MIUI 10 update: Redesigned recent apps, AI portraits and more features

At an event held in China today, Xiaomi announced the next version of MIUI with some major design changes and feature additions. Broadly speaking, the new MIUI update is aimed at improving loading times, making efficient use of the new, bigger displays and has a software-based AI portrait mode.

Xiaomi announced MIUI 10 today alongside the Mi 8, Mi 8SE, Mi 8 Explorer Edition, Mi VR Standalone, Mi TV 75” and the Mi Band 3. Xiaomi had earlier teased that the MIUI 10 update will be aimed at increasing the overall speed of operation of its interface. Today, Xiaomi revealed that the new update comes with performance improvements and a new AI preload feature that should reduce loading times across the operating system.

What’s new in MIUI 10?

New Recents

Devices with 18:9 or similar ratio displays are becoming quite common these days, and Xiaomi too has launched several phones with similar aspect ratios. To make better use of these new taller displays, Xiaomi has revamped the Recents screen to show more apps at the same time. Doing so allows Xiaomi to make more efficient use of the screen real estate.

Complimenting the new Recents screen are full screen display gestures and swiping actions that allow users to delete tasks. Instead of viewing one full app (and parts of other apps) now, you can view almost three to four apps in MIUI 10 – app cards are placed vertically in two rows now.

AI Portraits

With the popularity of portrait mode selfies with the bokeh effect rising, Xiaomi has gone ahead and announced an interesting feature that should bring this feature to a range of Xiaomi smartphones. This feature should work on phones with single as well as dual cameras – instead of relying solely on hardware, Xiaomi is making use of AI to bring this feature to several smartphones in its portfolio.

AI Preload

Since the MIUI 9 update was announced, Xiaomi has focused on improving loading times and general responsiveness of the operating system. The company has announced that it is working to further improve performance using a new feature called AI Preload.

As the name suggests, Xiaomi is going to use artificial intelligence to analyze users’ app usages and preload apps based on its analysis. The company claims that this should reduce app loading times, sometimes to even zero.

Beta testing MIUI 10

The MIUI 10 announcement today has also revealed that Xiaomi fans can start testing the update soon. The first developer version of the new update will be released on June 1st, and Xiaomi says that open beta releases will be announced sometime later in June. It is worth noting that the developer update release timeline is currently applicable for the China ROM only, so users out of China may want to wait for the Global Developer ROM releases later.

MIUI 10 – Eligible devices

At the moment, Xiaomi has not announced an official list of devices that will get the MIUI 10 update. However, the company has revealed that several devices in its portfolio will start getting the MIUI 10 China Developer ROM starting June 1st. However, to be able to download and install the update, you will have to sign up for beta testing and be selected.

If you have an eligible device, below is an expected schedule for the MIUI 10 China Developer ROM release.

China Developer ROM (closed beta)   
June 1st
Mi 8, Mi MIX 2S, Mi MIX 2, Mi MIX, Mi 6X, Mi 6, Mi 5, Mi Note 2, Redmi S2, Redmi Note 5

China Developer ROM (public beta) 
Late June
Mi 8, Mi MIX 2S, Mi MIX 2, Mi MIX, Mi 6X, Mi 6, Mi 5, Mi Note 2, Redmi S2, Redmi Note 5

Late July
Mi Note 3, Mi 5X, Mi 5c, Mi 5s, Mi 5s Plus, Mi 4, Mi 4c, Mi 4S, Mi Max 2, Mi Max, Redmi 5, Redmi 5A, Redmi 5 Plus, Redmi 4, Redmi 4A, Redmi 4X, Redmi 3S/Redmi 3X, Redmi Pro, Redmi Note 5A, Redmi Note 4 Qualcomm/Redmi Note 4X, Redmi Note 4 MTK, Redmi Note 3 Qualcomm

• Xiaomi Mi 8, Mi 8 Explorer Edition and Mi 8 SE announced with AI dual cameras, notch display and more

source http://www.techradar.com/news/miui-10-update-redesigned-recent-apps-ai-portraits-and-more-features

Google really wants you to get some solar panels

Google’s solar mapping tool Project Sunroof, which uses Google Maps’ satellite imaging software to gauge the suitability of individual homes for solar panels, is now available in the UK. 

‘Project Sunroof’ was first launched in the US in 2015, originally covering Boston and San Francisco Bay before being rolled out to include tens of millions of homes across the country. It also launched in Germany earlier this year.

Now Google has partnered with UK energy supplier E.ON to bring the online tool to the UK. Homeowners visiting the E.ON website are able to diagnose the suitability of their roof for panel installation, based on the roof’s size, pitch, and nearby obstacles such as other buildings or trees that could block sunlight.

• Can your gadgets really live off solar power alone?

In one or two minutes you can be looking at a cross section of your roof tagged with your estimated ‘solar yield’ per year, and the predicted costs for standalone panels or those with in-built battery storage.

All your friends are doing it

For an accurate quote, users are asked to input the number of residents in their home, as well as their average power usage and peak usage periods in the day. 

The mapping service can also show you which buildings nearby already have solar panels installed – possibly to prod your sense of social obligation.

Unsurprisingly, E.ON is unable to install panels on rented properties, though you’re still able to get a quote for your home if you’re curious.

• How Tesla is bringing free solar power to 50,000 Australian homes

source http://www.techradar.com/news/google-really-wants-you-to-get-some-solar-panels

How can mobile technology unleash your creativity?

The first Industrial Revolution changed the way people worked forever. For the UK, this meant a shift from an agricultural economy towards a more urban one.  

We are now in the Fourth Industrial Revolution and are experiencing a new world of work, dominated by the introduction of exciting and innovative technology such as AI and Machine Learning. In this environment, creativity is seen as a skill innate to humans that can set us apart from machines, as it can enable us to make use of new technologies creatively or solve a problem in a new way. In fact, the World Economic Forum (WEF) predicts that by 2020 employees will have to become more creative in order to thrive in the future workplace.

So, what can businesses do to ensure that they empower their employees to nurture this much-needed skill, and create a more engaged and satisfied workforce in the process?

• Here is our pick of the best smartphones for business 2018

Naturally, in a digitally-driven world, technology comes as one of the potential answers to this question. Recent advancements in mobile software and hardware can empower each and every one of us to achieve more, break down siloes and work in a way that suits us and sparks our creativity.

By using both mobile hardware and cloud-based software, employees can work better together, regardless of whether they’re in the office, working from home, from a museum, or even on the train in between meetings. 

Offering employees these types of mobile solutions means that they no longer need to feel chained at their desks and can tap into their creativity anytime, anywhere, removing siloes and unnecessary processes and ultimately increasing businesses' productivity. This is something that UK businesses need to capitalise on if they are to thrive in tomorrow’s world of work, particularly as the UK economy is built on a services sector, where the ability to solve problems in new and innovative ways is vital.

Despite this, our research looked at the views of more than 1,100 UK workers and found that outdated technology is amongst the top 10 barriers that prevent staff from being creative at work, with desktop PCs cited in the top five reasons why employees feel they can’t be creative. What’s more, there seems to be a lack of investment in innovation and creativity training within companies, as well as a lack of focus on providing workers with the tools they need that can spark their creativity.

