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The top startups in India, which include names such as Paytm, Zomato, Swiggy, Udaan, BigBasket, LensKart, CarDekho, and many others, count Chinese investors among their largest backers.
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In an unprecedented move for the company, Apple has confirmed it has a new iPhone coming in 2020. It's not all good news though; the company has confirmed it'll be out later in the year than it has previously "launched" its flagship phones.
Apple didn’t specifically call the device the iPhone 12, but this has essentially confirmed the new iPhone range we expected to launch in September will be delayed until at least some point later in 2020.
When will you be able to buy yourself a brand new iPhone? Plus, when will the company be unveiling its new devices? Those are two different things, and below we're going to try and give you the best answers to those questions we have so far.
What’s happened?
During Apple’s Q3 2020 earning call, Apple CFO Luca Maestri specifically referred to a new iPhone and clarified that the company is expecting its launch to be delayed in 2020 when compared to previous years.
Maestri said, “As you know, last year we started selling iPhones in late September. This year, we expect supply to be available a few weeks later.”
This is unheard of as Apple has never previously commented on the existence of a new iPhone, but the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the company’s financials – and future financials with an iPhone 12 delay on the horizon – have changed things a little.
Later, Maestri clarified “I said in my remarks that a year ago we launched new iPhone in late September. And I said that this year, the supply of the new product will be a few weeks later than that.”
That may seem simple at first, but Apple’s terminology here has been very specifically chosen and it may not impact the time that you get to see the company unveil the iPhone 12 range announced on stage.
When did we expect the iPhone 12?
The iPhone 11 Pro Max from 2019(Image credit: Future)
September 8 was the best guess for the iPhone 12 announcement. That was leaked by an established tipster called ihacktu, and it matches what we’ve previously seen from the company is other years.
Typically, Apple announces its new iPhone on a Tuesday at the start of September. It's usually the first or second week of the year. It then often puts the device on sale 10 days after that, with pre-orders happening in that period between announcement and on sale.
Maestri’s wording is specifically about the time you can buy the new iPhone.
He referred to “the supply of the new product”, which means this is Apple specifically commenting about the on-sale date of the new iPhone 12. That doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll see the iPhone 12 announced any later in the year.
We’ve seen a similar situation with the iPhone X in 2017. The handset was designed to be a reinvention of Apple’s devices and it launched on September 12 alongside the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, but wasn’t on sale until November 3 of the same year.
Apple never publicly commented on why that phone came out later, but it’s thought it was to do with supply chain issues where Apple wasn’t able to get one element of the device for the manufacturing process to take place.
That’s similar to the effect that the iPhone 12 is sure to suffer this year. That's owing to factories and manufacturing plants around the world closing and reopening throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
Apple may also want to delay the release of the phone to try and coincide with the end of the pandemic. Apple stores across the US are currently shut, and in other countries many are having to limit the amount of customers.
A new iPhone often brings a fervor of excitement in physical stores as well as online sales, so it may be the company wishes to limit that impact by pushing the release date of its phones back a few weeks.
So, what does this actually change?
It may change the date you can buy the new iPhone 12 series, but it's not certain that this means it'll change the time when it’s announced.
If Apple follows a similar schedule to 2017 with the iPhone X, the company may decide to keep an early September event for unveiling its new iPhone. Instead, the delay would impact when you're able to buy the product, not when you find out about it.
It seems the phones will be delayed until October at the earliest. If Tuesday, September 8 for an announcement is correct, then that would mean we would have expected the devices to go on sale on September 18 in a normal iPhone cycle.
Maestri’s terminology of “a few” weeks suggests that is pushed back by at least three weeks. That likely means you won’t be able to buy the phone until October 9, or perhaps even later in the year.
How certain is any of this?
None of this is certain. This is all conjecture that we’re able to suggest based on previous iPhone launches and Apple's specific way of announcing this, but these are strange times with the world trying to cope with Covid-19.
September is still a month away, so things may even change within Apple HQ to see a longer delay. We likely won't know more until we hear directly from Apple on its plans for an event in September, if it's set to happen.
