Satara Shoppers: March 2020

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Xiaomi, Redmi, Poco Phones Get a Price Hike as Increased GST Rate Comes Into Effect

https://ift.tt/2iKcJpn India MD Manu Kumar Jain has announced that the price of Xiaomi, Redmi, and Poco phones in India has gone up starting today as the new GST rates come into effect.

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Here’s why the Houseparty hacking rumors are probably just a smear campaign

Now is a pretty strange and desolate time, where people have been ordered to stay indoors for the foreseeable future to safeguard themselves as well as the society. Regardless of what the memes may suggest, the inherent human urge to socialize has slowly started to get to us, putting video calling services on a pedestal like never before.

While there has never been a shortage of these applications, some have been able to claim a bigger pie of our life. One of the more prominent winners was Houseparty, a face to face social network where all interactions are based around video conferencing. It’s a pretty simple premise - you sign in into the app, connect your contacts or social accounts to find your friends, and initiate group calls to them alongside small games. You can also see which friends are online and available for conversations. This simplicity in what it offers has made it win many hearts over the past few weeks, with the number of downloads growing exponentially, with over 2 million new users each week in March.

When everything was seemingly going great for Houseparty, a sudden series of events caused many users to delete the app out of panic. On March 31, incidents of users (in the form of screenshots) started making rounds on social media, which talked about how Houseparty was a scam, causing people to lose access to their Spotify and Instagram accounts, with some even talking about fraudulent transactions being initiated. Hacks, data breaches, and monetary scams are perhaps the worst kind of allegations any platform wants to face, especially one that has just entered the limelight.

Following the basic damage control protocols, Houseparty took to Twitter to deny all allegations of any breach, stating that the app was as safe as it always has been. Moreover, it even went on to state that this might be a smear campaign (presumably by a competitor), and any person who can shed more light or prove them right will be eligible for a bounty worth a million dollars (~ Rs 7.5 cr). That is unarguably a bold statement, mainly because any evidence didn’t back it. So we decided to take the matter into our own hands and try to verify the happenings.

False allegations?

Firstly, we checked the allegations. They were merely a bunch of screenshots from a few (non-Indian) users, each having a different story but of a similar nature. Thankfully, with the advent of the internet, it wasn’t too difficult to track these “users” down.

First up, we have Twitter user @williamzx7, who reported to have his FIFA account hacked. The screenshot did not mention any evidence of the hacking, just a cropped image of an email from EA (the developer of the game) with a security code; not enough to conclude it has a hacking. The more interesting fact is that the tweet is nowhere to be found on this profile. In fact, the last original tweet (not a retweet) was on March 4.

Next up was another Twitter user @iskagardner, who apparently had a transaction request done from her account. When we checked, her account was live and often-used. We were even able to find the exact tweet (it was cached in our browser), but it seems to have been taken down since. We tried asking her for more details, but she blocked us.

Then, we had @megycassidy, who apparently tweeted that Houseparty is hacking into people’s Spotify, Snapchat, and banking apps. No evidence was attached. Her Twitter profile was locked, and she hasn’t accepted our follow requests in over 24 hours so that we couldn’t verify this one.

A more interesting screenshot was from a Snapchat user @merrie-96, who shared images of similar tweets lashing out at Houseparty on her Stories, along with a caption stating that she had her Instagram hacked along with a £ 900 fraud transaction on her bank account earlier this week. We were able to track her down but couldn’t spot the exact story (Snapchat Stories disappear in 24 hours so that we will give the benefit of the doubt to her).

She was quick to ask us how we found her profile as she suddenly had a surge of follow requests. We explained the situation and disclosed our purpose of getting in touch with her. She admitted to having posted that story and told us that her Instagram was attempted to be hacked 12 times. She ignored our follow up requests for evidence and couldn’t tell us which phone she was using. She termed the situation as “strange” and “too coincidental” and concluded that Houseparty was the culprit by “putting 2 and 2 together.”

The next viral screenshot was from yet another Twitter user @harry-howell, who stated that this Spotify account was hacked. His profile is protected and is yet to accept our follow request, so this claim remains unverified. The same was true for the next person, who tweeted screenshots of other complaints, which were incidentally the same ones that we mentioned above.

Lastly, we had @clairenstewart, who shared images of suspicious login attempts into her Spotify and Microsoft accounts. However, her account did not exist when we checked on March 30, which could either mean that her profile has been taken down, or it never existed.

Thoughtfully targeted

So, at press time, we are unable to verify any of the allegations had that been doing rounds on the internet. We will update this bit if we can establish communications with any of them later. Some other smaller details that we spotted was that all screenshots were taken at the exact same time, one after the other (corroborated by the battery percentage). Not implying anything, but it could mean that the screenshots were intentionally taken one after another and didn't need much searching for.

They also seem to have been shared only in India and only over WhatsApp, which has a history of acting as a fake news and panic mill. Considering that Indian youth form a big part of Houseparty's user base, this doesn't come as a surprise as India also happens to be WhatsApp's biggest market.

But, is Houseparty actually safe to use?

Also, there's another entire technical side to this, about how an app can never access the accounts of other non-related, unlinked apps. By design, neither Android nor iOS allows that. The only permissions Houseparty is consented to include your friend list on Facebook and Snapchat, and your contacts, all of which you need to provide during the setup phase explicitly.

We are checking the local device permissions granted to Houseparty (which we recommend you also to check); neither revealed anything suspicious. It was granted permission to access the camera, contacts, microphone, and storage, essential to conducting a video call. It also asks for location data, but that is optional and non-essential to the core functioning of the app, so we denied that. The app’s limited feature set also makes for less possible backdoors for any mishaps.

News18 took that a step further and had cybersecurity experts have a look at the app’s code for any vulnerabilities, but was unable to spot any.

What if the allegations are legit?

One of the possibilities include users using the same password across multiple services, which are easier targets for hackers. Cyber-criminals are known to resort to credential stuffing attacks, were previously acquired password data is tried on other accounts of the same person. But even if that is the case, the onus of that is on the user and not on Houseparty.

Another remote possibility of why the attacks happened if we believe the claims, could be due to other malicious apps or websites recently visited by the complainants. We know for a fact that everyone’s internet usage and consumption has significantly increased in this period. It’s not too far fetched that some of them wandered too far and were thus targeted.

Houseparty as an app was launched in 2016. It clearly isn’t a new app that might have been developed with nether intentions. In fact, Epic Games, which is the developer of Fortnite and other high profile titles, acquired Houseparty last year, adding another layer of credibility to the mix. It’s a simple fact that if a giant like this actually gets proven guilty, its future is in shambles. They ideally wouldn’t take a risk so huge, even if the odds of getting caught were close to zero.

That confidence is also evident in the follow-up announcement from Houseparty, where it will be offering a bounty to anyone who can provide proof that this entire incident is a smear campaign. Houseparty seems confident that it is one, and continues to maintain its stance: “All Houseparty accounts are safe - the service is secure, has never been compromised, and doesn’t collect passwords for other sites.”

In the meanwhile, we are also in touch with the Houseparty team to get further clarifications and assurances from their side. While we wouldn’t go as far as terming them innocent just yet, most of the evidence does seem to point at that. Our independent efforts, too, couldn’t find any users in our circles who had any of their accounts compromised. In case you know someone who did, please reach out to us.

Until then, we don't see a reason to stay away from Houseparty. Just ensure you follow the general best practices to be safe on the internet.

Best resources to stay updated with India’s COVID-19 situation

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Vivo S6 vs Vivo S5: What's the Difference?

https://ift.tt/wEcZxH Vivo S6 is the company’s newest addition to the Vivo S series of smartphones. It supports 5G and has an octa-core processor.

