Prime 4? After it was first announced, Nintendo did tell us one thing about the developer of Metroid Prime 4 - Retro Studios, the studio behind the original trilogy, wouldn't be working on it. The developer was then a mystery, until a report from Eurogamer in February 2018 stated that it was Bandai Namco working on the game. With information from several anonymous sources, Eurogamer reports that Metroid Prime 4 was initially being worked on by Bandai Namco Singapore, before Bandai Namco Japan took the lead so that Singapore can focus on another title. Though nothing has been confirmed by Nintendo itself, this is a rumor that’s been going around since fans started to piece together the LinkedIn job descriptions on the pages of various Bandai Namco Singapore staff. The story There’s so little Metroid Prime 4 information out there that piecing together the story is nigh impossible. What we will say is that Metroid Prime 3’s ending didn’t strike us as open enough for any kind of direct continuation. Though Samus’ went into hyperspace, giving the opportunity for a sequel to enter a new world or galaxy, we’d say the core story of the original trilogy is now closed. Back in 2015, Eurogamer interviewed series producer, Kensuke Tanabe, who stated that “The stories of Dark Samus and Phazon are done” adding that any new games in the series would focus on other Prime-series elements. Given that the game is not being created by Metro Studios, this is likely to have an impact on the story or, the very least, the direction of the franchise. Gameplay One thing we can be fairly confident in is that, like other Prime games, Metroid Prime 4 is likely to be a first person shooter. Other than that we can’t say what kind of gameplay changes will arise from either the new developer, or the new Switch platform. Coming in as a fresh start with a new developer, there’s actually plenty of room for Metroid Prime 4 to innovate. Given The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario franchises have embraced more open worlds, we wonder if this is something that Nintendo will want to bring into the Prime series, too. It’s like that, like other Switch games, there will be optional motion controls with the Joy-Cons - we’re imagining aiming, firing, an environment scanning, for example. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MmNN3ej9wQ3qUoTALmNSBC.jpg What we want to seeA more open world As we said above, this is a new start for Metroid Prime and a new developer means room for changes. Though we’re worried it could be a case of ‘be careful what you wish for’ we’d be interested to see the Metroid Prime games follow in the footsteps of Zelda and Mario to embrace a more open-world format. The first three titles were already pretty big, but the Switch offers more scope. We think the Super Mario Odyssey approach of large interconnected worlds could translate well. The Metroid series is replete with interesting environments we’d love the chance to see more of and the Switch is the console that has enough power to make that possible. Be accessible Just as a new start with a new developer is a chance for innovation, it's also a chance to welcome a new generation of Metroid fans. It's the same with any series that goes on for a long time - there's a certain amount of assumed knowledge and lore that makes coming in as a new player feel more like a chore than a joy. We'd love to see Metroid Prime 4 take a Monster Hunter: World approach by retaining what makes it great while giving new players a way in. New weapons and abilities The Metroid series has some seriously cool weapons and abilities for Samus’s armor and we’d like to see more of them. By all means, bring back the classics but bringing a couple of exciting new upgrades to the table will make us feel like we’re truly progressing in the game as well as the franchise as a whole. Make it feel like a true Switch game With its motion controls and HD Rumble, the Switch has more than its portability to help its games stand out. We'd love to see Metroid Prime 4 make the most of them, though perhaps more of the HD Rumble and less of the motion control. Motion control could create some fun and interesting shooting and environment scanning opportunities, but integrating HD Rumble into puzzle solving or integrating it into combat situations to act as an enemy alert would be interesting. Bring in Sylux Back in 2015, producer Kensuke Tanabe said that the ship at the end of Metroid Prime 3 actually contained Sylux, a Hunter from Metroid Prime: Hunters. Tanabe said that he'd like to create a Metroid game which featured both Sylux and Samus and explored their dynamic, something which we'd also like to see happen; the characters have an unexplored and potentially interesting history. It's known that Sylux isn't the biggest fan for Samus or the Federation, yet he uses a Federation weapon. That alone has us thinking he'd make an engaging villain for a new title. (Image credits: Nintendo) These are the best Nintendo Switch games you can play right now http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/tanK4pubkM0

Nintendo has finally given the fans what they want. During a Nintendo Direct in September 2018, the company announced (via a short teaser trailer) that Animal Crossing is coming to the Nintendo Switch sometime in 2019. While the trailer didn't give any details of new gameplay mechanics, or even which characters would return from previous games, it did give us an announcement - which is more than we had previously. Logic told us it was just a matter of time until Nintendo made the announcement – Animal Crossing is a very popular series for Nintendo that helps shift a lot of hardware after all – but a new Animal Crossing title on the Switch guarantees to entice players new and old. That’s not only because Animal Crossing is already popular and successful, but because the game is a perfect match for Nintendo’s hybrid console. Animal Crossing’s sandbox nature makes it ideally suited to long play sessions on your TV, as well as shorter on-the-go bursts on the Switch’s handheld mode. While we don't have a ton of details on the game, here's what we know so far about Animal Crossing on Nintendo Switch. Animal Crossing Switch release dateAs vague as it is, all we know right now is that Animal Crossing on Nintendo Switch will be available sometime in 2019. We'll likely hear more about the game in the run up to E3 2019. Animal Crossing Switch news and rumorsOfficially announced Nintendo officially announced Animal Crossing for the Switch during a Nintendo Direct in September, 2018. Nintendo Switch arrives in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp Okay, so this wasn't really a direct sign that an Animal Crossing game will be released for Nintendo Switch but it set our rather desperate minds into a swirl of conspiracy theorising. The Switch item was put into the Animal Crossing Pocket Camp game as a daily bonus item to encourage players to log in day after day. The (almost certainly fake) leaked images One of the first signs that there’s an Animal Crossing release coming to Switch was in the form of some leaked images which claimed to show the game. There were two images in total: one which showed what’s supposed to be the game’s opening screen and another which showed the actual game. Unfortunately, both were almost certainly fake. Still, it’s evidence that there's high fan demand for a Switch release. Admittedly, we are definitely intrigued by the idea of an Animal Crossing Globetrotter. You can see both images below: Nintendo’s trademark In January 2018 it was revealed that Nintendo had applied for a new Animal Crossing trademark in Japan for a wide range of purposes, including software for a home video game machine, portable electronic game machine, and smartphone devices. Now, we already have the smartphone device application in the form of Animal Crossing Pocket Camp, but we’ve yet to see the portable and home game machines. A Nintendo Switch release would tick both of those boxes. As well as this, the trademark also covers stuffed animals, game machine controllers, board games, playing cards, protective carrying cases, and trading card games, so it’s clear that Nintendo still has big plans for the series. It’s been a long time since the last mainline release The last mainline Animal Crossing release was New Leaf all the way back in 2012. That’s now six years ago and, given before this the usual release gap for mainline titles was around three to five years, we’re inclined to say we’re due a new game. What’s also interesting is that the Wii U never received a mainline title (no, Amiibo Festival absolutely does not count) despite the fact that many fans expected to see one. It’s possible that Nintendo started work on an Animal Crossing Wii U or settled on waiting to launch one for the Switch, and although we can’t be sure of this, we think it’s likely that a Switch launch is coming. Regardless, the core Animal Crossing team finished up with Splatoon 2 development a while ago – so they must have something new in the pipeline. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9weSWF7mLqvCgNgMAtDpkU.jpg The success of previous releases Previous DS and 3DS Animal Crossing releases have sold extremely well for Nintendo – both Wild World and New Leaf each surpassed 11 million sales. While there is the caveat that previous home console releases for GameCube and Wii haven’t done nearly as well, we’re inclined to say that the Switch will buck the trend here thanks to its hybrid nature, and Nintendo will have a hit on its hands. Given one of Nintendo’s most staunchly handheld titles, Pokemon, is now confirmed to be coming to the Switch, we don’t think it’s likely the company will keep Animal Crossing languishing on the 3DS for much longer. What we want to see from Animal Crossing on SwitchWider, more dynamic, cast We love our Animal Crossing neighbors, but there’s no denying that they can become somewhat samey. It's a problem that’s not helped by repetitive interactions. We’d love to see a new Animal Crossing introduce even more new faces to the neighborhood and perhaps include a few more ways to get to know them. Seeing more dialogue and more well-rounded personalities would make us very happy players. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/LCAWE5VqPXxaaFbyu4LVw6.jpg More furniture Decorating in Animal Crossing is one of the biggest and best parts of the series (just look at Happy Home Designer for evidence of that). But, we’d like to see even more pieces of furniture appear in a new game. New styles and themes would be welcome, perhaps with more customization options. Bigger spaces or more areas With the power the Switch offers, we think we could get the biggest and most expansive Animal Crossing ever. Although we love that Animal Crossing is all about being in a small town, we also enjoyed the move towards a city vibe that came with New Leaf. In Animal Crossing on Switch we wouldn’t like to take this a lot further, but it’d be nice to see some new areas or districts in town that offered a few more amenities or places to visit. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VczjGzdt3LkaNYNf4q5zoh.jpg More chances to craft your own story Moving into the mayoral role was one of the best aspects of New Leaf, but we’d like to see something a little different in the next installment. Perhaps more choice in what role you play in the town. Pocketcamp allows players to take up the role of a holiday camp owner, so perhaps in a new mainline game we could see a few more career options. Of course, for those interested in continuing along the mayor route that would still be there, but it’d also be exciting to see shopkeeper or cafe owner paths open up. Creating your own designs or crafting furniture to sell to the locals, or collecting ingredients from your town and others to add some interesting flavors to your cafe menu – all of these sound like enjoyable pursuits in an Animal Crossing world. Mobile tie-in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp was a welcome release after we hadn’t seen anything from the series in a while, but it doesn’t scratch the itch quite enough for us due to its shallowness. However, that doesn’t mean we’d like to see the mobile game abandoned entirely when a mainline release launches. It’d actually be nice if Nintendo managed to tie the mobile and console releases together in some way so that players can get more depth out of the mobile game, and give us another way to enjoy the console release. Whether that’s unlocking and transferring items, earning money or improving relationships, we’d just like a way to keep playing even on days where we can’t carry our Switch. Now that we've seen it's possible with Pokemon Let's Go, our hopes are even higher. (Image credits: Nintendo) The best Nintendo Switch games you can play right nowhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/HZsG_f9Vx0g

Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), the parent company of du, reported a 12.3% decrease in profit to AED 449 million compared to AED 513 million a year ago due to fall in mobile revenue. In the first quarter of last year, EITC recorded a one-off benefit from ICT Fund related to regulatory costs which positively impacted the company’s profitability for 2018. With that one-off excluded, the Dubai-based telecom operator witnessed a 14% increase in profit from AED 394 million a year ago. Revenues fell 5.7% to AED 3.14 billion compared to AED 3.33 billion a year ago, attributed to a decline in mobile revenue. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xzkUugJNeJdJD57Lsfx3th.png http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/GJ8tPCfYYhnmDW3meBm4th.png “Industry-wide challenges, with continued pressure on voice revenues and data monetisation, are reflected in our top line results, mainly driven by the decline in mobile revenues of 8% to AED 1.66 billion,” Osman Sultan, Chief Executive Officer of EITC, said in a regulatory filing on the Dubai Financial Market. The operator’s fixed-line revenue increased nine percent to AED 611 million during the quarter compared to AED 561 million a year ago. The operator’s strategy to focus more on the higher value post-paid segment resulted in a 12.4% increase in the first quarter despite a clean-up of its prepaid base in line with the “My Number My Identity” Campaign. Fixed vs mobile linesSukhdev Singh, executive director at research and consulting services provider Kantar, told TechRadar Middle East, that the operator, for some time now, has been focusing on the fixed line growth and it is helping the brand whether the pressure in the mobile business. “The drop in mobile subscriber base has directly impacted the corresponding revenues. UAE has been a predominantly prepaid market, and the brand’s focus to target high ARPU postpaid market may take some time to have a positive impact on the top line. “Capturing a postpaid customer also needs more marketing investment as well and hence, the results pay-off in time rather than immediately. With the likely introduction of 5G in the UAE, it is expected that service providers would look at new avenues of business growth which could be driven more by enterprise solutions, at least to begin with,” he said. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7c3Wd9yYf2abkhcRByMBuh.png Du’s mobile subscribers decreased 9.3 per cent to 7.77 million in the quarter compared to 8.57 million a year ago while its fixed line subscribers increased by 2.5 per cent to 772,000 compared to 753,000 a year ago. “We take a long-term view and remain focused on implementing our strategy to drive more efficiency in our core business while capturing new areas of growth through ICT as we reposition our company for the future of the telecom business. “We have a strong capital position, enabling us to make the right investments in our business. Capex spends stood at AED 181 million in the first quarter, up by 74 per cent compared to the same period last year, as we are ramping up preparations for the launch of 5G,” Sultan said. Etisalat rings in AED 2.2b first-quarter profithttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/WICWFz6XYww