If it does happen, we'll be sure to be one of the first to let you know.
With Covid-19 Crisis hardly showing any sign of slowing down, many tech giants like Google and Apple have extended their work from option until next year.
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Canada's attorney general says the requirements for extraditing Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou to the United States on charges of bank fraud have been met, documents submitted in a British Columbia court show.
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Microsoft Corp could reenergize its advertising business with a huge supply of video if it follows through on acquiring TikTok's U.S. operations from ByteDance.
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OLOy MD4U322616DJDA 64GB DDR4 RAM -$180.00 at Amazon
(£229.99/roughly AU$250) Sister publication Tom's Hardware has drawn our attention to this seriously cheap 64GB RAM module from a company called OLOy. Upgrading to a dual channel setup is a great way to instantly improve performance, so grab it while you can!View Deal
We've never come across OLOy-branded memory before, but the two-year-old company is said to have consistently delivered some of the cheapest RAM modules on the market.
An investigation carried out by our sister publication Tom's Hardware earlier this year found that the company used industry standard ICs.
“We liked the OLOy WarHawk memory we tested, because of its great overclocking capability and high speeds. In all of our tests the WarHawk either kept pace with or outright bested competitors such as the Adata Spectrix D80 and Patriot Viper Steel," wrote Thomas Sodestrom.
Amazon is selling a 64GB kit called the OLOy MD4U322616DJDA (two 32GB DDR4 RAM 2666MHz, CL16-18-18-36, 288-pin, PC4 21000) for $180/£229.99/around AU$250 - that’s a 5% discount on the suggested retail price (and 10% less than at Newegg).
It's only available in black and doesn’t have any fancy RGB lights, but the memory chips are covered with nice looking heatsinks and the memory modules come with a lifetime warranty.
Overclocking with these is likely to be hit and miss, but compatibility - both with AMD and Intel platforms - is almost certainly guaranteed.
Adding memory, especially in pairs, means that you can instantaneously improve your system performance, particularly if you are upgrading from less than 16GB capacity on a single memory slot. Moving to what experts call a dual channel setup will improve the total amount of memory bandwidth available to your system and make everything feel much snappier.
If Amazon does not ship this product to your region, you may have to take advantage of a specialist parcel forwarding service to take advantage of the deal.
If you've managed to get hold of a cheaper product with equivalent specifications, in stock and brand new, let us know and we'll tip our hat to you.
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U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he was planning to sign an executive order as soon as Saturday banning Chineseowned shortvideo app TikTok from the United States.
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These convenient meal kit services deliver weekly menus and preportioned ingredients to enthusiastic but time-poor home cooks. And with shelter-in-place lockdowns, they're more useful than ever.
A Brazilian Supreme Court judge slapped Facebook with a 1.92 million reais (281,124.18 pounds) fine on Friday for not complying with an order to block globally certain accounts controlled by supporters of President Jair Bolsonaro implicated in a fake news inquiry.
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NASA launched its most sophisticated and ambitious spacecraft to Mars: the aptly named Perseverance rover. This will be the third launch to Mars this month.
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The U.S. Department of Justice said on Friday that two more people have been charged in relation to a July 15 Twitter hack that took over the accounts of VIPs including former President Barack Obama and billionaire Bill Gates.
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Apple Inc's surged over 10% to a record high on Friday after reporting blockbuster quarterly results, helping the iPhone maker eclipse Saudi Aramco to become the world's most valuable publicly listed company.
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The creators of the TrickBot have once again updated their malware with new functionality and now it can target Linux devices through its new DNS command and control tool Anchor_DNS.
While TrickBot originally started out as a banking trojan, the malware has evolved to perform other malicious behaviors including spreading laterally through a network, stealing saved credentials in browsers, stealing cookies, checking a device's screen resolution and now infecting Linux as well as Windows devices.
TrickBot is also malware-as-a-service and cybercriminals rent access to it in order to infiltrate networks and steal valuable data. Once this is done, they then use it to deploy ransomware such as Ryuk and Conti in order to encrypt devices on the network as the final stage of their attack.