Research from our partner, Steelcase, points to this worrying trend as well, showing that organisations are still leaning towards fixed technology solutions at a ratio of over 2:1. This is despite the fact that mobile technology can create a more engaged workforce by offering employees the freedom they need to be more creative and productive, as well as have a better work experience. In this case, it should come as no surprise that people do not work in flexible office spaces or in environments that encourage creativity or collaboration. 

In order to promote creativity, companies need to foster the right environment where employees are given the space to think and process information and where they can alleviate stress. They should also equip their teams with modern and intuitive devices, as well as the right training that can boost people’s confidence when using these. What’s more, employees should feel encouraged to step away from their desks, and with mobile solutions this can be accomplished easier than ever before.

It's clear that the status quo needs to change. Only by offering their employees the right training and mobile technology at their fingertips will companies be able to foster a creative, satisfied and engaged workforce that is ready to tackle all the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and help the business compete on a global scale.

 
Ryan Asdourian is Windows and Surface Lead at Microsoft UK. For more creativity tips, see Microsoft’s Creativity in Business eBook here. 

• The best Surface Pro deals and bundles in May 2018

source http://www.techradar.com/news/how-can-mobile-technology-unleash-your-creativity

Uber looking to bring Waymo driverless cars to its taxi service

Don't much enjoy the small talk with your Uber driver? You might not have to put up with it much longer – the taxi hailing service has said that it is in talks to bring Waymo's driverless cars to its fleet.

Speaking at reCode's Code Conference the recently-appointed Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi admitted the company was in "discussions" with Waymo to bring self-driving cars to its service.

“I’d welcome Waymo to put cars in our network,” he said, despite the two companies having previously been embroiled in a complex legal battle over alleged theft of trade secrets. You can see the talk in full embedded below: 

Uber's autonomous aims

Of course, Uber itself has ambitions in the autonomous automobile space, but was forced to put them on hold following a fatal accident involving one of its vehicles in March. Khosrowshahi intends to see his autonomous fleet back on roads by the summer.

“This focus on really really getting back on the road in as safe a manner as possible,” he stated.

Any deal with Waymo then would be a matter of "economics" according to Khosrowshahi, what with Uber being the largest ride-sharing service of them all. Eventually, Uber would look to license its own self driving technology to third-party services.

But the humble human driver is never going away completely, according to the CEO. 

"Ultimately, our network is going to be a machine network and a human network together," he said. So keep your best small talk lines handy.

• Uber self-driving cars: everything you need to know

source http://www.techradar.com/news/uber-looking-to-bring-waymo-driverless-cars-to-its-taxi-service

Welcome to TechRadar’s World Cup season: tech and the beautiful game

The World Cup in motion: the infrastructure behind the greatest show on earth

Aussie shoppers to be blocked from Amazon US thanks to new GST rules

Last year, it was announced that Aussies would have to pay GST on all overseas purchases from July 1, 2018, leaving the country's online shopping future uncertain in the process. 

Just how the world's overseas online retail giants would react to Australia's new (and controversial) GST rules had since been confined to the realm of speculation... until now. US giant Amazon, which operates the world's largest online retail site, says it will no longer ship to Australian addresses starting from the aforementioned July 1, 2018 cut-off date.

After that date, Aussie customers who attempt to visit the US version of Amazon or any of Amazon's overseas sites will find themselves redirected to Amazon's Australian site, which offers a much smaller selection of items. Whether that decision to redirect users will also be applied to other Amazon-owned stores, such as Book Depository, is currently unknown.

According to the The Sydney Morning Herald, Amazon's US site provides access to roughly 500 million items, as opposed to the Aussie version, which features around 60 million products. 

"While we regret any inconvenience this may cause customers, we have had to assess the workability of the legislation as a global business with multiple international sites," said an Amazon spokesperson. 

What this means for you

Unfortunately, consumers who've spent the last couple of decades relying on the US version of Amazon to purchase products not readily-available in Australia may now have to start shopping elsewhere, likely at additional expense. 

Thankfully, international third-party sellers' storefronts will still be accessible from the Australian Amazon site, although shipping costs on those items will be at the discretion of individual sellers, rather than Amazon itself. 

Amazon has also announced a new 'global store' section of its site, which is said to give Australian customers access to 4 million additional products that were previously only available in the US. 

"We have taken this step to provide our customers with continued access to international selection and allow us to remain compliant with the law which requires us to collect and remit GST on products sold on Amazon sites that are shipped from overseas," said Amazon. 

eBay made a similar threat last April, stating that it may block Australians from international purchases in response to the GST changes. At present, the online marketplace has yet to comment on Amazon's decision, though you can read its current tax and import charges policy here. 

We'll have more on this story as it unfolds. 

• The best Amazon deals and sales in Australia

source http://www.techradar.com/news/aussie-shoppers-to-be-blocked-from-amazon-us-thanks-to-new-gst-rules

Skydio R1 self-flying drone will now follow and film your car

Filming a moving car used to be the stuff of big budget Hollywood movies, but now all you need is a drone. 

The Skydio R1, launched in February and billed as the first self-flying camera that automatically follows and films its subjects, is adding a Car Follow feature as part of its first big software update. 

The new feature's name tells you what you need to know; the Skydio R1 will tag along behind a car or other vehicle, capturing the action in 4K at 30 frames per second (fps), or at 1080p at 60fps or 30fps. 

The Skydio R1 is equipped with 13 cameras, which it needs not only to capture footage, but also to understand and navigate its way in the world. Its self-flying and autonomous filming powers stem from the Skydio Autonomy Engine, backed by a Nvidia Jetson chipset.

Skydio R1 can hit speeds of 25 miles per hour (40kph), which may be speedy for a drone, but serves as a reminder that you shouldn't expect your car to rev to top speed and have the R1 keep up.

Also included in today's update are three new cinematic modes, an improved Lead Mode, an updated landing experience (you'll actually know where the R1 is going to land now), and an improved UI.

While its specs and features are impressive, the Skydio R1 only lasts an average of 16 minutes before needing a recharge, five minutes less than the DJI Mavic Air. 

And though the Skydio R1 costs less than a Hollywood film budget, it still comes with the hefty price of $2,499 (about £1,810 / AU$3,180). The DJI Mavic Pro, by comparison, costs $999 (£1,099 / AU$1,599).

• Drones, drones, drones: the best drones 2018

source http://www.techradar.com/news/skydio-r1-self-flying-drone-will-now-follow-and-film-your-car

Acer’s BYOC progress proves the company is serious about the cloud

Acer’s commitment to cloud services was a bold announcement for the company four years ago, and since then it’s been steadily working on offering robust cloud solutions for the B2B market.

It hasn’t been an easy journey, but the company is determined to offer the easiest and most reliable solutions to its various markets. At the helm is Maverick Shih, President, Smart BYOC Products, who is ensuring that Acer becomes a go-to solutions provider for cloud services. From enterprises to government needs, Shih predicts a huge need for responsive cloud solutions, and that’s exactly where he wants Acer to step in.

We sat down with Shih to find out how the BYOC business is shaping up, and how Acer is improving everything from taxi services to staying in touch with parents.

Acer started with cloud services a few years ago, and put you in charge of things at the company. How has the cloud arm of Acer been shaping up so far and what is your focus for this year?

We’ve been working hard on being a separate focus within the company. We’ve had great successes so far, as an example with grandPad in the US, for seniors staying in touch with their families. It’s being going really strong and people really love the device, so much so that we’re chasing parts for manufacturing on time. 

