In the UK, Amazon has slashed 47% off the price of the Nespresso Vertuo Next by Magimix, reducing it from £149.99 to just£79.00. This is just over £4 more expensive than the prices we saw on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and only £5 more expensive than the lowest price the coffee maker has ever dropped too. (Not in the UK? Scroll down for the best coffee maker deals in your region.)
The best coffee makers ensure you can enjoy barista-worthy hot drinks at home. However, they can be a costly purchase, so a good deal is always welcome.
Today's best Nespresso deals in the UK
Nespresso Vertuo Next by Magimix:£149.99£79.00 at Amazon Save £70.99 - Amazon has reduced the white version of this Nespresso pod coffee machine, which can brew five different sizes of drink, by 47%. On test, we were impressed at the rich, smooth espresso this coffee maker created. The machine reads a barcode printed on the Vertuo capsules, adjusting the brewing parameters such as duration and volume to ensure a consistent coffee every time.
Nespresso Vertuo Next by Magimix:£149.99£79.00 at Amazon Save £70.99 - You can also nab a hefty saving on this grey model if white isn’t your colour. This is good value considering the best price we’ve ever seen for this coffee machine is £72, although that was back in March this year, so we’d suggest moving fast to snap up this deal.
The Nespresso Verto Next is compatible with the brand’s larger Vertuo capsules, which Nespresso says spin at up to 4,000 rotations per minute during the brewing process to ensure the ground coffee is evenly blended with water. Capsule machines are also much less messy than a traditional espresso machine that uses coffee grounds, as the capsules are automatically ejected into a container, which can be emptied into a container ready for recycling.
The coffee machine comes with a 1.1-litre water tank - that’s the smallest capacity of all the Nespresso Vertuo range, although for those that only make one or two cups of coffee each day, or prefer the smaller-capacity espresso to larger drinks, this won’t be an issue. The water tank isn’t moveable either, but considering the compact size of the machine, we don’t foresee this being a problem on most countertops.
More Nespresso deals
No matter where you live, you'll find all the lowest prices for Nespresso machines from around the web right here, with offers available in your region.
Want to speed up cooking curries and stews? Then check out the best Instant Pot deals available right now
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/3EHYkTX
via IFTTT https://ift.tt/3GstNKu
Some of us here at TechRadar have been railing against the notch for years, and it seems that Apple might finally be getting on board, as there’s growing evidence that at least some of the iPhone 14 range will have a punch-hole camera instead.
The latest leak in that direction comes from The Elec, which claims to have learned that both the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max will have a punch-hole selfie camera.
The site adds that the standard iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 Max will be stuck with a notch still, and that the two Pro models will – like their predecessors – have 120Hz refresh rate screens.
LG Display is reportedly in the running to provide some of those screens – taking orders away from Samsung Display – but it sounds like that’s yet to be confirmed.
In fact, none of this is confirmed yet, but 120Hz refresh rates on the Pro models seems all but guaranteed given that the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max have 120Hz screens. The bigger question is whether the iPhone 14 Max will as well or not.
As for punch-hole cameras, that would be a big shift for Apple so we’re less sure of that, but a number of leaks have now pointed in that direction, so there’s a good chance that’s accurate too.
(Image credit: Apple)
Analysis: The Face ID problem
One reason that Apple has stuck with a notch for so long is the company’s Face ID tech. This is housed in the notch, and there’s more to it than just a single camera lens, with various sensors and other tech also involved.
So Apple presumably won’t be able to house all of that in a punch-hole (unless it’s a very big punch-hole), meaning that it needs to find another home for these things if it’s to get rid of the notch.
That though could prove quite challenging. We’ve started seeing under-display cameras on the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, and their performance isn’t great. Face ID isn’t quite the same as a normal camera and may not be as hard to get right, but it’s probably not easy either.
So hopefully Apple has achieved this, but if we don’t end up getting a punch-hole camera on any iPhone 14 models, then Face ID is probably to blame.
A completely passwordless Microsoft experience will fail as the company is repeating the same mistakes from the past, cybersecurity researchers from WatchGuard Threat Lab have said.
The company says that with Windows 11, Microsoft is pushing for a completely passwordless authentication experience in which biometrics, hardware tokens and security keys, or an email with a one-time password (OTP) push traditional passwords to the sidelines.
However, WatchGuard says Microsoft is making the same mistake it always did, by not mandating a multi-factor authentication (MFA) approach. All of these approaches can be used solo, and that’s a problem, as the researchers claim all of the abovementioned methods have been compromised by either researchers or cybercriminals in the past already.
Insurance companies to mandate better security practices
“Microsoft could have truly solved the digital identify validation problem by making MFA mandatory and easy to use in Windows,” says Corey Nachreiner, CSO at WatchGuard Technologies. “Organizations should force users to pair two methods of authentication, such as biometrics or tokens with a push approval to your mobile phone sent over an encrypted channel.”
Still, insurance companies will make sure (pun definitely intended) MFA takes off, by mandating better cyber defenses to reduce “soaring” premiums.
It’s only a matter of time before cybersecurity insurers realize that payout costs to cover ransomware threats rose dramatically. As a result, not only will they demand higher premiums, but will also actively scan and audit the security of clients before providing any cover.
“In 2022, if you don’t have the proper protections in place, including MFA, you may not get the cyber insurance you need at the price you would like,” added Nachreiner.
WatchGuard also reminds that a recent S&P Global report stated how cyber insurers loss ratio rose for the third consecutive year in 2020, by more than 72%. As a result, the premiums for standalone cyber insurance policies spiked 28.6% last year, hitting a total of $1.62 billion USD.