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At the end of last year, SentinelOne and NTT reported that a new TrickBot framework called anchor uses DNS to communicate with its C&C servers. Anchor_DNS is used to launch attacks against high-value and high-impact targets that posses valuable financial information. The TrickBot Anchor can also be used as a backdoor in APT-like campaigns which target both point-of-sale and financial systems.
Anchor_DNS
Up until now, Anchor has been a Windows malware but Stage 2 Security researcher Waylon Grange discovered a new sample which shows that Anchor_DNS has been ported to a new Linux backdoor version called 'Anchor_Linux'.
In addition to acting as a backdoor that can be used to drop and run malware on Linux devices, the malware also contains and embedded Windows TrickBot executable that can be used to infect Windows machines on the same network.
Once copied to a Windows device, Anchor_Linux then configures itself as a Windows service. After configuration, the malware is tarted on the Windows host and it connects back to an attacker's C&C server where it receives commands to execute.
The fact that TrickBot has been ported to Linux is especially worrying since many IoT devices including routers, VPN devices and NAS devices run on Linux. Concerned Linux users can find out if they have been infected by looking for a log file at /tmp/anchor.log on their systems. If this file is found, users should perform a complete audit of their systems to search for the Anchor_Linux malware.
The Big Tech companies of Facebook, Amazon, Apple and Google spent over $20 million on lobbying in the first half of 2020. Some of that went toward making an impact on coronavirus relief legislation.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said that services revenue set a new June quarter record in China. Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri added that iPad also set a June quarter revenue record in Greater China.
Cancel all your plans, readers - Bey is back and she's got a new movie that's arguably the biggest release of 2020 so far. Beyonce's Black is King is a visual album that's both a reimagining of 2019's Lion King live-action film and a companion to the studio album that accompanied it - her very own The Gift. Black is King showcases a star truly at the height of her powers, so read on as we explain how to watch Black is King online and stream the latest Disney Plus exclusive today.
Watch Beyonce's Black is King now
Black is King is exclusive to Disney Plus, where it's available globally from Friday, July 31. Stream it today by grabbing a Disney Plus subscription- it's super cheap, offers loads of great content, and it has a couple of awesome deals currently available. Head on over now or read on to find out more.
Despite Beyonce's global superstar status, not much is known about Black is King beyond a few cast reveals. These are pretty darn exciting, though, as the visual album stars not only the Queen, but also her former Destiny's Child partner-in-crime Kelly Rowland, husband Jay-Z, and frequent collaborator Pharrel Williams. That's in addition to featuring Naomi Campbell, Lupita Nyong'o, and Tina Knowles Lawson.
So, banging tunes would seem to be a given - but less is known about the film's narrative. However, promotional releases do give us a rough idea of what to expect, telling us that Black is King “reimagines the lessons of The Lion King for today’s young kings and queens in search of their own crowns” and celebrates "the beauty of tradition and black excellence".
Filming took over a year across multiple locations, including South Africa, west Africa, Belgium, Los Angeles, New York and London, so it certainly sounds like it's going to be quite the spectacle. And as well as being released on July 31 for streaming on Disney Plus, it will also be aired in Africa the following day (Saturday, August 1) on M-Net and Canal+ Afrique.
Yep, this 100% falls into the 'can't miss' category of what to watch this weekend, so let's get to the nitty-gritty already. Follow our guide below as we explain where to watch Black is King online and stream Beyonce's new movie today. If you're short on time right now, here's a hint: get yourself a Disney Plus subscription and that's really all there is to it.
How to watch Beyonce's Black is King: stream the new movie on Disney Plus right now
Get 2-months FREE Disney Plus with this deal Since its initial November 2019 launch, Disney Plus has been rolled out across great swathes of the world. It’s available in the United States, the UK, much of mainland Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, and most recently Japan, with the Nordics and Brazil next for their Disney fix. New customers just need to head to the Disney Plus website to subscribe and then you'll be able to watch Beyonce's Black is King as soon as it drops on July 31.