There are things we’re working on now to connect existing devices that have been around for a while, but through our IoT platform. Once they’re connected, all the data that’s coming in can later be used to drive AI platforms. 

We’ve been working in the computing industry for a very long time now, and even branching out to new technologies like AI within computing. The cloud and IoT are things we will continue to focus on at Acer, so I’m excited for the future.

Will the cloud services strike a chord for both consumer and enterprise markets or are you leaning more towards one than the other?

We are very B2B with providing IoT cloud services to other third parties. One of our values with BYOC is that the customer always owns their data. They have complete control over their data, even if they hire us to manage it for them. We can help customers with storage as well, so in our BYOC stack of services there is a security element to ensure that everything is stored securely and safely. 

As an example, in Taiwan we provide cybersecurity services to banking and government sectors. We’re also helping to connect utilities across the nation, so for us cybersecurity is very important and a top priority for us. Antivirus is not cybersecurity, and that’s what people are realizing now. 

Banking is a very exposed area because of all the transactions involved, while government security is also very important against cyberattacks. These are the two largest areas at the moment, but there will be more to come as IoT gets more and more connected.

Internet of Things is such a huge buzzword, but you’re taking it a step further with the Internet of Beings – care to elaborate?

‘Being’ comes from human beings, and we think it’s important that all these services are centered around humans, which is why we call it Internet of Beings. Rather than it just being another small sensor on a device, we want it to become so much more.

You also want to provide smart-city solutions such as transportation and healthcare – can you elaborate?

One of the biggest taxi dispatch systems in Taiwan was having a problem where customers were calling to book a taxi, but it was taking more than six minutes to get a taxi to their location. By that time the customer would probably just flag down a taxi from the street, even if they have a taxi reserved. 

So we took historical data from taxis that were ordered and used our AI technology to predict certain areas and times where more taxis are needed. In this way when a customer calls, a taxi is able to arrive in half the time. For the drivers it also means that they’re getting more business, which is also very encouraging. 

This is just one example of what we’ve been doing.  It’s a navigation process for us – we discover things in phases and try things to see what works the best. There are for sure things that are coming, but it just needs time to warm up to the market.

Are you going to leverage your knowledge and experience as a hardware provider in order to more easily introduce your cloud offerings to the market?

For sure – when it comes to the future, AI, IoT, and cloud services all need a strong base. You can’t just rely on a two-year old startup to manage your important data and cloud services, so for us that underlying trust is there with our brand.

Where do you see BYOC making the most impact?

Firstly will be helping companies to make a digital transformation with both our PCs and cloud platform. The ecosystem is missing a few components, but we’re working with some key partners to make these happen. There’s a strong need for data scientists to help with this, but the people just aren’t there in the market. 

Only companies who process a large volume of data such as Google and afford to do things in-house. Other companies can’t handle this sort of task, so we’re working with specialist institutes to train people to have these skills. We’re offering our services to them so they can learn data processing, AI, and other necessary skills.  

source http://www.techradar.com/news/acers-byoc-progress-proves-the-company-is-serious-about-the-cloud

World Cup 2018 tickets scam hitting fans worldwide

With just weeks until the start of World Cup 2018, fans across the world are busy getting excited to support their heroes.

However ticket-hungry supporters still hoping to travel to Russia have been warned to beware a number of online scams targeting those desperate to see some action.

Researchers at Kaspersky Lab have spotted an email phishing scheme themed around the World Cup that supposedly offer fans the chance to snap up tickets, but in reality will just leave them out of pocket.

Ticket scam

Anyone looking to purchase official World Cup tickets needs to complete several authentication steps, including buying through the official FIFA website, and the ability to only buy a ticket at a time - or selecting the "guest tickets" option, which allows up to three extra tickets to be bought.

Kaspersky Lab found that scammers have now leapt on this latter detail to offer guest tickets at incredibly inflated prices. However when a customer attempts to buy such a ticket, their payment information is stolen and used for criminal purposes - with no tickets ever delivered.

Even for those victims who receive supposedly legitimate tickets may not be getting what they wanted, as there is no guarantee what they get will work at the stadium.

“With an event such as the World Cup, there is a high risk that football fans will pay extortionate prices - only to end up with fake tickets. Once a hacker has your payment details, it can lead to them stealing your money. We urge people to be cautious and vigilant when they buy tickets. The first step is using authorised sellers to avoid getting duped,” David Mole, head of sales UKI at Kaspersky Lab, warned.

• Stay safe online with the best antivirus software 2018

source http://www.techradar.com/news/world-cup-2018-tickets-scam-hitting-fans-worldwide

Clumsy drone pilots can now get insured on-the-fly

A new smartphone app from Flock is offering a ‘pay-as-you-fly’ insurance service for drone pilots in the UK.

The London-based startup has managed to drum up £2.5 million in seed funding from a mix of venture capital funds and private investors, who are no doubt hoping to capitalise on the growing popularity of the airborne gadgets.

The service comes at a time when consumer interest in drones is skyrocketing, and accountancy firm PwC released a report predicting that growth in the manufacture and sale of drones would boost the UK economy by £42 billion in the next decade.

Come rain or shine

Based on the postgraduate research of its two co-founders, Flock uses real-time data tracking to gauge potential risk to the drone in-flight. 

It does this by analysing a variety of environmental and meteorological factors in the area - such as weather conditions, wind speed, population density, proximity of buildings and schools - as well as the specifications of your drone and your previous piloting experience.

• Why your next drone might need a license plate

The company’s ‘Flock Cover’ offering will allow both commercial and recreational pilots to insure their drones on a ‘pay-as-you-fly’ basis, from anywhere between one and eight hours. This means you’ll only need insurance for when you’re in the air, rather than taking on a hefty subscription fee to get covered at all hours.

For those uncertain about investing in a new per-flight insurance venture, all of Flock’s policies are underwritten by Allianz, a leading aviation and aerospace insurer. So your hypothetical payout should be more reliable than your flying skills.

You can download the Flock app for iOS, or from the Google Play store. Insurance policies can start at £3 per flight.

• The best drones in 2018: DJI, Parrot and more

source http://www.techradar.com/news/clumsy-drone-pilots-can-now-get-insured-on-the-fly

Airtel introduces Rs 449 plan with 2GB data per day for 70 days

Indian telecom operator Airtel has introduced a new Rs 449 plan aimed at users who require a lot of data every day. The plan offers 2GB 4G data per day with a validity of 70 days, and it has been introduced to compete with Reliance Jio’s Rs 448 plan.

Reliance Jio, India’s youngest telecom operator is currently offering 2GB data per day under its Rs 448 plan. Under this plan, users will get 2GB 4G data per day, unlimited local and STD voice calls, 100 SMS per day and complimentary access to Jio’s suite of apps for 84 days.

Airtel Rs 449 plan details

The newly launched plan is currently not available in all the circles, but it is expected to roll out across the country in the coming days. You can check if this plan is available for you from here.

Under Airtel’s Rs 449 plan, customers will get 2GB data per day, unlimited local and STD voice calls and 100 SMS per day for 70 days. Reliance Jio’s plan offers similar benefits but comes with a validity of 84 days instead of 70.

Interestingly, Airtel also has a Rs 448 plan under which it is offering 1.4GB 4G data per day, unlimited local and STD voice calling and 100 SMS per day with a validity of 82 days. Under its Rs 499 plan, Airtel is offering 2GB data per day, unlimited local and STD voice calls and 100 SMS per day for 82 days.

