China's WeChat suspends some accounts linked to NFTs

The popular messaging app said the move was in line with "relevant national regulations".

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60950246?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Twitter might soon make you pay to use TweetDeck

Newly discovered code on Twitter’s TweetDeck site points to the company possibly making TweetDeck an exclusive feature to Twitter Blue subscribers. 

TweetDeck is a (currently) free platform that lets desktop users scroll through multiple timelines of different accounts, topics, or hashtags at once. Big proponents of the feature are media workers and businesses with multiple PR accounts that search for trending topics and interact with other Twitter users.

The rumor mill was started up when Twitter user @wongmjane, an established tipster, posted that the company is filling in a new TweetDeck signup page, advertising an ad-free experience as a big selling point. 

Previously, Wong posted that code gates on the TweetDeck app may ask for a Twitter Blue subscription in the future, and redirects a user to the signup page if they aren’t subscribed. 

Twitter has been teasing “a new & improved” TweetDeck for a while now, implying that upon launch, the app will be reworked and redesigned. 

We reached out to Twitter for any comment, and a spokesperson told us that they had nothing to share at this moment.

Analysis: All signs point to exclusivity

Keep in mind that this is just a report, but the rumors are pretty strong. If they hold true and TweetDeck does become a paid feature, it’d be another expense for businesses that take advantage of it to keep up with the numerous interactions that company accounts often receive.

TweetDeck would also be another feature in Twitter Blue’s slim portfolio and could prove interesting when paired with the rumored “ad-free experience” touted on the incomplete new site.

March 31, 2022 at 07:22PM from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/sA14QOY
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Apple Business Essentials now available for small businesses

Thousands of small businesses in the Apple Business Essentials beta reported significant time savings and renewed ability to focus on their mission.

Samsung Cloud storage: Everything you need to know

Samsung Cloud Storage has ceased to exist although the product page is still up. The very last date for moving your content was November 30, 2021. After which all files in Gallery Sync and Drive storage for My files have been deleted without any chance of recovery. If you landed on this page to find out whether there's any chance of getting your files back, then I am afraid it is too late.

Own a Samsung Galaxy S20 smartphone? Then you probably already have access to Samsung’s free cloud storage solution: Samsung Cloud. As you might expect, this is a cloud-based solution that allows you to store files from your Samsung smartphone (or mobile device) remotely and much, much more.

More specifically on the servers handled by one of the lesser known Samsung divisions, Samsung SDS, which is present in more than 40 countries globally. 

Note that Samsung has confirmed that the Gallery Sync and Drive storage for My Files will no longer be supported by Samsung Cloud from June 30 2021. If customers that have a premium storage subscription plan, this will automatically be canceled on April 1, 2021.

User data will be transferred to Microsoft OneDrive from October 2020. Those who have paid for extra capacity on Samsung Cloud Storage will get extra OneDrive storage capacity for one year after which, they will have to buy extra OneDrive storage capacity.

Editors Choice

Enjoy a whopping 95% discount!
$3.48 for a whole 12 months is what you will pay for the first year with our Editor's choice, IDRIVE. It is ridiculously cheap, not to mention that 10TB should go a very long way in covering your storage needs.

What is Samsung Cloud?

As the owner of a new Samsung device, you usually get 15GB of free cloud storage in Samsung Cloud – although Verizon customers are excluded from that deal.

You can back up your phone or keep any files that you want in this storage locker. Note that data generated by preloaded Samsung apps such as contacts and calendar as well as data associated with the device itself does not count against the 15GB quota.

Samsung splits the data that can be processed into two groups, as follows…

What can be synced: Calendar, Contacts, Samsung Internet, Samsung Keyboard, S Notes, Samsung Notes, Samsung Pass, Gallery and Reminder.

What can be backed up: Calendar events, contacts on sim card and phone, call logs, clock settings, home screen layouts, apps, settings, messages, music, voice recordings and documents.

Unfortunately, neither WhatsApp messages nor photos are included in this process. There is also a 1GB file size limit; anything bigger won't be backed up.

How to save data in Samsung Cloud

To get started, go to cloud and accounts in your device settings, select Samsung Cloud and manage your data immediately. You can check your cloud usage, back up your data, restore it, and sync data across multiple devices except external storage (there’s no support for microSD cards). You will obviously need to create an account or sign in to the service.

Remember that the service is not available on older Samsung devices (older than the Galaxy S6), and that the account is not tied to the smartphone or tablet, but to your ID (or email address). You can access Samsung Cloud storage via a browser at support.samsungcloud.com but you won’t be able to add files – that can only be done via your (Android) phone or tablet.

Should I use Samsung Cloud?

If you need extra storage, Samsung charges $0.99 per month for 50GB and $2.99 per month for 200GB with no discounts given for annual subscriptions. Just remember that the option to upgrade is not available in all territories or on all carriers.

As of June 2019, the storage option was only available in 30 countries, and even then not all mobile networks rolled it out. In comparison, Google charges $1.99 per month for the 100GB tier and $7.99 for the 1TB tier on Google Drive.

Even this sounds expensive compared to our editor’s choice, the iDrive Personal which provides 5TB of storage for just over $3.50 when buying on an annual basis. 

Given that Samsung’s top of the range smartphone, the Galaxy S20 Ultra , has up to 1TB internal storage and can accommodate another 1TB storage via a microSD card, it makes sense to choose a cloud storage locker capable of backing up that amount of data safely.

Other smartphone manufacturers like Huawei/Honor (with Mobile Cloud) or Apple (with iCloud) provide similar cloud-based offerings and all suffer from the same nagging issue – the lack of flexible storage upgrades across a wide range of operators and countries.

• We’ve picked out all the best cloud storage providers of 2020

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Are tech companies removing evidence of war crimes?

Technology companies are removing graphic footage of conflict - but could they also be removing vital evidence?

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60911099?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Intel launches Arc GPUs powering up gaming laptops to take on AMD and Nvidia

Intel has revealed the first of its Arc Alchemist graphics cards, and as we already knew, these initial offerings are laptop class GPUs.

Intel’s lower-end Arc 3 mobile GPUs will be the first to launch in gaming laptops starting from right now, with a pair of these unveiled by Intel. Then, an Arc 5 (midrange) product (there’s just a single GPU in this bracket) will follow in notebooks early in the summer of 2022.

That’ll be accompanied by top-end (high-performance) Arc 7 laptop graphics cards at the same time, and presumably when Intel says early summer, we’re talking June. So, let’s break these down in more detail and look at the exact specs.

The Arc 3 GPUs which will be available in gaming laptops right off the bat are the A350M and A370M, entry-level products with 6 and 8 Xe-cores respectively. Both have 4GB of GDDR6 VRAM on board with a 64-bit memory bus, with the A350M sporting a clock speed of 1150MHz and the A370M upping that considerably to 1550MHz.

Power consumption is 25W to 35W for the A350M, and unsurprisingly the A370M uses more juice at 35W to 50W (exact power draw depends on how the laptop maker configures these GPUs).

Looking further down the launch timeline, the mid-range Arc 5 mobile graphics card is the A550M which runs with 16 Xe-cores clocked at 900MHz, doubling up the VRAM to 8GB (and widening the memory bus to 128-bit). Power will sit at between 60W and 80W for this GPU.

Finally, the high-end cards are the A730M and A770M which bristle with 24 and 32 Xe-cores respectively. The lesser A730M is clocked at 1100MHz and has 12GB of GDDR6 VRAM with a 192-bit bus, and power usage of 80W to 120W.

Intel has clocked the mobile flagship A770M at 1650MHz and this GPU has 16GB of video RAM with a 256-bit bus. Power consumption is 120W to 150W maximum.

Never mind the raw specs, you may well be saying at this point: what about actual performance? Well, Intel does provide some internal benchmarking – add condiments as necessary when a company tests its own stuff as part of a launch, naturally – but only for the Arc 3 graphics cards which are coming out now.