Weak passwords are one of the most common ways systems get breached. Users are advised to create unique passwords for all the services they use, and store them in a password manager, instead of writing them down on a piece of paper and leaving it on a desk.
PS5 and Xbox Series X games with 120fps support are becoming increasingly common. From blockbuster hits to inventive platformers, more titles are taking advantage of 120fps support, which is fantastic news for gamers with compatible displays.
We’ve previously been stuck in the doldrums of running games at a treacle-like 30fps on console, but with higher framerates now becoming more readily available, gamers can enjoy the benefits of reduced input latency, a smoother image, and significantly more responsive gameplay.
120fps support used to be exclusively reserved for PC gamers with powerful enough hardware, but PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S owners with a 120Hz, HDMI 2.1 compatible displays can hit the lofty heights of 4K / 120fps. Those who have 120Hz, HDMI 2.0 displays can also take advantage of 120fps, but only at 1080p (and sometimes 1440p).
So which PS5 and Xbox Series X games offer 120fps support? And does the Xbox Series S also benefit? We’ve rounded up all the games below in an easy-to-read format so you can see which games take advantage of higher framerates on either system. We’ll also be updating this list in the future as more games receive 120fps support.
Why 120fps is better than 60fps
Does having a higher framerate really matter? To put it simply, yes, but right now it’s a bit of a luxury for many. 120fps support is a huge plus in competitive games where a split-second action can make all the difference, and running games at a higher framerate also makes games look incredibly smooth in motion, which can help offset motion sickness and will generally make games look cleaner overall.
But it’s also a graphically intensive feature, hence why it isn’t supported by every game out there and simply wasn’t possible on the last-gen consoles like the PS4 and Xbox One.
While it’s always hard to showcase the benefits of 120fps fully without experiencing it for yourself, the video below shows Ori and the Will of the Wisps running at 60fps and 120fps. The difference between the two is stark, even though 60fps is still considered to be the sweet spot for framerates. Ori appears as though it’s more stop-start at 60fps, while at 120fps it’s noticeably more fluid in motion
120Hz vs 120fps: what’s the difference?
It’s easy to get the two confused, but it’s important to know the difference between them. Hertz (Hz) refers to the number of times your display refreshes per second. Most TVs are limited to 60Hz, but you may have seen some monitors that support 144Hz and even 360Hz. If your TV only has a 60Hz refresh rate, you won’t be able to play at 120fps as the maximum refreshes per second it can achieve is 60. For 120fps, you’d need a 120Hz capable display.
Frames per second (fps) is the number of individual images generated by a console or a PC. Developers often lock a framerate to a set figure: either 30, 60 or 120, to provide a steady and consistent experience. If you’ve ever played a 30fps game that is unlocked, it’s often extremely unpleasant, as a game will widely fluctuate between different framerate values, which ultimately leads to a choppy, inconsistent experience.
The main takeaway is this: if a display is capable of 120Hz, then it can run games at 120fps on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S providing it has a HDMI 2.0 or HDMI 2.1 port. Again, a HDMI 2.1 or 2.0 connection will affect what resolutions you are able to run at when hitting 120fps.
PS5 games with 120fps support
(Image credit: Sony)
While the PS5 doesn’t include 120fps support for quite as many games as Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, its library of titles is growing slowly. Check out all the PS5 games with 120fps support below.
Have you noticed any games missing from this list? Tweet@ItsMrProductsand let him know!
Xbox Series X games with 120fps support
(Image credit: Microsoft)
The Xbox Series X has far more games with 120fps support compared to PS5, with Microsoft’s backwards compatibility feature, FPS Boost, also helping increase the framerate of older Xbox One games. Check out all the Xbox Series X games with 120fps support below.
Did we miss any 120fps games on Xbox Series X? Tweet@ItsMrProductsand let him know!
Xbox Series S games with 120fps support
(Image credit: Microsoft)
The Xbox Series S is fully capable of hitting 120fps, but not every game that hits 120 frames per second on Xbox Series X is doable on Microsoft’s cheaper Xbox. Still, there are plenty of games to choose from if you’re searching for 120fps games, and far more titles available than what you'll currently find on PS5. Check out all the Xbox Series S games with 120fps support below.
Plants vs Zombies: Battle for Neighborville (via FPS Boost)
Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare (via FPS Boost)
Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 (via FPS Boost)
Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid (via FPS Boost)
Psychonauts 2
Quake
Rainbow Six Siege
Realm Royale (via FPS Boost)
Rocket League
Rogue Company
Samurai Shodown
Second Extinction
SMITE (via FPS Boost)
Star Wars Battlefront (via FPS Boost)
Star Wars: Squadrons
Super Lucky's Tale (via FPS Boost)
Superhot (via FPS Boost)
Superhot: Mind Control Delete
The LEGO Movie Videogame (via FPS Boost)
The Falconeer
The Touryst
Titanfall 2 (via FPS Boost)
Totally Reliable Delivery Service (via FPS Boost)
Unravel 2 (via FPS Boost)
Unruly Heroes (via FPS Boost)
Untitled Goose Game (via FPS Boost)
Did we miss any 120fps games on Xbox Series S? Tweet@ItsMrProductsand let him know!
Interested in playing at 120fps on PS5 or Xbox Series X, then? Check out the best 120Hz 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and PS5. These TVs will let you take full advantage of all the next-gen consoles' new features, and hit the silky-smooth heights of 120fps.