If we compare Airtel’s plans with Reliance Jio’s plans,  the latter offers more benefit. The Rs 448 plan from Jio comes with an additional 14 days of warranty as compared to Airtel’s Rs 449 plan.

• Xiaomi Mi Band 3 confirmed to launch along with Mi 8 and MIUI 10

source http://www.techradar.com/news/airtel-introduces-rs-449-plan-with-2gb-data-per-day-for-70-days

eBay Australia’s new Plus membership includes free country-wide shipping

Online shopping might save you time and energy, but it can cost you plenty when it comes to shipping. If you happen to make most of your purchases on eBay, then, the site's new membership offering could save you some considerable dosh.

Called eBay Plus and officially starting in mid-June, the optional service provides Aussies subscribers with free shipping and returns on over 15 million eligible products – from retailers like Myer, Target and Chemist Warehouse – in exchange for an annual fee of $49. To celebrate the Australian launch, eBay is sweetening the deal by offering the first year’s membership for just $29 following a 30-day free trial.

eBay Plus members will also earn double Flybuys points on purchases and will be provided with access to a selection of exclusive deals and special offers.

Pocket the savings

According to statistics provided by eBay, of Australia’s 13.6 million online shoppers, more than a third spend at least $70 a year on delivery and returns, with around 8% spending more than $200 on shipping annually. 

And with Amazon’s very successful Prime service yet to launch Down Under, eBay Plus could save Aussies – especially those living in remote and regional parts of the country who are more dependent on internet shopping – plenty of cash each year.

While eBay may be one of the world's largest online marketplaces, eBay Plus is currently only available in Germany, making Australia the second market to make use of the program.

• The best Australian tech deals: find the cheapest prices on some of the best gadgets

source http://www.techradar.com/news/ebay-australias-new-plus-membership-includes-free-country-wide-shipping

Best business smartphone of 2018: top mobiles for work

If you're looking for the very best smartphones for business use, then you've come to the right place. For many of us, having the best business smartphone for our needs is essential, as we're becoming ever more reliant on these mobile phones to work on. 

With both Samsung and OnePlus offering new smartphones recently that are ideal for business use, we've updated this guide to give you the very latest buying advice to help you choose the best smartphones for business use.

Not so long ago there was only one smartphone firm on the lips of any business IT team when it came to company smartphones: BlackBerry, the Canadian company formerly known as Research in Motion (RIM).

A lot has changed since then and BlackBerry's fortunes have taken a turn for the worse, leaving the door open for rivals to court the enterprise business, and forcing the phone maker to embrace (or some might say begrudgingly adopt) Android at the core of its new flagship handsets.

The rest of the pack is hot on its heels, if not already overtaking, with Apple, Samsung, OnePlus and others all vying for a piece of the lucrative business smartphone pie.

Read on to see our list, in no particular order, of the best business smartphones in 2018.

You'll be in good hands if you opt to give your employees the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus, currently TechRadar's top choice for the best smartphone in the world. It improves on almost every aspect of the phones that have come before it, with supremely powerful components, a dazzling 6.2-inch QHD Super AMOLED display and a top notch camera - but it's not all fun.

The Galaxy S9 Plus also comes with Samsung's Knox security, which the firm says is just as secure - if not more - as BlackBerry's DTEK50 and Priv devices. You'll need deep pockets, but you won't regret it.

Read the full review:  Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

The OnePlus 6 is our newest phone on this list, and like its predecessor, it is an affordable flagship handset, and offers one of the best Android phone experiences on the market, especially when using it for work. You have the choice of either 6GB or 8GB of RAM depending on your needs - for most people 6GB will be more than enough. The battery life could be better, so make sure you have easy access to a charger if your work depends on you always being connected, and there's still no microSD support on the OnePlus 6, much like previous OnePlus phones, but you do have the choice of either 64GB or 128GB of internal storage.

The true highlight of the OnePlus 6 is the price, though, and this may will be one of the best devices for you on this list if you're looking to spend as little as possible on a top-of-the-range phone for your business needs.

Read the full review: OnePlus 6

Samsung has produced another excellent productivity-focused device with the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, making it one of the best smartphones for business. Thanks to the large Infinity Display you get loads of screen space to work on, without the body being too bulky to carry around, and the S Pen stylus is something not a lot of other phones can offer and the all-round speed is almost breathtaking at times. The new dual camera is really what separates it from the Galaxy S8 duo (if you're not bothered by the stylus features) and while it's expensive, it's certainly worth looking at if you want a brilliant business smartphone.

Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 

Apple's iPhones are always popular options with great build quality, a simple user interface and a wealth of quality business apps at your fingertips.

The iPhone 8 is one of the latest offerings from Apple, and it's faster, smarter and boasts a water resistant body for the first time. While Apple has also released the more premium iPhone X, its high price tag makes that a difficult smartphone to recommend for businesses. That's not to say the iPhone 8 is cheap - it's not - but if you're kitting out your team with these phones, you're going to get more for your money.

If your firm is currently rocking iPhone 7 and 7 Plus handsets there's no need to upgrade, but for those using older devices - especially the 5 variants and below the iPhone 8 offers a far superior experience.

Read the full review: iPhone 8

When the Priv launched, it took a lot of analysts by surprised because of radical step involving the OS. BlackBerry had finally decided to embrace Android and re-introduce the keyboard (albeit a slide out one) on a flagship handset.

It is, as TechRadar's John McCann candidly puts it, the mullet of the smartphone world. "It's still business in the front, but now there's a party in the back too. It will divide opinion, but this is the best BlackBerry in years," he added.

The device will appeal to those who wants the security halo associated with BlackBerry with the ubiquity of Google's Android. Overall, it remains a stunning piece of kit, and probably one bound to become a classic.

Read the full review: BlackBerry Priv

There are still BlackBerry fans out there and the Canadian company unveiled the Classic to please them all. An old-school QWERTY keyboard, a familiar operating system and user interface, a design that doesn't age and the enterprise-grade security are all on the feature list of this smartphone.

Sure, Android might well have the upper hand when it comes to market share and the sheer number of applications but BlackBerry provides with yet another attractive alternative when it comes to business smartphones.

It runs BlackBerry OS 10 with a square 720x720 pixel touchscreen display, a touchpad and up to 22-hour battery power.

Read the full review: BlackBerry Classic

This smartphone – and its 950 XL sibling – represent the best-of-breed devices when it comes to Windows 10 Mobile, Microsoft's latest mobile operating system, one which promises, for the first time ever, a seamless user experience, across applications and across displays.

You get 3GB of RAM, 32GB on-board storage, a 2K display, a 20-megapixel rear camera and a free one-year subscription to Office 365 Personal. Connect this handset to the Microsoft HD-500, an £80 Display Dock, and it transforms into a powerful desktop PC as well, great in an enterprise configuration.

Read the full review: Microsoft Lumia 950

The BlackBerry DTEK50 is a surprisingly promising smartphone with a more than reasonable price tag and a spec sheet to be proud of.

It's not going to wow you with design, flagship features or super slick performance, but what you do get is a phone which fully encrypts all your data, makes it easy for you to monitor your privacy and ensures everything is secure.

It's an ideal fleet handset to dish out in numbers without breaking the bank.