The A370M is pitched as providing ‘competitive frame rates’ for gaming at 1080p resolution, exceeding a very smooth 90 frames per second (fps) in Fortnite (where the GPU hits 94 fps at medium details), GTA V (105 fps, medium details), Rocket League (105 fps, high details) and Valorant (115 fps, high details).

Intel provides some further game benchmarks showing over 60 fps performance in the likes of Hitman 3 (62 fps, medium details) Doom Eternal (63 fps, high details), Destiny 2 (66 fps, medium details), and Wolfenstein: Youngblood (78 fps, medium details).

All of those benchmarks are taken with the A370M running in conjunction with an Intel Core i7-12700H processor, and comparisons are provided to Intel’s Iris Xe integrated GPU in a Core i7-1280P CPU.

Intel broadly claims that Arc 3 offers up to double the performance of Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics, and the benchmarks bear this out in some cases, with generally sizeable gains across the board (in rarer worst-scenario cases, such as Rocket League, the A370M looks to be only around 20% faster, which is still a noticeable boost of course).

(Image credit: Intel)

---

Analysis: A solid looking start, and we can’t wait to see the rest of Intel’s alchemy

As mentioned at the outset, the first laptops with Arc 3 GPUs are supposedly available now – we’d previously heard from Intel that they’d be out on launch day, or the day after – and the one Intel highlights is the Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro.

Hopefully, there should be a good deal of models out there soon enough – from all major laptop makers, as you’d expect – featuring Arc 3 graphics, which will happily slot into ultra-thins like the Galaxy Book2 Pro, providing what looks like pretty solid 1080p gaming performance (running the likes of Doom Eternal on high details in excess of 60 fps). The pricing of these laptops is set to start from $899 (around £680, AU$1,200), Intel notes.

It’s a shame we didn’t get any indication of how the mid-range Arc 5 – which is something of an oddity with its base clock dipping right down to 900MHz – and high-end Arc 7 products will perform, but then they don’t launch for a few months yet. What Intel can pull off here will tell us much more about how Arc will pan out in this first generation, and how the much-awaited desktop graphics cards – also expected to land in Q2 – will challenge AMD and Nvidia in gaming PCs.

Also of note is that during this launch, Intel let us know that XeSS, its frame rate boosting tech (to rival Nvidia DLSS, and AMD FSR) won’t debut with these first mobile GPUs, but rather will arrive in the summer with the big gun Arc graphics cards. Over 20 games will be supported initially.

• These are the best graphics cards

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Apple launches $50 million Supplier Employee Development Fund

Apple today announced a $50 million Supplier Employee Development Fund that will expand access to learning opportunities and skills development.

Facebook drives sceptics towards climate denial

The site's algorithm can push some people towards disinformation and conspiracy theories.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60905348?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Rise of TikTots - under-age kids on social media

An annual survey of media habits, from Ofcom, reveals how under-age children use social media.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60854885?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

More must reconsider Russian anti-virus software use, UK warns

But the National Cyber Security Centre says Kaspersky anti-virus is safe for individual users.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60854882?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Apple and MLB announce “Friday Night Baseball” schedule beginning April 8

“Friday Night Baseball” premieres exclusively on Apple TV+ with two big matchups: NY Mets vs. Washington Nationals, and Houston Astros vs. LA Angels.

Bringing digital transformation to the Winter Olympics with the power of cloud

No other major sporting competition can trace its lineage as far back as the Olympic Games. The genesis of this prestigious tradition stretches all the way back to antiquity, and many of the events played at the modern Games have remained fundamentally unchanged since the days of the ancient Greeks.

However, while the sports themselves may not have changed all that much, the environment in which they are played has evolved dramatically. Technology now plays a central role in every aspect of our lives, and new advancements have revolutionised the way we live, work, relax and socialise.

Bringing live feeds of the games to smaller broadcasters

The sporting industry offers a shining example of this phenomenon in action. It’s one of the largest sectors in the world, and successive tech developments have played a key role in its growth. From live radio and television broadcasting to data science and analytics, sports organisations have been able to leverage new technologies for enormous benefit for themselves and sports fans across the world. 

Video distribution is perhaps the most visible example of this; in combination with more traditional media channels, digital live-streaming capabilities now enable sports broadcasters to reach fans wherever they are in the world. This was demonstrated during this year’s Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, where the International Olympic Committee’s partnership with Alibaba Cloud enabled Olympic Broadcasting Services to support broadcasters globally with live footage from events.

Previously, broadcasting live event coverage relied on expensive satellite links and dedicated international telecom lines, as well as significant investments in onsite hardware, setup time and technical support. As such, coverage of the Games was restricted to larger organisations which could foot the bill and spare the time to establish the necessary infrastructure.

(Image credit: Alibaba Cloud)

This year, however, OBS Cloud gave media organisations access to live, multi-camera feeds at a fraction of the cost and with minimal physical equipment, in addition to the latency and scalability benefits inherent to cloud-hosted architecture. Not only did this result in more stable and reliable video footage, it also greatly levelled the playing field for broadcasters, allowing smaller organisations to utilise live footage.

“Amid the backdrop of COVID-19, our partnership with Alibaba Cloud has continued to transform the way we broadcast the Olympic Games,” said OBS CEO Yiannis Exarchos. “OBS Cloud is one of the most profound technological changes to our operation: it not only offers broadcasters unprecedented efficiency, but also enables endless opportunities for innovation and to seamlessly deliver the excitement of the Olympic Games to the widest possible audience.”

(Image credit: Alibaba Cloud)

Managing real-time intelligence using the cloud

Fan engagement is another key component of modern sporting culture, and digital platforms are a widely used part of sports organisations’ strategies for forming deeper relationships with their followers. This can include everything from forums and community spaces where fans can share their love of the game, to cutting-edge solutions like Alibaba’s virtual influencer Dong Dong or its Cloud ME remote social experience, a cloud-powered realistic projection that facilitates remote social interactions to give fans new ways to connect with the sport and with each other.

Sports organisations have also adopted technology to introduce efficiencies to the business and logistics side of the industry. The running of a sporting event relies on a vast number of moving parts; ticket sales need to be tracked, competition scheduling must be well-managed, and the needs of the teams themselves must be supported and taken care of.

This is complicated enough for something as comparatively straightforward as a football match, but for an operation as vast as the Olympic Games, it’s another matter altogether. Rather than representatives from a handful of Hellenic city-states, the Games now feature tens of thousands of athletes, officials and support staff, not to mention countless fans attending and watching from around the world.

The ability to manage real-time intelligence is a crucial factor in balancing these different variables, and the sports industry at large has enthusiastically adopted cloud-based intelligence analytics platforms as a way to accurately make decisions based on these metrics. Real-time intelligence analysis allows organisations to respond rapidly to changing circumstances and approach situations in a more agile way.

The IOC is no stranger to these challenges. Keeping the Games running smoothly requires precise and careful coordination, and relies on multiple technology platforms working in tandem. For the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, this included the Games Management Systems (GMS), Olympics Management Systems (OMS) and Olympics Distribution Systems (ODS), all of which were designed by the IOC’s worldwide IT partner Atos and deployed on Alibaba Cloud to meet the logistical and management challenges of running such an enormous and demanding event.

Making the Olympic Games more sustainable

The intelligence derived from these cloud-based systems hasn’t just helped organisers to plan this year’s Games, however; it’s also going to enable future host cities to plan their own logistics much more effectively, giving them the tools and insights to effectively redeploy existing infrastructure or assets, minimising the investment necessary to build them from scratch.

“Beijing 2022 should champion innovation as well as sporting success,” said IOC CTO Ilario Corna. “I am thrilled to see that the cloud-based technology in action at the Olympic Winter Games not only benefits athletes, fans and operating staff, but also helps us to honour our ambition to ensure the Olympic Games are at the forefront of sustainability.”

Digital transformation has had a profound impact on the entire landscape of the modern sports industry, as well as on society as a whole. As one of the world’s most recognisable sporting institutions, the Olympic Games’ adoption of this new paradigm demonstrates just how central cloud technologies have become to bringing fans truly timeless sporting moments which are inclusive, agile and connected.