Heading into Black Friday this year, we weren't 100% sure what the iPhone 13 deals landscape would look like. Ultimately, the savings event delivered the best contract prices we'd yet seen in the UK, without any networks delivering anything particularly spectacular.
Those 'best ever' promotions may now have died away, but the clamour for Apple's latest flagship phone certainly has not. And, the retailer leading the way right now is Fonehouse.
Exclusively available to readers of TechRadar, the best iPhone 13 deal currently available comes with a hefty 100GB of data. Despite that, it offers some of the most affordable bills for this device, costing £38 a month and £99 upfront.
The only way you can get cheaper than that is to seriously reduce the data limit, and commit yourself to a three-year contract with Sky Mobile. That will get quite limiting for most. Not so with the 100GB Fonehouse tariff, this one will let you watch roughly 200 hours of video online, stream 20,000 songs, or browse the internet for around 1,200 hours before you run out of allowance.
While there is still plenty of time for better post-Black Friday iPhone 13 deals to appear, Fonehouse is offering a Black Friday price promise. That means Fonehouse will refund the difference if you find a better price elsewhere!
The iPhone 13 is the main device of Apple's four 2021 models, sitting in between the Pro models and the mini, offering a blend of affordability and specs, as well as a slightly larger design than the iPhone 13 mini for those put off by its diminutive size.
It includes Apple's A15 Bionic chip, the same durable glass display, dual camera technology and more. The main differences is its larger and slightly brighter display as well as featuring a larger battery.
The iPhone 13 has a dual camera set-up but those two lenses are the best we've seen from Apple so far. This is mostly in internal improvements to processing, drastically improving low light ability and ability to stop blur.
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/3y3WfPE
via IFTTT https://ift.tt/3ELoyVg
The notch is probably one of the most controversial design elements in the tech world. While the Android side has gradually evolved by adopting designs like a pop-up camera, a hole punch, or even an under-display camera sensor, Apple has persisted with the notch and you can still find a significant notch on new iPhones.
Soon after the iPhone 13 was introduced, Apple also installed notches on its latest round of laptops and it seems Samsung may be following suit in its next round of tablet products.
Leaked renders from Evleaks reveal the possible design of Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Tab S8 trio, including the Galaxy Tab S8, S8 Plus, and Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. That final product is expected to have a huge display and a massive battery.
These leaks also hint that the South Korean company wants to add a small notch to the front screen of each device to accommodate dual front-facing cameras. The presence of the notch means that the tablets might have a slimmer bezel all around the display,
Based on the previous reports, the base variant Galaxy Tab S8 might sport an 11-inch display, S8 Plus might come with a 12.4-inch display while the Tab S8 Plus may house a massive 14.6-inch screen.
Take this all with a pinch of salt as it's just leaked information for now, but this is one of the best sources yet on Galaxy Tab S8 leaks.
What else do we know?
As per the previous reports, the Galaxy Tab S8 might have been delayed for various reasons, including Covid-19 outbreaks in one of its facilities in South Korea. It was also reported that the launch of the tablets might have been pushed ahead to make way for the flagship Galaxy S22 series smartphones.
Hence, as of now, what we know is that the three premium tablets are expected to launch sometime in Q1 2022. There is a possibility that the company is already working on the Lite version; however, it’s not likely to launch any time soon.
In terms of key specifications, all three Galaxy Tab S8 tablets might come with the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset under the hood, AMOLED panels with 120Hz refresh rate, and massive batteries with support for fast charging up to 45W.
Smart thermostat brand Tado is introducing a new feature that will make it easier to see at a glance how much it’s costing you to heat your home.
While many of the best smart thermostats can generate reports that show how the temperature may have fluctuated in your home over a particular period, this doesn’t help to visualize just how much you’re spending on heating.
This is something Tado is looking to fix with its new Energy IQ feature for its smart thermostats connected to gas heating systems. Energy IQ imports your gas usage and your tariff’s cost from a smart meter, if you have one installed, to provide a clear indication of exactly how much you are spending on your heating.
If you don’t have a smart meter, you’ll be able to manually input the reading from your gas meter along with your tarrif details to get the same info. You can even use the feature without inputting energy meter readings, although Tado says the estimate will be far less accurate.
Opinion: saving money and energy
Smart thermostats are already a handy way to save energy and money, as they ensure that, for example, if you know you’re going to be late home you can remotely switch the thermostat off to ensure you’re not heating an empty property. This new feature will ensure that you can see exactly how much money your heating is costing you, and may prompt you to make choices such as putting a jumper on rather than turning the heating up.
Tado isn’t the first smart thermostat brand to launch this function. Drayton Wiser offers a similar feature, called Insight+, which costs £14.99 per month and again imports meter readings into the app. Similarly, Samsung’s SmartThings app also offers a feature that also lets you view information from your smart meter in the app, so you can keep track of your energy usage in terms of cost.
However, with both of these, there’s no way to manually enter readings from your gas meter, which you’re able to do with Tado’s new feature
Tado says the Energy iQ feature will get even better in the coming months and will be able to use the data to provide suggestions on how much you could save both in terms of energy and money, by doing things such as lowering the temperature by one degree or turning on the geofence function, which switches the heat on or off based on your location provided by your smartphone.
With the price of energy on the rise and many of us tightening our belts, being more aware of just how much turning the thermostat up will cost us can be extremely handy. In the UK, 27 energy providers have stopped trading in the UK in 2021 alone, and energy regulator Ofgem has increased the price cap on bills to ensure the remaining providers can continue to trade.