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The best smartphone of 2020: Top smartphones in the UAE, Saudi and Middle East

Our best smartphone list brings you the best phones available right now in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Middle East. If you already have your mobile OS alliance set you'll want to check out either our ranking of the best Android phone or best iPhone.

If what's on offer in our best smartphone list is a little too pricey for your taste, then don't fear, as we've also got a list of the best cheap phones available right now.

With the first quarter of 2020 behind us, we've already seen some impressive phone launches such as the Galaxy S20 series, the Oppo Find X2 Pro and the Huawei P40 series. While some of these phones are still being extensively tested by us, the Galaxy S20 series has found its place in our best phones roundup- though it might not be the one you expected.

Best Android phone | Best iPhone | Best budget phone

We know that it's not all about the high-cost, super spec phones all the time so we've made you a handy list of all the top smartphones that you can get on the market right now, assessing what really matters to you.

We test these phones rigorously, making sure that we check every angle and feature - but most importantly, considering whether they've got a decent battery, great screen, strong design and a cracking camera.

On top of that, they can't be too exorbitant in price either - not everyone wants or can afford a supercar of a handset, so we've made sure there are plenty of options for you there.

So let's get started on our list of the top phones - you can see them quickly below, and then we're set to talk you through the very best phone in the Middle East right now.

Best phones at a glance

The Samsung Galaxy S20 is the best smartphone available right now. That covers both the S20 and the larger Galaxy S20 Plus, as there's very little difference between the two handsets aside from size and a couple of specs.

They take the very best of what's on the smartphone market and put it together in a compelling package that we loved testing.

Screen: Both these devices have phone screens that are a cut above the rest, and each is capable of a 120Hz refresh rate that will allow for far smoother scrolling and gameplay on your phone's screen.

Battery life: The battery life on the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20 Plus isn't the best we've ever seen on a smartphone, but larger batteries than the S10 series allow these devices to last longer and it'll be enough for your day.

Both devices come with wireless charging, and there's also a Reverse Power Share feature that allows you to top up your friend's phone too.

Camera: Samsung has improved the camera suite on the Galaxy S20 devices compared to the Galaxy S10. It may not look far better on paper, but larger pixels and improved software adds to the flagship experience.

Mini verdict: The S20 and S20 Plus are packed full of the best Samsung has to offer, and it comes together to give you the best smartphone experience around right now. If we had to pick one, we'd go for the bigger screen, larger battery slightly improved rear camera of the Galaxy S20 Plus, but both phones deserve their best phone crown.

They take the very best of what's on the smartphone market and put it together in a compelling package that we loved testing.

Both devices come with wireless charging, and there's also a Reverse Power Share feature that allows you to top up your friend's phone too.

iPhone 11 review — Image Credit: TechRadar

There's a new hero for iPhone fans, with the iPhone 11 offering the best mix of features and price. In fact, the iPhone 11 is so good that it has risen close to the top of our best smartphones list and is the iPhone we recommend to anyone.

The specs here aren't as impressive as they are on the iPhone 11 Pro or iPhone 11 Pro Max, but the trade-off in a lower price for this device makes it a must-have for many Apple fans.

Screen: This isn't the best screen you'll find on an iPhone, but it's still a vibrant display that's large enough to watch video on.

Battery life: The easiest way to describe battery life on the iPhone 11 is good, but not great. You'll get around a day of usage from the iPhone 11, but it's not as good as the Pro Max.

Camera: Expect a similar experience from the camera on the iPhone 11 as on the iPhone XR. If you want the best camera on an iPhone, you'll want the Pro, but it's still an impressive shooter on the rear of the standard 11.

Mini verdict: The iPhone 11 offers some of the best features from Apple in a more affordable package. Many will be happy with what the iPhone 11 can do, but others will want to look toward the high-spec iPhone 11 Pro or Pro Max to get the very best.

Read our in-depth iPhone 11 review
Price comparison: The best iPhone 11 deals

Best Android Phone Camera — Image Credit: TechRadar

The Huawei P30 Pro is so close to being the best smartphone right now, and for some it will take top spot in their minds.

It's the best phone we've used when it comes to photography with 5x and 10x zoom capabilities and fantastic low-light performance.

Screen: The large 6.47-inch screen on the P30 Pro may 'only' have a Full HD+ resolution, but it's bright, clear and colorful providing an excellent canvas for your apps and games.

Battery life: There's no worry when it comes to the P30 Pro potentially running out of juice, the battery life here is excellent. We regularly got to the end of the day with 30% or more left in the tank.

Camera: The cameras are the P30 Pro's real party piece, providing staggeringly good 5x and 10x zoom, and a digital 50x zoom with gets you insanely close to objects far off in the distance. Its low-light capabilities are also top-notch.

Mini Verdict: The P30 Pro not only sets a new standard for Huawei, it sets a new standard for the entire mobile industry. Its cameras are quite simply astonishing, the design is eye-catching and the power plentiful. It’s a true flagship smartphone.

Read more: Huawei P30 Pro review

Want something a bit more from your iPhone? You're in luck with the iPhone 11 Pro as it features some improved spec including a more high-end rear camera that can compete with the very best.

It'll cost more than the iPhone 11 did on the page before, but if you're after one of the top iPhones this is the best option with a smaller display than the iPhone 11 Pro Max.

Screen: It's not the largest screen on the market, but it looks great compared to the iPhone 11 and will suit you if you're looking for an iPhone with a smaller display.

Battery life: The battery life is slightly longer than the last few generations of the iPhone, but don't expect anything game changing here when it comes to the length your phone will last for.

Camera: Apple has put most of its focus into the rear cameras on this device, and while the design of the rear of the phone has been controversial these cameras can create some truly stunning photography that competes with the very best camera phones.

Mini verdict: You'll have to spend a bit extra to get the iPhone 11 Pro, but it's well worth it if you want a phone that sports iOS 13 but comes with top-end features.

Read our in-depth iPhone 11 Pro review
Price comparison: The best iPhone 11 Pro deals

The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus is one of the largest phones there is, but this stylus-toting handset is our second favorite phone you can buy right now.

It's expensive, but it features some of the best specs you'll get on a smartphone in 2019.

Screen: The screen on this phone is huge and the Infinity-O cutout means there's little interruption to the display here, allowing for an immersive experience.

Battery life: We found the battery life on the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus to easily last the whole day, plus the fast charging tech means you're able to pump it up quickly when you're nearing 0%.

Camera: The camera setup on the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus isn't the best on the market, but it's impressive and offers a lot of fun features that you may want to play around with.

Mini Verdict: Samsung's Galaxy Note 10 Plus is a remarkable device, but it's only for those who want a large phone and don't mind spending that bit extra on a device. The S10 Plus will be more suitable for most, but the Note 10 Plus is a great phone too.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus review
Price comparison: The best Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus deals

The iPhone 11 Pro Max is the biggest phone Apple has created, and it's also the most high-spec'd phone from the company.

It's expensive even by iPhone standards, but it features an all-screen, notch-toting, almost bezel-free design with masses of power under the hood. The big upgrades compared to the iPhone XS Max are the improved cameras and boosted power.

Screen: The 6.5-inch OLED screen on the iPhone 11 Pro Max really grabbed our attention - it's fantastic for video streaming and gaming.

Battery life: This is some of the best battery life we've ever experienced on an iPhone, with further optimizations within iOS and a larger cell inside the phone itself. It's still not game-changing, but it's better than other Apple handsets.

Camera: The triple camera setup on the iPhone 11 Pro Max is fantastic. This is the first time Apple has implemented three rear cameras, and it offers a great experience. Plus, it can be fun to use.

Mini verdict: If your hands are as big as your bank balance, the iPhone 11 Pro Max takes Apple's smartphone to a whole new level with an improved camera and more.

Read our in-depth iPhone 11 Pro Max review
Price comparison: The best iPhone 11 Pro Max deals

Yeah, that's right - Samsung now offers two versions of its S Pen-toting Note range, and this one comes with a lower spec than the one you've read about earlier in this list.