At just $6.99 / £5.99 / €6.99 a month, it’s a fantastically priced service. Not only do you have the entire Disney back catalogue – perfect for young kids and nostalgic adults – but a haul of films from 20th Century Studios, the entire Star Wars saga, Pixar’s animated movies, and all 30 seasons of The Simpsons. Meanwhile, Disney Plus had broadened its appeal with more adult content, including the smash-hit musical Hamilton and documentaries like Rogue Trip from National Geographic.
You’ll save 15% (that’s two months a year for FREE) if you take out an annual subscription, but the true TV devouring media-fiends among you will be even more tempted by the combined ESPN+, Hulu and Disney Plus bundle at the low price of $12.99 - three streaming services for the price of Netflix’s Standard plan. That’s enough entertainment to keep your entire household happy – live sports, cartoons, TV shows, and a plethora of must-see movies.View Deal
Read more:
Head to our Disney Plus hub for all the information you need
Following on from the success of its Castlevania and The Witcher adaptations, Netflix is dipping its toes in the video game well once again, teaming up with Ubisoft for an anime series based on Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, as reported by Variety.
Netflix's Splinter Cell series will be written and executive produced by Derek Kolstad, who is best known for writing all three of the John Wick films.
Kolstad has some prior experience adapting video games, having written the screenplay for the announced Just Cause movie. Additionally, Kolstad has also contributed to the upcoming Falcon and Winter Solder series from Disney Plus.
While each party has declined to comment on the deal, Variety's sources have revealed that the series has received a two-season, 16-episode order from Netflix upfront, suggesting the service has an abundance of faith in the project.
In the shadows
The Splinter Cell franchise follows Sam Fisher, an ex-Navy SEAL who undertakes stealth-based missions for the NSA and who is rarely-seen without his night vision goggles.
At present, it's unknown whether Netflix's Splinter Cell series will feature hand-drawn animation (like the aforementioned Castlevania) or computer generated animation (such as Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045).
In the meantime, let us quietly hope that actor Michael Ironside (Total Recall, Starship Troopers) returns to lend his gravelly voice to Splinter Cell's lead character once again.
More Apple iPhones were sold in this quarter, clocking $26.41 million in net sales, up from $25.98 million in same quarter last year. Macs also saw a surge in sales clocking $7.07 million in total sales, up from $5.82 million.
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Click Frenzy’s Julove sales may be over but Amazon is keeping the sales period alive by slashing the price of the Bose QuietComfort 35 II to just AU$349.
The QuietComfort 35 II is among the best noise-canceling headphones you can find. This stylish and comfortable set of headphones also incorporates Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, allowing you to hear your messages without having to dig through your pocket or bag.
Battery life is amazing, too, with an impressive 20 hours of playback with noise cancellation turned on and listening set to medium sound level.
Currently discounted by AU$150.95, you can grab a pair of these headphones in White, Black or Rose Gold through Bose's official Amazon store.
The Bose QuietComfort 35 II is one of the best noise-cancelling headphones on the market and is currently on sale for a staggering 30% off. These headphones are incredibly comfortable and give you a sense of serenity by blocking out the outside hustle and bustle as you listen to your favourite tunes – they also have Google Assistance and Amazon Alexa support built-in for extra functionality. Grab yours today through Amazon in White, Black or Rose Gold and save AU$150.95. View Deal
98-inch Xiaomi Redmi Smart TV MAX -19,999 Yuan from Mi
(roughly $2,800/£2,200/AU$4,000) This absurdly large display from Xiaomi is actually rather affordable, given its size. The screen is about as large as a double bed, with viewable dimensions of 2190 x 1255mm. It's only available in China for now, but watch this space.View Deal
Meet the Redmi Smart TV MAX, a 98-inch TV that comes with its own white glove VIP installation service. Available at 19,999 Yuan (that’s about US$2,800, £2,200, AU$4,000), this absurdly massive display is actually not all that expensive.
The next cheapest 98-inch display on the market is the ViewSonic IFP9850, a touchscreen monitor that costs about three times more.