However, this is hitting consumers' pockets hard. Heating and hot water are vital, so it’s never been more important to ensure you’re not wasting energy and money.
The features that Tado, Drayton, and Samsung are offering can certainly help with this, and it seems logical that other smart thermostat manufacturers will follow suit, allowing more of us to use information about our energy tariffs to find out just how much we’re spending on keeping warm.
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/31ANIYP
via IFTTT https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Every household in the UK connected to the Virgin Media broadband network can now receive speeds of 1.13Gbps following the completion of the company’s nationwide upgrade programme.
The process has taken around two years and ensures Virgin Media O2 is the country’s largest provider of gigabit broadband.
It says the speeds will help customers who have become more reliant on their connection for work, education, and everyday life, and will support bandwidth-intensive services like video streaming, online gaming, and videoconferencing.
Virgin Media O2 upgrade
The government has also welcomed the development as it targets 85% ultrafast coverage by 2025.
“Our investment to bring gigabit broadband to every home on our network has catapulted the UK’s digital infrastructure forward by a decade and forced others to up their game,” declared Lutz Schüler, Virgin Media O2 chief executive.
“Having reached this major milestone in just two years, we’re doubling down on our mission to upgrade the UK by continuing to innovate and invest in our network to support the technologies of tomorrow – there’s no slowing down at Virgin Media O2.”
Virgin Media and O2 promised to invest £10 billion over the next five years across its business and further advances in mobile and broadband will form part of that commitment.
“We had a purpose when we combined as one company, and that was to upgrade the UK,” Virgin Media O2 chief operating officer told TechRadar Pro, adding that there was a technical roadmap in place for the next seven years for its cable, fibre, and mobile networks.
“We’re already trialling 2.2Gbps [broadband] and we’re going to upgrade our entire network to fibre to the premise (FTTP) by 2028. We also expect to have 50% outdoor 5G coverage by 2023.”
Virgin Media O2 has previously spoken of its intention to be a genuine converged challenger to BT-EE, capable of offering services that combine 5G and fibre for seamless connectivity.
Dodds added that the initial focus on convergence was on customer service rather than technology for technology’s sake at present, highlighting the success of the Volt converged product and the expansion of the Priority loyalty programme as examples.
While the future might include more technological use cases, Dodds said the focus on making its fixed line network as good as possible would make features such as the 4G/5G backup capabilities that rivals have introduced as redundant.
Of course, as the UK’s largest provider of gigabit broadband, Virgin Media O2’s network would be an attractive prospect for other operators that don’t own their own infrastructure. However, there are no immediate plans to open up the network on a wholesale basis just yet.
“Our shareholders have said there are future possibilities,” he said.
Doja Cat has partnered with nonprofit organization Girls Who Code to create what they claim to be the first-ever codable music video, allowing users to control the story to the popstars latest single 'Woman'.
As reported by The Verge, the experience plays out like a 'choose your own adventure' story, where the usual music video to 'Woman' will play and pause at various stages, guiding you through how to make adjustments using three different programming languages. These are distinguished using colored stars – pink for Python (duh), yellow for CSS and blue for Javascript.
HUGE NEWS: We just made the first ever codable music video with @dojacat. You can control the story using code 🙀 Go try it now at https://t.co/EgVStNr5om! #dojacode pic.twitter.com/q2MQhMDd0sDecember 3, 2021
See more
You can try the experience out for yourself and code the video to make fun adjustments, such as painting a character's nails or adjusting the night sky to a time zone of your choice. It's incredibly simple, but as far as interactive experiences go it's a real pleasure to try out, especially if you've never experienced using a programming language.
Tarika Barrett, CEO of Girls Who Code says "We know firsthand that girls and young women are some of today's most powerful creators and change-makers. However, too few know that they can have a career in computer science and that it can open up an entire future of possibility to nurturing their passions. Learning to code enables you to change the world around you."
"Most girls haven't heard of coding, but they are passionate about activism or dance or music," adds Barrett. "Our job is to show them the connection between learning to code and pursuing those interests. We had been working with Mojo Supermarket on this idea of a codable music video, and when they came to us and suggested Doja, we knew instantly she was a perfect fit."
Analysis: It's a drop in the pool, but a fun one
(Image credit: Theme Junkie)
Getting girls and women into technology-based careers is an important step towards gender equality, especially when you consider that many of the first computer scientists were women. In fact, back in the 1930s, the Works Progress Administration began hiring its own human calculators to support engineers, which essentially resulted in women with pretty advanced math skills acting as computers themselves before technology developed.
This is only a single example, but there are many similar stories in the history of computing, but it's a great example as to why industries like STEM and programming are not inherently gendered despite the current disbalance, and that instead, the lack of women we see working in tech is more likely a social issue.
Girls Who Code states that "In 1995, 37% of computer scientists were women. Today, it’s only 24%. The percent will continue to decline if we do nothing. We know that the biggest drop off of girls in computer science is between the ages of 13 and 17."
Emily Berger is the creative lead at creative agency Mojo Supermarket, which developed the interactive video with digital studio Active Theory. As reported by Muse by Clio, she said "We want to get more girls to try coding. But there's a thousand other things that girls care about more than coding. And Doja Cat is like 999 of them. So, we were like, can Doja make learning to code cool?"
Jump back a few years and plenty of young girls were introduced to HTML and other programming languages through sheer self-taught determination thanks to social media themes on sites such as MySpace, Bebo and Tumblr, in order to create a personalized, sometimes interactive, environment on their blogs.