Read the full review: BlackBerry DTEK50

source http://www.techradar.com/news/best-business-smartphone

A helicopter for Mars and four other audacious concepts for space exploration

HAL to the chief: Chris Nolan’s 2001: A Space Odyssey restoration is a stunning achievement

Boiling it down to its basic principle: remastering a movie is making the old new again. But is that what cineastes really want when they watch their beloved classics? 

Some do. With the constant proliferation of pixels in our televisions, features that make blacks really black and, by contrast, bright colors ping on the screen, a grainy washed-out version of a classic just doesn’t cut it in a world awash with 60-inch screens. But it can go too far. 

It’s all well and good when a piece of film is preserved. Film by its nature is fragile, something that needs to be nurtured. It’s easy to understand why some filmmakers want to protect, and project, it for future generations. There’s a romance about capturing light on film and coaxing it to life with chemicals in a darkroom that no amount of pixels will ever match. It’s a process as precise as brush on paper. 

Therein lies the tricky balance of movie, not film, preservation. To preserve a movie for generations to come, it’s clear that those reels of film need to be digitised, scanned and then frame by frame a restorer will get to work. 

This will mean that the pops and hairline tears are zapped, colors are brightened, everything is enhanced. The audio will go through some sort of new arrangement to fit into surround sound. After painstaking work by dedicated professionals, your favorite old movie is new again. 

But what if you don’t want that sort of restoration? What if you just want it back to how it was, if you were lucky and old enough, to watch it on the big screen all those years ago?

Remaster and commander

This is what Christopher Nolan has tackled and achieved with his Unrestored version of 2001: A Space Odyssey, heading to cinemas for the movie's 50-year anniversary. 

Unrestored is such a telling name for it. Nolan didn’t want 2001 to new look new, but how it would have been seen in cinemas back in 1968. 

Working on a ‘interpositive’, protected version of the 70mm film - this meant the original print wouldn’t be touched in any way - he and Ned Price, the vice president of restoration at Warner Bros, went through the 20 reels of film and got to work ‘unrestoring’, cleaning the print with as much care as they could offer. 

Nolan made sure that what he did didn’t veer into interpretation. “There’s a trend and a danger of sitting there going, ‘What would the filmmaker have done if he had 5.1 sound? Or Dolby Atmos? Or laser projection?’ That’s not a road I felt in any way comfortable going down,” he told Variety.  

70mm film is something Nolan does feel comfortable with, however, having shot the towering Dunkirk on the format. And what a format it is. Nolan's movie had the widest release for a 70mm movie for some 25 years. It came at a time when Quentin Tarantino was also using the format to shoot The Hateful Eight and, a few years before, director Paul Thomas Anderson used it for The Master. In some ways, Nolan married the old with the modern - using IMAX cameras - but the result is old-school filmmaking at its finest. 

2001: A Space Odyssey back on the big screen is testament to the lasting legacy of film. Yes, the print has the odd scratch but at 50 years old, these are lines on a weathered face, slight imperfections that should be cherished. The audio is almost overbearing at times, without a sniff of a Dolby Atmos revision. It's taken from a near-original 35mm six-channel soundtrack and is all the better for it. Kubrick wanted the sound to be extreme and in this original mix you can hear, well, the fear.

Watching it in the PictureHouse Central in London, complete with introductory music cue to a curtained-shut screen and 15-minute intermission, was a fascinating experience. The picture, for me, didn't unearth any new secrets - it's still a movie that's as beguiling as it will always be, but it did make me respect the medium. 

2001: A Space Odyssey is a jaw-dropping piece of cinema that has lost none of its awe 50 years down the line. What Nolan has managed to do is showcase this uncompromizing film in its most uncompromized form.

This isn't about nostalgia but the preservation of what may soon be the lost art of film watching - seeing a big print on the big screen. Long may it continue. 

• Secrets of cinema: ultimate tips for the best movie experience

source http://www.techradar.com/news/hal-to-the-chief-chris-nolans-2001-a-space-odyssey-restoration-is-a-stunning-achievement

London buskers are the first to accept contactless card payments

Thanks to an initiative from the Mayor of London, with some help from tech firm iZettle, you can now go contactless when rewarding buskers on the streets of the English capital: just tap a card, a wearable, or a similar NFC-enabled device to leave a tip.

All the street performers have to do is plug a special card reader device into their smartphone, set the default donation amount (which should be displayed on a sign somewhere close by), and wait for people willing to tap to pay. Presumably you'll still be able to toss a few coins into an open guitar case as well, if you prefer.

"Busking helps emerging artists to hone their talent and gives them the chance to perform in front of huge numbers of people," the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan explained to Sky News. "Now, more Londoners will be able to show their support to the capital's brilliant, talented street performers."

Modern life is easier

The new modern form of tipping has already been trialled for several weeks and will shortly be rolling out to all the London boroughs in the coming weeks. According to full-time busker Charlotte Campbell, who has been part of the trial run, it helps bring in more donations.

"It's already had a significant impact on the contributions I've received," she told Sky News, based on two weeks of using the system. "More people than ever tap-to-donate whilst I sing, and often, when one person does, another follows."

Swedish firm iZettle specializes in making it easier for small businesses and independent traders to accept card payments, and the outfit was recently picked up by PayPal for $2.2 billion (about £1.65 billion or AU$2.9 billion) – a move which might see PayPal establish more of a presence in the high street.

• TfL journeys are now dominated by contactless payments

source http://www.techradar.com/news/london-buskers-are-the-first-to-accept-contactless-card-payments

Xiaomi Mi Band 3 confirmed to launch along with Mi 8 and MIUI 10

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has confirmed that it will be launching a new fitness band, dubbed the Mi Band 3 at the company’s eighth anniversary event where it is also scheduled to announce the launch of MIUI 10 and the company’s flagship Mi 8 smartphone.

Apart from these three things, Xiaomi is also expected to launch the mid-range Mi Note 5 device, skipping the Mi Note 4 as 4 is considered unlucky in China. OnePlus, another Chinese smartphone maker had launched the OnePlus 5 after the OnePlus 3, skipping the OnePlus 4 for the same reason.

The Mi Band 3 will succeed the Mi Band 2 that was launched in 2016. In India, the company had launched the Mi Band HRX Edition in partnership with HRX after discontinuing the Mi Band 2. However, the company recently brought back the Mi Band 2 in India with a price cut.

Xiaomi has posted a teaser on Chinese social networking site Weibo, confirming the launch of the Mi Band 3 at the company’s annual event. Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun and Senior Vice President Wang Xiang have also confirmed the launch of the Mi Band 3. Wang Xiang in a post on Twitter shared the teaser from Weibo and confirmed that the company will launch the Mi Band 3 along with the Mi 8 and MIUI 10 on May 31.

The Mi Band 3 is expected to feature a 2.5D curved display and Xiaomi will ditch the physical button present on the Mi Band 2. Apart from the above mentioned devices, Xiaomi is also expected to launch other accessories at the event and we may get more leaks for in the next 3 days.

• Xiaomi Mi Band 3 release date, price, news and leaks

source http://www.techradar.com/news/xiaomi-mi-band-3-confirmed-to-launch-along-with-mi-8-and-miui-10

I chucked a drone in a river – and watched my new friend swim away

Best gadgets 2018: the top tech you can buy right now

Choice paralysis is something that you may or may not have heard of, but you'll definitely have been affected by. It's the thing that happens when you're given so many options that you end up not being able to make a decision at all. 