• We've also featured the best cloud storage and the best cloud backup

March 29, 2022 at 11:10AM from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/Tr9Lujl
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Can tech help you to manage the cost of living?

Personal finance apps are everywhere but are they useful if you are already in debt or on low wages.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60680531?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Ukraine war: Major internet provider suffers cyber-attack

Ukrtelecom says a powerful cyber-attack carried out against its infrastructure was "repulsed".

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/60854881?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Can you get a free fibre NBN upgrade? Everything we know about FTTP upgrades

Update: NBN Co has begun sending out invites for the upgrade program, as well as releasing a list of suburbs and service providers that are participating in the first wave of upgrades.

Last year, NBN Co announced that over a million Aussie homes would have their NBN service upgraded for free, giving them the capability to access the fastest speeds available in Australia.

This would open these homes to a wider array of NBN plans, including the ultrafast NBN 1000 tier (or 'gigabit internet') as well as NBN 250, both of which are only available on certain connection types. 

To do this, NBN Co is spending AU$3.5 billion to upgrade almost 2 million premises around the country to FTTP (Fibre to the Premises) by the end of 2023 – a technology that involves no copper, only fibre.

Does your home qualify for the free upgrade?

Firstly, not all connection types are eligible for the free upgrade – FTTN (Fibre to the Node) households are being prioritised and form the bulk of the potential candidates to switch to FTTP.

Some FTTC (Fibre to the Curb) customers may also get the upgrade, although NBN Co states that these households "will need to order a plan based on wholesale speed tiers of 250/25 Mbps or higher to qualify for a full fibre upgrade".

At the moment, there's no way to check your specific address for eligibility – NBN Co said this functionality would be added to the 'check your address' function on the company's homepage by November 2021, but as of the time of writing this doesn't appear to have been implemented. 

NBN Co has begun sending out invites to the first wave of eligible premises as of  March 2022, including a list of participating service providers and suburbs in the first batch. You can register for updates from the company to stay in the loop.

Alternatively, you can wait for your telco to get in touch regarding the upgrade. It'll be in their interest to let you know as soon as your premise is eligible for an upgrade, as it allows you to sign up for a faster and more expensive plan.

Even if you can't know for sure if you'll be getting the upgrade, you can at least check the full list of suburbs that NBN Co has released to see if yours is among them.

• Best NBN 50 plans: our top picks for the best value 50Mbps internet

Suburbs announced March 2022

NSW: Aberglasslyn, Bella Vista, Cameron Park, Canley Vale, Castle Hill, Cherrybrook, Chipping Norton, Croydon, Croydon Park, Darlinghurst, Edgeworth, Erina, Glenhaven, Green Valley, Hunterview, Kingswood, Kurnell, Melrose Park, Norwest, Pleasure Point, Rutherford, Singleton Heights, St Albans, St Clair, Terrigal, Thornton, Villawood, Voyager Point, Wattle Grove, West Pennant Hills, Woodlands

Victoria: Bayswater, Bayswater North, Braybrook, Cranbourne North, Hampton Park, Lynbrook, Lyndhurst, Narre Warren, Rowville, Sunshine, Sunshine North

Queensland: Burleigh Waters, Gilston, Highland Park, Mudgeeraba, Robina, Varsity Lakes, Worongary

South Australia: Ascot Park, Athol Park, Bowden, Burton, Clovelly Park, Dudley Park, Edwardstown, Ethelton, Greenwith, Mawson Lakes, Mitchell Park, Parafield Gardens, Paralowie, Renown Park, Semaphore, Semaphore Park, Semaphore South, South Plympton, West Lakes, West Lakes Shore, Woodville North

Western Australia: Alexander Heights, Beckenham, Doubleview, Gwelup, Innaloo, Karrinyup, Langford, Marangaroo, Thornlie

New South Wales

Announced in May 2021:

Alexandria, Albion Park, Austinmer, Balgownie, Bankstown, Barrack Heights, Barrack Point, Batemans Bay, Belmont, Bogangar, Byron Bay, Cabarita Beach, Camperdown, Charlestown, Claymore, Cordeaux Heights, Corlette, Davistown, Dubbo, East Albury, Erina, Erskineville, Ettalong Beach, Fairy Meadow, Fingal Bay, Forster, Gerringong, Glenfield Park, Glenmore Park, Gorokan, Horningsea, Hoxton Park, Hunters Hill, Huntleys Cove, Jerrabomberra, Kariong, Kellyville, Kincumber, Islington, Lake Illawarra, Maryville, Merewether Heights, Milton, Mount Annan, Mount Pleasant, Narellan, Nelson Bay, North Richmond, North Wollongong, Oak Flats, Old Bar, Prestons, Raymond Terrace, Salamander Bay, Seven Hills, Shoal Bay, Soldiers Point, St Georges Basin, Terrigal, Thirroul, Tuncurry, Tweed Heads, Ulladulla, Umina Beach, Warilla, Warners Bay, West Hoxton, Woodbine, Woolwich, Woonona, Worrigee, Woy Woy, Yattalunga.

Anounced in February 2021:

Bathurst, Campbelltown, Elderslie, Maitland, Narellan, New Lambton, Orange, Singleton, Tarro.

Anounced in October 2020:

Belmont North, Carramar, Castle Hill, Charlestown, Holsworthy, Liverpool, Toronto, Wetherill Park.

ACT

Announced in May 2021:

Banks, Campbell, Conder, Dickson, Gordon, Hume, Lyneham, O’Connor, Reid, Turner.

Victoria

Announced in May 2021:

Aireys Inlet, Albert Park, Alfredton, Barwon Heads, Belmont, Berwick, Caroline Springs, Cowes, Craigieburn, Deer Park (additional footprint), Delacombe, Derrimut, Echuca, Fairhaven, Geelong, Geelong West, Grovedale, Hampton Park, Hastings, Highton, Kalimna, Kangaroo Flat, Lakes Entrance, Leopold, Mernda, Mornington, Ocean Grove, Pakenham, Pearcedale, Rosebud, Sebastopol, Seymore, Somerville, Sunshine West, Tarneit, Torquay, Traralgon, Warrnambool, Waurn Ponds, West Wodonga, Wodonga.

Anounced in February 2021:

Berwick South, Cranbourne, Deer Park, additional areas of Narre Warren, Sydenham.

Anounced in October 2020:

Lyndhurst, Narre Warren.

Queensland

Announced in May 2021:

Alexandra Headland, Andergrove, Bargara, Bayview Heights, Beaconsfield, Bellara, Bentley Park, Blacks Beach, Brinsmead, Buderim, Bulimba, Burpengary, Burpengary East, Caboolture, Caboolture South, Cannonvale, Castaways Beach, Clifton Beach, Coolangatta, Coolum Beach, Cooroibah, Craiglie, Currimundi, Dolphin Heads, Earville, Edmonton, Eimeo, Forest Lake, Freshwater, Glenella, Griffin, Heathwood, Kawungan, Kewarra Beach, Lawnton, Meridan Plains, Monoora, Mooloolaba, Manunda, Marcoola, Marcus Beach, Maroochydore, Minyama, Mooroobool, Morayfield, Mount Coolum, Mount Pleasant, Mount Sheridan, Mountain Creek, Murrumba Downs, Newtown (4350), Noosa Heads, Noosaville, Ormeau, Pacific Paradise, Pacific Pines, Parrearra, Peregian Beach, Port Douglas, Proserpine, Redlynch, Rothwell, Seventeen Mile Rocks, Stratford, Sunrise Beach, Sunshine Beach, Tewantin, Trinity Beach, Twin Waters, Upper Coomera, Urraween, Victoria Point, Warana, White Rock, Woree.

Anounced in February 2021:

Albany Creek, Ashgrove, Bald Hills, Burleigh Heads, Ferny Hills, Robina, Townsville.

Anounced in October 2020:

Acacia Ridge, Browns Plains, Eight Mile Plains, Oxenford.