The bad news is that you currently can’t buy the Redmi Smart TV MAX unless you live in China. However, given the exceptional popularity of this 98-inch set, we wouldn’t be surprised if Xiaomi began selling it in other countries too.
The TV is roughly equivalent in size to four 50-inch displays placed side by side - about the same proportions as a double bed. The viewable dimensions of the screen are a whopping 2190 x 1255mm and the set probably weighs more than 100kg, which makes it problematic to install.
Picture-wise, it's a 4K display with (unsurprisingly) the worst pixel density on the market (45ppi). It covers 85% of the NTSC colour space, backed by 192 local dimming zones with direct LED backlighting, 60Hz Motion Estimation and Compensation and other quality tweaking technologies.
It features four speakers in total (plus Dolby and DTS decoding), only three HDMI ports, an SPDIF output and a built-in Android box that runs on an 8-core processor, 4GB of RAM and 64GB onboard storage.
If this product comes from mainland China, it will take at least a month to reach either the US or the UK (and potentially more). You may be levied a tax either directly or through the courier.
If Mi does not ship to your region, you may need to use a specialist parcel forwarding service to take advantage of the deal.
If you've managed to get hold of a cheaper product with equivalent specifications, in stock and brand new, let us know and we'll tip our hat to you.
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Microsoft is discounting the ultra-premium Surface Book 3 for the first time – and the offer is available for this weekend only, starting today (July 31) and ending August 3. While the discount across all configurations is only 15%, it’s a decent chunk of change off on a brand-new machine nonetheless.
Straight out of the box, the Surface Book 3 is a beautiful laptop and tablet hybrid. In our review, we found the detachable keyboard to be one of the most comfortable ones we’ve used for quite some time, and the touchscreen display is gorgeous.
The device comes in 13- and 15-inch variants, and we found the screen to be bright and vivid. All told, the Surface Book 3 is a great choice if you want a portable machine to binge watch your favourite TV shows or movies.
That said, if you’re looking for excellent speakers to listen to music on your 2-in-1, you may want to look elsewhere.
When it comes to specs, the Surface Book 3 is available with Intel’s latest 10th-gen processors – either i5 or i7. System memory is available up to 32GB, while solid-state storage goes up to a whopping 1TB.
Some configurations also have the choice of an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics card, which opens this versatile device up to creators looking to do some design work, or some light gaming when the work day is done.
If that sounds like the kind of device you’re after, the Surface Book 3 is now discounted directly from its maker for this weekend only, so don’t delay. The sale will be ending on August 3.
It's the first time this laptop has been discounted in Australia since it launched in May. So if you want a new device to do some design work at the desk or cosy up with on the couch, this Surface Book 3 is worth checking out. This 2-in-1 has a comfortable detachable keyboard and a touchscreen display so you can get the most out of it no matter where you are. Several configurations are available, and each model is discounted by 15%, with savings of up to AU$713.85 on offer. Available directly from Microsoft until August 3.View Deal
Google has added a slew of party games like Jeopardy! and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? for the Nest Hub Max and other smart displays.
The games are part of a new update for Google Assistant rolled out to the public on Thursday and accessible by saying the phrase, “Hey Google, let’s play a game”.
Besides the game show staples, you can find the mobile phone phenomenon Trivia Crack and Escape the Room, alongside Dustin from Stranger Things, a spin-off game from Netflix.
So why is Google releasing games on its Nest Hub Max and other smart displays? They help demonstrate Google Assistant’s new Continuous Match mode that allows you to have an on-going conversation with the assistant – and most have a freemium model that asks you to buy in-game items for a few bucks, so there’s a financial incentive too.
Admittedly, not all the new games are great and can be a bit rough around the edges, but Google says they’re just the first of many more games expected to arrive by the end of the year.
Now can we get Stadia on our Nest Hub Max?
These mobile games are entertaining for a few minutes at a time, but wouldn't it be nice if Google enabled Stadia streaming on the Nest Hub Max?
While Google has made no announcement as to when we'll start seeing Stadia on more devices in the future, the service did just get a new feature a few days ago in the form of streaming on 4G/5G connections. That was something Google had promised for months, and now it's finally available in beta on most Android phones.