The Galaxy Note 10 is better for those with smaller hands, thanks to its much smaller display and smaller dimensions, but the battery life suffers a little for that.

Screen: This may be a Samsung Galaxy Note handset, but the display isn't anywhere near as big as you'd expect. It's a 6.3-inch display with an Infinity-O cutout for the selfie camera.

Battery life: The battery is where the Galaxy Note 10 begins to suffer a little as we found it regularly ran out before the end of a full day, but it's enough for average usage.

Camera: The rear camera of the Galaxy Note 10 is similar to all other flagship Samsung phones released in 2019, and it's good but not the best we've seen on a smartphone.

Mini verdict: The Galaxy Note 10 isn't as high-spec as the Galaxy Note 10 Plus, but if you want a stylus on a smaller phone than the gargantuan Plus then you may want to opt for this.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Note 10 review
Price comparison: The best Samsung Galaxy Note 10 deals

The Oppo Reno 10x Zoom boasts an attractive pop-up selfie camera, cutting-edge chipset and competitive camera lineup, making it one of the best phones available right now.

Odd name aside, there's a lot to like with the Reno 10x Zoom, and if you're looking for something a little different for you next phone this could be just the ticket.

Screen: Thanks to the pop-up selfie camera, there's no notch intruding on the display and with almost zero bezel you're treated to an eye-popping 93.1% screen-to-body ratio. It just looks great.

Battery life: The battery on the Reno 10x Zoom lasts for about a day of medium-to-heavy use, and a day and a half if you use it a little less. That's what we expect from a modern smartphone, so no issues here.

Camera: Despite what its name may suggest, this phone actually offers up a whopping 60x zoom, which gets you alarmingly close to objects far in the distance. It's a digital zoom, so quality degrades a little, but even the 5x optical zoom is impressive.

Mini verdict: The Oppo Reno 10x Zoom is a stylish phone – between its sleek look, asymmetrical pop-up and delicate back colours, it looks great – and, surprisingly for a Chinese smartphone with its own UI, the software is good to look at too.

Read our full Oppo Reno 10x Zoom review

If you're looking for an affordable flagship phone which doesn't have any major compromises on features or functionality, stop looking and check out the OnePlus 7T.

Screen: One of the highlights of the 7T is its large 90Hz display. It can compete with most top-end handsets and offers great colour accuracy and response.

Battery life: The OnePlus 7T battery provides all-day use from a single charge. It's unlikely to go much further than a day, but it's what we've come to expect these days.

Camera: The OnePlus 7T camera feels like a significant improvement over the OnePlus 7, with some impressive software wizardry on tap to optimize your images.

Mini verdict: The OnePlus 7T is the best 'T' upgrade to any OnePlus phone to date and an attractive proposition for those who find the OnePlus 7T Pro too bulky.

Read our full: OnePlus 7T review

Like the look of the new S10 and S10 Plus, but not a fan of their lofty price tags? Well fear not, as Samsung has catered for you with the Galaxy S10e.

The Galaxy S10e has many of the flagship features of its pricier siblings, while offering a more palm-friendly size and a few compromises to help keep the cost down.

Screen: You don't get a QHD resolution here, instead you'll have to accept a Full HD+ 5.8-inch screen - but the Super AMOLED display provides plenty of colour and pop.

Battery life: We found battery life lasted a day on a single charge - which is what we've come to expect from phones - plus its wireless charging and Wireless PowerShare making topping it up, and you other devices, even easier.

Camera: The dual camera setup on the S10e isn't quite as good as the triple cameras on the S10 and S10 Plus, but they're still highly capable snappers producing quality photos with ease.

Mini verdict: It’s hard not to recommend the S10e to anyone who prefers a smaller phone. Size queens, look elsewhere - this smartphone is for folks who want to text and browse apps one-handed without compromising performance.

Read our in-depth Samsung Galaxy S10e review
Price comparison: The best Samsung Galaxy S10e deals

You're at the end of our best smartphone guide, but that doesn't mean we can't help you still - if you're stuck on which model is for you, we've got a tool that can compare all the phones together and you can decide which one suits you best based on the cost.

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Vivo S6 With 5G Support, 4,500mAh Battery Launched: Price, Specifications

https://ift.tt/2zvZJhE S6 is official in China, and the phone comes with Exynos processor and a quad camera setup at the back. The phone has a waterdrop-style notch display, and it packs a large 4,500mAh battery onboard, but the fast charging support is limited to 18W.

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The cheapest active VR headset could be the perfect remote working tool

It’s been three years since Royole, a little known Chinese company, wowed crowds in Las Vegas with its groundbreaking all-in-one virtual reality (VR) headset, the Royole Moon.

The device has some great features that could make it the perfect tool for remote working, and it's currently on clearance sale for just over USD 390 at AliExpress (roughly GBP 315/AUD 640).

Two advanced AMOLED displays combine to produce a gigantic virtual 800-inch curved screen. The Moon displays content in Full HD 1080p resolution, at over 3,000 pixels per inch, with an ultra-high contrast ratio of 10,000:1 and a blisteringly fast image response rate of 60Hz.

Check out our list of the best business VR headsets around
We've curated the best video conferencing software of 2020
Here's our choice of the best business headphones and earphones on the market

The Royale Moon features active noise cancellation, reducing external sound by 92% (or 22dB) and isolating wearers from their surroundings. This means users can wholly immerse themselves in a presentation, working document or video without distraction - although this could be a little daunting for claustrophobic individuals.

The headset supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and HDMI connection from smartphones, game consoles, PCs, laptops and more. It also comes with 2GB of memory and 32GB storage to save your favorite movies, videos, images, and audio directly to the device.

As for the caveats, the headset unfortunately runs on a proprietary fork of Android, as opposed to a stock version. Its battery pack is convenient enough but leans on a microUSB port to charge, and there’s also no microSD slot for additional memory.

Here's our list of the best online collaboration software available

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Get fit in isolation with the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 and save AU$150

Fitness is being promoted everywhere from social media to news articles, and for good reason – exercise promotes healthy habits and is extremely beneficial for your mental health. If you’re wanting to jump on the bandwagon (or have already), you can track all those calories you’ve burnt with the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 and save a cool AU$150 all in one go!

The Galaxy Watch Active 2 is the latest addition to Samsung's Tizen watch range - it’s slimmer, lighter, and arguably more comfortable than its predecessor and includes a rotating digital bezel.

This quality smartwatch features a stunning 1.2-inch 360 x 360 display and is smaller compared to a lot of other smart-wearables out there, making it less clunky and more stylish.

In addition to this, Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 sports top-end fitness features with 39 workout modes, a heart rate and ECG sensor, and a health app with stress and sleep monitoring.

With the discount applied, this is an incredible deal on a top-of-the-line smartwatch that’s sure to keep you on track so you can smash your fitness goals. You can grab the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 in either Black or Rose gold directly from Microsoft until April 19.

Best smartwatch 2020: the top wearables you can buy today

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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered out now on PS4

Yesterday, we reported on a leak which stated that a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 remaster was on the eve of release, and that has now been proven entirely accurate, with the game now officially available to download from the PlayStation Network.

While the game is only available on PS4 for the time being, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered will also arrive on PC and Xbox One on April 30.

Predictably, the remaster boasts a number of visual enhancements, such as HDR support and resolutions of up to 4K on consoles, while the PC version will be fully optimized, offering uncapped framerates and ultra-wide monitor support.

"No Russian."

As the name would suggest, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered will only include the single-player portion of the beloved game. Thankfully, that means the inclusion of such classic missions as 'Cliffhanger', 'Takedown', and the highly controversial 'No Russian'.