South Australia

Announced in May 2021:

Andrews Farm, Ascot Park, Edwardstown, Exeter, Glanville, Grange, Largs Bay, Munno Park West, New Port, Port Adelaide, Seaton, Semaphore, Tennyson, West Lakes, Woodville West.

Anounced in February 2021:

Elizabeth, Gepps Cross, Golden Grove, Salisbury.

Anounced in October 2020:

Osborne.

Western Australia

Announced in May 2021:

Ascot, Balcatta, Balga, Bayswater, Beaconsfield, Beckenham, Belmont, Bentley, Bicton, Cannington, City Beach, Cloverdale, Coogee, East Cannington, East Fremantle, Fremantle, Gosnells, Hamilton Hill, Highgate, Hilton, Huntingdale, Karawara, Karrinyup, Kewdale, Maylands, Midland, Morley, Mount Lawley, Nollamara, North Fremantle, North Perth, Osborne Park, Palmyra, Redcliffe, Riverton, Rivervale, Rossmoyne, Samson, Scarborough, Shelley, South Fremantle, Southern River, Spearwood, St James, Stirling, Tuart Hill, Waikiki, Waterford, Wembley Downs, Westminster, Yokine.

Anounced in February 2021:

Canning Vale, Girrawheen, Jandakot South, Kingsley, Wanneroo.

Anounced in October 2020:

Cannington, Double View.

Tasmania

Announced in May 2021:

Camdale, Cooee, Devonport, Howrah, Legana, Ocean Vista, Park Grove, Paklands, Sandy Bay, Shorewell Park, Tranmere.

Northern Territory

Announced in May 2021:

Alice Springs, Araluen, Braitling, Ciccone, Desert Springs, East Side, Gillen, Ilpara, Larapinta, Ross, Sadadeen, The Gap.

NBN 1000 plans compared

• NBN speed test: check your broadband speed here in seconds

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Beating noise pollution with smart tech

A growing number of firms are offering solutions to cut the excessive noise that's harming our health

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60858571?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Gaming laptops with Intel Arc Alchemist GPUs are about to launch

Intel’s first Arc Alchemist graphics cards will be officially revealed on March 30, in just a few days, and will be followed in short order by the launch of the initial batch of gaming laptops carrying these GPUs.

We’d already been told about the press event on March 30, although now we know the exact timing – 8am PST (which is 3pm GMT) – and a fresh teaser tweet (showing a video of a closed laptop to indicate that these will be laptop graphics cards) was accompanied by an interesting reply from the Intel Support account on Twitter.

Yes! We are about to launch our brand-new Intel Arc graphic solution. The OEM devices featuring Arc GPUs will be launched by the end of this month. You may take a first look at our discrete graphics for laptops on March 30th at 8 AM, PST via https://t.co/rKmNtFEPYFMarch 26, 2022

See more

As you can see, that latter tweet clarifies that this launch is for the first Arc graphics cards, and that “OEM devices featuring Arc GPUs will be launched by the end of this month” (meaning laptops, of course).

So, apparently we’ll get our first look at Alchemist cards on March 30, with multiple notebooks carrying these GPUs being launched at the same time, or the day after.

---

Analysis: Arc finally launches – but when will we see the big guns?

As VideoCardz, which spotted the tweet, points out, there are several leaks around laptops expected to carry the first Arc GPUs, and these include the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro and Acer Swift X which have been spotted via retailer listings that jumped the gun.

As for the Alchemist graphics cards revealed, these are expected to be the lower-end laptop models (likely two of them). More powerful gaming laptop GPUs will be in the pipeline, and also coming later will be Intel’s desktop graphics cards which are pencilled in for a Q2 launch. As some of the more cynical online comments point out, maybe the date to mark in your diary is the second-to-last day of June.

Joking aside, the launch date for desktop Alchemist GPUs is still likely to be a fair way down the road – as in at least a couple of months, or that’s what we’ve heard most recently from the rumor mill. Speculation has indicated a May or June launch, and this makes sense given the delays we’ve seen from Team Blue so far.

As we’ve said before, we think it’s sensible for Intel to take its time and get these cards (and graphics driver) right, rather than risk a poor first impression when they go on sale; a perception that might hang over the Arc range for some time thereafter, even after any missteps have been corrected.

• These are the best graphics cards

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Electric cars: Five big questions answered

The electric car revolution is speeding up but what do buyers really want to know?

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60838192?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Honor MagicBook X14 and X15 series laptops now available in the UAE

Honor yesterday introduced the new Honor MagicBook X14 and X15 series here in the UAE. With a productivity focus, the Honor laptops come with the same collaborative features that we first saw from Huawei.

Price and availability

The Honor MagicBook X14 is available to purchase in the UAE for AED 2399 on Honor’s official online store, Sharaf DG and Noon. The Honor MagicBook X15 is available at the same channels for AED 1849.

With both laptops, customers can get free gifts worth AED 397 including Honor Choice Earbuds X, a backpack and 1-year extended warranty. These offers are on till April 10th2022. Users can also get an extra AED100 off by subscribing to Honor’s official online store right now.

• Best laptop picks in the UAE and Saudi Arabia for every budget
• Best gaming laptops 2022 in the UAE and Saudi Arabia

Honor MagicBook X14 and X15

The Honor MagicBook X14 features 10th gen Intel Core i5 processors while the X15 features i3 Intel processors. Both laptops come with up to 8GB RAM. Both devices are pretty slender with the Honor MagicBook X 14 weighing 1.38 kg and being only 15.9 mm thin, while Honor MagicBook X15 weighs just 1.56 kg and is only 16.9 mm.

If you’re one of those who spends a lot of time in front of the screen, the Honor MagicBook X14 and X15 comes equipped with TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light certification, TÜV Rheinland Flicker-free certification and the company’s new DC Dimming technology.

On the inside, the Honor MagicBook X14 is powered by a 56W high-density battery while the MagicBook X15 comes with a 42W battery. Both laptops come along with a 65W type-C fast charger which can power the device up to 70% in just 1 hour.

(Image credit: Honor)

Honor Magic-Link

Looking to build an easy working environment, both Honor’s new laptops are enabled with their collaborative feature, Magic-Link. Using the ‘upgraded version’ of their Multi-Screen collaboration, you can connect your smartphone to your laptop with a tap and have access to your phone screen as well as your files, all on your laptop display.

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Europe agrees new law to curb Big Tech dominance

Under the rules major firms like Apple and Google would have to open up their systems to rivals.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60870287?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Why patients are flocking to India for surgery

There has been a sharp growth in medical tourism to India but the sector needs better regulation.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60569647?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Invites for NBN Co's free fibre upgrade are finally rolling out

In 2021, NBN Co promised that over a million Aussie homes would be getting their ailing FTTN (Fibre to the Node) internet connections upgraded to a full fibre technology for free.

This will give qualifying residents and businesses an FTTP connection (Fibre to the Premises), which should not only increase reliability and possible download speeds, but increase their choice of NBN plans, allowing them to sign up to the significantly faster NBN 250 and NBN 1000 speed tiers.

Since that initial announcement, however, NBN Co has been relatively silent on this front, only releasing a list of suburbs around Australia that are getting the upgrade. Now, there's finally some more news.

Invitations are being sent

For those that registered their interest, NBN Co has finally begun sending out invitations, with more than 50,000 being sent from today, according to ITNews. If you're keen on applying but haven't already registered, you can do so here.

If you registered and live in one of the designated areas (you can find a full list at the bottom of this story), then you may soon receive an email from NBN Co with instructions on how to take up the free FTTP upgrade offer.

Alternatively, you could wait until your internet provider contacts you about the offer, although there's no timeline on this option. NBN Co has also today revealed a list of participating reseller partners, so you can check if your current provider will is offering the upgrade option.

The list is rather small, with Telstra, Aussie Broadband, Exetel and Superloop the only major players among 11 RSPs in total. Notably absent are industry mainstays Optus and TPG, as well as some popular smaller providers like Tangerine and Spintel.