VR is traditionally a lonely experience. After slipping on a headset, you're typically isolated (even if you're sitting in a group), and even multi-person experiences only let two or three people share the same world. But it doesn't have to be that way. From April 26 to May 4 at this year's Tribeca Film Festival, virtual reality company Parallux is premiering a new experience that 16 people can watch and enjoy together. The experience, Cave, is a tale set 12,000 years ago when stories were told around fires, harking back to the earliest days of shared storytelling. Every seat has a unique viewpoint, like a theaterSebastian Herscher, CEO, Parallux "When people will show up at Tribeca, they'll enter the VR arcade, and our experience cave will be in a separate room there," explains Sebastian Herscher, CEO of Parallux. "There are going to be 16 headsets on 16 seats, set up in two rows. They're going to walk in, be asked to sit down and relax, and be introduced to the equipment that we’re using, just as a little bit of onboarding. "Then they're going to put on their headset, and the moment that they put it on they are going to be transported to the world space of Cave." When a member of the audience looks left or right, they'll be able to see virtual representations of the people sitting either side of them. These won't just be placeholders, either – each avatar will follow the movements of the person it represents, turning its head in the same direction and 'looking' wherever he or she does. "On top of that, every seat has a unique viewpoint, like a theater," Herscher says. "So the person on the left side of the audience is having a very different experience and a different viewpoint than a person on the right side of the audience. They are then going to sit back watch our short, and then take off the headset and mosey on out just like a theater or a movie." A unique viewpointParallux creates the technology that allows VR headsets to be linked together, but it also creates content like Cave from scratch. Although the audience at Tribeca will be limited to 16 people, Cave was initially made for 30 at a time. "That presented incredible challenges, because it's the first time you're not focusing the attention towards one person," explains chief creative officer Kris Layng. "So you have to take into account that every single person needs to have a good view of the action." http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Dh5SZVrwQT59SmHWGm9D4c.jpg Image credit: Parallux "The really nitty-gritty stuff that’s exciting about Cave is not just our ability to do the people," Herscher adds, "but really leaning on Kris's expertise and film and theater and movies to create content that's not for an audience of one, but for an audience of [...] 30 people at a time, which was a really exciting design and content challenge." Counting eyeballsParallux has only existed as a company since November 2018, but Herscher and technical advisor Ken Perlin spent years researching the and developing the technology for creating shared experiences at the Future Reality Lab at New York University. With VR and AR, it’s a show-not-tell kind of mediumSebastian Herscher, CEO, Parallux The team believe at-home AR and VR experiences still have a place, but believe that collective experiences are essential for the industry to grow. Herscher says that the biggest problem at the moment is simply getting enough eyeballs on VR content to make it viable. "With VR and AR, it’s a show-not-tell kind of medium, and there are some phenomenal content creators in the medium that are totally pushing the edge of content and design and experience, but they’re only getting to one or two people at a time. There’s not a huge base of at-home hardware owners to be able to distribute the content to. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/oHTdSZNZjYZHVVdS3QXk9F.jpg Image credit: Parallux "So we're really trying to tackle the eyeballs-on-content problem. Get your content to scale, get it to where you're hitting thousands of people a day, because that’s when you really tap into the economy of scale in the entertainment industry. If you’re only able to do two, three, four people at a time, you're not going to get to the numbers you need to really have a takeoff." "And that’s only viable in a location-based entertainment setting like the arcade or a movie theater," adds chief operating officer Gabe Zetter. Tell your friendsZetter thinks that shared experience could be exactly the boost that VR needs to go truly mainstream, getting audiences excited and happy to spread the word. "I think I think we've seen a lot more people in the public are aware of AR and VR, and more headsets are selling, and there’s more attention being paid to this kind of technology and this industry, but it still hasn't fully taken off," he says. [People] want to step into the world of their favorite IP – step into the Marvel universe, step into Star WarsKris Layng, CCO, Parallux "And so I think we see location-based VR and AR as an opportunity to help drive mass adoption by getting people in front of this content without having to buy the hardware themselves, and really just associating really positive experiences with AR and VR content in a way that will encourage them to see more and become evangelists of the medium itself." According to Layng, it's also a breath of fresh air of entertainment as a whole, able to put a new spin on well-loved stories and characters (much like the BBC's new Doctor Who VR experience, which regenerates the 13th Doctor in an animated interactive short). http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Y9tfFBWJt7FKNe6sd4RavT.jpg Image credit: Parallux "I think audiences have a real desire for these more immersive experiences," he says. "Movie theatre attendance is on the decline. I think there needs to be something that's going to jolt things [...] People want to go out, and they want more and more and more. And they want to step into the world of their favorite IP – step into the Marvel universe, step into Star Wars – and it just opens up a whole new world, I think." Sharing (and scaring) is caringParallux is actively looking for creatives to make new shared experiences, and has a new project of its own in the pipeline that will premiere later this year. "Instead of Cave, which is intended for 30 people at a time and six minutes long," says Zetter, "our new piece is going to be 20 minutes long, intended for 50 people at a time. And this is going to be an origin story of Frankenstein from the perspective of a young Mary Shelley, who was 18 years old when she wrote it, off of a bet with Lord Byron over who could write the scariest ghost story. We’re really excited about that, and are working on finishing up for later this year. "Our lower bound on our number of audience for that is 50," Herscher adds. "We’re going to be shooting for significantly more." If even a fraction of those people develop a taste for the virtual, home-based headsets could become much more popular, and with a wider audience thirsty for new experiences, there'll be much more incentive for creatives to get involved. The more, the merrier. The best VR headset 2019: get the most immersion for your buckhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/k71I8qKI70I

With the TV-selling competition having more or less shown its hand, it's only now we're getting the pricing for the 2019 Sony TV range. If you're on the market for an 8K TV, brace yourself, they don't come cheaply. Top of the range is the ginormous 98-inch Master Series Z9G, arriving this June. Boasting not only a stupendous size but also an 8K resolution, it's going to set you back a huge $70,000. We're still waiting on global pricing for Sony's range, but that's roughly £54,000, or AU$98,380. In its defense, the Z9G is still cheaper than the $100,000 Samsung Q900. But unless you're a Hollywood A-lister or a member of a royal family, it's probably going to be out of reach. Best OLED TVs: our pick of the best OLED televisions you can buy todayBest soundbars for TV shows, movies and moreBest TV 2019: which TV should you buy for big screen action?8K, no way? Okay, 4KConsidering there's hardly any 8K content out there, a 4K TV purchase might make more sense anyway, and Sony's selection for 2019 is far easier on the wallet. Sony's A9G OLED series starts at $3,500 for the 55-inch version, jumping to $8,000 for the 77-incher, and pack in many of the under-the-panel improvements the 8K TV boasts. Launching in May, that includes an IMAX-enhanced viewing mode and a Netflix Calibrated picture option, as well as AirPlay 2 and HomeKit integration. If you're not fussed with getting the fancier Picture Processor X1 Ultimate chip, the A8G line, with its 4K HDR Processor X1 Extreme chip, starts at $2,500 for the 55-inch model and goes up to $3,500 at 65-inches. It's got a couple of smart tech tricks, including Sony's Acoustic Surface Audio, which turns the display itself into the speaker to offset the lack of other physical space for TV components. OLED may be the dream, but if you're happy with an LCD set, Sony's LED-lit 4K models can still impress. Starting at $1,400 for the 55-inch version and jumping to $5,000 for an 85-inch set, you've the X950G, landing in late April. That range makes use of the X1 Ultimate chip, but that 85-inch size can be found at an even more affordable price with the X850G. It's packing the less-advanced 4K HDR Processor X1, dropping the likes of IMAX Enhanced to hit a $3,500 price point. Every OLED TV coming in 2019http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/smWJFUnmf8Y

Update: It's not strictly a sequel to the Samsung Galaxy Watch, but we've just placed the Galaxy Watch Active in our list below. It's a sportier version of our best smartwatch without the rotatable bezel, plus the price is lower too. A smartwatch is the ultimate phone accessory. It can tell the time, of course, but it can also beam important notifications straight to your wrist, track your fitness stats and pay for your morning coffee. Today's best smartwatch models can perform a ton of tricks, such as enabling you to search the internet with your voice, track your location with GPS or even monitor your heart rate to protect your overall health – with our without pairing to one of the best smartphones on the market. Oh, and some of them look absolutely stunning too. If you're thinking that a smartwatch is a pointlessly geeky accessory... think again. The choices we've ranked below are well-made, powerful and can genuinely make you fitter through some smart nudges. We've tested the vast majority of the top-end wearables you can buy right now from the Apple Watch to Fitbits, Garmin trackers to Tizen-sporting Samsung smartwatches. There's also Wear OS (you may have known that in its previous incarnation called Android Wear) which is Google's own wearable operating system in the vein of Apple's watchOS. During our review process, we take into account the design, features, battery life, spec, price and more for each smartwatch, rank it against the competition and enter it into the list you'll find below. Smartwatches come and go from the ranking depending on the rest of the competition at the time, and bear in mind we may see products like the Honor Watch Magic appear in the list after we've tested them properly. It looks like 2019 is set to be a big year in the wearables space too, so expect lots of change in this list if we hear official announcements for products like the Google Pixel Watch and the Apple Watch 5. Feeling active? Check out our Best Fitness TrackersWe've also put together our guide to best Android Wear watchesThe Apple Watch Series 4 is our favorite smartwatch you can buy right now. This is the first time Apple has updated the design of its smartwatch line, and it looks all the better for it. You get a much bigger screen with the choice of 40mm or 44mm watch sizes, there's a wider display (which is still bright and clear) as well as all the rest of the tech we've come to expect from the Apple Watch. The speaker on this watch is louder than before, the design is still lightweight (yet it feels premium) and you can use all your existing Apple Watch straps with this latest generation too. The most exciting tech is the fact there's an ECG feature within the heart rate tracker. It can test your heart to see if you're at a high risk of atrial fibrillation, which will allow you to seek help earlier if your health is in danger. This tech isn't present at launch, and right now we only know it'll be available in the US. I's not an upgrade relevant to everyone, but for some people this could be some life changing tech. There are still tons of fitness features and the latest watchOS 5 apps onboard so you'll likely love this smartwatch. The Apple Watch 4 is our favorite watch you can use with an iPhone (this won't work with Android devices), but it's just been pipped to the title of best overall smartwatch. Read our full Apple Watch 4 review http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XpjytZKadYHuY5Kqsnopd7.jpg One of the best smartwatches you can buy right now is the Samsung Galaxy Watch. Following on from the Gear S3 series and the Gear Sport in 2017, the Galaxy Watch is much improved. We've tested out the larger 46mm version of the watch and it comes with a phenomenal four day battery life even when you're using it extensively. That's impressive considering a lot of other watches on this list last a day or so from a single charge. The rotating bezel remains a highlight of navigating around the Tizen OS on the watch, and the interface is one of the easiest to pick up that we've seen on a smartwatch. Apps available on the watch are more limited than Wear OS or watchOS 4 - two rival smartwatch operating systems - but it still offers the core basics and Samsung had provided a watch that's good at fitness as well as sporting a great design and lots more functionality too. Read the full Samsung Galaxy Watch review Fitbit is one of the biggest names in fitness tracking tech, but until late in 2017 the company hadn't gone anywhere near smartwatches. The company has now released two smartwatches, and both feature on this list but first we're starting with our favorite that was announced in March 2018 and will be ready to buy in mid-April. That favorite from Fitbit is the Versa that is a touch smaller than the other one (that's the Ionic) but it comes with Fitbit Pay for contactless payments, 2.5GB of storage for music and battery life that'll last around three days. It doesn't have GPS for tracking your runs and the design doesn't feel as premium as some of the other watches on this list, but we really like the Fitbit Versa and it's one of the more affordable choices on this list. Read the full Fitbit Versa review The Apple Watch 3 (or Apple Watch Series 3, if you're picky) was the best smartwatch but has recently been bumped off the top spot by the launch of Samsung Galaxy Watch and Apple Watch 4. The LTE connection is the headline event, although that's not really as useful as some might hope - plus it costs a lot more to use, and drains the battery. What we like is the non-LTE version, which is a lot cheaper, and offers all the smarts of the Watch 2 but with a longer battery life and faster speeds when flicking through apps. This is the right kind of upgrade on the best smartwatch in the world. It's still water-resistant so you can swim with it and you won't have to worry about getting it wet in the rain when you're out for a jog. There's GPS onboard to make running that little bit easier plus it comes running the latest watchOS 4 software and will be updated to watchOS 5 later in the year. Read the full Apple Watch 3 review What's next? The Apple Watch 4 was announced on September 12 sporting two new sizes, a larger screen than the Watch 3 and new internal tech. It's also the first watch that can carry out an ECG, too. Be sure to read our hands on Apple Watch 4 review, and expect to hear whether it places in this list in the next few weeks. You've already heard all about the Samsung Galaxy Watch, but what if you just don't want a large version of its wearable? Samsung has shrunk down most of the tech available in the Galaxy Watch into this more sport appropriate package that's slimmer, lighter and, arguably, more comfortable. The Galaxy Watch Active features a 1.1-inch 360 x 360 display that while being bright and beautiful allows for a smaller watch to be strapped around your wrist than a lot of the other devices in this list. It still comes sporting all of the top-end fitness features you'd expect from Samsung's Tizen watch range, but it lacks the rotating bezel or an LTE option that you'd get from the top-end product. The best part is how the price has shrunk to match its size. It's certainly not a cheap smartwatch, but when compared to the original RRP of the Galaxy Watch you may prefer to opt for this version that's remarkably similar. Read the full Samsung Galaxy Watch Active review http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/cYPfA_kOsvg