Best single-player games 2020: the top games for playing solo

Of course, multiplayer enthusiasts haven't been left entirely in the cold – those who purchase the game will also receive the Underwater Demo Team Classic Ghost Bundle for immediate use with the current Call of Duty: Modern Warfare game and the free (and standalone) Call of Duty: Warzone battle royale mode.

The bundle includes a new UDT Ghost Operator skin, two weapon blueprints, a weapon charm, new finishing move, voice quip, animated calling card, emblem and two Battle Pass tier skips.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered has been priced at $19.99 (£19.99 / AU$35,95). You can check out the action-packed PS4 trailer below.

How to download and play Call of Duty: Warzone

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Apple buys Dark Sky weather app and shuts down the Android version

Dark Sky for iOS is one of the most popular weather apps available, and Apple has clearly taken notice, because now the tech giant has officially acquired the “hyperlocal” weather app.

Compared with other contenders in the same category, Dark Sky is noted for having more granular detail on the weather at a user’s actual location, offering “down-to-the-minute forecasts” via a pleasing user interface.

News of the acquisition was announced via a blog post from the app developers which also outlined the key changes that the purchase will bring. Most notably among them will be the discontinuation of the Android and Wear OS version of the Dark Sky apps.

“The app will no longer be available for download. Service to existing users and subscribers will continue until July 1, 2020, at which point the app will be shut down. Subscribers who are still active at that time will receive a refund.”

For those looking for an alternative, try out these Android weather apps

That same July 1, 2020 cutoff applies to weather forecasts, maps and embeds from the Dark Sky website, which will be shut down on that date.

Along with the death of the Android app, Dark Sky’s API (application programming interface) will no longer be available for others to use, meaning that other popular apps like Carrot Weather that rely on the API will have to find an alternative solution, although they’ll be given until the end of 2021 to do so.

For those currently using the iOS app, “there will be no changes at this time”, according to Dark Sky, so you can continue to purchase the app via the iOS app store.

With that said, it’s very possible we could see Apple’s own weather app get a makeover at some point down the line given how well-received Dark Sky’s user interface and hyperlocal capabilities are, so here's hoping.

Not keen on paying? Check out these free iPhone weather app alternatives

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HomePod 2 and new Apple TV on course for 2020 release date

The world may be coming to terms with new social isolation orders to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus, but some companies are taking to it like ducks to water – iPhone maker Apple among them.

According to a new report from Bloomberg, Apple employees, despite now working remotely, are going full steam ahead to get the company's 2020 slate of products into the hands of consumers, despite the disruption to their usual working practices.

From new iPhones to iPads, new iMac to new MacBooks, the perennials are all accounted for. But perhaps more interestingly, the report suggests that 2020 will see the debut of a HomePod 2 smart speaker and a new Apple TV set-top box – the oft-overlooked members of the Apple hardware family.

Best smart speakers: from HomePod to Amazon Alexa
HomePod 2: everything we know about Apple's next smart speaker
New Apple TV: what we want to see

Soon to be revealed?

While the details of each product of course remain shrouded in secrecy, the report states that all remain intended for 2020 release dates.

It seems that Apple is having to relax certain elements of its standard working practices in order to achieve this, too. Ever since a prototype iPhone 4 was lost in a bar by an Apple employee back in 2010, it's had strict rules on how its new devices can be used out in the real world.

But according to the report, Apple has "started allowing engineers to take home early versions of future devices to continue work during the lockdown period. Previously, the company allowed select employees to take home nearly compete devices such as iPhones for real world testing."

Apple HomePod review: here's how the first generation shapes up

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One of the anticipated OnePlus 8 phones might be absent at the launch event

The OnePlus 8 series launch event is happening on April 14, and while we were expecting three phones to be launched (the base handset with a Lite and Pro variant), it seems that may not be the case.

No, according to multiple reliable leakers the OnePlus 8 Lite isn't to be unveiled on April 14. Instead it will apparently land later, and with a different name.

Firstly, Max Weinbach stated that the OnePlus 8 Lite would actually be called the OnePlus Z, as a spiritual successor to the OnePlus X from 2015 which was a budget alternative to the OnePlus 2. This handset would likely be for fans who are put off by the fact that OnePlus phones are slowly getting more and more pricey.

These are the best OnePlus phones
And these are the top cheap phones
What do we know about the iPhone 12?

Oppo, a phone company owned by the same parent company as OnePlus, took a similar route in expanding its Oppo Reno series with the Oppo Reno Z, and Apple is rumored to be doing the same with the iPhone 9 for people who don't want to pay for a pricey iPhone 11.

As for the later launch, Ishan Agarwal tweeted that the OnePlus Z might come later in 2020, and that it could herald the beginning of a whole new OnePlus range.

This, presumably, would be a series distinct from the OnePlus 8T range - which we're also expecting later this year - and would be aimed at a different audience to the main devices.

Most phone companies have multiple lines of smartphones coming out, like Samsung with its Galaxy S, Note, A, M and J phones available in some combination depending on region, so it wouldn't be surprising if OnePlus did the same.

It sounds like OnePlus could be trying to come up with a budget line to sit under its main line, like how Xiaomi has the Redmi brand to hit that market.

We'll likely find out later in the year though, with the April 14 launch dedicated to the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro by the sounds of it. TechRadar will be reporting on all the news from the event, as well as our analysis and opinions, so stay tuned for that.

New OnePlus 8 leaks reveal more specs and another color

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iPhone 9 launch date might be soon as cases are seemingly being sent to stores

A number of rumors had suggested the iPhone 9 might land soon, and it’s now looking very likely that they were right, as cases for the phone are reportedly being sent out to major retailers in the US, such as Best Buy.

This claim, along with a photograph of one of the cases, comes from a tipster speaking to 9to5Mac, and if true this would likely mean the iPhone 9 could launch imminently, since physical stock of cases is unlikely to be sent long before the launch.

As for exactly when the iPhone 9 would launch though, that’s still unclear. The source claims that retailers have been told not to merchandise the cases until April 5, but that’s a Sunday, which is a very unlikely day for a new product launch.

Read our full iPhone 11 review
See what we think of the iPhone 11 Pro
These are the best iPhones

However, it’s unlikely that Apple would want the cases known about before the iPhone 9 is announced, so we could well see it land before then – which would mean an announcement sometime before the 5th.

One leak had even previously pointed to an announcement on March 31, which is today at the time of writing, but with no other sources backing that up we’d take it with a pinch of salt.

Still, the only real reason to doubt a launch soon is the disruption caused by the coronavirus, but a number of reports claim Apple is getting back on track. Most recently a Bloomberg report suggested that Apple employees have largely adjusted to working from home and numerous Apple products are on track to launch this year.

The iPhone 9 wasn't specifically mentioned, but the likes of new budget iPads and the iPhone 12 range were, so there's no reason Apple's budget phone couldn't be on target too.

As for the case image itself, that doesn’t show us much, other than a camera cut-out in the top left corner of the rear, which is where we’d expect to find it. However, there are two things to note.

Firstly, the image is of a UAG case, which is a big-name brand that might well have launch information in advance, so it’s very believable that its cases could have been sent out to retailers based on accurate launch timing information.

Second, the phone is referred to as ‘New iPhone 4.7" 2020’, which tells us firstly to expect a 4.7-inch screen, as had been rumored, but secondly doesn’t include either of the possible names we were expecting for the new iPhone. Previous rumors had pointed probably to iPhone 9, or failing that iPhone SE 2.

The slightly bland description here probably just means UAG wasn’t sure of the final name, but it’s always possible that Apple is ditching the numbers and just calling its most basic phone the iPhone, much like its most basic iPad is just called iPad. It’s likely that we’ll find out for sure very soon.

Get the most out of your iPhone with the best free iPhone apps

Via GSMArena

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Samsung Display to End All LCD Production by End 2020

https://ift.tt/1yfKH7d Korean panel maker Samsung Display has decided to end all of its production of liquid crystal display (LCD) panels in South Korea and China by the end of this year, a spokeswoman said on Tuesday.