NBN Co told ITNews that this absence is "just a question of phasing and timing", so it's likely we'll see these other providers participating down the line.

When and where?

The timeline from NBN Co claims that up to 2 million premises will be upgraded from FTTN to FTTP by the end of 2023, meaning that "about 75% of all customers served by the NBN fixed line network will be able to get speeds approaching a gigabit per second". 

Speaking with ITNews, the company claimed it already has 18 months worth of pre-registered premises, so we expect the rollout to take some time and operate in multiple phases over the next year and a half.

NBN Co has updated its list of suburbs that will be eligible for this first phase, which you can find below. If your suburb doesn't appear on this list, you can check here to see if it's on the roadmap for an upgrade in the future.

NSW: Aberglasslyn, Bella Vista, Cameron Park, Canley Vale, Castle Hill, Cherrybrook, Chipping Norton, Croydon, Croydon Park, Darlinghurst, Edgeworth, Erina, Glenhaven, Green Valley, Hunterview, Kingswood, Kurnell, Melrose Park, Norwest, Pleasure Point, Rutherford, Singleton Heights, St Albans, St Clair, Terrigal, Thornton, Villawood, Voyager Point, Wattle Grove, West Pennant Hills, Woodlands

Victoria: Bayswater, Bayswater North, Braybrook, Cranbourne North, Hampton Park, Lynbrook, Lyndhurst, Narre Warren, Rowville, Sunshine, Sunshine North

Queensland: Burleigh Waters, Gilston, Highland Park, Mudgeeraba, Robina, Varsity Lakes, Worongary

South Australia: Ascot Park, Athol Park, Bowden, Burton, Clovelly Park, Dudley Park, Edwardstown, Ethelton, Greenwith, Mawson Lakes, Mitchell Park, Parafield Gardens, Paralowie, Renown Park, Semaphore, Semaphore Park, Semaphore South, South Plympton, West Lakes, West Lakes Shore, Woodville North

Western Australia: Alexander Heights, Beckenham, Doubleview, Gwelup, Innaloo, Karrinyup, Langford, Marangaroo, Thornlie

• The fastest NBN plans compared

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Ukraine war: Fortnite owner Epic Games raises £37m for humanitarian efforts

Video game developers, publishers and players come together to raise millions for Ukraine.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60850729?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Hundreds of companies potentially hit by Okta hack

Many household-name companies are clients of the access-management business.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60849687?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Apple launches the first driver’s license and state ID in Wallet with Arizona

Apple unveiled that Arizona is the first state to offer driver’s license and state ID in Wallet.

Deplorable scam emails fake fundraising for Ukraine

Action Fraud warns of fake emails asking for donations to victims of the war.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60836962?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Grab the incredible new Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 range at AO

Let's cut to the chase — the iPad is a formidable tablet, but it's far from the only choice. If you're an Android fan or simply someone looking to enjoy all the latest bleeding-edge features that can outclass even Apple's offering, look no further than the recently launched Galaxy Tab S8 range from Samsung.

Available in three flavours — the Galaxy Tab S8, S8+ and S8 Ultra — Samsung's latest flagship tablet range features beautiful design, insanely powerful innards, and all the bells and whistles you'd expect. 

And yes, they all include the creativity-unleashing S Pen stylus as standard, at no extra charge (unlike a certain popular rival).

You can order all three variants from AO right now, where you can benefit from all sorts of extras. These include a price match guarantee, 100-day return policy, free Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro earbuds, 12 months of free Disney+, and an additional £100 on top of the up-to £280 trade-in value when you trade in your old tablet. 

And all from a trusted retailer that offers next-day delivery with over 280,000 five-star Trust Pilot reviews. Not too shabby eh?

As for why you'd want a Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 tablet? Well, that's easy:

Incredible screens

The Tab S8, S8+ and S8 Ultra have some of the best screens in the world right now, period. At 11, 12.4, and 14.6 inches respectively, you can choose whichever one best suits your needs. 

The S8+ and Ultra's extra large screens particularly stand out, letting you enjoy movies and games in the same way that you would on a laptop or Ultrabook, for impressive immersion.

All Galaxy Tab S8 models have pixel-packed 120Hz displays, which, simply put, makes them best in class. Without diving into the technical details too much, this means they're insanely crisp, and buttery smooth (the 120Hz refresh rate is amazing for gaming in particular). 

The AMOLED screens of the Tab S8+ and S8 Ultra also mean you'll get bright punchy colours, with gorgeously deep blacks to boot.

Power in spades

The Galaxy Tab S8 variants are all powered by the blisteringly fast Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor with up to 12GB RAM and 256GB storage. 

These specs make these some of the most powerful devices in the world, with more than enough power for multitasking, apps and the latest demanding games, serving you well for years to come.

Throw in all-day batteries with speedy 45W fast charging, the latest and greatest version of Android 12 (infused with Samsung's clever One UI software tricks) and microSD slots for expanding memory, and you've got yourself the full package, regardless of which model you go for.

(Image credit: Samsung)

Unleash your creativity

All three tablets include Samsung's incredible pressure-sensitive S Pen stylus as standard. Magnetically attachable when not in use, the S Pen unlocks a whole new world of natural note taking, doodling and artistic expression, thanks to its ability to mimic real-life drawing and writing implements.

Paired with an optional keyboard, you can transform the Tab S8 range into a bona fide working machine too, rivaling even the best laptops for productivity.

Snap happy

Gone are the days of mediocre tablet cameras. All three variants have a 13MP main camera along with a 6MP ultra-wide camera for capturing more subjects in shots. 

The Tab S8, S8+ and S8 Ultra also have a 12MP selfie cam, while the Ultra also has an additional 12MP ultra-wide selfie cam making it ideal for squeezing more people into group shots and video calls.

Beautiful by design

Despite all the tech and stylus tricks crammed into each tablet, the Tab S8 range manages to remain sleek and svelte, demanding attention the moment you lay eyes on them. 

Available in Wi-Fi and 5G models, all variants are available in a smart Graphite finish, while the Tab S8 and S8+ also offer Silver and Pink Gold options.

The S8 also features a handy side-mounted fingerprint scanner for security, while the S8+ and S8 Ultra feature a cleverly under-display scanner for an even sleeker look. 

Grab yours today

You can order the Galaxy Tab S8, S8+ and S8 Ultra from AO today, taking advantage of all the extras including a price match guarantee, 100-day return policy, free Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro earbuds, 12 months of free Disney+, and an additional £100 on top of the up-to £280 trade-in value when you trade in your old tablet 

Samsung’s latest flagship tablet range features beautiful design, insanely powerful innards, and all the bells and whistles you’d expect. And yes, they all include the creativity-unleashing S Pen stylus as standard 

If you're after a new smartphone too, then you're also welcome to consider the incredible Galaxy S22, S22+ and S22 Ultra — all three of which feature the same bleeding-edge specs, industry-leading cameras, and beautiful design. 

• Shop the Samsung range at AO.com today

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Biden: Russia 'exploring' US cyber-attacks

President Joe Biden says US companies should "immediately" prepare defences.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60829852?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

How access to satellite images shifts the view of war

An unprecedented supply of images gives a unique overview of events unfolding on the ground.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60762772?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

iPad Air (2022) might be too thin for its own good

The iPad Air (2022) has landed with rave reviews, including a 4-star one from TechRadar, but now that it’s in users’ hands, some of them are reporting concerns about the build quality.

A number of users on Reddit and elsewhere have claimed that the aluminum back panel is so thin that you can almost feel the battery through it, and – presumably as a result of this – the tablet creaks when held.

The iPad Air (2022) is very thin at just 6.1mm thick, but it’s worth noting that the iPad Air 4 is every bit as slim and the iPad Pro 11 (2021) is even thinner at 5.9mm, so it’s seemingly not the overall thinness of the device that’s causing the issues, just the build of the backplate.

Or perhaps it’s not even to do with how thin it is, but rather how the slate has been put together. In any case, this issue doesn’t appear to affect every iPad Air (2022), as other users have chimed in to say theirs are fine.