Huawei’s business grew strong in the first-quarter with revenues rising 39% year on year to 179.7 billion Chinese yuan ($26.76 billion), mainly fueled by focus on ICT infrastructure and smart devices as well as boosting the efficiency and quality of its operations. The firm shipped 59 million smartphones in the quarter and added revenue of 179.7 billion yuan ($26.8 billion). Based on these results, not being able to sell devices in the US hasn't really affected the company. Last year, the third largest smartphone manufacturer after Samsung and Apple, shipped 206 million units, inching closer to Apple’s 208.8 million units, according to research firm Gartner’s data. Huawei’s smartphone shipments rose 33.6 per cent year on year in 2018, the fastest growth rate in the industry while Samsung’s shipments declined eight per cent and Apple’s shipments by 3.2 per cent. Huawei has high hopes of becoming the number one smartphone manufacturer in the next two years. It's not just smartphonesAccording to Huawei's financial statement, other business segments like PCs, wearables, and smart home also gained traction from global consumers for its leading, innovative products and user experiences. The Chinese player is also a big name in the 5G network equipment supplier and it is entering the cloud and artificial intelligence market in a big way. Huawei is also one of the few smartphones manufactures, after Samsung and Oppo, to showcase 5G mobile devices. Charles Yang, president of Huawei Middle East, told TechRadar Middle East, that Huawei will not be put off by the false accusations by the US and will push ahead with its 5G rollout and investments in the Middle East as well as globally. Huawei has 283 global partners and 57 regional partners for 5G and expects to have one million bases stations globally by 2020. Yang added that cybersecurity is a top priority for the company that has served three billion users in 170 countries (1,500 carrier networks) and never had any network security incident. According to online market intelligence platform IPlytics, the Chinese company leads the race in the number of 5G standard technical contributions by a company. Huawei held 11,423 patents in 2018, followed by Ericsson with 10,351 and Nokia with 6,878, the other two big networks equipment makers. With Huawei investing $15 billion in R&D in 2018 and ranks among the top five, it has a clear strategic positioning in the 5G race and has the capacity to mass produce 5G chips, 5G mobile routers and CPE (customer-premises equipment), a wireless router for home. Huawei sees no impact on its 5G business from Middle East despite US accusationshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/8NJo-68OI7c

UPDATE: Huawei's P30 Pro has arrived and unsurprisingly, it's landed straight on our list of the best phones in Australia 2019 – read on to find out why we love it! 2018 was a stellar year for smartphones, and while 2019 is set to be even better, there's no denying that last year's phones are still top notch (literally, in some cases). Last year's launches of the iPhone XS and the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 have made the humble smartphone faster, more powerful and even more versatile than ever before. Here at TechRadar, we check out almost every phone under the sun, putting the ones that matter through our vigorous testing process to create our in-depth mobile phone reviews. However, with so many to choose from, we've spent hours whittling them down to a top ten, taking into account power, specs, design and value for money. And we'll always point you in the direction of the latest handsets – after all, nobody wants to be carting around a phone that doesn't get any updates in a year's time, right? So whether it's one of the many slick Android handsets, the latest iPhone or one from a range of other cool manufacturers, we've extensively tested them all so you don't have to! Here are our rankings for the best smartphones that are currently available in Australia in 2019. Now in its tenth generation, Samsung’s Galaxy S range has just about reached the pinnacle of traditional smartphone design with the Galaxy S10 Plus. Boasting the world’s best display, advanced ultrasonic security, reverse wireless charging, exceptional performance and its most impressive camera setup to date, it’s difficult to see where non-folding smartphones can go from here. Combined with Samsung’s new Android 9 Pie-based One UI, the S10 Plus really feels like the ultimate Galaxy phone – it’s no wonder the South Korean electronics giant is ready to embrace a foldable future. Screen: Regardless of where you stand on the notch vs pinhole debate, you’re likely to be floored by the S10 Plus’ almost completely bezel-free display when you see it in person for the first time. With its 93.1% screen-to-body ratio, the S10 Plus’ pill-shaped pinhole camera is far less obtrusive than you might assume from simply seeing renders of the device – with One UI’s dark mode switched on, the pinhole practically disappears during a large portion of the phone’s daily usage. As we’ve come to expect from each new Galaxy phone, the S10 Plus’ QHD+ Super AMOLED screen is brighter and more vibrant than ever before (it’s the first Samsung phone to support HDR10+), though its biggest update comes in the form of an in-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, which uses sound waves to create a 3D scan of your prints for more accurate and secure unlocks. Design: In terms of build quality, the Galaxy S10 Plus is still sandwiched between two gorgeous pieces of Gorilla Glass, although the device’s frame has seen an upgrade from aluminium to stainless steel, making this year’s model altogether more sturdy. The 3.5mm headphone jack and microSD card slot each make a very welcome return this year, though the S10 Plus’s design isn’t without its flaws – Samsung’s still sticking with its dedicated Bixby button this year, and for some reason, the power button’s placement is now awkwardly high on the device’s right edge, making it difficult to reach unless held a specific way. Performance: A significant step up from the 3,500mAh battery featured in last year’s S9 Plus, the S10 Plus’ whopping 4,100mAh battery takes the crown previously held by the Note 9, making it the largest Samsung has ever placed in a phone. Even at 80% brightness and with the display’s resolution set to QHD+, we’ve always managed to get a full day’s use out of the device with some battery to spare. The Exynos 9820 chipset and 8GB of RAM featured in the base model S10 Plus offers snappy app-switching, effortless multi-tasking and excellent gaming performance, producing buttery smooth gameplay in Fortnite at 60FPS while on the ‘epic’ graphics setting. Of course, Galaxy S10 Plus models with up to 12GB of RAM are also available. Camera: Samsung pulled out all the stops for its latest flagship’s cameras this year, sporting a triple lens setup on the device’s rear – that’s a 12MP regular lens, a 12MP optically-zoomed telephoto lens, and an eye-opening 16MP ultra-wide lens which is said to have a field of view that’s similar to the human eye. On the front of the device, the S10 Plus features a dual lens camera setup, with a 10MP primary camera and an 8MP depth sensor, allowing users to take bokeh self-portraits and photos with other effects. All of this is once again backed by Samsung’s AI-based scene optimiser, which is able to recognise objects and automatically adjust the camera’s settings, as well as show shot suggestions to improve your photos. Mini verdict: Without a doubt, Samsung’s Galaxy S10 Plus is the best phone of 2019 so far, impressing with its breathtaking display, refreshed user interface, excellent battery life, terrific performance and carefully considered design choices. Simply put, the Galaxy S10 Plus is the phone to beat this year. Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus See the best Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus telco plans See the best Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus outright deals We're starting to sound like a broken record at this stage, but Huawei's latest handset is the Chinese phone maker's greatest to date. It's got a gorgeous build, fantastic specs and the best photographic capability of any phone on the market. Screen: This year's P-Series handset once again features a vibrant Super AMOLED display which delivers crisp images and gorgeous colours. If there's one downside to the P30 Pro's screen, it's that Huawei has opted to go with a FHD+ display – last year's Mate 20 Pro featured a QHD+ display and the difference is noticeable. It's a curious decision given the P30 Pro's premium price point and focus on photo-taking, but we can't complain too much given the other high-end features found in the handset. Under the display, you'll also find a speedy fingerprint scanner that's pretty much identical to the one featured on the aforementioned Mate 20 Pro. Design: As one of the only non-Galaxy handsets employing curved glass on its display, Huawei's P30 Pro looks very slick and premium from the outset. That commitment to luxury carries over to the back of the phone, which also features curved glass (perfect for the device's power-sharing functionality). Sandwiched in-between the two panes is an aluminium frame that's a touch thicker than some of the other flagship phones on the market (8.4mm), resulting in a bit of added weight, too (192g). Like last year’s P20 Pro, the P30 Pro lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack – a strange design choice given how thick the phone is. That said, we’re glad Huawei has opted to include support for expandable storage via the device’s SIM tray, even if that means being forced to use the company’s relatively obscure NM (Namo Memory) card format. Performance: If the camera setup on the Huawei P30 Pro is the headline feature, its battery life is the device’s unsung hero. This thing lasts, thanks to a huge 4,200mAh battery, which is larger than those in pretty much all of its rivals – that's also handy when it comes to sharing power via the P30 Pro's reverse wireless charging feature. The P30 Pro packs in Huawei’s latest Kirin 980 chipset and 8GB of RAM, giving the handset plenty of grunt under the hood. This means the handset is capable of handling any app you throw at it, with swift load times and the ability to render graphically demanding games such as PUBG on the highest settings without skipping a beat. Camera: Thanks to an ongoing partnership with German camera company Leica, we've come to expect incredible photographic capability from Huawei's flagship handsets, and the P30 Pro is no exception. In fact, it wouldn't be overstating things to describe the P30 Pro's triple lens setup as the best smartphone camera implementation of 2019 to date. First off, you have a 40MP main sensor which is capable to taking unmatched photos at full resolution (without any zoom) — perfect if you’re planning on professional-grade editing or producing prints later on. Of course, photos are captured at 10MP by default, and look pretty darn good at that resolution, too. The big new camera feature in this year’s model, however, is its 5x optical zoom functionality, which cleverly employs a periscope-style mirror array to achieve zoomed-in shots without any image degradation. Push past that barrier though, and the camera implements an optical/digital hybrid zoom up to 10x, followed by a staggering 50x purely digital zoom. Surprisingly, the P30 Pro is able to maintain a steady picture even at full zoom capacity – something that can be attributed to the camera’s exceptional image stabilisation tech. Mini verdict: While it's let down slightly by a couple of its design choices, the P30 Pro is steadily closing the gap and getting closer to that highly coveted 'best phone' crown. Read the full review: Huawei P30 Pro See the best Huawei P30 Pro telco plans See the best Huawei P30 Pro outright deals On paper, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 doesn't seem all that different to its predecessor, the Note 8. Look beneath the surface, however, and you'll find a smartphone that has addressed almost every issue that last year's model had (although the Bixby button is unfortunately still here, just waiting to be pressed accidentally) to become one of the best handsets that money can buy right now. Screen & Design: Premium in every sense of the word, the Galaxy Note 9's design screams sophistication, even when it's being cheeky (the Ocean Blue colour variant's striking yellow S Pen can attest to that). While there was little room for improvement over the Note 8 and Galaxy S9 Plus in the screen department, Samsung has managed to top itself once again by producing a record breaking display for the Note 9 that's already been named the best of its kind. Its Super AMOLED QHD+ display is exceptionally bright and vibrant, with inky blacks and beautiful curved edges. Most of all, we love that Samsung's listened to its customers and has continued to resist current (and arguably misguided) smartphone trends, such as notch cutouts and the abandoning of headphone jacks and microSD slots – we'd much rather it keeps striving to perfect the things that made it the top smartphone brand in the world in the first place. Performance: Thanks to its large 4,000mAh battery – the largest Samsung has ever placed in a phone – the Note 9 has addressed one of its predecessor's biggest drawbacks, as despite being one of the biggest phones on the market, the Note 8's battery was only 3,300mAh. Given the brightness of its display and the power of its internals, the Galaxy Note 9's longer battery life is more than welcome. Speaking of its internals, the Note 9 is an absolute powerhouse, with its Exynos 9810 chipset and 6GB of RAM offering snappy performance at all times. The 512GB model is backed by an additional 2GB of RAM (8GB in total), which should allow for even better performance in DeX mode (which no longer requires an additional dock) and for Fortnite to run especially smoothly on the device. Camera: While the Note 9's camera is almost identical to that of the Galaxy S9 Plus, that's no bad thing — users can record super slow motion video (up to 960fps at 720p resolution) and the same variable aperture functionality is available, allowing for the phone's iris to automatically adjust itself depending on how much light you have access to. One thing has changed though: thanks to the S Pen's Bluetooth functionality, you can now use the stylus as a long-range self-timer, allowing you to take selfies while standing several metres away from the phone. Mini verdict: Though one could argue that most of the Samsung Galaxy Note 9's improvements are relatively minor, each one has been made in an effort to provide the best possible experience for users. Add them all up and what you get is a smartphone with an amazing screen, which also offers immense storage and the excellent performance. The fact it also doubles as a super portable PC when connected to a monitor or television is also a huge potential bonus. In short, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is the kind of smartphone that all others should be striving to match. Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy Note 9 See the best Samsung Galaxy Note 9 telco plans See the best Samsung Galaxy Note 9 outright deals So how do you follow-up one of the best flagship phones ever made? By making an even better one, that's how! With its new Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus, Samsung has addressed pretty much every issue levelled at the S8 range, from the awkward fingerprint sensor placement to the underwhelming built-in speakers. Screen & Design: Until the Galaxy Note 9, the Galaxy S9 Plus boasted the greatest phone display ever produced — quite a feat when you consider the strength of the competition. Its QHD+ 18:9.5 AMOLED display is sublime to look at, with its incredible brightness and rich colours offset by deep, inky blacks that never cease to amaze. In terms of its design, you'd be forgiven for thinking the S9 Plus looks almost identical to its predecessor from the front, with the only real change coming in the form of a 1.4mm difference in height (that's thanks to the S9 Plus' smaller bottom bezel). The back is where the biggest changes have occurred, with a new vertical camera and fingerprint sensor layout that instantly feels more natural than last year's model. At the base of the phone, you'll find that Samsung has kept the 3.5mm headphone jack around for at least another year, and it's now accompanied by stereo speakers for more immersive sound — much better than last year's mono offering. Performance: Boasting Samsung's most advanced in-house chipset to date, the Exynos 9810, as well as 6GB of RAM, the Galaxy S9 Plus is a beast when it comes to grunt. Snappy and responsive, the S9 Plus never caves under pressure, boasting some of the strongest benchmark scores of any handset released in 2018. Admittedly, this can cause its commendable but not incredible 3,500mAh battery to drain a little quicker than normal, though you'll still get a full days usage out of it. Audio performance is another area where the S9 Plus has taken a big leap over its predecessor. Having listened to music through the S9 Plus' new speaker mouth (so long, speaker grill) we can confirm that a drastic improvement in sound quality has taken place. Audio is much fuller than before, exhibiting some added depth and bass. Sure, it won't inspire you to throw away your Bluetooth speaker, but the difference in audio quality is significant — especially when you take into account the inclusion of Dolby Atmos support. Camera: But the Galaxy S9 Plus' biggest selling point is undoubtedly its revamped dual camera setup (something not found on the standard S9), which is now capable of taking super slow motion video (up to 960fps at 720p resolution) and has variable aperture capabilities, which allows the phone to automatically switch between f/1.5 (for very low-light photography) and f/2.4 (super bright and vibrant photography). You can even seen the camera's tiny shutter opening and closing depending on available light. While Apple may have beaten it to the punch with its AR-enabled Animoji, Samsung has come up with its own equivalent AR Emoji mode, which lets you create a digital avatar (and a set of shareable GIFs) of yourself. It's a good bit of fun, but if you're not the selfie type, your mileage on this feature may vary. Mini verdict: There are a number of other factors that put the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus ahead of the competition, from its incredible QHD+ 18:9.5 AMOLED display, to its powerful new Exynos 9810 chipset. However, it's the way that Samsung has truly listened to its customers and created a phone specifically for them that makes the Galaxy S9 Plus our current pick for best smartphone. Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus See the best Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus telco plans See the best Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus outright deals The iPhone XS Max is Apple's new big iPhone with an expansive 6.5-inch display that can't be missed if you're looking for the best phone running iOS 12. It's fast, has a brilliant all-screen display, and gives you great photos out of its noticeably upgraded 12MP dual-lens rear camera. Screen & Design: The 6.5-inch OLED screen is the reason to choose the iPhone XS Max over its smaller 5.8-inch iPhone XS counterpart. Admittedly, the phone is still roughly the size of an iPhone Plus, but thanks to the all-screen display (minus the notch cut out at the top), you get a lot more real-estate. Compared to the LCD displays on older iPhones, there's a noticeable step up in black levels and colour richness. Elsewhere, the iPhone XS Max is practically identical to last year's iPhone X, only bigger. While we would've loved to see the notch cutout's size reduced on this year's models, it's hard to argue with what Apple has achieved here. Camera: This is the best iPhone camera ever made, even if the 12MP dual-lens rear camera number hasn't changed in several years. It's all about the software inside and how the A12 chipset interprets scenes with Smart HDR. It's up there with the Google Pixel 2 and Samsung Galaxy Note 9, even if Apple's photos tend to be less vivid in our tests and more true-to-life. Performance: You'll get the best battery life out of the iPhone XS Max simply because it has room for a bigger battery. The 3,174mAh capacity is by no means the biggest (Samsung's Note 9 is 4,000mAh), but Apple's ownership of both software and hardware means it's smartly optimized. You'll get all-day battery life even with heavy use. The aforementioned A12 chipset also makes a huge difference when it comes to performance, as the iPhone XS Max is easily the fastest handset that Apple has released to date. Mini verdict: This is the iPhone for anyone who wants what's new and doesn't care what it costs. The iPhone XS Max is expensive, but it's the best upgrade if you're into big screens and Apple's ecosystem, like the App Store and iMessages. The iPhone XS is a good choice if you have smaller hands, and the iPhone XR may be better if you have a smaller wallet. Read the full review: iPhone XS Max See the best iPhone XS Max telco plans See the best iPhone XS Max outright deals The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is the supercharged version of the 'standard' Huawei Mate 20, and while its specs are similar to its less expensive counterpart, with both handsets boasting Huawei's latest Kirin 980 7nm processor, 128GB of onboard storage and 6GB of RAM, the Huawei Mate 20 Pro is able to justify its higher cost with several impressive additional high-end inclusions. Sporting a number of futuristic features (including one world-first) and a more premium price point than we're used to seeing from the Chinese manufacturer, the Mate 20 Pro is clearly Huawei's play for the 'best smartphone in the world' crown – and for once, the company is very much within reach, offering a handset we think belongs in the same league as the iPhone XS Max and Samsung Galaxy Note 9. Screen & Design: With its curved glass display and coloured aluminium frame, it's very easy to mistake the Huawei Mate 20 Pro for a Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus at first glance. Look closer, and you'll start to notice Huawei's signature styling and other, more subtle differences. Yes, it's got a notch, but it's for the inclusion of a second sensor to allow for 3D facial recognition functionality, which is said to provide more security than the standard Mate 20's image-based facial unlock. Although our tests have shown the Mate 20 Pro's 3D face unlock to be exceptionally fast (way speedier than Apple and Samsung's equivalent implementations), the Pro also offers an in-display fingerprint scanner that you can use instead. Camera: Of course, being a Huawei phone, it's photographic capability is also off the charts. Once again sporting Leica branding, the Mate 20 Pro has ditched the monochrome sensor this year, instead opting for a primary 40MP sensor that handles both RGB and monochrome modes. With this ultra-wide sensor and Huawei’s 3X fixed and 5X hybrid zoom, you can not only close in on any subject (macro photography allows for photos from just 2.5cm away), but also pull out to get a much wider view, making the Mate 20 Pro the most versatile camera we’ve yet seen on a flagship smartphone. Performance: While Google's Pixel 3 handsets have only just received wireless charging functionality, Huawei has taken things a step further with the inclusion of reverse wireless charging – and yes, you read that correctly. Compatible with any phone that boasts Qi functionality, the Huawei Mate 20 Pro is actually able to wirelessly charge another device when you place the two back-to-back. Easily the most advanced phone that Huawei has produced to date, the Mate 20 Pro is premium in every sense of the word. Throw in a massive 4,200mAh battery, and what you have is a handset that's very hard to resist. Read the full review: Huawei Mate 20 Pro See the best Huawei Mate 20 Pro telco plans See the best Huawei Mate 20 Pro outright deals The Google Pixel 3 is the smaller sibling to the Pixel 3 XL, with a smaller screen and battery, but the same power and excellent camera under the hood. This is a great handset for those looking for a top-flight phone that can be used comfortably with one hand (although those with smaller palms may need both still). Screen & Design: At 5.5 inches, the screen on the Google Pixel 3 isn't exactly small, but it's one of the smallest in this list of the best smartphones. The full HD resolution isn't quite as sharp as its larger sibling's QHD panel, but it still looks great. Thankfully, Google has reduced the size of the Pixel's bezel this year, as last year's model looked pretty dated compared to the competition. While the 3 XL sports a notch cutout in its display, Google has wisely opted to keep its full bezels on the regular Pixel 3, making it look classier in the process. Camera: You get the same camera here as you do on the Pixel 3 XL, and that's great news as it's one of the best smartphone snappers we've ever tested. It's easy to use, extremely powerful and produces excellent shots – even compared to cameras with multiple lenses. Performance: The Google Pixel 3 battery life isn't as impressive as the larger Pixel 3 XL which has a bigger power pack. It should give you a day of use, but don't expect much more than that. Elsewhere, the Pixel 3's stock Android OS offers smooth, snappy performance with nothing to bog it down. Mini verdict: If you're looking for a compact flagship smartphone with a class-leading camera experience the Google Pixel 3 is the best phone for the job. Read the full review: Google Pixel 3 See the best Google Pixel 3 telco plans See the best Google Pixel 3 outright deals iPhone XS is a minor, but important upgrade over last year's completely redesigned iPhone. It's noticeably faster and has an improved dual-lens camera to make it a better choice, if you're willing to pay the same launch price. Screen & Design: The 5.8-inch OLED on this iPhone is big, but not a turn off for some people who literally can't handle the 6.5-inch iPhone XS Max (which we like a bit more in our big mitts). This phone size isn't too much bigger than your old 4.7-inch iPhone 7 or iPhone 6 thanks to its reduced bezel – though you'll miss the Touch ID home button. You'll forget about that when staring into the beautiful OLED that's dreamier than the old iPhone LCD. In terms of its design, the iPhone XS is practically identical to last year's model, colour options aside. However, if you're after a more one-hand-friendly size for a cutting-edge iPhone, this is the one to buy. Alternatively, you could opt for the cheaper iPhone XR, which has a slightly larger LCD display, an aluminium rim (instead of the stainless steel one on the XS) and a series of funky colours to choose from. Camera: This is where you'll see differences in the otherwise familiar-looking iPhone XS. Its dual-lens camera offers Smart HDR and optical image stabilisation (OIS). It's not as vivid as the cameras on a Google Pixel 2 or Samsung Galaxy S9, but you'll get true-to-life photos that make the 2018 iPhone's a worthy upgrade. Performance: The iPhone XS has about the same battery life as the iPhone X, so you'll get all-day battery life with normal use. Power users may struggle a bit without one of the best power banks, and although Apple says it has 30 minutes more battery life than the iPhone X, the smaller capacity and our tests show it's shy of that claim. Mini verdict: Although still expensive, the iPhone XS is our best phone for someone who wants to use iOS 12 and doesn't want to spend even more money on the bigger iPhone XS Max. Read the full review: iPhone XS See the best iPhone XS telco plans See the best iPhone XS outright deals While LG may have left behind any notion of being a game-changing phone maker in recent years, the company’s become quite reliable at producing exceptional all-rounder handsets that are good at pretty much everything. Screen & Design: With the new LG G7 ThinQ, the South Korean manufacturer has delivered a phone with sophisticated AI smarts, a fantastic dual lens camera, a stylish design, a super bright QHD+ 18.9:5 display (complete with iPhone X-style notch that can, thankfully, be hidden), terrific audio performance and top-end specs. That said, unlike most other notch-bearing handsets, the G7 ThinQ sports an LCD display, meaning it's unable to reach the pure-blacks of an OLED, something that becomes apparent when you first try to hide the notch with a fake bezel and immediately notice the backlighting behind them. Still that does allow the G7 ThinQ to get extremely bright, which means you can always see the screen perfectly, no matter how sunny it happens to be. Performance: Admittedly, it's not quite as strong as some of the other handsets on this list in terms of performance, and its battery life left us wanting — we got around 6 and a half hours of heavy usage, which is around an hour or two less than most flagship phones available right now. LG wants its awkwardly-branded ‘ThinQ AI’ functionality to be the big drawcard here, but having spent some time with the phone, it’s clear that it’s perhaps better suited to music lovers and audiophiles. Thanks to its built-in hi-fi quad DAC and DTS:X 3D Surround functionality (both of which require headphones to be plugged into its 3.5mm socket), the LG G7 ThinQ delivers an unrivalled audio experience in the smartphone arena. Switching on the quad DAC instantly makes audio richer and deeper, providing additional bass in the process, while the latter DTS feature also impresses by offering virtual three-dimensional surround sound regardless of the headphones you’re wearing. It also packs an especially loud built-in speaker, for occasions when you want to listen to something without cans. Camera: LG is bound to win fans with its terrific AI-powered camera this year, offering similar functionality to the Huawei P20 Pro — simply point at a subject and the LG G7 ThinQ will automatically identify it, adjusting its settings to make sure your picture looks as good as can be. And, thanks to its dual camera setup, the G7 ThinQ can also take those blurry background portrait shots that have become all the rage. Its Super Bright Camera mode also makes it especially adept at low light photography, and just like the G5 and G6 before it, the G7 ThinQ can take super wide angle photos that fit more into the frame. Mini verdict: Minor quibbles aside, there's plenty to love about the LG G7 ThinQ. We think it's the best phone the South Korean company has released in years. Read the full review: LG G7 ThinQ See the best LG G7 ThinQ outright deals The iPhone 8 Plus is a great phone — there’s no doubt about that. It’s a better phone than almost anything Apple has produced before, and it’s, well, just done in a very Apple way. If you aren't willing to pay the extra premium Apple's pricey iPhone X, then this might be the iPhone for you. Screen & Design: There are some strong upgrades: a glass back means you can now charge your iPhone wirelessly, its IPS LCD screen, while dated, still looks terrific, its camera has been enhanced, the internal workings are now among the most powerful in the industry, and little tweaks throughout smooth off rough edges in a way that makes us feel Sir Jony Ive climbed inside his computer and lathed them off himself. Whether that’s a subtle haptic double buzz when pressing the shutter on the camera, or being able to ‘feel’ the numbers clicking when selecting the time on the alarm, it’s those little delights that… delight. It's just a shame that the rest of the phone's design feels a little dated. Performance: Just like the iPhone X, the iPhone 8 Plus means business when it comes to performance. Backed by long, impressive battery life, the A11 chip allows you to smoothly transition between open apps and play games with nary a hiccup, and AR performance is also boosted by its power. Portrait Lighting effects may be one of the phone's best photographic features, but they need some real power to function, and that’s where the A11 chip comes in. Any app that uses high levels of photo manipulation worked pretty flawlessly in our tests, with no lag when working with multiple image layers. It’s hard to convey the usefulness of all this power for the average user, one who might not use such features regularly – but it’ll keep your iPhone singing more sweetly for the next two or three years compared to the previous generations. Camera: The camera on this phone is very strong, with two 12MP lenses on the rear combining to deliver great images even in low light, and the double sensors creating some nice, refined blurred-background portrait shots. Mini verdict: The iPhone 8 Plus is a phone for the Apple fan who wants the longest battery life possible, and the most screen to look at, without having to pay the premium the iPhone X costs. Read the full review: Apple iPhone 8 Plus See the best iPhone 8 Plus telco plans See the best iPhone 8 Plus outright deals Though the Nokia 8 handset from HMD Global was well received and reviewed at release, it was perhaps lacking in the flair and personality we've come to expect from flagship phones in 2018. To remedy this, the Finnish phone manufacturer went back to the drawing board, eventually producing the Nokia 8 Sirocco — a stylish handset that retained its predecessor's powerhouse internals (with a few improvements) and applied a drastically updated design that's sure to turn a few heads. Screen & Design: The first thing you'll notice about the Nokia 8 Sirocco is that it's one of the few Android handsets on the market to emulate the curved metal and glass form factor of Samsung's Galaxy and Note ranges. In fact, it feels quite sharp and thin in the hand, somewhat reminding us of the Galaxy S7 Edge. However, the comparisons basically end there, as the Sirocco employs many of the design choices we've come to expect from more modern phones, including slim bezels, a beautiful QHD OLED display, a rear fingerprint sensor, USB Type-C charging and data transfer and the complete lack of a 3.5mm headphone jack (okay, that one we could've held onto). Performance: The inclusion of a whopping 128GB of internal storage is also welcome, though you won't find a microSD card slot here. What you will find, however, is a Snapdragon 835 chipset, a 3,260mAh battery and 6GB of RAM. Fans of the 'Pure Android' experience will also be pleased to know that the Nokia 8 Sirocco belongs to the Android One series of smartphones, all of which run an unmodified version of whichever Android version it shipped with (in the Sirocco's case, that's Android 8.0, though it's now been updated to Android 9.0). Camera: The Nokia brand has always been synonymous with its camera functionality, and in that regard, the Sirocco does not disappoint. It's got a Zeiss Optics dual camera setup (12MP + 13MP) that's capable of some impressive snaps. Mini verdict: For now, the Nokia 8 Sirocco is the best handset that HMD Global has released yet. If you're keen on owning a phone with the Nokia branding on it, this is the one to get. Read the hands on review: Nokia 8 Sirocco Get the Nokia 8 Sirocco outright from JB Hi-Fi The Samsung Galaxy S9 isn't quite the phone that the S9 Plus is - it's only got a single camera sensor, for one - but it's a more palm-friendly model that still packs the power and top screen quality of its sibling. Screen: A QHD 5.8-inch screen takes up most of the front of the phone - and it's still a stunning design. Brighter, more colourful and capable of showing the best of movies, the Super AMOLED tech is once again showing itself to be best thing to look at on a smartphone. Battery life: Battery life is a little disappointing for a top-end smartphone, meaning you'll need to think about a top-up during the day if you're a harder user. Wireless and fast charging capabilities help with this though. Camera: It's only a single sensor on the rear of the Galaxy S9, unlike the Galaxy S9 Plus - meaning it's not as good at photography. But don't think the S9 takes poor photos, as they're still stunning, and in low light it's a sterling performer, with very little noise. Mini verdict: The Galaxy S9 is a smartphone with all the top-end features you'd want, and more on top. It's not quite at the level of the S9 Plus, and the iPhone X outranks it in a few ways - but once again the price of this phone is starting to get a little more competitive, making it more of a lure than at launch. Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy S9 See the best Samsung Galaxy S9 telco plans See the best Samsung Galaxy S9 outright deals You're at the end of the guide, but that doesn't mean we can't help you still - if you're stuck on which model is for you, we've got a tool that can compare all the phones together and you can decide which one suits you best based on the cost. If you want to get all the info, then use the tool below or check out our full mobile phone plans page. Enter price comparisonhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/Wn0bpYafPlw