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Motorola Razr (2019) India Sale Date Delayed to April 15 Due to Coronavirus Lockdown

https://ift.tt/2nxrLmA has announced that it’s postponing the sale date of the Razr (2019) from April 2 to April 15, due to the nationwide lockdown.

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Samsung Galaxy M11 vs Samsung Galaxy M10: What's the Difference?

https://ift.tt/154AwVo Galaxy M11 was launched yesterday while the Galaxy M10 has been available for a year. Both phones target the budget segment and pack octa-core processors.

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Samsung Display to discontinue LCD panel production by the end of this year

Samsung Display is the global leader when it comes to panels, not just limited to smartphones. A significant but expected change is reported to go in place later this year when it will end all LCD production.

Samsung Display has been the supplier of choice for most smartphone and television brands across the world, with customers spanning from Apple to OnePlus and everything in between. LG happens to be the closest competitor, which is significantly smaller in terms of market share.

Reuters reports that Samsung is on its way to ending all LCD panel production by the end of this year, after fulfilling the pending orders to its partners. Currently, there are two production lines at its South Korea campus, and two LCD-only factories in China. One of the former will eventually be upgraded and converted into a facility that can produce superior “Quantum dot” displays, while the fate of the latter is yet to be finalized.

One of the key reasons for this shift is to curb the oversupply of LCDs while there is a global slowdown for smartphones and TVs. Moreover, most manufacturers are also looking to leap on to OLED displays, which are generally considered to be superior. With the prices of OLED panels going down due to advancements, we’re now seeing them feature even in budget smartphones.

Samsung’s displays are generally considered to be the best in the business, especially when it comes to smartphones. Aspects such as high resolutions, triple-digit refresh rates, HDR capabilities, physically curved sides, in-display biometrics, and never-before-seen peak brightness levels have all been democratized in the recent past.

Even LG made a similar announcement earlier this year that LG DIsplay Co will halt LCD production for TVs in late 2020.

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra has the best screen ever seen on a phone

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How to watch Joe Wicks' PE lesson - live now

We're well into the week now, and if you're one of the millions of people suddenly aware they want to get fit, a man named Joe Wicks is trying to be the PE teacher for the UK (and increasingly, the entire world).

The online phenomenon is seeing hundreds of thousands of people crowding around their TVs, iPads, smartphones and more and flinging their limbs around in new and strength-giving ways at 9AM BST each day.

While it was originally dubbed as 'just for kids' during self-isolation, we've been doing it daily and it's certainly not easy. Our stiff muscles tell that story...

The man many will know as the Body Coach has also pledged the following rather nice thing on his Instagram:

"So I've decided that as long as I’m the nations P.E. teacher, every single penny of the money generated on these videos is going to the place where we need it the most right now. All of it is going straight to the NHS, to support the real heroes right now."

So you'll be getting fit and helping those on the front line - that's something we can get on board with.

We'll be updating this article with the live video below - check back regularly and we'll put the link below.

Want to get the best out of the workout? Here's a quick list to make those morning workouts a little easier:

Or, if you don't want to buy a whole new TV to get easy smarts, a Chromecast or Roku stick will allow you to easily stream to your TV too:

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What time does Joe Wicks’ kids workout start each day?

If you’re itching to get your fix of Wicks live each day, then you’ll need to have YouTube open and waiting at 9AM BST each day.

(If you're in other parts of the world and don't want to get up ridiculously early each day to watch live, we've got the recent uploads listed at the bottom of this article).

The sessions last for 30 mins, and include a warm up and cool down, and two repetitions of the circuits he walks (or sprints) you through.

See more about the workout and subscribe to the YouTube channel over at the Body Coach site

How do I watch Joe Wicks’ PE sessions?

If you‘re interesting in getting involved with The Body Coach as it happens, and can cope with irrepressible enthusiasm as this hour, then you’ll need to have your YouTube portal open on your TV, tablet or smartphone at around 8:55AM BST.

Once ready, navigate to The Body Coach’s YouTube channel on your TV, phone or iPad (more on how to do that below).

You won't see him on camera straight away - but try to memorise all the items on his shelves as there's a daily spot the difference for the die-hard fans.

(If you want to watch it on catch up each day, at a time that suits you, then you can just follow the same instructions above, where the previous workouts will be posted to catch up on.)

How to watch Joe Wicks’ kids workout on a TV

The best way - if you’ve got the space - is to watch the workout in front of a TV. There are myriad ways to get YouTube on your tellybox, thus making it simpler to get active.

Using your smart TV

The easiest way is if you've got a smart TV into your life - open up your smart hub and navigate to YouTube, where you can follow the searching instructions above to find The Body Coach TV, with a new video going live each day at 9AM GMT.

If you don't see it straight away, then it should appear just before 9AM - and Wicks gives you a few minutes to get ready too.

Using Google Chromecast

Alternatively you can use streaming sticks - one of the simplest is Google's Chromecast, which plugs into your HDMI socket and will stream content from your phone to the TV.

Fire up YouTube on your smartphone or tablet and look for the icon below in one of the corners:

(The same icon will also show you any compatible smart TVs or streaming sticks on your network that you can 'cast' the show to - you might be surprised which devices are already enabled).

The Chromecast isn't too expensive either, and is a simple way to turn your TV smart - allowing you to stream a multitude of services (like Netflix and other streaming platforms) from your small phone screen to a larger display:

How to watch on a Roku stick:

More advanced than a Chromecast, the Roku stick turns your TV into a smart hub easily too. When plugged in, hit the 'source' button on your remote and navigate to the HDMI port where your Roku stick is located (or, with some modern TVs, just pressing the 'Home' button on the Roku remote will achieve the same thing).

From there, open the YouTube app and navigate to the Body Coach TV at 9AM GMT... or fire it up on your smartphone or tablet and look for the 'cast' icon above, tap it and see if the Roku is listed (which it should be if all devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network).

How to watch Joe Wicks’ PE workout on an iPad

You’ve got two options here: if you’ve already got the YouTube app downloaded onto your tablet, then just search for ‘The Body Coach’ and click the icon at the top of the screen for ‘Body Coach TV’.

From there you’ll see a list of all the videos, and at 9AM the new option should pop up - although you may need to refresh.

You can achieve the same thing if you don’t have the iPad app by heading to your Safari or Chrome browser and clicking the link to the The Body Coach’s YouTube channel - you can play the video directly from there, and hit the full-screen option in the bottom right-hand corner.

How to catch up on Joe Wicks' other PE workouts

If you missed anything, or want to browse previous workouts, they're all available on the same YouTube channel above - or you can watch them right here:

Need to educate your children from home? Check out our list of the best homeschooling apps and platforms

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The 6 essential elements of smart document capture technology

It's no secret that businesses are creating more and more data today as their work becomes increasingly digital. But with so much information being generated, sometimes it can be hard to track where your key data lies. This "trapped data" can often be locked away either online or in physical documents, meaning your business could be losing out on vital insights or information.

There's no need to worry though, as smart document capture technology can help you quickly scan through all this information to extract all the useful knowledge that could otherwise have been lost or forgotten. Bringing together a range of services and tools, smart document capture technology is able to quickly analyse and extract all the insights locked away.

Getting the most out of these systems could not only lead to vital data being saved, but could mean your company cuts down on inefficiencies and operational costs across the business.

TechRadar Pro has teamed up with Ephesoft to outline everything you need to know about smart document capture - just fill in the form below to download our free whitepaper for all the information you need.

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No honour among thieves - how cybercriminals are exploiting the ongoing pandemic

We are, as I’m sure you’re well aware, in the midst of a global health crisis. As governments and health organisations around the world work to stem the spread of the virus and ease the anxiety and panic within society, there are those who are maliciously turning this crisis into opportunity.