But there are enough reports of creaks that Apple may have some sort of quality control issue – though with forum posts it’s always hard to know for sure how widespread an issue actually is.

This being a hardware issue there’s no real fix for it other than getting your tablet replaced, but there’s also no guarantee that the next one won’t have the same problem. Since this is unlikely to affect the performance of the tablet you might want to just live with it, but that will be a personal choice.

If reports of this issue keep emerging it’s likely Apple will address it eventually, but for now there’s no official comment from the company.

---

Analysis: not the first Apple hardware problem

As good as Apple’s devices are, they aren’t immune to hardware problems, and this isn’t the first instance of a potentially widespread issue.

Back in 2014, the company was criticized for what’s become known as ‘BendGate’. This name came from reports of iPhone 6 Plus units bending when placed in a pocket. Given the thin, creaky build quality of some iPad Air (2022) units, there could be concerns of bending or breaking here too, but so far that hasn’t been reported.

Before that, there was ‘Antennagate,’ where iPhone 4 units would lose signal if you didn’t hold them “properly” (as Steve Jobs infamously said).

Whether this creaking issue will become its own -gate (CreakGate perhaps?) remains to be seen, but there will probably be another gate sooner or later anyway.

• Grab some of the best free iPad apps

Via Apple Insider

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Optus loses NBN download-speed crown in surprise upset

Optus has typically been the top performer in the Australian consumer watchdog’s broadband reporting, but its latest study shows that Optus has been beaten by a surprise internet provider.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) latest report shows that Exetel has overtaken Optus in the average download speed measurement, beating its advertised plan speeds by 3.3% during the peak busy hours, and 4.5% across all times.

Optus still performed well though, and it wasn’t too far behind Exetel. Its NBN plans reached 100% of its rated average download speed during the peak usage period, and exceeded it by 0.8% during all times.

With a smaller ISP such as Exetel beating out the heavy hitters such as Telstra, Optus and TPG, it serves as another reminder that size often doesn’t matter when it comes to NBN providers.

Exetel currently has discounts available across all of its plans, with savings of up to AU$240 on offer if you sign up for one of its NBN 1000 or NBN 250 plans. If you want a more standard NBN 50 or NBN 25 plan, you can save up to AU$120 by signing up now.

Fibre to the Nope

As has consistently been shown in the consumer advocate’s reporting, fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) services continue to perform significantly below that of other connection types for NBN 50 and NBN 100 plans.

During the reporting period, FTTN users on an NBN 100 plan received an average download speed that was around 16Mbps lower than other connection types. Overall, these households reached 85.9% of their plan’s rated speed on average across all hours.

FTTN users on an NBN 50 plan that were monitored for the report fared a little better, with average download speeds measuring around 6Mbps lower than other technologies. These FTTN users were able to reach 93.2% of their NBN 50 plan’s advertised speed during all hours, but that is still substantially below other NBN 50 users with other connection types.

If you are one of the millions of Australians stuck with a FTTN connection and have an underperforming NBN 100 plan, your best bet is to move down to a slower, more affordable NBN 50 plan.

Good news for NBN Fixed Wireless

The ACCC’s latest report brings good news for regional and rural Australians with an NBN Fixed Wireless connection: results from December 2021 found that on average, users were able to reach 79.8% of their plan’s rated speed during the crucial busy hours of 7-11pm, and 93.4% across all hours.

These findings are a significant improvement from when the ACCC first started monitoring Fixed Wireless performance in December 2020. At the time, these users were achieving 68.4% of their plan’s advertised speed during peak usage hours, and 78.5% on average across all hours.

As indicated by the consumer watchdog’s report, this increase in download speeds can be credited to NBN Co, which began to allow a 15% overprovisioning allowance in July 2021. That’s led some internet providers to pass on the benefit to their customers.

Households are typically connected to NBN Fixed Wireless when they're in regional or remote areas – they access the NBN from a transmission tower through an antenna installed on their roof, as opposed to fibre or copper wiring direct to their premise. We have a guide to the best wireless broadband plans in Australia if you want to compare what’s on offer.

• Fastest NBN plans: 100, 250 and 1000Mbps internet plans compared

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Not smart but clever? The return of 'dumbphones'

Why sales of very basic mobile phones, without apps and internet connection, are increasing.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60763168?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

E-waste: Royal Mint wants to turn your old phone into gold

The Royal Mint has found a way to turn old circuit boards from phones, computers and televisions into gold.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60796417?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Ukraine: How crowdsourcing is rescuing people from the war zone

Volunteers inside and outside Ukraine are working together to help civilians escape the war safely.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60785339?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

As a filmmaker, the iPad Air has a major flaw which means I can’t use it

When I’m not working at TechRadar, I’m making films. No, nothing you''ll have seen, just low-budget shorts and sketches. But it does mean I’ve got the right expertise to investigate products aimed at creative sorts - like the new iPad Air 5.

Now, lots of devices are marketed to creative types, but most of that is simply marketing guff, meant to sell aspiring creators on the perfect device - until they take it out of the box and realize it's just any other gadget. But that's marketing for you.

At the iPad Air launch, I could see that all over again. Because no matter how much Apple talks about the M1 chipset and its power for creativity apps, or the screen or Apple Pencil stylus or any of that, there’s one horrible limitation that stops it being useful for film-makers like me.

It’s storage

Drawing on the iPad Air 5 (Image credit: TechRadar)

I don’t want to make you read thousands of words before you get to my issue, so I’ll say it up-front, then explain it after - my issue with the iPad Air (2022) is its storage options. It starts at 64GB, but you can also opt for a 256GB version if you prefer.

Yep, the iPad’s default storage option is lower than your average mid-range smartphone. Even 256GB is way too limited, as I’ll get to in a second. Those numbers simply aren’t high enough.

And to predict and respond to a possible retort: no, external hard drives or cloud storage solutions just won’t do. For one, you generally need to download files to an iPad to use them in most editing apps. And the main issue I’ve found with this method in general, is that it’s very hard to get hard drives to play nice with iPads. It’s like trying to put a leash on a bee and walk it - it’s fiddly and annoying, and I won’t do it.

For context, the newest iPad Pro can be bought with up to 2TB of storage - sure, it’s pretty expensive, but having about 7x the storage is incredibly useful. There are a few more tech differences between the Air and Pro, and my colleague Lance broke them down in this article, but for lots of creative professions, the issues begin and end with the storage.

Film footage is storage-hungry

Filming on the Sony Xperia 1 (Image credit: Future)

Let’s do an experiment - pick up your smartphone, open the camera app, go to video mode, in the settings ramp up the resolution and frame rate as high as they can go, and record for a minute. Now, go into the gallery, find the file, and check out how much space was taken up.

I’m currently using the Xiaomi 12 - when I recorded in 4K at 60fps, the file was about half a gigabyte. When I shot in 8K at 24fps, I used almost an entire gigabyte in just a minute. So if you’re a mobile journalist or filmmaker shooting in 8K, 256GB of storage will last you about four hours of filming.

And if you decide to use a video camera with better color capture and other extras, or you’re shooting in LOG, you’ll take up even more space. That’s also the case if you’re shooting on multiple phones at once, which is very possible - part of the mobile filmmaker war of attrition is to just shoot as much footage as possible, rather than spend ages on a few perfect shots.

To summarize our findings from this experiment, video footage can take up a lot of storage space, and it’d be very, very easy to fill 256GB of storage space in a single day or less, if you were doing lots of shooting.

iPad Pros reign supreme

Storyboarding on the iPad Pro (Image credit: Future)

Now I know what you’re (probably) thinking: “why not just use a real computer for editing,” and yeah, for some tasks, that’s a very real option.

But there are situations when I can’t lug my giant home-built editing and gaming PC around with me - that’s the entire reason mobile journalism and film-making has become a thing. Being able to edit on the go means you can both shoot and form clips without having to return to a big suite to edit.