OnePlus is set to unveil its flagship killer of 2019 soon with the company CEO Pete Lau, even going on to reveal that one of the variants will feature a "super-smooth" display. Just hours ago, a Twitter post allegedly revealed some of the key features of the upcoming OnePlus 7, OnePlus 7 Pro and OnePlus 7 Pro 5G. OnePlus will announce the launch date of their upcoming products later today. Read More: OnePlus 7 Pro confirmed to have a 'super-smooth' display and 5G, but cost moreOnePlus 7 Pro and OnePlus 7 Pro 5G leaked specificationsWhile we already know that the OnePlus 7 Pro and its 5G model are set to feature a "new" display, there hasn't been any information around the size of the display until now. According to the tweet, OnePlus 7 Pro and OnePlus 7 Pro 5G will feature a 6.7-inch QHD+ panel with a 3120 x 1440 pixels resolution. The screen has a 19.5:9 aspect ratio and a refresh rate of 90Hz. In addition, the display will have an in-built fingerprint sensor. The OnePlus 7 Pro and Pro 5G will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 coupled with 6GB, 8GB or 12GB of RAM, complimented by 128GB and 256GB of UFS 3.0 storage. Both the phones will have a triple camera setup consisting of a primary 48MP sensor, an 8MP telephoto lens with 3x zoom and a 16MP wide-angle camera with a 117-degree field of view. On the front, there is a 16MP selfie camera with an f/2.0 aperture. OnePlus 7 Pro has a 4,000mAh battery capacity that supports 30W Warp Charge fast charging solution. The phone is rumored to come in three colors- blue, brown, and grey OnePlus 7 leaked specificationsRegular OnePlus 7 has a 6.4-inch Full HD+ (2340 x 1080 pixels) display but unlike its top-end model, does not have a refresh rate of 90Hz. We hope that the in-display fingerprint sensor gets carried on the regular OnePlus variant as well, however, we don't have any information around that yet. Being a flagship phone, it will be powered by Snapdragon 855 like its Pro version, backed by 6GB or 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of onboard storage. The regular OnePlus 7 has dual cameras on the back if we go by the information in the tweet. It has a 48MP primary camera supported by a 5MP depth sensor. It will also have a slightly smaller battery capacity at 3,700mAh and will support 20W fast charging. The tweet posted also revealed that OnePlus will be launching Bullets Wireless 2 alongside the three OnePlus phones. Also Read: Comparison: Realme 3 Pro vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Prohttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/uXhCYHkS6IM

Best Netflix Shows: Welcome to TechRadar's guide to the best shows and TV series you can stream on Netflix in the UAE. Want to know what the best Netflix TV shows and best Netflix series are right now? Well pull up a seat, you’ve come to the right place. We've scoured the video streaming service to create a guide to the best Netflix shows in the UAE right now. We'll keep this list constantly updated with the latest television shows that you should be watching and also tell you why. April update: The only thing you need to be watching this month is the absolutely mesmerizing documentary Our Planet, which sheds some incredible light on the inner workings of our delicate ecosystem.To that end, we’ve chosen over 30 Netflix shows that you need to watch. Whether you are into meth-laced dramas (Breaking Bad) or fear-inducing dystopias that hit far too close to home (Black Mirror) there’s something for you on the list. With so much choice, however, it can be tough to find that next great show. But that's why we're here. We've binge-watched hundreds of hours of TV so you don't have to. (I know, I know, some heroes don't wear capes.) But more than great shows, Netflix is inventive. It’s trying new things, such as Klingon subtitles on Star Trek: Discovery and is a big advocate for 4K and HDR content. Oh, and it finally did something it said it never would - allow you to download many of its shows to watch Netflix offline. There’s never been a better time to bag yourself a Netflix subscription and binge watch, so get stuck into our gallery and let us know if your favorite show isn't on the list. Without further ado let's dive into the best shows on Netflix! Check out our in-depth and completely updated Netflix reviewWant to test out the rival? Here's our Best Amazon Prime Video TV ShowsLooking to watch from abroad? Then you need the best Netflix VPN Want know the best movies on Netflix. Then this is your in-depth guideWant to know the worst movies on Netflix? The check out Not On My WatchExhilarating visuals and stunning footage of rarely-seen animals mix with somber truths about humanity's impact on the planet's habitats and species. An incredible look into the ins and outs of our planet, with fantastic footage and narration through it all. Streaming now on Netflix The first season of Netflix Original 13 Reasons Why was released back in 2017 and has been on Netflix ever since then. But the second season landed in May 2018, which looks at the events that unfolded right after the first ended. The show is a US-based high school drama that revolves around a high school student called Clay Jensen and his friend Hannah Baker. Hannah died by suicide, and the first season was the 13 reasons why that happened. As you'd expect, a lot of the topics and themes in 13 Reasons Why might be distressing for some viewers. So really bear that in mind if you're planning on watching it soon - and consider who you're planning on watching it with, too. Seasons on Netflix: 2 Watch on Netflix now Netflix has had a rocky road with sci-fi adaptations - the Wachowski's Sense8 had grand ambitions but didn't quite hit the sweet spot for everyone. Altered Carbon is hoping to change that, with its unique blend of dystopian science fiction. Based on the book of the same name by Richard Morgan, the show has sparks of brilliance ( Joel Kinnaman is great) but is also occasionally ridiculous in its outset (James Purefoy hams it up throughout). It strives to be more than it actually is but we admire what it's trying to do. Oh, and it looks fantastic in 4K. Seasons on Netflix: 1 The latest offering from Netflix Originals is here. The Alienist is a murder mystery set in New York City in 1896. It follows the story of psychologist Laszlo Kreizler (played by Daniel Bruhl) who is enlisted by the police to catch a killer who is preying on local homeless boys. The TV show is based on a novel by Caleb Carr and, interestingly, psychologists were sometimes called 'alienists' back then, which was likely due to the French word 'aliene' meaning insane. Others suggest it might be because people with serious mental health problems were considered 'alienated' from their true nature. Seasons on Netflix: 1 Watch on Netflix now Margaret Atwood is having something of a resurgence at the moment, what with the incredible The Handmaid’s Tale adaptation and now this, a superb take on her novel Alias Grace. Grace is another cutting social commentary that’s wrapped in a mystery, centred on servant Grace Marks who is sentenced to life in prison for the apparent murder of her housekeeper. The plot will keep you guessing, the design of the show is sumptuous and there’s even a surprise cameo from David Cronenberg. Given that Archer is set at the International Secret Intelligence Service (unfortunately abbreviated as ISIS), recent terror atrocities have meant the animation has been getting headlines for the wrong reasons. But don't let this unlucky nomenclature put you off. Archer is a brilliant send-up of spy movies of yore, complete with some of the best voiceover talent - many of which have been pruned from the cast of Arrested Development. While the fifth season 'reboot' wasn't the success it should have been, Archer is still one of the best cartoon comedies around. Seasons on Netflix: 8 Arrested Development is one of the best comedies ever made. So it made sense that Netflix would want to resurrect it for a fifth season. The fourth season was funny, but it wasn’t perfect - primarily because most of the cast were too busy to get into the same room. But the fifth season brings back some of that Bluth magic, which is full of in-jokes, jokes that run for entire seasons and more, well, jokes, this is essential TV. Seasons on Netflix: 5 Watch on Netflix now Freddie Highmore was one of the sweetest child actors around in his younger years, playing cherubic children in the likes of Finding Neverland and the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Now he's a fully fledged adult he's taken a much darker turn as future Psycho psycho Norman Bates in the show Bate Motel. A prequel of sorts to the Psycho movies, Bates Motel is a fantastic spin on the horror tale, ramping up the relationship Bates has with his mother - a cold and calculating Vera Farmiga - and sprinkling breadcrumbs along the way that point to how he became who he became. Seasons on Netflix: 3 Better Call Saul is better than Breaking Bad. That’s a sentence we never thought we would write, but it’s now three seasons and it is flawless TV. It doesn’t have the menace or fear that propelled Walter White in Breaking Bad, instead it takes its time to paint a picture of Saul Goodman, someone that was in Bad mainly for comic relief. In his own show, though, creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould have created a well-rounded, means well character whose descent into criminality is a slow burn. Although some characters have started to appear from Breaking Bad, the show doesn’t beg for the appearance of Walter White or Jesse - it’s now it’s own thing and we can’t wait for Season 4. Seasons on Netflix: 1 There's no better person to portray not-so-distant future dystopias than Charlie Brooker. He's been holding a warped mirror up to the ridiculous nature of the world's media for years, mixing cutting comments with comedy, but Black Mirror sees him entering darker territory. Each series is just three episodes long but they are all standalone treats, twisting reality in their own unique way while commenting on things we seem to hold dear today - namely technology and television. Seasons on Netflix: 3 More addictive than the meth pushed by Walt and Jessie, Breaking Bad is brilliant binge-watching television. The initial plot is simple: a straight-laced teacher is told he has cancer and to make sure he leaves his family with the best possible life, he turns to drug making and dealing. There's method to his madness as he ends up being pretty good at it. Creator Vince Gilligan has created such a good group of characters, he is currently mining the same world again with Better Call Saul. But that has some way to go reach the highest highs that Breaking Bad offers. Seasons on Netflix: 5 Castlevania is a new anime-lite animated series from comic book writer Warren Ellis that expertly transcribes the franchise's history for the small screen. It's bloody, brooding and a bit outlandish at times, but what else could you expect from a series about vampire hunters and an army of the undead? While there's still plenty of room for improvement when season two rolls around, the first season of Castlevania is without a doubt the best adaptation the series has ever seen, and well worth the one hour and twenty minutes it takes to watch all four 20-minute episodes. Seasons on Netflix: 1 Created by Charlie Grandy (“The Office,” “The Mindy Project”) and Mindy Kaling (“The Office,” “The Mindy Project”), Champions is a comedy that centers on Vince, a washed-up high school baseball star who reluctantly gave up his dreams to take over the family gym in Brooklyn. Vince lives with his sweet, naive younger brother, Matthew and is on the verge of secretly selling the gym and moving to Florida when his high school fling, Priya (played by the hilarious Mindy Kaling), unexpectedly drops off their 15-year-old son, Michael on his doorstep. It's a hilarious portrayal of boy-meets-father that will certainly bring a smile to your face. The words 'food porn' get thrown around a lot these days, and typically are preceded by a hashtag and proceeded by us viciously rolling our eyes. But Chef's Table is the real deal – 4K footage of some of the best chefs in the world making their signature dishes and doling out morsels of philosophy to keep your mind just as engaged as your stomach. Parts of the show come off as a bit too heady for the source material and are prone to veering a bit off course (there's multiple scenes where a particular chef talks about polygamy for some odd reason) but overall most of the chefs come off as genuinely eccentric masters of their craft. Seasons on Netflix: 5 Chilling Adventures of Sabrina imagines the origin and adventures of Sabrinathe Teenage Witch as a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror, the occult and, of course, witchcraft. Tonally in the vein of Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist, this adaptation finds Sabrina wrestling to reconcile her dual nature — half-witch, half-mortal — while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family and the daylight world humans inhabit. Season 1 streaming now This global, first-of-its-kind, series will showcase 47 comedians from 13 regions in 8 languages in an unprecedented stand-up comedy experience. The groundbreaking series will feature a range of stand-up specials from comedians diverse in style, gender and ethnicity. Get ready to start the new year off with a laugh! Streaming now on Netflix Jerry Seinfeld's roving talk show combines coffee, laughs, and vintage cars into quirky, caffeine-filled adventures with the sharpest minds in comedy. Guests include: Larry David, Ricky Gervais, Kiristin Wiig, President Barack Obama, Alec Baldwin, David Letterman, Seth Meyers, Chris Rock, Tina Fey, Amy Schumer, to name a few. Streaming now over five collections Dancing Queen is a hilarious and heartfelt docu-series set in the dancing, prancing, world of the multi-talented, multi-layered Justin Johnson - aka Drag Superstar Alyssa Edwards - as he juggles his dance life, drag life, family life, and love life. Filmed in Justin’s hometown of Mesquite, Texas, Dancing Queen goes behind the makeup and into the drag performer’s highly competitive Beyond Belief Dance Company as he prepares a young class for an intensely competitive season. When it comes to superhero movies, Marvel are bossing DC thanks to the rich tapestry it has weaved with its cinematic universe. Its TV shows, which now include Daredevil, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage, just keep getting better. Daredevil is superb television, regardless if you are a superhero fan or not. Matt Murdoch's (Boardwalk Empire's Charlie Cox) rise from blind lawyer to vigilante is brutal and steeped in realism. The reason it works so well is that it doesn't shy away from being violent - each crack and crunch is a world away from Ben Affleck's terrible movie version. And special mention has to go to Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk, his best role since the tortured Private Pyle. Seasons on Netflix: 3 A travel show with a twist, Dark Tourist is presented by journalist David Farrier who takes you on a journey to some of the most unusual, scary and downright weird tourism spots on the planet, from a haunted forest to a nuclear lake. Seasons on Netflix: 1 What would Jack Bauer do if he was the president of the United States? How can you go wrong with a premises like that. Except that it's not really Jack Bauer but Kiefer Sutherland. America's fate rests in the hands of a low-level official after an attack on