Our security research teams have identified a number of instances where bad actors are preying on the worries of the public, tainting the good work of people and institutions trying to help, and taking advantage of our increasingly remote workforce for profit. These are troubling times, there is a long road ahead of us, and it’s important that we all be alert to additional threats riding on the coattails of the current crisis and take appropriate precautions.

What follows are examples of recent exploits we’ve been seeing that both businesses and the public need to be aware of.

Here's our list of the best antivirus services on the market
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Here's our choice of the best VPN services of 2020

Phishing on fear

With so much fear having permeated society, cybercriminals are using this to entice people to click on malicious links and provide personal information or corporate credentials. Recent phishing emails promise recipients a variety of false COVID-19 related information, from up to date infection numbers in their locality, shocking images that governments are supposedly hiding from us, and even a link to a cure. Panicky and curious users who click on these links will often find that malware infects their devices.

Attackers will also go so far as exploit people’s sense of urgency and make emails time-sensitive. It’s a similar psychological trick to how online retailers may use flash sales to lure us to make a purchase on-the-spot, although what a user gets is a lot worse than a little buyer’s remorse. An email promising free coronavirus testing for the first 10,000 respondents will get a user’s attention, especially those who may not know the warning signs of a malicious email.

Ransomware in sheep's clothing

Attackers are also using coronavirus fears to draw people to bogus, malicious apps. Most recently we found one app that presented itself as a means to track the global spread of the virus, when in fact it had a ransomware payload. To confuse and entice users these will sometimes be built on the genuine work of professionals. For example, Johns Hopkins University recently created an interactive dashboard of coronavirus infections and deaths, which has now been copied onto websites utilising drive-by downloads and malicious apps in the Google Play Store for Android devices.

Security researchers identified a new campaign where attackers are copying the Johns Hopkins map into an Android app. When the user installs the application, it encrypts the phone’s data, transmits the user’s GPS location data, and displays a message to the user that they can only retrieve their files if they pay $100 in bitcoin.

This is already turning into a lucrative black market business. Hackers on underground forums are reportedly selling £600 exploit kits that include Java code that clones the virus outbreak map and allows attackers to inject password-stealing malware, spam, malicious ads, or ransomware. Worryingly, the .jar file is reportedly able to make it through popular webmail filters and can also successfully exploit a system with a fully-patched version of Java.

Working from home woes

With public gatherings currently prohibited, remote working policies and business continuity plans are enabling workers to continue performing their duties from home. Whilst flexible working policies have been part and parcel of the modern workplace for some time, the sudden introduction of remote access solutions at scale is introducing additional work and complexity to an already overworked IT and security staff. As remote users increase, and with a limited number of technical staff to support them, it exposes a far larger attack surface for criminals to exploit.

As the scale of the need to support remote workers appeared so quickly, it’s possible that in the rush to get more remote access appliances online as quickly as possible, organisations may have bypassed traditional security reviews and change management procedures. This will have been done for benevolent reasons, most likely preventing any major disruption and ensuring business continuity, but it creates vulnerabilities within the remote access system.

For instance, traditional remote access solutions such as VPNs or firewalls need inbound access to listen for incoming connections. If organisations have not kept their appliances adequately patched and updated due to the rush, it could lead to unauthenticated access into corporate networks.

With so many employees working remotely, social engineering attackers could more convincingly call into the help desk to get user credentials reset, as this would be chalked down to a common hiccough associated with the onboarding of a significant number of remote access users. Once an attacker gains access to VPN credentials, the entire corporate network is exposed unless significant network segmentation has occurred. Network changes during a crisis are difficult, and may not be seen as top priority, so many organisations unaccustomed to supporting a large number of remote workers may well have been left vulnerable.

Lastly, the very nature of human psychology may put networks at greater risk. Employees working remotely are no longer protected by the security stack traditionally housed in a corporate data centre. Organisations rely on VPNs to send their traffic to a data centre for inspection, then out to the internet. However, end users are likely to take the path of least resistance in aid of getting their jobs done more efficiently, and forgo using a VPN for a faster browsing experience, or only use the VPN when they need to access the corporate network.

Be alert to cyberthreats

So long as coronavirus continues to disrupt our lives, both personal and professional, expect cybercriminals to exploit the situation by luring victims into clicking malicious links and installing malicious software. With all that’s going on in the world already this is a disheartening truth, but by following remote working organisational procedure, being more suspicious than ever of what you click and download, and trusting that the cybersecurity community is working tirelessly to stop these threats in their tracks, you can limit yours and your employer’s exposure.

Check out our list of the best identity management software available

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Too good to be true: Save AU$500 on the Samsung Galaxy Note 10!

Get your wallet out and your card ready, because the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 has been discounted by an astonishing AU$500! This is an amazing deal for one of the best smartphones Samsung has produced that will leave you in awe after every use.

The Note 10 has a stunning 6.3-inch screen and bezel-free design – this combined with an AMOLED display produces immaculate detail in pictures and videos giving you a thrilling and immersive experience.

It also comes with a nifty stylus which is one of its best features as you can take notes on the screen without having to navigate through a variety of menus. This makes it particularly useful in meetings when you need to quickly scribble something down.

The Galaxy Note 10 also takes great photos thanks to a combination of a 16MP ultra-wide lens, a 12MP regular lens and a 12MP telephoto lens. If you’re a lover of amateur photography, this phone will definitely satisfy your creative side.

To summarise, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 is a top-notch smartphone with all the bells and whistles that is sure to satisfy your phone thirst. Currently on sale in Aura Black, you can grab this beauty for only AU$999 through Samsung’s official Amazon store.

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Food delivery: which online grocery services have new delivery slots this week?

Update 31/03/20: Limited food delivery slots are becoming available throughout the day at Tesco, Sainsbury's and more, but they're filling up quickly. Supermarkets ask you to visit a store in person, if you can, to help them prioritise food delivery slots for elderly or vulnerable customers. If you need to order food online, keep checking your local online supermarket throughout the day. A number of meal delivery services are still operating too - details below.

Online food delivery services are under strain - but we're starting to see small signs of progress. Following the government's strict advice to stay at home to help combat the spread of coronavirus, there's been a huge surge in people looking to buy food online.

That's meant it hasn't been easy to book an online grocery delivery in recent weeks. But with many online supermarkets starting to release small numbers of slots for elderly or vulnerable customers throughout the day, chances are that if you need one - and keep trying throughout the day - you'll be able to find a slot eventually.

We're assessing the situation daily, and we'll tell you which supermarkets are offering food delivery slots as soon as they open.

Food delivery: quick links

Allplants - plant-based meal delivery, cooked by chefs
Amazon Fresh - grocery delivery to select cities only
Amazon Pantry - order everyday essentials with Amazon Prime
Asda - no delivery slots available
Beer Hawk - free delivery on beer orders over £50
Co-op - restricted to 20 item limit, not available in many areas
Domino's - contact-free pizza delivery to your door
Feast Box - £20 off your first world food recipe box
Iceland - prioritising elderly or vulnerable customers
Just Eat - takeaway delivery
Mindful Chef - healthy recipe boxes with fresh ingredients for you to cook
Morrisons - no new delivery slots available
Ocado - no new delivery slots
Papa John's - contact-free pizza delivery
Pizza Hut - contact-free Pizza delivery
Sainsbury's - some slots available but not accepting new customers
SimplyCook - Get a £3 trial recipe box to cook at home
Tesco - new delivery slots throughout the day
The Drink Shop - 20% off selected wine, beer and spirits
Uber Eats - takeaway delivery from your favourite restaurants
Vinatis - up to 50% off some wines
Waitrose - prioritising elderly or vulnerable customers

While the major supermarkets work around the clock to speed up the supply chain, we've taken a look at how they're dealing with the increased demand. We'll be constantly updating this page, but it looks like it'll be mid-April before new food delivery slots are opened up. You'll find full details below.