You’d be surprised by how many news reports or online videos are made this way - even some movies are too. Apps like LumaFusion bring desktop editing tools to tablets, and though you obviously won’t get the full edit experience from the comfort of a lap-resting device, it’s a very close approximation. In fact, the main reason I prefer editing on my PC is simply that the screen is bigger.

I’ve used my iPad Pro 12.9 for several years for mobile filmmaking, and I’ve found its 1TB storage space enough, as long as I delete unneeded files once I’ve picture-locked the project (I also only started shooting in 8K recently, so my older files take up less space).

Admittedly an Apple laptop might be even better for these purposes, but I’m not on TechRadar’s computing team so can’t get a test unit, and am not in the 1% so can’t afford to buy one. And anyway, this is an article about why the iPad Air is lacking, not about why other devices are great.

But there’s more

(Image credit: TechRadar)

I’ve worked on projects where we’ve shot over 256GB just from the video and audio, and that alone suggests this space just isn’t enough for creatives. But the film process requires so many more files.

I use my iPad for scripts, storyboards, call sheets, shot lists, health and safety documents, permits, Covid guidelines, notes from the shoot, notes on the script, notes on the rushes (the raw footage taken each day), backups of all of the above.

Sometimes I also need mood boards, clips from other films to use as inspiration, music that I want to influence the mood, games so I can procrastinate instead of work - and of course I need space for documents not just from this shoot, but all my other projects too.

And hell, I'm not even a working professional in the field, this is just a hobby. I can't imagine what a large project with a longer shoot schedule and bigger team would look like.

Film takes loads of storage space, but film-making takes so much more. When I see 256GB as the storage limit on an iPad, I don’t see a device I can work on, I see something I can watch Netflix on. And if I’m paying loads of money for an Apple device, I want to be able to shoot movies, not just watch them. In that regard, the iPad Air falls short - all hail the iPad Pro.

• This Steve Jobs-inspired iPhone costs $27,000 - and it's surprisngly cheap

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Anonymous: How hackers are trying to undermine Putin

The BBC speaks to hacktivists about past and future attacks in their "cyber war" against Vladimir Putin.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60784526?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

iPad Air (2022) colors: every shade explained

The iPad Air line saw a new model at Apple’s March Peek Performance event, with the launch of the iPad Air (2022), and the company’s mid-tier device now more closely resembles the premium iPad Pro models than ever before.

With support for the second-generation Apple Pencil, a 10.9-inch display with rounded corners and, perhaps most importantly, the M1 chipset that powers Apple’s computers, it’s a tempting option for all kinds of users. 

What makes it even more attractive is the new color options, with five new shades to choose from whether you’re looking at the 64GB or 256GB model of the tablet.

The iPad Air (2022) comes in Space Grey, Pink, Purple, Blue, and Starlight - some of those are the same as the iPad Air 4, and some are different. Let’s look closer.

Space Gray

(Image credit: Apple)

Apple has offered Space Grey for years across various device lineups, but it always seems to change slightly each time. The iPad Air (2022)’s Space Grey shade offers a very business-like slate color on the rear casing, which complements the black screen bezels. It’s almost like a ‘gunmetal’ color.

Starlight

(Image credit: Apple)

Apple doesn’t offer the iPad Air (2022) in white, but Starlight is as close as you’ll get. It’s an off-white color with a hint of cream that’s darker than its iPhone SE (2022) counterpart, and a little closer to the iPhone 13 – minus the glossy finish.

Pink

(Image credit: Apple)

While Apple seems to have retired Rose Gold as a shade - at least for now - Pink is pretty close. It’s perhaps a little more rose than gold, but the more premium finish makes it appear less reflective than the iPhone 13 in the same color. That also makes it look just a sliver darker overall.

Blue

(Image credit: Apple)

Despite sharing the same name as the blue of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini, the blue shade on the iPad Air (2022) is actually a little closer to the Sierra Blue found on Apple’s latest Pro smartphones – it’s just a hair darker.

Purple

(Image credit: Apple)

There’s no comparison in the iPhone 13 range for the iPad Air (2022)’s purple color, but it’s actually very close to the iPhone 12 in purple that was released a few months into that generation. It’s a little paler, but not by a lot.

• Now take a look at the best iPad apps

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How Kremlin accounts manipulate Twitter

One of the prime sources for fake news on Twitter comes straight from the Kremlin's network of Twitter accounts.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60790821?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

How mountain rescue could be aided by 5G

Real-time tracking of a search dog’s path allows the team to assess which areas have been covered.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60784154?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Sunny Balwani: Elizabeth Holmes' former partner goes on trial

Sunny Balwani was considered the "enforcer" at Theranos and was its enigmatic founder's lover.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60716448?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Australia sues Facebook over scam ads impersonating celebrities

The tech giant knowingly let scammers target users with fake celebrity endorsements, a regulator says.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-60789802?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Deepfake presidents used in Russia-Ukraine war

Videos of Putin and Zelensky declaring the war is over have been circulating online.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60780142?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

How a jetpack design helped create a flying motorbike

The developers of a powerful mini aircraft hope it will be used by the armed forces.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60333565?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Meta to let parents limit teenager's virtual-reality exploration

Parents will be able stop over-13s accessing inappropriate content via Meta's VR headset.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60759050?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

UK introduces exhaustive Online Safety Bill

Under its rules, social networks could be fined or blocked if they fail to remove harmful content.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60750463?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Companies fined for marketing calls targeting elderly

Unwanted calls were made to thousands of older people including some with dementia, a watchdog says.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60759049?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Spider-Man No Way Home: Making the visual effects

VFX Supervisor Scott Edelstein tells the BBC how they made one of the film's key sequences.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60754733?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Chip giant Arm set to axe 15% of its staff after deal fails

The UK technology firm could cut hundreds of jobs after its $40bn sale to US chipmaker Nvidia failed.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60745707?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

The popular apps aiming to tame the chaos of family life

How tech is helping young families and couples regain their busy social lives after Covid.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60213795?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Ukraine offered tool to search billions of faces

Clearview AI's face-search tech could be used to uncover infiltrators and to identify the dead.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60738204?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

The innovative surfing tech making waves

The sport of surfing is modernising, using technology to offer bigger, better and safer thrills.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60689501?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

'Without TikTok, I'd still be a wedding singer'

The video-sharing platform's new SoundOn service will let people distribute their own music.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60706269?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

'Reselling PlayStations keeps a roof over my head'

How so-called scalpers use online bots to snap up consoles and resell them for profit.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60709207?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Russia-Ukraine war: A warm hug meant that war had begun

Why so many Ukrainians are determined to keep on working through the conflict.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60684120?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Intimate image abuse: His confession protected him

Georgie received an anonymous tip-off on Facebook that intimate photos of her were being shared online.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60693849?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

'Young people may have 10-plus careers in their lifetime'

A charity competition is encouraging school kids to get entrepreneurial and make their own products.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60710925?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Treat your mum to an HP Envy x360 13 with John Lewis this Mother's Day

Mother's Day is fast approaching (March 27, to be exact), which means it's time to start shopping for a gift your mum truly deserves. 

If you don't know where to begin, John Lewis should be your go-to shopping destination, especially if your mum is a fan of tech and gadgets. Even if she's not big into her gadgets, a go-to tech device such as a new laptop can help make life more convenient and entertaining, which is why gadgets make such great gifts for just about anyone - mums included.

Take the HP ENVY x360 13, for example; a premium laptop that packs everything your mum could possibly need for both work and play. 

The lightweight Windows 10 machine - which can be upgraded to Microsoft's new Windows 11 operating system free of charge - features a unique convertible design that allows it to transform between laptop, tablet, stand and tent modes, making it an ideal laptop for everything from emailing friends to binge-watching on Netflix.  

Impressively powerful

It's an impressively powerful device, too, thanks to Intel's innovative Intel Evo platform that delivers uncompromising performance. This means your mum will no longer have to make do with her slow-to-boot laptop or tiny smartphone screen, as the HP Envy x360's Intel internals bring unprecedented speed, graphics and battery life to thin and light laptops. 