Washington decimates the government in this gripping political thriller. Seasons on Netflix: 2 If your life needs a bit more blood and poetic justice in it, check out Dexter, a show about a Miami detective who not only solves homicide cases, but commits them, too. Known previously for his work on HBO's Six Feet Under, Michael C Hall's devious, semi-sociopathic persona shines through in his role as the lead character. The show manages to cut deep, often giving you a dozen reasons to care about a man who kills for all the right reasons. Seasons on Netflix: 8 This animated series from Matt Groening follows the misadventures of a hard-drinking princess, her feisty elf companion and her personal demon. What's not to love? Seasons on Netflix: 1 Ellen DeGeneres is "Relatable" in her debut Netflix original comedy special premiering December 18. Filmed at Seattle's Benaroya Hall, Relatable marks Ellen's return to stand-up after a 15-year hiatus. Streaming now on Netflix A bit of a different kind of show for Netflix, but one that's more than welcome. Follow This follows some of the reporters who work at Buzzfeed as they hunt down interviewees and scoops for a range of topics, including weird internet crazes and ASMR videos, through to safe injection spaces for opioid users. The first season consists of 20 episodes, all of which are only about 15 minutes long, which makes them great for if you're pushed for time or all of our ridiculously short attention spans. Seasons on Netflix: 1 Watch now on Netflix. Alison Brie already proved she had comedic chops in Community but GLOW cements her as a comedy genius who can turn on the seriousness when she needs to. In GLOW (gorgeous ladies of wrestling) she plays Ruth Wilder, a struggling actress in '80s LA who turns to women's wrestling to make a star of herself. The show is a look at the underground sensation of ladies wrestling, with all the wit and gender stereotype reversing you would expect from the maker of Orange Is The New Black. It's a great, highly original watch, with a superb cast that includes British singer Kate Nash. Seasons on Netflix: 1 If there ever was a poster boy for Netflix, House of Cards would be it. Funded completely by the streaming service, Cards' first season boasted direction by David Fincher and acting by Kevin Spacey and was addictive television. The reason: Netflix positively wanted you to binge watch, putting all episodes up at once. Now going into its fifth season, Netflix's Card trick is still impressive and shows just how far Netflix has come, given it's shot in both 4K and HDR. Seasons on Netflix: 5 Jessica Jones is back! The ass-kicking private detective of Hell's Kitchen, New York, is back on the streets, taking on the demented villains of the Marvel universe's underworld. A more adult show than the likes of Daredevil and Luke Cage, Krysten Ritter's take on the titular hero is a gritty and violent one. Sex, booze and bust-ups, this one's not for kids, but great adult-orientated superhero action nonetheless. Check out our Jessica Jones review Seasons on Netflix: 2 This dark comedy series has one helluva premise: a hitman (who also used to be a cop) wakes up in a hospital and starts talking to a blue unicorn called, you guessed it, Happy. It turns out Happy claims to be the imaginary friend of a kid who is in trouble and needs help. Seasons on Netflix: 1 Watch on Netflix now. Lost in Space is a Netflix Original dramatic and modern reimagining of the classic 1960’s science fiction series. Set 30 years in the future, colonization in space is now a reality, and the Robinson family is among those tested and selected to make a new life for themselves in a better world. But when the new colonists find themselves abruptly torn off course en route to their new home they must forge new alliances and work together to survive in a dangerous alien environment, lightyears from their original destination. Seaons on Netflix: 1 This awkward rom-com has been penned by Judd Apatow and it's yet again another hit for Netflix Originals. It's a similar bedfellow to Master of None, but it improves on the themes of dating, love and city life with characters that are more rounded and a touch more believable as they fail, give up and start over again in rapid succession. Community's Gillian Jacobs is great as the prim Mickey, while Paul Rust is effortless as slacker Gus. The show stealer, though, is Apatow's uber talented daughter Iris who plays a frankly horrible child star. The 'will they, won't they?' shenanigans continue in the second season - those expecting a plot-heavy season will be disappointed, though, as Love meanders through its storylines - which is no bad thing (and more realistic) if you ask us. Seasons on Netflix: 3 Marvel has created a rich cinematic universe and although some of its TV shows (cough, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and Agent Carter, cough) have struggled to stay on their feet, others like Jessica Jones and Daredevil have flourished. Luke Cage is more in the same vein as Jessica Jones and Daredevil, with less light-hearted superhero fun and more hard-hitting themes, violence and grit. Viewers who lamented the fact that they didn't get to see more of him in Jessica Jones will enjoy the opportunity to find out more about what makes his character tick here. And don't worry if you haven't watched Jessica Jones, it's not a requirement to understand or appreciate anything about Luke Cage. Seasons on Netflix: 1 Mad Men is more addictive than the cigarettes Don Draper is trying to market us. If you've never watched it, essentially Mad Men is a show about everything we now consider taboo in glaringly harsh light. Set in 1960s America, inter-office intercourse is par for the course, along with ashtrays overflowing with cigarettes, sexism at the highest levels and a complete disregard for morals so long as it serves the characters on their climb to the top of the corporate ladder. Don Draper (Jon Hamm) and his assistant Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss) shock and entertain us by showing the lifestyles of the advertising executives who got the public to buy cigarettes long after they knew the health risks. Seasons on Netflix: 7 True crime stories are so hot right now, evidenced by the immense popularity of the podcast Serial and HBO's The Jinx. Netflix's original series Making a Murderer however, is probably the hottest of them all, documenting and recounting the trials of Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey, two working-class Americans accused of the murder of 23-year-old photographer Teresa Halbach. Over its 10 episodes, the show exposes the failings of the Wisconsin justice system in blood-boiling detail. Having spent 18 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, Steven Avery is exonerated based on new DNA evidence. However, shortly after his release, he becomes the prime suspect in Halbach's murder, and Avery is put through the ringer once again by law enforcement figures that seem to have it out for him. What follows is an anger-inducing sequence of events that involve forced confessions, unconvincing (and possibly planted) evidence, dodgy lawyers and a complete presumption of guilt from almost everyone involved. Compelling, infuriating and tragic, we guarantee you won't be able to stop watching Making a Murderer once you've started. Seasons on Netflix: 2 A bizarre new sci-fi series based on a Norwegian TV show of the same name. It's about Annie and Owen, played by Emma Stone and Jonah Hill, two troubled strangers who are brought together during some strange pharmaceutical trials. Dr. James K. Mantleray claims that a new series of pills he's created can solve all kinds of mental illness and heartbreak, but there's something much deeper and more sinister going on too. Watch on Netflix now. Acclaimed actor and director Andy Serkis reinvents Rudyard Kipling’s beloved masterpiece, in which a boy who would become a legend, wants nothing more than to find a home. Torn between two worlds, that of the jungle and that of humankind, Mowgli must navigate the inherent dangers in each on a journey to discover who he really is. Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Benedict Cumberbatch, Freida Pinto, Matthew Rhys and Naomie Harris lead an all-star cast along with newcomer Rohan Chand ("Mowgli") in this visually spectacular and emotionally moving adventure. It will also be dubbed in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Bengali. Streaming now on Netflix Narcos is that wonderful thing: a TV show that doesn't scrimp on controversy. Based on the exploits of Columbian drug lord Pablo Escobar, the show examines the criminal's rise to the top of one of the biggest drug rings the world has seen, while constantly trying to avoid the clutches of the DEA. Uncompromising, uncomfortable but completely unforgettable, Narcos is exactly the sort of thing that Netflix should be commissioning. It's also the sort of thing that HBO would have snapped up just a few years ago - which is very telling as to where television is today. The third season of Narcos is out now! Seasons on Netflix: 3 See the rise of the Guadalajara Cartel as an American DEA agent learns the danger of targeting narcos in Mexico. Season 1 streaming now Renowned US talk show host David Letterman is making a comeback with this monthly talk show which sees him have in-depth discussions with some of the most well-known faces in the world. Rather than short skits, Letterman sits down with people such as George Clooney and Barack Obama for hour long conversations with a new one added every month. This month he sits down with Malala Yousafzai, and learns more about her incredible journey. Parts on Netflix: 7 Orange Is The New Black is back for its sixth season and is a show that consistently one of the best to watch, with its superb tale of life in a women's prison. It's so popular that its makers have announced that the show will be running until at least season seven. That being said, the show is dark. Tensions and issues with the US prison system brought to the forefront and while the comedy from the first few seasons is still there, it's slathered with a fair bit of drama. Seasons on Netflix: 6 Netflix's latest TV drama has been tipped as the next Breaking Bad, but it doesn't quite deserve that accolade. One of the main reason is that Jason Bateman's Marty Byrde has already broke bad, helping a Mexican cartel to fudge their figures. This means the descent that was so brilliant in Walter White isn't really seen here. But that doesn't mean that show isn't worth a stream - it's a tense, occasionally terrifying watch that mashes stereotypes and cultures as the Byrde family leave their home in Chicago for the Ozarks in Missouri. Also, let's be honest, whatever Bateman is in is always worth a watch, even when he isn't winking at the camera Arrested Development style. Here's the crazy part. He's not even the best part of the show. The real scene stealer is the ever-brilliant Laura Linney. She acts, directs and produces in this series, proving she's the real star of the show. Season 2 streaming now A policeman, a criminal overlord, a Bollywood film star, politicians, cultists, spies, and terrorists—the lives of the privileged, the famous, the wretched, and the bloodthirsty interweave with cataclysmic consequences amid the chaos of modern-day Mumbai. The series is based on the critically-acclaimed best-selling novel Sacred Games by author Vikram Chandra. Season 1 streaming now One of the most positive shows you will ever watch, Queer Eye reboot's the original show but adds one key ingredient: it's not just the person's clothes that get a makeover but their well-being too. Over the course of the first season - which is a far-too short eight episodes - there is nary a criticism in site, rather than an enforcement of positivity which is welcomed like a warm hug. Watch it, embrace the love and embrace it some more. Seasons on Netflix: 2 If you're in the mood for a bleak Skandi-drama are you in luck. Netflix's latest offering in its seemingly relentless outpouring of great original content is the post-apocalyptic The Rain. The Rain follows a group of survivors six years after a brutal virus wipes out the majority of Skandinavia's population. The show is a big ensemble endeavour with a world that we're certain many people are going to get totally obsessed with. If you're in the mood for getting totally engrossed in a fascinating world (and you don't mind subtitles) do yourself a favour and set sone time aside for The Rain. Seasons on Netflix: 1 Watch on Netflix now Comedy superstar Ray Romano returns to the stand-up set with this 60-minute special, covering family, fame, and everything else he can think of. Streaming now on Netflix Santa Clarita Diet is sort of like if the show Dexter met Modern Family. It stars Drew Barrymore as the stereotypical TV mom, with one simple, but quite interesting difference: she likes eating people. Season 2 returns on March 23rd, and leaves many questions yet to be anwered. What turned Sheila undead? Has Joel boarded the crazy train? Are Eric and Abby just friends? The questions -- like the bodies -- are stacking up. This brand-new show on Netflix is a great send up of the family sitcom, taking all the tropes that make Modern Family and the like so successful, then turning them on their head, and then eating their head. And be warned: when things are eaten it's all very grizzly – so much so that it could give The Walking Dead a run for its money. That said, it's probably best to put the kids to bed first. Seasons on Netflix: 2 Before we continue on with recommendation, Shameless comes with a warning: this show, a dramedy about a poor family in Chicago, really is shameless. Frank, played by William H. Macy will scheme his way to his next drink ... even if that means taking his own kids' lunch money. If you have ethical problems watching less-than-admirable people doing whatever it takes to make ends meet, Shameless isn't for you. All that said, those that don't mind a bit more ... unscrupulous cast of characters will seriously enjoy Shameless's grittier, sex- and money-driven take on the Modern Family comedy. Seasons on Netflix: 3 It shouldn't work but it really really does. This modern retelling of the Sherlock Holmes stories is as good as it gets. Benedict Cumberbatch is everything you want in a Holmes - someone that wallows in wit, weirdness and warmth. While Martin Freeman plays Dr Watson as he plays all his characters - he's the everyman that has to learn how to deal with his extraordinary colleague. Episodes are scarce but each one is feature length, which gives them time to breath. Let's just hope these two superstars can find time in their busy schedules to keep doing the show. Seasons on Netflix: 3 The Staircase is a story that's been 17 years in the making and Netflix has taken it upon itself to provide a closing chapter to the sad and strange case of novelist Michael Peterson. Originally an 8-episode series in 2004, it follows the story of Peterson after he was charged with murder in the death of his wife, Kathleen. He was sentenced to murder but then released amidst a lot of unexpected twists and turns. Specially for Netflix, director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade catches up on everything that's happened to Peterson 2 and a half years after his release. Beware, this could be your new true crime obsession. After a century of silence, war erupts between the Federation and Klingon Empire, with a disgraced Starfleet officer at the center of the conflict. If you haven’t begun watching Discovery yet, take it from the son of Spock that it is one heck of a series. And did we mention that it streams with Klingon subtitles? Seasons on Netflix: 2 Now celebrating its 50th year anniversary, Star Trek is a movie and TV phenomenon that has no signs of slowing down. The original series, The Next Generation, Voyager and Deep Space Nine have all landed on Netflix but, if we're being honest, it's really just the first two series that are the best. Watching it now, the original Star Trek maybe full of creaky sets and suspect acting but the show was bold, colourful and slathered in '60s sci-fi innovation. The first series is superb, with perhaps the greatest-ever TV double act: William Shatner's Kirk and Leonard Nimoy's Spock. Kirk is all bluster and pomp, Spock is cool, calm and authoritative. Unlike the original series, the Next Generation took a few seasons to get things right but it still fantastic viewing. Patrick Stewart is effortless as Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the rest of the crew are - including Data, William T Riker and Geordi La Forge - up there in stature with the original crew. Seasons on Netflix: 3 (Original Series); 7 (The Next Generation) When it comes to TV and movies, the '80s is the nostalgia decade of the moment. Whether it's Jeff Nichols' Midnight Special that plays like a Steven Spielberg film, if Spielberg still made films like he did in the Eighties, or The Goldbergs and Red Oaks mining the decade for laughs, filmmakers can't get enough of the shell suits and Sony Walkmans. Stranger Things is another brilliant homage to this era. Leaning heavily