This aspect of social media has since vanished for the most part, so while I doubt this Doja Cat music video is going to make any huge waves, it's at least one opportunity that the current generation of girls and women have to dip their toes into the world of coding in a female-centric environment.
There will, of course, be people who are opposed to the idea of 'gendering' coding education to interest girls, but ensuring the women entering a career in programming are comfortable is important, especially with the current gender gap leaving many to feel isolated. You can support Girls Who Code by making a donation to the cause, or if the interactive music video has caught your eye, try out some of the courses offered by the organization.
One of the main selling points of this year's Apple Watch 7 was its tougher screen and improved dust resistance, and new rumors suggest that Apple is planning to take this idea further, with an extra rugged watch designed for extreme sports athletes.
The hint comes from Bloomberg technology journalist Mark Gurman, whose latest Power On newsletter is packed with hints as to what might be coming from Apple in 2022, including potential new designs for the iPad Pro and Macbook Pro.
A rugged sports watch would be a logical step for the company, which has been pushing fitness hard over the last couple of years. Its subscription-based workout service, Apple Fitness Plus, launched in December 2020, and although there are lots of rivals vying for your attention (including Peloton, Fitbit Premium, and the new Amazon Halo Fitness service to name just a few), Apple's instructors have been sweating hard to win you over, with new sessions added to the library every week.
The Apple Watch is central to Apple Fitness Plus, streaming your heart rate and estimated calorie burn to the screen of your Apple TV or iPad(Image credit: Apple)
The Apple Watch is key to Fitness Plus, presenting your heart rate on screen as you work out in your living room, but it makes sense for Apple to venture beyond the home, and create tougher wearables for use in the great outdoors.
However, while a more robust version of the Apple Watch's existing case would be an improvement, that's not the only feature that makes a good athletic watch – particularly for extreme sports.
When the going gets tough...
Firstly, Apple might consider shifting away from aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium to carbon fiber, as used in Casio's G-Shock watches. This would keep weight down, and it could be molded in one piece as a monocoque case to minimize potential points of failure.
We'd also want to see improved water resistance. The Apple Watch 7 is water resistant to a depth of 50 meters, which is fine for regular shallow water swimming, but for extreme sports, Apple should be thinking deeper. Its new wearable doesn't need to be a full-on diving watch, but we'd like to see something on a par with the Polar Grit X, which is water resistant to 100m.
Existing Apple Watch models are fine for shallow water swimming, but a watch for 'extreme' sports needs better water resistance(Image credit: Anicka S / Shutterstock)
Next on out wish list: physical buttons. Apple's Digital Crown is a pleasure to use, enabling you to smoothly scroll through menus and making it easy to select options, but many of the Apple Watch's features rely on its touchscreen, which isn't ideal when you're wearing gloves, or have water or mud on your hands. It would be a big departure in the looks department, but the ability to lock the touchscreen and use a set of buttons around the watch's bezel would be a real boon.
Possibly controversially, some form of memory-in-pixel display would also be a winner. Hear us out… while the Apple Watch's AMOLED display is stunning, it's an enormous drain on battery life. Many sports watches last at least a week between charges, which is essential for multi-day events, or when you're camping under the stars. To compete, Apple may need to compromise on its display offering.
On a similar note, it would be great to see new customizable power-saving modes that allow you to fine-tune your watch's features, and disable any you don't use in order to conserve battery life.
If Apple implemented all of these features the resulting device wouldn't really be an Apple Watch at all. It would be something completely different – but perhaps that's the next step the company needs to take if it's going to maintain a firm foothold in the fitness space.
It looks like Microsoft is planning a radical overhaul of how you copy and paste in its Edge web browser in Windows 11 – and those changes could also come to Google’s rival Chrome browser.
As Windows Latest reports, Microsoft is working with Google on a feature called 'Pickling Clipboard' which could drastically improve the clipboard abilities of Edge and Chrome, allowing you to copy and paste a wider variety of file formats. This could prove to be incredibly useful for people who use web apps – which are interactive websites that work a lot like apps you install on your PC – to upload and share files.
By either using your mouse or keyboard shortcuts, you will be able to copy a wide array of files to websites and web apps from within the browser, making the way we interact with websites a lot easier.
Microsoft is also promising that the data you copy and paste will be compatible with security standards, and the company has worked to ensure that no corruption or data loss occurs.
Analysis: Microsoft’s embrace of Chromium continues to pay off
You may not realize it, but copying and pasting is one of the most common things you can do when working on your PC, enabling you to quickly and easily add text, photos, files and more from one source to another.
So the fact that Microsoft is looking to improve this functionality when you're using a browser is very welcome. It’ll be particularly handy for using web apps such as online photo editors and word processors, as it’ll be easier for users to quickly add items from their PCs to the internet. Of course, it’s no coincidence that Microsoft has a suite of web apps that would benefit greatly from these improvements.
What’s particularly pleasing about this, however, is that Microsoft’s work on improving copying and pasting isn’t just going to come to its Edge web browser. It looks set to appear in Google’s rival Chrome browser as well.
This is thanks to the fact that both Edge and Chrome now run on the same web engine – Chromium – which is the core part of a web browser that displays websites. Since Microsoft moved Edge to Chromium, we’ve seen an increasing number of features designed by Microsoft come to both browsers, along with increased cooperation between Microsoft and Google.
This is great for consumers as it gives them more choice over what browser to use, because they won’t miss out on features and improvements if they’d rather stick with Chrome. Google’s offering remains by far the most popular web browser in the world, so it doesn’t hurt Microsoft to come up with features like improved copy and paste to improve the performance of its web apps for Chrome users as well.