This HP machine boasts up to 10 hours and 45 minutes of battery life, which means your mum will no longer need to rush for a charger during a video call. 

That's not all this premium laptop has got going for it. It also features built-in pen support which means it can capture every detail of your sketches, a high-resolution 13.3-inch screen that delivers vibrant visuals, a hefty 512GB storage for storing endless documents and photos, and Microsoft’s built-in advanced security features, helping keep your mum safer online.

The HP Envy x360 13 is sure to wow your mum with its sleek design, too, and you won't find a more stylish, premium laptop for under £1,000; the laptop's aluminium chassis gives it a high-end feel akin to expensive all-metal laptops, while its super thin and light design means it’s perfectly portable for use around the home. 

Well looked after

By buying an HP Envy x360 13 from John Lewis, you're ensuring your purchase - and your mum - are well looked after. The retailer offers a three-year guarantee on the product, which means you never need to worry about things going wrong. 

John Lewis is also offering a discount on a Microsoft 365 subscription, as well as free standard delivery on your order. Of course, as the go-to destination for Mother's Day gifts, you can always add an extra treat for your mum before you checkout too - be it some luxury chocolates or fresh flowers. 

What's more, if you buy now, you’ll be saving yourself £100, as John Lewis is selling the HP Envy x360 for just £949. 

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War in Ukraine: Facebook to allow calls for violence against Putin

Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, will "temporarily" make allowances for some violent speech.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60702619?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Twitter blocks Russian claims on hospital attack

Posts from the Russian embassy in the UK claiming the bombing of a maternity hospital was faked have been taken down.

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60700642?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

There may be no new iPad Pro in 2022 - and we're blaming the iPad Air

The iPad Pro (2022) was one product we expected to show up at the Apple March Event and it didn't - instead, the iPad Air 5 debuted with quite a few features that seemed relatively Pro-tier.

There might not be a 2022 iPad Pro though. This comes from analyst Ross Young, who tweeted "I have insight on the 12.9" MiniLED iPad Pro as well. It is doing really well. They don't need to do one at 11". Don't expect it this year."

Panel production has started for the new 27" MiniLED display to launch mid year. Assuming it will be called Studio Display Pro...I have insight on the 12.9" MiniLED iPad Pro as well. It is doing really well. They don't need to do one at 11". Don't expect it this year.March 10, 2022

See more

The wording is vague, so it's not clear if the 'it' referred to in the last sentence is the 11-inch or 12.9-inch iPad Pro. But since both generally debut at once, the point is moot - don't expect a new iPad Pro in 2022.

Oh, and a possible interpretation of the tweet is that you shouldn't expect a 12.9-inch mini LED iPad Pro this year, but could see one with a different display... except the iPad Pro (2021) comes with mini LED, at least for the larger 12.9-inch model, so seeing an LCD or OLED one wouldn't make sense.

The tweet also suggests that, while the large iPad Pro might retain its mini LED panel next year, the 11-inch version might not get an upgrade to that screen tech - that's despite a few leakers suggesting such a jump up would happen.

---

Analysis: blame the new iPad Air

A new iPad Pro might not arrive in 2022, and it really doesn't matter, because we've already got the new iPad Air.

Not only do newer Air tablets look like Pro ones and come with similar features, including compatibility with the Apple Pencil stylus, but the newest fifth-gen version has the same desktop-level M1 chipset that we've seen in the 2021 iPad Pros.

Not only is the iPad Air a handy Pro doppelganger, but it's actually cheaper, and smaller too which makes it a better fit for backpacks. 

So a new Pro doesn't make sense right now, not until Apple has found a way to improve over the 2021 models. And since there's no M2 chip just yet, we can't see much more it can do right now.

• New iPhone SE 3 has a small spec change that'll be great news for iOS fans

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Razer Blade Stealth 13 gaming laptop is a staggering £900 off with this half-price deal

Box has a bunch of tempting deals on laptops right now, including an absolute bargain of a Razer gaming notebook which is nearly half-price.

The Razer Blade Stealth 13 in question is now £999.97, which is £900 less than its normal asking price at Box, namely £1,899.97.

For just a few pence under a grand, you’re getting a 13-inch gaming laptop which is smart, compact and portable, and can handle a decent level of performance – but as you might expect when it comes to a swish and thin machine, don’t expect the Blade Stealth 13 to cope with the most demanding games.

So, what’s the spec? You get an Intel Core i7-1165G7 quad-core processor paired with an Nvidia GTX 1650 Ti graphics card that has 4GB of VRAM. That’s backed with 16GB of system RAM, with storage coming courtesy of a 512GB PCIe SSD.

The 13.3-inch screen boasts a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 and is an IPS panel with good colors and wide viewing angles, with a 120Hz refresh rate to boot.

The Razer Blade Stealth 13 also sports an RGB backlit keyboard, and the whole package weighs in at a very portable 1.49kg (this isn’t one of those hulking gaming laptops that’ll give you backache if you try to hump it around in a rucksack all day).

What you’re getting, in short, is a capable gaming laptop with solid performance, a smart display, and a refreshingly portable nature, not to mention slick looks. The weak spots here are that it won’t handle demanding gaming, and that the battery life is only average as we saw in our full review of the Razer Blade Stealth 13.

As we mentioned at the outset, there are a host of laptop deals running alongside this Razer machine at Box, and you can check them all out below.

(Not in the UK? Scroll down for deals in your region).

Razer Blade Stealth 13: £1,899.97 £999.97 at Box
This is a great gaming laptop which strikes a good balance between power and portability. The Core i7 CPU is a quad-core effort capable of boosting up to 4.7GHz, there’s a GTX 1650 Ti GPU on board, and extra goodies like an RGB keyboard and support for THX Spatial Audio. £900 is a seriously hefty discount here.

Medion Erazer Defender P25: £999.97 £799.97 at Box
You’re getting great value for money here, with a lot of gaming laptop for £800 (after a £200 discount). This Medion machine is built around an AMD Ryzen 6-core CPU with Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card, and has 16GB of system RAM plus a 512GB NVMe SSD. The 15.6-inch screen offers a 144Hz refresh rate and has G-Sync too, plus there’s a two-year warranty.

Asus VivoBook 15 OLED: £539.97 £429.97 at Box
Want an OLED laptop, but don’t want to pay the earth? This Asus model comes with a Full HD OLED 15.6-inch screen (100% DCI-P3, Pantone Validated), and is quite a bargain with a £110 reduction. Other specs include an Intel Core i3-1115G4 CPU, a 256GB NVMe SSD, and 8GB of RAM.

Acer Nitro 5: £1,299.97 £1,099.97 at Box
Acer’s Nitro 5 can now be had with £200 off, and is a larger gaming laptop with a 17.3-inch IPS screen that has a 165Hz refresh rate. It’s equipped with an 8-core Intel Core i7 CPU, an RTX 3060 GPU, 16GB of system RAM and a 512GB NVMe SSD, plus you get an RGB backlit keyboard and nifty cooling system.

Lenovo Legion 5: £1,399.97 £1,199.97 at Box
Lenovo’s 15.6-inch gaming laptop is decked out with an AMD Ryzen 7 5800H processor, and a powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 graphics card (with 8GB of VRAM), plus there’s 16GB of system RAM. The Full HD screen has a 165Hz refresh rate and G-Sync, so this is another power-packed bargain with a £200 discount applied.

Acer ConceptD 3 Ezel Pro: £1,999.99 £1,199.97 at Box
Not interested in gaming laptops? This Acer portable is aimed at creatives and has been reduced by a huge amount – £800 to be precise. You get a Core i7-10750H CPU with 6-cores, and a heavyweight Nvidia Quadro T1000 graphics card, with a 14-inch IPS touchscreen plus active stylus. It’s a lightweight laptop, and the display can be placed in six positions including a ‘floating’ stand mode; very nifty.

More gaming laptop deals

No matter where you live, you'll find all the lowest prices for gaming laptops from around the web right here, with offers available in your region. 

• Also check out our roundup of cheap gaming laptop deals

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