You want an ice cream? Yes. Do you want vanilla? Chocolate? Pistachio, hazelnut, strawberry, peach sorbet, rum raisin, mint choc chip, chunky monkey? Suddenly, the idea of an ice cream doesn't seem so appealing.

Well, the tech world is rife with choice paralysis. For every phone, TV, or tablet there's a mind-boggling amount of options, which can make the process of buying a new piece of tech far less enjoyable than it should be.

To help you overcome this problem we've collated a list of the best gadgets available right now. The industry leaders. The creme de la creme.

For each category there is only one entry and this will only be updated when a new challenger knocks the reigning champ off the top spot. 

What that means is that sometimes the list doesn't change for a long time. So quite a few of the items you'll see below have been there for months, and have even endured major releases in their field. 

If you're the sort of person who just wants to know what the best is and you don't care about the rest, welcome to your new shopping list...

Best phone

TechRadar Senior Editor, Mobile and Buying Guides Matt Swider thinks the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus is the best phone on the market for a number of reasons, but the write-home-to-mother feature has to be the low-light camera.

Samsung is making a big deal about the camera on the S9 range and for good reason, on the back of the S9 Plus are dual 12MP cameras, both with an impressive f/1.5 maximum aperture. At the time of writing the S9 range is the only phone with a camera aperture this wide, making its low-light prowess second-to-none.

Add on top of that the 'infinity' screen that the Samsung Galaxy range is now famous for, and this big-screened beauty comfortably takes the top spot. We thought the AR Emoji feature was overrated, but if you're in the market for the best screen and best camera on a phone, this is the handset for you.

Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

• Want to see the best of the rest? 
• In the US, check out Best phone in the US for 2018: the 10 top smartphones we've tested
• In the UK, check out Best phone 2018: the 10 top smartphones we've tested
• In Australia, check out Best phones in Australia 2018: the 10 top smartphones we've tested

Best laptop

The Huawei MateBook X Pro is our new pick for the best laptop money can buy in 2018, after years of this list being dominated by the (still excellent) Dell XPS 13, which is now in second place. While Huawei hasn't been making laptops for as long as more established manufacturers in this list, it has absolutely knocked it out the park with the MateBook X Pro. 

This is a gorgeously-designed laptop with a stunning screen (albeit with a rather odd aspect ratio), and it comes packed with cutting edge components that allows it to perform brilliantly, and a battery life that runs rings around many of its rivals. It also has a very competitive price, giving you features, design and performance for quite a bit less money.

Read the full review: Huawei MateBook X Pro

• Want to see the best of the rest? These are the best laptops of 2018

Best TV

After an underwhelming debut, Samsung’s QLED technology really needed to bounce back in style in 2018. It didn't surprise us in the least, then, to discover Samsung threw the kitchen sink in with its new Q9FN QLED Series of TVs. 

As well as being even brighter and more colorful than last year’s equivalent model, Samsung's 2018 flagship screens use a completely different lighting system to combat its predecessor’s contrast problems: Full Array Local Dimming rather than edge-lit LED lighting. The FALD panel works in tandem with Samsung QLED Quantum Dots to produce a picture that's brighter and more colorful than near any we've seen come from the South Korean manufacturer. 

Do those features alone make Samsung Q9FN the best TV on the market? No, but throw in technology like HDR10+ and Q HDR EliteMax – what Samsung bills as its maximum High Dynamic Range experience that’s exclusive to the Q9FN – and there's very little doubt in our mind that this is Samsung's best TV ever. 

Read the full review: Samsung Q9FN QLED TV (65Q9FN)

• Want to see the best of the rest?  
• In the US, check out this version of the Best TVs in the US for 2018
• In the UK and Australia, check out this version of the Best TVs 2018

Best games console

The battle between Sony's PlayStation consoles and Microsoft's Xbox series is hard-fought, but right now we think the PS4 Pro has the edge over the Xbox One S, thanks to a combination of good hardware, great games, and a generous online offering. 

An improvement on the already very strong PS4, the PS4 Pro supports 4K and HDR technologies; plus with advances in frame rate due to beefed-up processing speeds, gaming will look cleaner, crisper and smoother.

The only thing stopping the PS4 Pro from being the ultimate console is the omission of an Ultra HD Blu-ray drive. Instead you'll have to rely on streaming to get your 4K media fix. 

Read the full review: PS4 Pro 

• Want to see exactly how it stacks up against the Xbox One S? Xbox One S vs PS4 Pro: Which is better?

Best fitness tracker

The Moov Now doesn't have all the bells and whistles you would associate with a fitness tracker. It doesn't have GPS tracking, it doesn't even have a screen; but what it does have is a cheap price tag and six-month battery life. Yes, you read that right: six months.

During those six months you can track your steps, your sleep, your fitness, your running technique and a whole lot more. This may be an unconventional fitness tracker, but it's a great one. 

Read the full review: Moov Now

• Want to see the best of the rest? Best fitness tracker 2018: the top 10 activity bands on the planet

Best camera

According to TechRadar's Photography Editor Phil Hall, the "fabulous D850 DSLR pretty much ticks every box".

It has a brillaint 45.4MP full-frame sensor, stunning image quality, and that's where the story starts. 

It has a sophisticated 153-point AF system and 9fps bust shooting speed. The D850 is just as home shooting wildlife, landscape, and portraits. He thinks it could perhaps be the most well-rounded camera he's ever seen.

Read the full review: Nikon D850

• Want to see the best of the rest? Here are the 10 best digital cameras in 2018

Best tablet

According to our Phones, Wearables and Tablets Writer James Peckham, the best tablet on the market right now is the new iPad (2017), with its sharp 9.7-inch display, beautiful design, and A9 chip – and all for a price that isn’t going to break the bank.

While the new iPad (2017) isn’t doing anything revolutionary, it's a solid update on an already five-star device, and at a much more palatable price.

The new iPad starts off at 32GB of storage rather than Apple’s usual 16GB, and considering it’s cheaper than the entry-level iPad Air 2, that’s seriously good value for money.

Read the full review: New iPad (2017)

• Want to see the best of the rest? Check out the best tablets you can buy in 2018

Best smartwatch

Apple has managed to knock itself off the top spot for best smartwatch with the excellent Apple Watch 3. It will look very familiar to anyone who has the Apple Watch 2, as it's basically the same frame with different innards, but those innards make all the difference. 

One of the major changes is the addition of LTE connectivity, which is a great addition. For those that have been hankering for it, the feature has finally arrived, and for those that couldn't care less, you can pick up a non-LTE version for a cheaper price that still includes upgrades on the Watch 2 like longer battery life and faster speed when flicking through. 

The Apple Watch Series 3 is waterproof, has GPS capabilities, and looks good on the wrist. The real question is whether another company is going to be able to take the top spot off Apple, or if this space is going to stay the same until the Apple Watch 4 comes out. 

Read the full review: Apple Watch 3

• Want to see the best of the rest? Best smartwatch: the top smartwatches you can buy in 2018

Best VR headset

The HTC Vive is the best VR headset in the world right now. The controls are intuitive to use, the resolution is incredible, with a 1080p screen per eye, and the base stations mean you can play in a space that's 13 x 13 feet in size – that's some serious playing space to swing yourself around in. 