Apple is rumored to have a bunch of new Macs coming next year – five of them to be precise – and that might include a new cheaper MacBook Pro.
Mark Gurman is one of the most trusted Apple leakers out there, and in his latest newsletter, he outlined the emergence of this fresh entry-level MacBook Pro, along with a revamped MacBook Air with a new design – which has been much rumored – built around the M2 chip.
Gurman also believes that Apple will push out a new high-end iMac, and this will have one of its own chips and be positioned above the iMac 24-inch, plus we can expect an updated Mac mini (some folks thought the latter would come late this year, in fact, and again the rumor mill has been chattering about this for some time).
Finally, to top that off, a new Mac Pro will be unleashed, and again this machine is set to be powered by Apple silicon.
Analysis: Apple transition, and mulling the new MacBooks
We’ve touched on some of the rumors that have already been floating around about these purported Macs, but there has been speculation about all these potential revamps, including the iMac and Mac Pro.
A couple of things really stand out here, though, and the first is Apple’s continued transition to its own silicon at an impressive pace. Secondly, there’s that fresh entry-level MacBook Pro, and as MacRumors, which spotted this, makes clear, Gurman has previously floated the idea of a revamped lower-end MacBook Pro, and that it could run with the M2 chip set to be used in the MacBook Air.
This purported laptop has fallen off the rumor radar for some time, but now it looks like it might be back on – although Gurman doesn’t mention that the theoretical new model might be built around the M2 chip (but if the Air is coming with that silicon on-board, it makes some sense).
So, it’s not clear what chip this refreshed base model of the Pro could use, or indeed where such a portable might fit into the range compared to the incoming MacBook Air redesign. Obviously at this stage, we’re still working with relatively early speculation, so it’s really not clear how the puzzle might fit together with these two possible new offerings.
What we do know, judging from this latest newsletter, is that Apple is planning a busy 2022 on the Mac front, which is no bad thing. Which of these machines might turn up first is another point of interest, but we expect that the updated Mac mini – which, as mentioned, has been rumored for some time – will be earlier in the timeline. The redesigned MacBook Air might arrive sooner than you think, too, with Gurman previously speculating that it could be here as soon as May 2022.
A PS5 restock has just landed over at PlayStation Direct giving those who didn't snag coveted console over Black Friday and Cyber Monday what's potentially the last chance to get one before Christmas.
As always with the official PS Direct PS5 restocks, we expect this retailer to be offering a number of Disc and Digital consoles only. Unlike other retailers, this one doesn't tend to stock bundle options.
Simply click on the link just above and you'll land in the waiting room. Note, unlike some retailers, PS Direct's queue isn't first come first serve - you'll get assigned a random spot that will get called up after about 30 to 40 minutes. It's essentially a lottery but it's well worth getting in there and trying your luck.
Even a year after the PS5 launch, each restock still sells out in a matter of minutes. PlayStation Direct has been a new player in the game this year as Sony finally launched its own store outside of the US. Select PSN accounts are given invites to PS5 restocks in an exclusive two-hour window and then access opens to the wider public once this has passed. Admittedly, it's not the most satisfying way to do it, but it definitely feels a lot more organised than some other stores.
PS5 restock at PlayStation Direct
PS5:£449.99 at PlayStation Direct PS5 Disc consoles are now available via the official PlayStation Direct store. Simply click on through to the store page here to land yourself in a random queue to see whether you'll be lucky enough to get yourself a spot after a short wait. Queue times are normally 30 to 40 minutes and you'll hear a sound cue when your number's up.
PS5 (Digital Edition):£359.99 at PlayStation Direct
We also expect this PS5 restock to include Digital Edition consoles. These ones forgo the disk drive on the standard model for a slightly cheaper price tag overall. If you've got a great connection these ones are always a good choice but beware - there are generally fewer of these types on sale and they tend to go very quickly indeed.
As of right now, we're mostly in the dark in regards to PS5 restocks before Christmas. This could, in fact, be the best chance to snag one if you've been one of the unlucky few so far this year. Amazon, Very, and other retailers have really been stepping up and trying to get more consoles out there also but it's getting very, very close to the big day itself now.
If your number doesn't come up in today's PlayStation Direct PS5 restock then we highly recommend heading on over to our main where to buy the PS5 guide and bookmarking it. It's regularly updated with all the latest news, rumours, and the actual restocks themselves as they come up.
You can also check the links to buy a PS5 at various retailers below, including the PS5 Digital Edition. Keep checking these as more consoles will hit the shelves throughout 2022. Whatever you do, we'd recommend not paying over the odds to scalpers as restocks are now more frequent.
Not after the PS5? You can always keep up to date with the latest on where to buy the Xbox Series X and where to find Nintendo Switch OLED stock right here as well. Both consoles are definitely going to be heavily in demand in the weeks ahead leading up to Christmas.
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/3EsWJkJ
via IFTTT https://ift.tt/3gs15xk
Marvel chief Kevin Feige has seemingly confirmed that the studio plans to bring Charlie Cox on board to reprise his role as Daredevil in the MCU – suggesting a Daredevil Disney Plus series could be on the way.
Speaking to CinemaBlend on the press tour for Spider-Man: No Way Home, Feige said: "If you were to see Daredevil in upcoming things, Charlie Cox, yes, would be the actor playing Daredevil."
Naturally, the Marvel boss didn’t speculate further as to what those “upcoming things” might be – "where we see that, how we see that, when we see that, remains to be seen" – but the admission comes as promising news for the future of Matt Murdock in the MCU.