Please remember to use all food delivery services responsibly. Only order what you need to preserve stocks for others who might be in need.

Grocery delivery: our process

We signed up to all the major supermarkets below, and created a shopping basket full of popular goods. We then compared five different locations to provide a sense of what stock is available in each area and whether delivery slots are currently offered.

Your situation may differ, but the locations we covered were: London, Leeds, Portsmouth, Manchester and Bath. Here's the latest on which supermarkets are offering online grocery delivery today...

Tesco

Next delivery slot: none currently available (last updated 31/03/20)

Check the latest delivery times at Tesco online

Update (31/03/20): While we saw a couple of Tesco food delivery slots pop up a few days ago for April 3, we're now not finding any in the areas we're testing. However, we have heard from people who checked back regularly throughout the day and managed to book a slot.

Tesco CEO Dave Lewis has reached out to customers in a new message this week: "We know that it's difficult right now to get a delivery slot for online shopping. We are at full capacity for the next few weeks and we ask those who are able to safely come to stores to do so, instead of shopping online, so that we can start to free up more slots for the more vulnerable."

Tesco has a decent selection of food items online, but getting hold of them at the moment can be tricky. Most brands are in stock, but eggs, hand soap, pasta, milk and bread are the exception, with some items sold out.

According to Tesco, new food delivery slots are offered up as and when they're available each day.

How to sign up for an account

Enter a valid email address and password, and confirm whether you have a Clubcard or not. You’ll receive one automatically upon registering if you don't. Fill in your personal details, including your phone number and UK Postcode. You can then select if you’d like to receive offers and vouchers from Tesco or not.

Benefits and perks

Online shoppers can collect Clubcard points and Tesco has begun price matching Aldi on both its own-brand and branded products. A Delivery Saver pass is also available for regular customers, and comes with the added benefit of priority delivery slots during the busy Christmas and Easter periods.

Coronavirus measures and policies

Customers who shop online are encouraged to shop in-store where possible to help free up delivery slots for the elderly customers and those who are self-isolating.

Due to increased demand, Tesco isn’t accepting any new Delivery Saver customers right now either. A restriction of only three items per customer on every product line is in place, and multi-buy promotions have also been removed.

An 80 items limit is now in place for all online orders.

Sainsbury's

Next delivery slot: March 31 - April 1 (last updated 30/03/20)

Check the latest delivery times at Sainsbury's online

Unless you’re already registered as a Sainsbury’s online customer, Sainsbury’s has paused all new online registrations.

Update 30/03/20): If you have an existing account, food delivery slots are now showing for March 31 and April 1, but some users still can't book a delivery slot as the elderly and more vulnerable are being prioritised first. The amount available will vary depending on your area, put it's a positive sign that Sainsbury's are beginning to cope with the unprecedented demand. The company offers a click & collect service but this is still unavailable.

In a message to customers, Sainsbury's Chief Executive Mike Coupe has provided more insight into how the company is delivering to the elderly or vulnerable: "Many of you have written to me to tell me you are elderly or vulnerable and are struggling to book online delivery slots. We are doing our absolute best to offer online delivery slots to elderly, disabled and vulnerable customers. These customers have priority over all slots."

Sainsbury's revealed that their customer Careline has had "one year's worth of contacts in two weeks".

Mike Coupe went on to add, "I apologise to our regular online customers, who I know are feeling very frustrated at not being able to book slots. Please bear with us and I hope you can understand why we feel the need to prioritise elderly and vulnerable customers at the moment."

How to sign up for an account

Due to the huge increase in online orders, new registrations have been paused for the time being. To sign up for a Sainsbury’s online account, enter your email address and fill in your details on the following page. Once you’ve finished, you can start shopping.

Benefits and perks

You can collect and spend Nectar Points with each online food shop. A Delivery Pass is also available, which can help you save up to £156 per year.

Coronavirus measures and policies

Elderly customers and those deemed as vulnerable will be offered priority delivery slots.

Asda

Next delivery slot: none currently available (last updated 30/03/20)

Check the latest delivery times at Asda online

Update (30/03/20): Asda will still let you register as new online customer, but online delivery slots are not available up until April 19. Click & Collect slots are also unavailable.

Similar to Ocado, Asda has now implemented a queue system to deal with the high volumes of traffic its website is receiving. There's no estimate as to where you are in the queue, though, or how long you'll have to wait. Items such as pasta, hand soap and toilet roll are also in high demand.

In an email to customers, Asda CEO Roger Burnley has shared some information regarding how the company is working to deliver online shopping: "We're providing our drivers with hand sanitiser and gloves, and making as many online shopping slots available as we can. We're encouraging those that are able to safely shop in person to do so - this allows us to deliver to the highly vunerable."

Roger Burnely went on to add "If you are self-isolating or have additional needs, please advise us in the 'other information' section when placing your order."

How to sign up for an account

Registering is quick and easy with Asda (it says as much on its website), simply enter your email, a password and then enter your delivery postcode and you’re good to go. You can choose whether to receive exclusive offers and the latest info from Asda too if you’d like.

Benefits and perks

Competitively priced and with a Delivery Pass available, Asda online shoppers can save up to £80 and £100 by choosing a 6-month or 12-month pass. Offers are clearly highlighted on the Asda website, so you’re never likely to miss a cracking deal.

Coronavirus measures and policies

Customers are limited to a three item maximum on all food, toiletries and cleaning products when ordering online.

When placing an online delivery order, anyone who is self-isolating is advised to fill in the ‘Other information’ section to advise where their order should be left, i.e. on the doorstep.

Ocado

Next delivery date: none currently available (last updated 30/03/20)

Check the latest delivery times at Ocado

Update (30/03/20): No more slots are available, according to Ocado's website. The company has seemingly ditched its queuing system in favour of a daily update that states whether or not delivery slots are available.

The company is also bringing order cut-off times forward, so customers are encouraged to complete their order in one session to avoid disappointment later. If you visit the Ocado website you’ll be placed in a virtual queue, which can take up to four hours (the brand has paused the app due to high demand).

In an email to existing customers on 25 March, Ocado Retail CEO Melanie Smith has said that "no matter how hard we work, we will not have enough capacity to serve the unprecedented levels of demand".

She went on to say that "new delivery slots will be released every day for the coming week, as and when we have capacity".

Iit's currently unclear whether Ocado are allowing new customers. If you do not have a delivery booked already, Ocado's website notes that there is "limited availability over the next few days".

How to sign up for an account

You can sign up to Ocado using a Facebook and PayPal account, or simply fill in your details such as your email address and postcode to register.Tick the box if you’d like to opt out of Ocado’s offers, vouchers and gifts before you hit ‘Register’.

Benefits and perks

New customers can enjoy three months free delivery with Smart Pass, and Ocado also offers one-hour delivery windows.

Coronavirus measures and policies

Ocado had to temporarily suspend its service due to high demand, but is now its back online. Customers can only book one delivery slot every seven days to free up more slots for other customers.

Some products are limited to one or two per order, and a small number of bulky items have been removed from sale to make more room in each delivery van. The company has shared how stockpiling has affected its service during the coronavirus outbreak.

Anytime Smart Pass members who joined before 2020 will be placed in a temporary priority queue so they can book a delivery slot each week. Ocado will send an email and text message between the hours of 09:00 and 17:00 to give members access to the queue.

Morrisons

Next delivery slot: none currently available (last updated 30/03/20)

Check the latest delivery times at Morrisons online

The Morrisons website has recovered after being down for a few days, but there are still no delivery slots available at this time. There is also a very small selection of pasta.