Like most of the entries on our list this is a premium product at a high price, but if you're looking for the best first-generation VR headset around, then the HTC Vive is the one to go for. 

Read the full review: HTC Vive

• Want to see the best of the rest? The best VR headset 2018: which headset offers the best bang for your buck?

Best headphones

Choosing a 'best pair of headphones' is a tricky proposition, because everyone needs something slightly different from their listening devices. 

If you need a lightweight pair for the gym then you're probably better off with a pair of wireless earbuds; or, if you do most of your listening at home and want the best-possible sound quality, then a pair of wired over-ears might be better. 

But if we had to pick the best headphones overall then we'd go for the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless. They're wireless, which makes them more convenient for portable use, and they're noise-cancelling for those who want to use them on a noisy commute. 

And, most importantly, they do all this without compromising on sound quality, which still lives up to the high standards that Sennheiser normally achieves. Oh, and they look pretty good as well. 

There are absolutely better-sounding, better-looking and better noise-cancelling headphones out there, but none of them do everything better than the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless, which makes them the best overall pair of headphones around right now. 

That said, if you do want to get the absolute best, purest, sound quality, we recommend the fantastic Oppo PM-3's. 

Read the full review: Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 

• Want to see the best of the rest? Best headphones 2018: the best headphones for any budget

source http://www.techradar.com/news/best-gadgets

The best business tablets 2018: top picks for productivity tablets

Welcome to our list of the best business tablets of 2018. These mobile wonders are powerful, yet portable, and they can help you keep productive while out on the road, without having to lug around a big laptop.

Android and Apple tablets have a host of apps that allow you to work on them, and of course, with Windows 10-powered business tablets, you can run any app or program you'd usually run on a traditional laptop or desktop PC.

Add a Bluetooth keyboard, and you'll be able to work comfortably on these best business tablets for hours on end.

For the sake of clarity, we will only look at pure tablets, and detachables when it comes to convertibles. 2-in-1 hybrid models are closer to traditional laptops as their keyboard can't be totally detached.

• Also have a read of our guide on how to choose a tablet for work

While Microsoft didn't call this year's tablet the Surface Pro 5, in many ways it's a sequel to the Surface Pro 4 (which also features on our list of the best business tablets), with a 32% increase in battery life - according to our benchmarks - as well as a refined design that remains thin and light, while also providing plenty of power. The new and improved Surface Pen and Type Cover makes this a brilliant business tablet that can be used as a laptop replacement, and it comes in a range of specifications, which makes choosing the right model for your business (and personal) needs easy.

Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Pro

Apple took the iPad into uncharted territory here. The iPad Pro's optional accessories add to the cost of the tablet, but the keyboard cover and Apple Pencil stylus make the iPad even more suited for business and creative users. The iPad Pro also debuted Apple's new split-screen multitasking. It is, quite simply, a massively powerful tablet which can certainly turbocharge your productivity away from the desk thanks to a wide array of business apps – although we’d like to see more in the way of battery life.

Read the full review: Apple iPad Pro

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet is probably one of the best designed convertible devices on the market, and one where engineers clearly had a great time building a slate that crams in so many features that it's hard to believe that the X1 is so thin and portable. It bears all the hallmarks of a signature ThinkPad device: the finish, the red colour scheme, the Trackpoint, the shape of the Accutype keys, everything down to the ThinkPad logo at the back. Aficionados will love it while others might balk at the price – this is vintage ThinkPad at its finest.

Read the full review: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet

A higher resolution screen, a thinner design and a move to Intel's more powerful Skylake processors all help to make this portable tablet a capable replacement for your laptop. Sadly, the Type Cover keyboard is still optional, but in reality it's a necessity for this laptop replacement; come on Microsoft, bundle it already. The good news with the Type Cover in this fourth iteration of the Surface Pro is that it’s much improved this time around.

Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Pro 4

Lenovo shows it is just as good at making 2-in-1 devices that are excellent business tablets with the Lenovo Miix 510, a follow up to the Miix 700 (yes, we know, confusing) with a new latest-gen Kaby Lake version of the Core i5 and a strong central pairing of 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD. It comes with a detachable keyboard and costs a lot less than Microsoft's Surface Pro line of business tablets, and for the most part it offers similar functionality. This is definitely a business tablet worth considering if your budget doesn't stretch to a Microsoft (or Apple) device.

Read the full review: Lenovo Miix 510

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 is one of the best Android tablets you can buy right now, and it proves that you don't need a tablet that runs Windows to be one of the best business tablets money can buy.

It's stuffed full of power, has an excellent display and features an iPad-Pro rivaling S-Pen stylus and optional keyboard.

The price tag could be a stumbling block, but if you're looking for the best Android has to offer in tablet form the Galaxy Tab S3 is the slate for you.

Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy Tab S3

Asus threw down the gauntlet to Microsoft with the launch of the Transformer 3 Pro. The device, which is the only tablet we know of that comes with 16GB of RAM as standard, easily surpasses the Surface Pro 4 in terms of sheer value for money although Microsoft's flagship tablet remains the better known (and probably more trusted) of the two. Other than the standard keyboard, the Transformer also has a docking station, a stylus and even a trusted platform module (TPM) for improved security within an enterprise setting.

Read the full review: Asus Transformer 3 Pro

Getac's RX10 dares to go where no other tablet can thanks to its rugged design and bright screen. If your work takes you into the field, you'll be thankful that Getac equipped this slate with a screen that's readable even under direct sunlight. This slate will sustain a fair amount of hardship including being dropped, or assaulted with dust, water and much more. Plus it's also light and very portable, despite being such a tough customer. As expected on such a device, there are also plenty of expansion options including hot-swappable batteries as well as a barcode scanner and an NFC/RFID card reader.

Read the full review: Getac RX10

Fujitsu certainly used the Surface range from Microsoft as its inspiration for the Stylistic R726, but then applied its own spin by making this convertible far more enterprise-friendly with a surprisingly (relatively) low price tag. An impressive range of accessories? Check. Extreme serviceability backed by a top notch aftersales warranty? Check. A plethora of ports and connection options? Check. Active stylus? Wouldn't you know, that's here as well. The R726 also has a first-class docking station and its detachable keyboard is a rather good one, and quality accessories certainly don't do its case any harm.

Read the full review: Fujitsu Stylistic R726

Just like the rest of the competition, HP took inspiration from Microsoft's playbook when building the Elite x2 1012, which clearly targets the business market. Like Fujitsu, HP made sure that its product was designed with enterprise users in mind. It is sturdy, undergoing a 12-point stress test, is very easy to upgrade and comes with a number of security features. There's an active pen and a keyboard, and our reviewer said that typing on the latter was "as comfortable as it is on a real notebook". Not everything about the design is perfect - such as the hinge - but overall this is a tempter with a great keyboard and screen.

Read the full review: HP Elite x2 1012 G1

Chuong Nguyen, John McCann, Matt Hanson and Henry Casey also contributed to this article

source http://www.techradar.com/news/best-business-tablets

Solo sequel? A Boba Fett Star Wars movie is in the works

It's been rumored for as long as Disney has had the rights to the Star Wars franchise, but we may be finally about to see a standalone Boba Fett film from the sci-fi galaxy far, far away.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, James Mangold, director of the fantastic X-Men spin-off movie Logan, is set to helm. It's also expected that he'll be joined by Simon Kinberg, who worked to co-write the Logan script with Mangold, in a both a writing and producing role. Simon Kinberg also wrote and created the superb Star Wars: Rebels animated series.