Cox played Daredevil in the eponymous Netflix series for three seasons before the show was canceled in 2018. It was produced by Marvel Television (the company also responsible for both Jessica Jones and The Punisher), which was itself folded into the all-encompassing Marvel Studios a year later.
At the time, Netflix said the blind crime-fighter would "live on in future projects for Marvel," though an original deal between the two studios meant Daredevil couldn't appear in any non-Netflix projects for at least two years following the show’s cancelation (as per Variety).
Will we dance with the devil again?
So, could an MCU-set Daredevil season 4 or reboot show actually be in the works? If the ongoing speculation around Spider-Man: No Way Home is anything to go by, we’d say it’s a distinct possibility.
Now, we’ve already debunked the theories suggesting Cox’s Murdock appears in the first trailer for the upcoming Spidey movie. But multiple sources, including Murphy's Multiverse and ComicBook.com's Brandon Davis, have since suggested that Cox will have a role to play in No Way Home.
What’s more, Cox himself appeared flustered in a recent interview when asked if he was part of No Way Home's cast, while other leakers have alleged that Murdock will defend Peter Parker in court after the latter is supposedly convicted of killing Mysterio at the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home.
Even if Cox’s Daredevil doesn’t end up appearing in No Way Home, though, there’s still a chance the character could cameo in upcoming Marvel Disney Plus shows like She-Hulk and Echo, or even future episodes of Hawkeye. In fact, if you believe the rumors about She-Hulk and Echo's supposed plots, Daredevil may actually be part of each show's supporting cast.
Add in the fact that both TV series seem ideally placed to feature the character – She-Hulk, like Daredevil, is also a lawyer, while Echo has a prominent comic history with the Man Without Fear – and we wouldn't be surprised to see Charlie Cox announced as part of their respective casts, post-No Way Home.
But appearances aside, the success of recent MCU shows like WandaVision and Loki – coupled with the enduring popularity of Netflix’s original Daredevil production – suggests a Disney Plus-based Daredevil series would be a sure-fire hit with new and existing fans alike.
Over the last year Apple has treated us to new models of the iPad Pro, the iPad mini, and the entry-level 10.2-inch iPad, but it doesn't appear to be slowing down – updated versions of several Apple slates are rumored to be in the pipeline for 2022.
This comes via the usually reliable Mark Gurman and his Power On newsletter at Bloomberg: updates for the iPad Pro, the iPad Air and the 10.2-inch iPad are all mentioned, with the iPad Pro apparently in line for a significant redesign.
A refresh of the iPad Air would make sense, as we last saw a new model in that particular line in 2020, but it seems that Apple isn't going to wait more than a year to update the other tablets – it's only the iPad mini that doesn't get a mention in the 2022 plans.
Of the three iPad models Gurman is predicting we'll see an update for, we know most about the iPad Pro, which Apple currently sells in 11-inch and 12.9-inch sizes. This is in line for some kind of redesign, which apparently includes support for wireless charging (which is something that pro-level users now expect).
We heard the same prediction from the same source a few months ago, and these revamped iPad Pros for 2022 are said to be coming with glass backs and support for the new MagSafe charging technology that's appeared on recent iPhone models.
Back then, the word was that the redesign could be delayed or even canceled, but it now seems that Apple is going ahead – and updating two other iPad models at the same time. We'll have to see what else the product refreshes bring, though faster internal processors are almost certain to be on the agenda.
Analysis: the evolution of the iPad isn't slowing down
The 2021 iPad mini.(Image credit: TechRadar)
The iPad in all its various guises is responsible for almost a third of all the tablets sold worldwide, which puts Apple way ahead of everyone else when it comes to these devices – Samsung makes some fine tablets too, but it accounts for only one in five tablets sold.
Despite this market lead, Apple isn't resting on its laurels, and for the most part is following the annual refresh approach that it uses for the iPhone to keep its tablets fresh and relevant. While the year-on-year upgrades might not be huge, they mean that you're never going to come across an outdated iPad.
That's not to say everything is perfect when it comes to the Apple iPad line. The popular iPad mini had to wait a while for its last update, while the use of USB-C on the iPad Pros and Lightning connectors on the other iPad models is a confusing annoyance that you don't normally get when it comes to Apple products.
However, this latest rumor suggests that Apple's iPad strategy will remain an aggressive one – not only with the hardware, but also with the iPadOS software that Apple updates every year with new features and functionality.
The first trailer for Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse's sequel has landed, showing off what the next chapter in Miles Morales' animated adventure might entail – and it's a tale that will be spread across two parts.
Sony's sequel, which is officially titled Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse, will be releasing October 7 in 2022, meaning it's just under a year away. The end of the trailer, however, teases that this film is just 'Part One', meaning that the multiverse-hopping movie will be setting up a follow-up that's due to arrive in 2023.
The rule of three dictates that any successful movie needs a full trilogy, and that logic applies especially firmly to the Spider-Man IP. We've seen three Tobey Maguire Spider-Man movies, as well as three Tom Holland flicks (including No Way Home), and another live-action Spider-Man trilogy is in the works at Marvel too.
Check out the film's first teaser below:
The trailer is only a couple of minutes long, but follows on directly from the end of 2018's Into The Spider-Verse, with Spider-Gwen dropping out of a portal into Miles' bedroom.
Miles hurriedly tidies away the more childish toys strewn across the place, protesting that he's grounded and can't run off adventuring – all very high-octane action.