How to sign up for an account

To sign up for a Morrisons online account, firstly enter your postcode to check if Morrisons deliver in your area. Once you’re given the all clear, enter your details and a password to register. You can also receive tailored offers, coupons and communications from Morrisons.

Benefits and perks

You can use a Facebook account to sign in, and Morrisons Quick Shop fills your trolley with the top things you might be wanting to buy with a single click. A Delivery Pass is also available with regular choices for those looking to do their weekly shop online.

Coronavirus measures and policies

Orders must be finalised 48 hours before delivery. Morrisons are working on introducing a number of measures to help reduce the amount of substitutes and missing items that some customers are encountering with their online food shops:

Waitrose

Next delivery slot: none currently available (last updated 30/03/20)

Check the latest delivery times at Waitrose

Waitrose is still accepting new customer registrations - however, all delivery and click & collect slots are unfortunately unavailable right now. You can still amend or cancel existing orders, though.

Update 30/03/20: Waitrose has updated its website to inform customers its supporting the vulnerable and elderly by giving them priority access to its home delivery and Click & Collect slots.

It doesn't look like many will open up in the near future either, as the brand isn't confirming any new slots at the moment - but that could well just be a lack of communication to the social media team:

How to sign up for an account

Signing up to Waitrose is simple - just fill in your details, such as your address and contact number, then click ‘next’ and you can start shopping straight away.

Benefits and perks

Waitrose has a number of attractive introductory offers, including a £30 saving on your first three online grocery shops. The website also includes hundreds of recipes and lists the ingredients so you can quickly add them to your basket.

Coronavirus measures and policies

The company has paused its online voucher codes along with any offer incentives until further notice. Some products have are restricted for a limited time, with customers only allowed to buy a maximum of two packets of toilet roll and three of any specific grocery item.

Entertainment products are also no longer available to order online for the foreseeable future. Substitutions for online orders cannot be returned to your driver if they have been handled, and drivers will not enter homes.

All online deliveries will be bagged as well to make them easier to collect quickly.

Want to order your shop online? We've compared the best online grocery delivery services

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Monday, March 30, 2020

Best home printer in Australia 2020: top versatile printers for use at home

As many of us get used to working from home for the foreseeable future, it's more important than ever to have one of the best home printers in your house. Just like in the office, you need a printer in your household that can handle printing without a snag. After all, your time at home is now just as important as your time at work ever was, especially given the current situation and compulsory work from home periods.

The best home printers need to be more versatile than regular printers since the modern household needs to print out a wide range of documents. You'll often find you need to print out forms and documents in your day to day.

Plus, a home printer that can do an excellent job printing your holiday snaps will save you from shelling out a lot of money. And, unlike big and bulky business printers, these are all-in-one printers that take up a small bit of space.

No matter what size of household and family demands you have, you’ll find the best home printer for you on this list. And, our price comparison tool makes sure you get the best deals on the one you pick as well.

Best home printer - at a glance

Brother MFC-J6945DW
Canon Pixma TS9160
Epson EcoTank ET-7750
HP LaserJet Pro M15w
HP Envy 5030
Epson WorkForce ET-4750
Kyocera Ecosys P5026
Brother MFC-J6945DW
Lexmark MB2236ADWE
Brother HL-L2300D Mono Laser Printer

Also check out our best small business printers roundup

The Brother MFC-J6945DW is a monster printer. It’s incredibly efficient, being able to print for up to a year without having to change its ink cartridge. And, it’s also a feature-rich and intuitive machine perfect for any home or small business office. You can print to it from just about any device wirelessly and, for mobile, you don’t even need a network to do it, thanks to its NFC (near field communication) technology that connects directly to the printer. While interfacing with its 9.3cm colour display, you can even print from and scan to the cloud.

Thanks to its 6-colour individual ink system, the Canon Pixma TS9160 delivers exceptional photo quality results. The Canon also is very flexible with its connection capabilities, allowing for both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to print. And you’re not limited to any device. If you want to print from a tablet or smartphone or even from the cloud, the Canon can handle it. The printer also comes with some photo-specific features such as Photo Blue ink as part of the six-colour system and built-in creative filters to add something a little extra to your photos. Lastly, this printer comes in a choice of three different two-tone colour options, giving you some cosmetic choices that you don’t really see with printers.

Whether you’re trying to run a more eco-friendly household or you’re just fed up with having to run out go get ink at the most inconvenient times – in the middle of printing your important documents, for example – you might love the Epson EcoTank ET-7750. It's a multi-function printer that sits at the top of the EcoTank product tree and although price is alarming, it's worth every penny. The five-colour refillable ink tank system is a huge improvement in image quality thanks to the addition of a dedicated photo black pigment ink, and the build quality is streets ahead. This machine can also handle A3/magazine-sized paper and boasts fast duplex print speeds and high-resolution photo printing.

When we tested it, this was the smallest laser printer around and likely to remain so. Being as small and inexpensive as an inkjet, yet with all the speed, economy and consistency of a laser, the LaserJet Pro M15w is in many ways the ideal home printer. It manages to hold one hundred sheets of paper and print on them at the respectable rate of 19ppm. There’s no duplex mode, sadly, and no display, but at this price it’s hard to argue.

Read the full review: HP LaserJet Pro M15w

This humble all-in-one can scan and copy, but its real strength is in printing photos. Frustratingly, there’s no Ethernet port, nor a USB port for printing from a flash drive and it churns very slowly, but the results are surprisingly good for such an affordable inkjet. The supplied starter cartridges are rather light on ink, but if you replace them with high-capacity carts, then the running cost is competitive too.

Known as Epson's all-rounder, this all-in-one inkjet printer admittedly costs a pretty penny up-front, but delivers low-cost performance in the long run thanks to its high-yield ink tanks and two years worth of ink included – according to Epson, you can get a total of total of 15,000 text pages (or 12,000 color pages) just from the ink that comes supplied in the box, which is exceptionally great value. If you're looking for a great printer for your home office that will go the distance before needing to be topped up again, the Epson WorkForce ET-4750 is a great option.

This stout laser printer takes up relatively little space, given its high capacity for paper and toner. It means you can keep printing quickly and efficiently and with lower running costs than an equivalent inkjet. The display is rather fiddly, but in all other respects, this colour printer is easy to use and can be relied upon for immaculate mono and colour documents time after time.

Read the full review: Kyocera Ecosys P5026cdw

This big Brother blurs the line between home and office printer by combining the fast print speed and high capacity of a laser machine with the superior photo finish of an inkjet. We would recommend it for both applications because although it is smaller than the laser equivalent MFC-L8690CDW, the inkjet MFC-J6945DW can handle A3 paper. There’s really nothing that this fully featured 4-in-1 can’t do and it carries out all tasks satisfactorily.

If you want all the functionality of a photocopier-style four-in-one, but can’t justify the expense of a premium machine, then the Lexmark MB2236ADWE is likely to fit well in your office. The smaller size is an advantage and the price is attractive. Printing is fast enough and so is the quality provided you stick to dedicated laser paper. It’s a pity there’s no Wi-Fi Direct facility, or an active front USB input, but that aside, you're getting a lot for your money here.

The Brother HL-L2300D specs are impressive for the price: it promises 26ppm print speeds, has 8MB of RAM on board and delivers a maximum resolution of 2,400 x 600 dpi. The paper tray holds 250 sheets, there's a second single-sheet paper feed for labels, envelopes and thicker media, and the printer can print double-sided without any human intervention. Of course, you won't find any bells or whistles here, but honestly, its simplicity is refreshing. With no overly complex Wi-Fi or cloud features to configure, installing the HL-L2300D is as simple as plugging a cable into it, and that means there's no danger that it'll go in a huff when you need to print something important. It's compact, quiet and impressively fast, and it offers a lot of bang for your buck. Double-sided printing is particularly good to have in a printer that costs so little to buy and run.

What about the best 3D printers?

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