Logan, telling the story of an ageing Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), was a fantastic action film, earning Mangold an Oscar nod for best adapted screenplay. 

Solo in his sights?

The news comes as Lucasfilm and Disney prepare to launch Solo: A Star Wars Story this week, the first of the current wave of Star Wars films to focus in on just one character for George Lucas's universe.

Could it be that the Boba Fett film would be a sequel to Solo? In the original trilogy (to which Solo is a prequel of sorts) the bounty hunter Boba Fett was Solo's nemesis, with Fett constantly looking to hunt down the owner of the Millennium Falcon. With Solo star Alden Ehrenreich reportedly contracted for two more movies, it'd make sense to see the two characters face off at some point.

Fett, originally played by British actor Jeremy Bulloch, originally appeared in 1980's Empire Strikes Back, and quickly became a fan favorite thanks to his cool composure and array of gadgets. The less said about his revival in Episodes I through III, however, the better.

• Star Wars Battlefront 2 review: shooting a galaxy far, far away to pieces

source http://www.techradar.com/news/solo-sequel-a-boba-fett-star-wars-movie-is-in-the-works

Your next drone might need a license plate

Drone fliers in the US are already encouraged to register their craft with the FAA, after which they're assigned an ID-number for their UAV that can be tucked discreetly into the chassis. But, going forward, that may not be enough.

According to a report by Bloomberg, a new plan would see small unmanned aircraft owners become required to "display the unique identifier assigned by the FAA upon completion of the registration process on an external surface of the aircraft."

Drone plates

You'd essentially therefore have a license plate for your drone, allowing regulators to more quickly identify any miscreants flying their craft in a dangerous or illegal manner.

Drone regulation across the world has become a growing concern, due to the potential for the machines to be co-opted by terrorists, or for unskilled pilots to use them inappropriately. 

There have previously been calls from the White House to allow police officers to shoot down civilian drones causing trouble, while it's not uncommon for their use to be restricted to designated airspace following many a close call with other larger aircraft. In the UK for instance, their use near airports and within London's Royal Parks is restricted.

Visible drone plates sounds like a sensible idea then – another means to remind their users to treat them with care. But for the manufacturers of drones, it's another round of paperwork that could put off a potential new flier from making their purchase.

• Best drones: from beginners to pros and beyond

source http://www.techradar.com/news/your-next-drone-might-need-a-license-plate

Tesco Direct to close taking supermarket's online electrical gear with it

Tesco Direct, the supermarket's online destination for electrical goods, software and homeware, is set to close.

In a statement from the grocery giant, Tesco stated the the online store had "no route to profitability" and was a "small, loss-making part of the business."

Tesco Direct will close on July 9, with 500 staff managing the website and distribution center facing redundancy.

'Significant challenges'

"Tesco Direct has faced a number of significant challenges, including high costs for fulfilment and online marketing, which have prevented it from delivering a sustainable offer as a standalone non-food business," continues the press release.

The website was always a bit of a strange proposition. Though a mainstay for online shoppers during the Black Friday and Christmas rush, Tesco's online business was unusually split across two destinations: Tesco.com, which handled groceries, and Tesco.com/direct, which handled essentially everything else. 

Baskets couldn't be shared, meaning anyone shopping through Tesco Direct would have to, for instance, make two separate orders for their lemons and their PS4 games. So from a pure user journey point of view, the decision makes sense.

"We want to offer our customers the ability to buy groceries and non-food products in one place and that's why we are focusing our investment into one online platform," said Tesco UK head Charles Wilson.

"This decision has been a very difficult one to make, but it is an essential step towards establishing a more sustainable non-food offer and growing our business for the future."

Raise a glass to Tesco Direct, and wish the best to its staff in limbo. But it's safe to assume much of its business will soon become part of the core Tesco.com proposition.

• Find more tech deals here

source http://www.techradar.com/news/tesco-direct-to-close-taking-supermarkets-online-electrical-gear-with-it

Should we go to Venus instead of Mars?

Here's a closer look at the new LEGO sets you can buy later this year

Researchers develop a way for robots to learn by watching humans

Our robot future is approaching, but there's a lot that still stands in the way of a complete machine takeover.

One issue is in how humans currently communicate with robots; a lot of data and energy goes into a robot recognizing and properly executing real-world tasks, often of the simplest nature. 

But, researchers from Nvidia may have come up with a solution: have robots learn by watching humans. 

Essentially, the researchers made it so its neural networks can infer what's being done in a video-fed stream of a human performing a task (in the researchers' demonstration, stacking blocks). 

The robot then produces a step-by-step description of how it would execute the task, which a human can read to verify the robot will perform the task correctly. Then, the robot carries out the task.

You can watch a full breakdown of how the researchers pulled off their achievement below. This is a promising step forward in how robots and humans will work together, but let's just hope the robots don't get too smart. 

Via Engadget

• Driverless cars explained: everything you need to know about the futuristic tech

source http://www.techradar.com/news/researchers-develop-a-way-for-robots-to-learn-by-watching-humans

Microsoft’s Cortana could soon be more ‘human’

Microsoft’s Cortana voice assistant could soon a lot more human thanks to the acquisition of Semantic Machines, a California-based company that specialises in conversational human-machine interactions. 

Semantic sets itself apart from Alexa, Google Assistant, and other voice assistants thanks to a multi-faceted approach to the intelligence at work behind the vocal interaction. Up until recently, voice assistants have worked primarily from responding to the task at hand, and only the task at hand, lacking the context of prior conversations, which makes them feel far from intelligent. 

While Assistant and Alexa both have the ability to respond to immediate prior conversation points – for example, you can ask about a song, and then give another command of 'play it', and the song will play – these contextual responses are limited.

In an interview with TechCrunch, co-founder and chief scientist of Semantic, Dan Klein said: "Today’s dialog technology is mostly orthogonal. You want a conversational system to be contextual so when you interpret a sentence things don’t stand in isolation."

Getting to know you

This means that when you want to book a hotel (the example used in the TC interview), your voice assistant would benefit from knowing whether you’ve booked a car or are planning on using public transport, knowing where your meetings are, and what your career is, so that it can tailor a recommendation based on TripAdvisor reviews by people in a similar field.

While this level of contextual intelligence obviously leads to a far better user experience (and is far more like a conversation with a human assistant), it makes it overt how much information that company truly knows about you. 

There are already services like TripIt that collate your travel plans from harvesting your emails, so the technology is nothing new, and frankly it doesn’t change the amount of your personal data that companies actually have, it just makes it clear, and repurposes it so that it’s actually useful for you. 

The improvements in Cortana would tie into Microsoft's aims that Cortana will be a "situationally appropriate" assistant that moves with you from work to home, and everywhere in-between, acting proactively to assist you.

Of course, we’re in an interesting time for digital-human interactions, with Google’s Duplex making headlines as a robot voice that imitates a human assistant, able to make calls on your behalf. It’s raised the question of whether we actually want our voice assistants to be more human.  

• Want to know where the upgraded Cortana would end up helping you? Check out: Microsoft's first smart thermostat is called GLAS, and it's gorgeous

Via The Next Web

source http://www.techradar.com/news/microsofts-cortana-could-soon-be-more-human