The trailer picks up, though, as we see Miles soaring through a portal into another universe, where he's pursued by Oscar Isaac's Miguel O'Hara – also known as Spider-Man 2099, a different iteration of Spidey from the future.
We saw this (rather muscular) character briefly in the end-credits scene from Into The Spider-Verse, conversing with an AI voiced by Greta Lee (Russian Doll, The Morning Show). In the scene, Miguel is given a "gizmo" that can help him make an "autonomous multiverse jump", seemingly to find and round up more versions of Spider-Man. And it looks like that's just what he says in the next film.
Analysis: Sony's hold on Spider-Man tightens
2018 was really the year when Sony made it's mark on Spider-Man, with both the acclaimed Spider-Verse film and the release of Venom – which also got a sequel, Let There Be Carnage, this year. Given the dominance of the MCU in all things superhero, it's great to see some separate parties tackle beloved characters from a different angle.
We already know some tidbits beyond what's revealed in the trailer. For one, we know that Jake Johnson's (New Girl) take on Peter B. Parker from the first film will return, while Issa Rae (Insecure) will be voicing an iteration of Spider-Woman. It'll be one big happy Spider-Family.
The villain has, so far, been kept under wraps, though there are plenty of possibilities from across the multiverse that Sony could drawn from. There have been rumors of The Spot making an appearance – a villain yet to appear in any Spidey films, but who has a dimension-hopping origin story that would fit right in here.
Last week another of the UK’s energy suppliers went bust, with Zog Energy folding and bringing the total number of collapsed firms during the current energy crisis to 25.
Unfortunately, this crisis still shows no sign of letting up and it’s likely that more suppliers will follow suit over the winter months. However, according to a new report from wealth management group Investec, this could lead to an additional £120 a year being added to our energy bills, as households are made to subsidise the costs of the failed firms.
This would be on top of the increased energy bills we have already seen, following Ofgem’s latest price cap which saw average prices go from an average of £1,138 a year to £1,277. Plus, as it currently isn’t advised to run an energy comparison to switch – as not even the best energy deals from the UK’s best energy suppliers can better the price cap – this extra £120 could sadly push thousands into fuel poverty.
What would the £120 pay for?
Investec claims its estimates for the full cost of the crisis – which have provided the £120 figure – are only tentative, with the eventual total amount potentially being as high as £3.2bn.
The extra costs would be for managing the movement of affected customers onto new suppliers, the additional gas and electricity that's needed and also to clear any unpaid costs left on accounts with providers that have ceased trading. Investec also factored in all the customers who have already been moved from failed suppliers and the £1.7bn that the Treasury has put forward for Bulb’s special administration.
In the report, Investec stated: "The meltdown in the supply market is likely to see substantial additional costs land on every GB household, hardly welcome when fuel poverty is an issue, inflation is an issue, and commodity costs look set to push energy bills up."
In addition, an Investec Analyst, Martin Young, criticised the circumstances households are facing: "We asked Ofgem whether it is right that consumers ultimately bear this price and whether the system as structured created moral hazard."
This ‘could not come at a worse time’
With all this, the End Fuel Poverty Coalition has also voiced its concerns about the knock-on effects for UK homes.
They claim that with the recent price rises and Investec’s new estimated cost, it could mean an 18.6% overall increase in our energy bills. More worryingly though is that this could send ‘another 742,364 additional homes into fuel poverty’.
Simon Francis, the coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, offered his comments, stressing the dire circumstances many may face and called for more to be done to help protect consumers:
"This additional financial bombshell could not come at a worse time for households across the country. Yet another drain on household finances caused by energy markets is unacceptable.
"The current system is broken and while long-term reforms are desperately needed, the government also needs to provide far more immediate support for people facing fuel poverty this winter."
Additional guidance for cutting energy bills
As mentioned above, switching to a better deal is currently not an option and unfortunately there isn’t a great deal we can do at the moment to resolve the crisis.
However, you may wish to explore the following options that can help ease the financial burdens and work to reduce your consumption and your energy bills:
A PS5 pro controller is finally on the way thanks to renowned manufacturer Scuf, which should give PlayStation gamers an edge when playing online.
Sony doesn’t have its own version of the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, but the Scuf Reflex promises to deliver the types of competitive features pro gamers have come to expect.
A full reveal of the Scuf Reflex is yet to take place, but the company says it has been “painstakingly designed from the ground up for instantaneous reaction times to get you the most wins.” The PS5 pro controller will also include “removable paddles” and “bumpers that make all your movements smoother than ever before.”
With pro gaming and esports continuing to rise in popularity, more gamers are investing in hardware that can help make them as competitive as possible. Having the right controller can work wonders, and definitely deliver a competitive advantage in titles like Call of Duty: Vanguard and Fortnite.
You can sign up to be among the first to purchase the Scuf Reflex here.
Analysis: a PS5 pro controller is long overdue
(Image credit: SCUF)
Unlike Microsoft, Sony hasn’t created an official pro controller for its consoles yet. Instead, it chose to release the DualShock 4 Back Button Attachment add-on for the PS4, which added two remappable paddles that are often found on competitive pads.
We’re expecting the Scuf Reflex to retail for a similar price to the company’s Xbox-specific Scuf Instinct and Scuf Instinct Pro controllers, which cost $170 / £159.99 and $200 / £189.99 respectively.
With online multiplayer games continuing to be some of the most played titles out there, it’s honestly surprising that Sony hasn’t made its own version of the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, which has proven there is a huge market available. Scuf will be hoping to capitalize on this, especially if Sony chooses not to release a pro controller for PS5 this generation.