on Spielberg, John Carpenter and Stephen King the story revolves around a small town, a group of friends, a missing person and a dodgy science lab. Writing anything else would give away the myriad twists in a show that is full of brilliant creepy fun. Seasons on Netflix: 2 Is The Crown Netflix's crowning glory? Not quite, but it is a sumptuous look at one of the world's most famous families: the Royal family. Charting the early years of the relationship between the Queen (Claire Foy) and Prince Philip (former Doctor Who Matt Smith), the show was written by Peter Morgan and, at £100 million, is one of the most expensive TV series ever made. Which means there's enough pomp and ceremony to keep those pining for a Downton Abbey replacement happy. Seasons on Netflix: 2 Fresh from giving horror anthologies a new spin with American Horror Story, creator Ryan Murphy has taken this idea and expanded it into the world of crime. The first series of American Crime Story focuses on the very public case of OJ Simpson and the death of his wife Nicole. It's superb TV, dramatising what was one of the most engrossing true stories to come out of the '90s. Cuba Gooding Jr is great as OJ but it's the supporting cast that steals the show. Sarah Paulson, David Schwimmer, John Travolta and Courtney B Vance ham it up to the max and it makes for some of the most entertaining television in years. Seasons on Netflix: 1 The OA rounds off what has been an exceptional year for television on Netflix. Co-created by and starring the ever-brilliant Brit Marling, the show consists of eight episodes that rival Stranger Things for, well, strangeness. Marling is a blind woman who comes back after disappearing for many years. Her sight is restored and she has a tale to tell. Although there are eight episodes they vary wildly in length - from 70 minutes to 30 minutes. The whole thing has been made to make you feel uneasy and it does a great job of that. Seasons on Netflix: 1 Someone escaping from a Domesday cult shouldn't be a recipe for comedy but Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt manages to squeeze the funny out of this premise. Created by Tina Fey and starring Ellie Kemper as the title character, the show sparkles with wit and is the right side of kooky - unlike some other shows *cough* New Girl *cough* we won't mention. In Season 4 part 2, Kimmy faces new challenges as the head of HR for tech startup Giztoob. Meanwhile, Jacqueline signs Titus to her fledgling talent agency, White Tale. It's a guaranteed recipe for laughter so make sure you tune in. Seasons on Netflix: 4 If you're a child of the late '80s or early '90s, you might remember Voltron as being the source of morality for animated TV alongside the likes of GI Joe and Transformers. Voltron Legendary Defender, a new series produced by the masters of animation at Dreamworks, is very much a continuation of that trend, adapted for modern audiences and with way better voice acting. While the show is obviously geared towards a younger audience, it has moments that older mecha fans can enjoy, too. Plus, let's be honest, are you really prepared to watch Finding Nemo for the hundreth time? No? Introduce your kids to Voltron and you won't have to worry about it. Seasons on Netflix: 4 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/yQPc7NqMsDo

Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones Buying Guide: Welcome to TechRadar's round-up of the best noise-cancelling headphones you can buy in 2019. Commuting well and truly sucks - but it doesn't have to. One of the big reasons it's such an annoyance is it can be really noisy. Whether you're on a plane, train, bus, or even walking down a busy street, white noise, crying babies, and noisy conversations can leave you feeling drained by the time you arrive at your destination. Often the best solution is tuning out the world and listening to your own music, audiobooks, podcasts or movies with zero distractions from loud fellow commuters. This is why we're eternally grateful that noise-cancelling headphones exist. These wonders of the modern era totally tune out any unwanted sounds, allowing you to reach aural nirvana - even if it's only for the duration of a flight or a train journey. They're vital for any adventure you're about to embark upon - whether it's a multi-hour flight or a train ride that's part of your every day commute - so to help you pick out a pair of headphones that deliver all of the above in spades, we've put together a list of the top noise-cancelling headphones, listed below. How to buy noise-cancelling headphonesSo what do you want to look for when looking for a pair of the best noise-cancelling headphones? Look for anything with the words "active noise-cancellation technology" on it. Active noise cancellation involves some pretty interesting processes to cancel out sound. Along with the padding which passively blocks sound, microphones planted in the ear wells of headphones actively analyze the ambient noise level and reflect sound waves back into your ear that work to zap the outside noise. The goal is to hear nothing but the music, or whatever it is you're listening to. Active noise cancelling headphones are more effective at what they do, but the downside is that this noise cancellation requires batteries in order to function, which means you'll have to remember to keep them charged. Now that you know all that, you're ready to choose a set. Let's take a look at the best noise-cancelling headphones around: Additional resources: We have exhaustive guides to the best headphones on the market buy today including the best on-ear headphones, the best in-ear headphones and the best over-ear headphones.Want to go wire-free? Check out our guide to the best wireless headphones.Looking for some headphones you can take in the pool or on a run? Check out our guide to the best swimming headphones and best running headphones.http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/tdbYLfwJ3U5eSREdqfV8oZ.jpg Despite being brand-new for 2018, the Sony WH-1000XM3 are the best noise-cancelling headphones in the world two years in a row. How? For the most part, the WH-1000XM3 is a small refinement of last year's excellent WH-1000XM2 - the WH-1000XM3 uses USB-C instead of microUSB and features additional padding along the bridge, but by and large Sony didn't do too much to its award-wAinning cans. At first, that lack of substantial improvement gave us some reservations about recommending them - especially when the 1000XM2 could be found for less online. But those days are over. If you want a critically-acclaimed noise-cancelling headset that's brand-new for 2018 and has two-plus years of experience being the best, the WH-1000XM3 are the way to go. Read the full review: Sony WH-1000XM3 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PhtVmFMPVy9ZiBUjv3MQrQ.jpg The Sony WH-1000XM2 are an excellent revision of an already great pair of headphones: They sound great, deftly wield noise cancellation technology and cost just as much as a pair of Bose QC35s. They might have a slightly shorter battery life than Bose’s flagship over-ear headphones, but Sony’s WH-1000XM2 outclass the QC35 in terms of performance and feature-set. You’d want to pick these Sony headphones over the Bose because not only do they provide the same level of awesome noise-cancellation, but they have three neat tricks that Bose just doesn't have on its headphones: One is an ambient noise mode that only lets in mid-to-high frequency tones (announcements over a loudspeaker, for instance) and another being Quick Attention mode that allows you to let in all outside noise without taking off the headphones. (The latter is perfect when giving a drink order on a plane or speaking to a coworker for a brief moment before diving back into your work.) The last trick Sony has up its sleeve is the LDAC codec. Alongside the widely adopted aptX HD standard, LDAC enables Hi-Res Audio playback using the 1000XM2. Great-sounding, feature-packed and just as affordable as the competition? The Sony WH-1000XM2 are our all-around pick for best noise-cancelling cans. Read the full review: Sony WH-1000XM2 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/042de4edf0666d3f338b0a2dcfb3ed85.jpg The Bose QuietComfort 25 are the best noise-cancelling headphones we've ever used. We say that as a publication who strives for maximum performance per dollar when purchasing headphones. We say that as someone who believes that, in most circumstances, you can find a cheaper product that performs as well, if not better, than a more expensive option if you do some research. But, in the case of the Bose QuietComfort 25, that's simply not true. They are still the best noise-cancelling headphones on the planet in 2018. If you want the same level of excellent noise-cancellation as the Bose QC35s but want to save a bit of money, consider opting for the last-generation QC25s. (The biggest sacrifice you'll be making is wireless.) Nevertheless, the QC25s are a finely-tuned set of headphones that provide over 35 hours of very good noise-cancelling performance with one AAA battery. Read the full review: Bose QuietComfort 25 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7yBy7bzzHXD37rmy7qKoD6.jpg Coming in at the number two spot is the Bose QuietComfort 35 II - a nearly identical product to the already-excellent Bose QuietComfort 35 but updated for 2018 with Google Assistant. This means you still get the class-leading noise cancellation Bose is known for, good sound quality and incredible comfort, plus a convenient assistant to answer any inquiries you might have while traveling. Taken as a whole, the Bose QC35 II NC is an excellent headphone for travelers and commuters. Bose has found a good balance of features that will satisfy most mainstream listeners. While we don't love them as much as the better-sounding Sony WH-1000XM2, they're still top of the class for noise cancellation. Read the full review: Bose QuietComfort 35 II http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/4a8yHQheRW4QHr4ynDW6r.jpg If you prefer on-ear noise-cancellation, then the AKG N60NC Wireless are a great pair of headphones. At their mid-range price point the headphones offer fantastic value for money, with great sound quality and a level of noise-cancellation performance that's on a level with the much more premium entries on this list. These are a fantastically compact pair of headphones, and offer a very complete package for the price. Read the full review: AKG N60NC Wireless http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/tjr9jqBfxtyKVVKqftA3RE.jpg With noise-cancelling tech just as effective as that in headphones from rival Bose, and with a more musical sonic ability, the Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC are a definite contender for the noise-cancelling crown. More affordable and easy to travel with, these lightweight headphones are a great value all-rounder, whether for flights, commuter trains or busy offices. Design-wise, the Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNCs seem a more slimmed-down, lighter and more focused effort than the bulky and expensive alternatives from Bose and Sony; and crucially, the HD 4.50 BTNCs are just as good with audio, and almost as good on noise-canceling. Whether you're after noise canceling for long-haul ravel, for the commute, or just to stay more productive in a noisy office, the Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNCs are worth considering. Read the full review: Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/e5gMLgK4J46kN43ycpFQX.jpg The PXC 550's greatest strength is their sound. Other wireless noise-cancelling headphones might offer a better user interface or better noise-cancellation technology, but ultimately none of the above match up to the sound quality of these Sennheisers. However, that said, there are a couple of irritations that prevent us from being able to fully and unreservedly recommend them, such as unresponsive touch controls. These annoyances aren't quite deal-breakers, but there are definitely other noise-cancelling headphones out there that don't suffer from the same issues. Read the full review: Sennheiser PXC 550 http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/4b3beefa77f4ab04fced86ea08db732e.jpg The Samsung Level On Pro Wireless are one of the few headphones we've tested that feel like they're meant as a package deal for another device. Yes they'll work with every Bluetooth and 3.5mm jack-equipped handset on the market, but you're better off sticking to a Samsung device in order to squeeze every ounce of aural goodness from the Ultra High Quality (UHQ) audio codec. It's one of the comfiest pair of cans on the market, and they're also much cheaper than a lot of the competition. If it had a better sound quality for the vast majority of cell phone users it would be an easy recommendation but, as it stands, really makes the most sense at checkout when purchased alongside Samsung's Next Big Thing. Read the full review: Samsung Level On Pro Wireless Headphones http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QfG5WbRJXCBFovBthSQMEE.jpg With the second generation Plantronics BackBeat Pro, Plantronics went back to the drawing board to fix many of the issues owners complained about the original. The BackBeat Pro 2, therefore, manage to keep all the great things about the original and improved upon its shortcomings, like its bulk and weight. In terms of value, the BackBeat Pro 2 are basically a steal. With the BackBeat Pro 2, you’re getting a travel headphone with incredible battery life, supreme comfort, the ability to pair two device as once and, most importantly, good sound quality for the cost. If you don’t want to drop $350 (£290, AU$500) on the Bose QuietComfort 35 or $400 (£330 or AU$700) on Sony’s flagship MDR-1000X, the Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 should be on the top of your shopping list. Read the full review: Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 We're constantly reviewing new noise-cancelling headphones, but let us know on Twitter if there is a set that you'd like us to take a look at. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/6lBWF5rHNT0

Best TV Buying Guide: Settle in for TechRadar's round-up of the best TV sets you can get your hands on in 2019. Picking a TV is no simple task. If you're a movie buff, this screen may end up as your best friend not just for the coming months, but years – while we replace our phones on a fairly regular basis, the best TV screens should sit prettily in our living rooms for a good long while. They're pricey purchases, and we expect to get our money's worth. And with so many features to consider, with new TV technologies being introduced all the time, making a decision is getting harder all the time. A brand new top-of-the-line TV can offer such a wide range of different technologies and features that it can be hard to know what you're looking for. With the major manufacturers in a yearly arms race to outdo rivals, keeping up with all the latest developments isn't always easy. Confused about high dynamic range? Don't miss our guide to HDR Feeling flummoxed? Don't worry, TechRadar is here to be your guide. Our guide to the best TVs available will help you separate the cheap panels from the best 4K screens. We'll help you find an awesome flatscreen without wasting hours of research comparing spec sheets. If you're looking for a buying guide that deals with TVs that only support the new Ultra HD resolution, check out our guide to the best 4K TVs. If getting a flatscreen on the cheap is your main concern, check out the best 4K TV deals. But, if you're looking for the best-of-the-best TV out there today without limits or stipulations, this is the place for you. "So, should I buy a TV now or wait it out?"We hear this question a lot. Like most technology, TVs are getting incrementally better all the time, but recently there has been a huge flurry of progress as manufacturers have rushed to embrace new display standards including Ultra HD and HDR. Thankfully, things seem to have settled down a little in this department, and the majority of TV manufacturers now support these next generation of features, including newer versions of HDR such as Hybrid Log Gamma. So long as your next TV purchase supports these technologies (looking for an Ultra HD Premium certification is a good way to go), we reckon you won't be kicking yourself in six month's time when the next batch of sets arrive That said, we'd be remiss if we didn't let you know about the cool technologies that are just around the corner in TV tech. Chief amongst them is support for the new HDMI 2.1 standard, which as well as allowing support for 8K at 60 frames per second and 4K at 120 will also allow for FreeSync to be supported over HDMI. It's cool technology for sure, but unless you're seriously into your gaming then we reckon you're safe making a purchase now. Want better audio? Check out our guide to the best soundbars available.Once you've decided on a panel, make sure you read our guide on how to set up your TV to make sure you're getting the most out of it.http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/genG5X5meaJ5BZHWKTVMS8.jpg At the top of our list for 2019 is the LG C8 OLED – available in both 55 and 65-inch iterations. It's here because it combines an impressive picture, an extensive set of features, an attractive design and its unrivaled smart platform, to deliver one of the best TVs we have seen to date. It’s not as bright as an LCD TV but those deep blacks make a huge difference to the dynamic range of the image. It’s also capable of vibrant and gorgeous colours, not to mention an astounding level of detail with native 4K content. There are other OLEDs worth considering this year (see: Sony's A1 and AF8 OLED or LG's own E8 and W8 OLED models) but we think the OLED C7 offers the best price-to-performance ratio of any TV under the sun in the year 2019. Read the full review: LG OLED C8 (OLED55C8, OLED65C8) http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eaV3kfiKqe8HZw8guGnRxS.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eHDxsctyi9HxvnjT5uK3LT.jpg The LG W7 OLED is truly something special. Not only is it one of the thinnest TVs to ever grace our vision (it’s 2.75mm thin), but it’s also one of the most gorgeous. When fed the right kind of content – in this case, 4K HDR10 or Dolby Vision video – it truly shines. A super-slim design alone wouldn’t have been enough to warrant the extra cost to upgrade to LG’s latest panel. But the thin frame on top of a Dolby Atmos soundbar on top of four types of HDR support on top of the magnetic mounting system on top of the new webOS 3.5 operating system surely did the trick. This incredibly gorgeous TV isn’t without its faults (see: motion handling, its sticker price and soundbar issues), but in terms of sheer picture performance there’s nothing else like it right now. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eaV3kfiKqe8HZw8guGnRxS.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Htwvb7rX4vyjybuA9jHvba.jpg It looks like someone on Samsung’s TV design team has been watching 2001: A Space Odyssey. The 65-inch Q9 is a ringer for that film’s mysterious black monolith thanks to the way both its front and back sides are completely flat and feature ultra-robust, polished finishes. Ultra HD HDR playback is what the Q9F was created to do and, given Samsung’s potent HDR track record, it's no surprise to find that it does it supremely well. Even though the Q9F has 4K HDR optimisation in its DNA, it’s capable of looking seriously good with high definition standard dynamic range content too. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eaV3kfiKqe8HZw8guGnRxS.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NvAUCybUB6nrJ5Eq7SsyXL.jpg The X930E Series builds on last year's X930D series in a few important ways, the first of which is by including one of Sony’s new X1 Extreme chipsets. These are around 40% more powerful than the original X1 chips, and introduce separate databases to help the TV analyze noise and upscale sub-4K sources to the screen’s native 4K resolution. Add in an apparently much-improved sound system and Sony’s Triluminos technology for delivering today’s wider color ranges and the X930E series seems to tick all the right boxes. Unfortunately, though, even an improved version of Sony’s Slim Backlight Drive can’t completely hide the fact that with current edge LED technology there’s always a backlight-based price to pay for all that HDR-sating brightness. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/phugJpqEkVnY4CdzuVSH65.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/aa74631b43f7a31b15df0ed01070dc6a.jpg When it came out, the KS9800 produced the most dramatic demonstration of what new high dynamic range technology was capable of. Its brightness in particular was unprecedented, which helped it deliver a much fuller sense of HDR's expanded light range and color capabilities than we'd ever seen. The screen features that helped it excel with HDR also made the UN65KS9800 gorgeous to behold with standard dynamic range sources, and it even sounds fantastic despite having no visible speakers. That said, it was expensive. But instead of going straight for Samsung's flagship from last year, consider LG's E6 or G6 OLED TVs as well. The OLED screens deliver superior black levels, avoid backlight bleed issues and excel with standard dynamic range content, but the UN65KS9800 delivers more punch, dynamism and detail with HDR. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/phugJpqEkVnY4CdzuVSH65.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xbzgBYuuwpqCmDLmA7QoHL.jpg If LG's OLED isn't your thing, spend some time checking out Sony's version. The 55A1 – and the A1 OLED series overall – are crowd pleasers in just about every way. Their ‘picture only’ design has been beautifully realized, managing to be simultaneously subtle and dramatic. Their vibrating screen delivers a far more powerful and effective sound performance than I’d thought possible, too. The real stars of the show here, though, are the A1’s exquisitely detailed, contrast-rich and colourful pictures. These prove emphatically what we’ve long suspected: More brands using OLED technology can only lead to good things. Only it's exceptionally high price tag prevents it from toppling LG's budget panels. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/4h5AevREz2Ant9BQTyLBgf.jpg The TH-65FZ1000M is a luscious OLED that puts performance first. Its colour handling is class-leading, and its HDR talents are a match for any of its rivals. In fact, it just might offer the best picture performance that we’ve seen on a 4K OLED to date. The TH-65FZ1000M isn’t the complete package, lacking as it does Dolby Vision and Atmos compatibility, but it wins more arguments than it loses. We suspect you’ll appreciate the easy sophistication of its smart platform, the quality of that low-lag game mode, and the sheer musicality of the Technics soundbar. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/phugJpqEkVnY4CdzuVSH65.jpg Continue on to page two to read about what to look for when buying a TV! Are you looking for the best universal remote for your new home theater setup?What TV technology is best? Which is the best LCD TV? Which screen size is best for your living room? What's the difference between LCD and LED TVs? The answers aren't always obvious. In fact, buying a new TV can be stressful even for the tech-savvy - there are so many brands, so many features, so many screen sizes, colors, technologies and flavors to choose from. So which one is right for you, your family and your living space? In this guide, we'll walk you through everything you need to know about buying a new TV. What types of TV are there out there?There are a lot of different screen types out there, all working in different ways to produce the same results. Each technology has its own unique strengths and weaknesses so here are some basics to consider: LCD TV: CCFL Until recently, all LCD TVs were backlit by always-on, CCFL (cold cathode fluorescent) lamps. This ageing technology has been superseded by the superior LED method on more expensive sets, but is still standard on some cheaper models. LED TV: Direct LED These displays are backlit by an array of LEDs (light emitting diodes) directly behind the screen. This enables localised dimming – meaning immediately adjacent areas of brightness and darkness can be displayed more effectively – and greatly improves contrast. LED TVs are also more power efficient and capable of a wider colour gamut than CCFL sets. Because of the extreme cost of mounting these arrays of LEDs, Direct LED TVs have largely been out muscled by Edge LED... LED TV: Edge LED With these TVs, LEDs of the backlight are mounted along the edges of the panel. This arrangement enables radically slender displays and offers superior contrast levels to CCFL, but can't achieve the same picture quality as directly lit LED sets. However, they do come in far cheaper which is why most LED TVs out there now use this technology. OLED TV The backlighting on OLED (organic light emitting diode) sets is achieved by passing an electric current through an emissive, electroluminescent film. This technique produces far better colours and higher contrast and also enables screens to be extremely thin and flexible. This is the holy grail display technology and only in 2014 did a bigscreen OLED TV go on sale. So it's new, it's expensive and the top brands are still struggling to get their heads around it. To date, only LG has been able to release full sized OLED TVs. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/cf284689d233ed61a0fd0fafd497a084.jpg Quantum Dot As yet we're not quite at the stage where we're going to get self-emitting quantum dot LEDs, but they're a-coming. What we do have though is Samsung producing its Nanocrystal filter based on quantum dot technology to produce a seriously improved colour palette and contrast levels that get mighty close to the pinnacle of OLED. Plasma TV PDP (plasma display panel) TVs use glass panels containing millions of tiny cells filled with a mixture of inert gases. Electricity excites the gases, causing them to illuminate the pixels across the screen. Plasma, while arguably superior to LCD in terms of contrast and colour accuracy, is only viable on large (42in+) screens and has been dropped by all but a handful of manufacturers. You'll be lucky to find one on the shelves these days. Curved TV Some manufacturers are now making TVs that have slightly curved screens. But unlike old CRT TVs, the curve is inwards rather than outwards. The idea is that this makes every pixel equidistant from your eyes, delivering a more satisfying picture. However, there are drawbacks for this type of screen - the main one being that if you sit far enough to one side – more than 40 degrees or so – the curve clearly starts to affect the image's geometry, foreshortening content near to you and compressing the image's centre. What resolution tech should I go for?HD HD TVs come in two resolutions. Sets with the HD ready are required to be able to display a minimum 720p picture, and generally has a screen resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. Meanwhile, Full HD TVs have a higher resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. It's highly advisable that you don't go for anything less than full HD in this day and age. Ultra HD and 4K The resolution of Ultra HD is exactly four times higher than full HD - 3840 x 2160. It means a far more detailed picture, with content requiring a lot more bandwidth and storage space. 4K TVs tend to be good at upscaling HD video to Ultra HD but there are currently very few options for watching native 4K content. Read more about 4K. HDR Potentially the next big thing in TVs, HDR produces astounding levels of visual fidelity and can be found in some of the latest Ultra HD TVs. Arguably the shift to HDR video could make a more dramatic difference to your viewing experience than moving from HD to 4K. Like still HDR images, the moving version expands the range of both the light and dark ends of spectrum, providing more detail for both. HDR needs new filming methods though - at the moment there is no way to backfill HDR into existing video. It also needs new TV tech too, with Samsung the only ones to create specific screens, though LG and Sony are going be able to update some of their existing stock to be compatible. What's the best smart TV platform around today?What else should I consider?Buying a flatscreen television is a major investment and one that you can't afford to take lightly. Just popping into the closest store and grabbing the first plasma or LCD you see won't get you the best deal, the screen that suits your needs, or the gear you require to make the most of your new purchase. Size matters People tend to pick the size of their flat TV based on the amount of space they have for it, this isn't necessarily wise. Flat TVs take up much less space than you might think, so your new TV may end up a foot or two further away from your viewing position, making the picture appear smaller. Also, with hi-def, you can have a bigger screen and the same viewing distance without worrying about seeing blemishes inherent to the source. HDTV's lack of noise means that the ideal distance to sit from the screen is three to four times the height of the TV. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/b38faa22e56530b73485680b76861b2c.jpg How to calculate the right size HD TV:The trick here is to ensure that your TV is big enough to fill your line of vision, but small enough to be sharp and clear. Remember, if you intend to only watch standard-definition sources, the bigger the screen gets, the worse the image will look. The ideal screen size can be calculated by multiplying the distance that you intend to sit away from it by 0.535 and then rounding this up to the nearest size. So, if you sit 80in away from your TV, the ideal size is 42-inch (80 x 0.535= 42.8). What features should I look out for?Features are too numerous to go into here, but here are some things you should consider. Photo viewing: If you have a digital camera, a TV that has a slot for memory cards or a USB socket for a card reader will let you view your photos onscreen. Here are some of the things we look for when we review a screen, so you should, too... Contrast: Bright whites shouldn't have any signs of green, pink or blue in them, while blacks should look solid and not washed out, grey, green or blue. Colours: Look at how bright and solid they are; how noiseless their edges are; how 'dotty' richly saturated areas are and how natural skin looks, especially in dim scenes. Fine detail: How much texture does the screen give? Does a tree look like a green lump, or can you see the individual leaves Edges: Check for ghosting, bright halos and jaggedness, especially around curves. Motion: Check moving objects and quick camera pans for smearing or blurring, trailing, jerkiness and fizzing dotty noise. Image artefacts: Look for blockiness, colour bands, grain, smearing, dot crawl: anything that looks like it's added by the TV picture processing or a weak TV tuner. Tinker with a TV's picture settings before making a final decision. Factory settings are rarely good for everyday viewing. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/15fab2698bc4e6a52e2a6190e547a5be.jpg What about sound?To provide the best audio to complement the pictures, your TV should be hooked up to a surround sound system, but this isn't always an option. So, here's what we listen for when testing a TV's speakers: Bass: Deep, rounded rumbles that don't cause the set to rattle or speakers to distort, cramp or overwhelm the rest of the sound; but that expand when needed. Vocals: Voices should sound open, rich and clear, not boxed in, nasal or thin. Trebles: Treble effects should sound clean, rounded and smooth in loud scenes and shouldn't dominate the soundstage. Soundstage width/depth: A good TV should throw the sound away from the TV, to the sides, forward and back, to give an extra dimension to what's on screen, without losing any coherence. Questions to ask before you buyTaking the time to consider these questions will make choosing the best TV easier... HD or 4K?4K TVs are stunning and even though there is currently little native 4K content to enjoy, the good ones are able to upscale HD to 4K very well. That being said, unless you're buying a very large TV - we're talking 65-inches plus - full HD should be adequate. What size do I need?This is dictated by the dimensions of the room where the TV is going and the amount of cash you're prepared to spend. As a general rule of thumb, work out how far from the set you'll be sitting (in inches), multiply that distance by 0.535 and then round up the result to the nearest screen size. Bear in mind that a decent smaller telly is often a more sensible investment than a larger, less accomplished one. And if you're going to buy a 4K TV, you can sit much closer because of the higher resolution. How many HDMI sockets do I need?For a living room TV you should be looking for a minimum of 3 HDMI inputs. If you want to attach a set-top box as well as games consoles etc, those HDMI ports will fill up fast. Can I connect my older, analogue kit?Most new sets carry no more than two composite connections, while S-video is fast approaching obsolescence. Check that your new TV can hook up to older digiboxes, VCRs or DVD decks that you might want to plug into it. Do I want to hang my TV on the wall?First off, you'll need to consult a construction expert to check that the wall in question is strong enough to support a flatscreen. Then find out if the set you want is designed to be wall-mounted and, if so, ask if the relevant bracket is included in the basic package or as an optional extra. Will I be connecting it to a home cinema?If the answer is no, you might want to think more carefully about your set's audio performance. Look for a screen that can go as loud as you'll need without distortion or cabinet rattle. Consider how dialogue sounds and how much low-end rumble the bass is capable of. Conversely, it's pointless paying out more cash for exceptional built-in speakers if you already have a decent home cinema system. Happy shopping! http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/NCsBet5zq0c