In addition to protecting your privacy and blocking unwanted tracking online, one of the best reasons to use a VPN is to receive discounts you normally wouldn't.
By using a VPN while shopping online, you can save thousands when purchasing airline tickets and other items by changing your IP address to one in a different country. This is because airlines use local pricing, so a ticket in one country may be much cheaper than a ticket for the same flight in a different country.
However, some users have abused this trick to purchase games from a different country which has led the PC gaming giant Valve to update the account settings in its digital game store Steam. Steam also uses local pricing so buying a new PC game from Costa Rica for instance might cost $40 or $50 while purchasing the same game in the US would cost $60.
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In a recent post on Twitter, SteamDB explained how Valve's new changes will prevent users from buying games while connected to a VPN server outside their home country, saying;
“Valve has recently made changing your store country more strict, which requires completing a purchase using a payment method from that country. This should hinder the ability of using VPNs to buy games cheaper.”
Steam VPN crackdown
Going forward, Steam will now monitor which country is specified in a user's account settings and only show prices in that country's currency.
If a user moves to a new country or stays abroad for an extended period of time, they can only change their country setting after completing a purchase using a payment method from their new location. While this will certainly prevent users from pulling one over on Valve, it could potentially make life difficult for expats living abroad as obtaining a local bank account can sometimes be difficult.
In a support document on its website, Valve explains that using a VPN to disguise your location is against its ToS and could lead to restrictions being placed on your Steam account:
“No, using a proxy or VPN to disguise your location is strictly against the Steam Terms of Service and may result in restrictions on your Steam account. If you attempt to redeem a region restricted game and your location is inconsistent with your past Steam activity, a warning will appear.”
While you won't be able to use a VPN while shopping on Steam anymore, PC gamers can still benefit from the added security, ability to bypass geo-restrictions and other benefits that these services provide. If you don't have a VPN yet, we recommend checking out our complete list of the best gaming VPNs to find one that suits your needs.
From HBO's Watchmen to Duncan Jones' Source Code, here's how you can scratch the time-travel itch while you wait for Christopher Nolan's massively anticipated blockbuster to land.
Teclast P20HD Android tablet -$119.99 at Gearbest
(£98.75/AU$177.49) This Teclast device is the cheapest 4G-enabled Android tablet on the market right now. It's made even cheaper with coupon code GBTECLAST123, which knocks the price down to a mere $119.99. Grab it while you can!View Deal
Teclast has been a regular fixture on TechRadar Pro over the past few years and we've reviewed roughly a dozen of its various products. Now, the company has announced an entry level Android tablet (the P20HD) which, at the time of writing, is the most affordable 4G LTE tablet on the market.
We haven’t yet tested the device, but on paper it looks like a sound investment, with hardly any corners cut by the manufacturer. There’s an octo-core Spreadtrum SC9863A processor with a PowerVR GE8322 GPU, a 10.1-inch IPS full HD display, 4GB of RAM and 64GB onboard storage.
Wireless connectivity includes 4G LTE (with the all important B20 band) thanks to a single SIM, 802.11ac, GPS and Bluetooth 5.0. Plus it features a headphone jack, Type-C USB connector, microSD slot and two speakers - a rarity among devices at this price point.
As expected, the two cameras are fairly low resolution (2-megapixel front-facing and and 5-megapixel on the rear) and the 6,000mAh battery won’t perform miracles when it comes to battery life.
At 24 x 15 x 7.9cm and with a weight of only 530g (despite the metal chassis), it's surprisingly portable for a 10.1-inch tablet. Business will also appreciate the fact it runs Android 10 and has the full Google Web Services stack.
If this product comes from mainland China, it will take at least a month to reach either the US or the UK (and potentially more). You may be levied a tax either directly or through the courier.
Have you managed to get hold of a cheaper product with equivalent specifications, in stock and brand now? Let us know and we'll tip our hat to you.
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The Netflix scam starts with an email that will take you to a website that looks just like the actual Netflix website, except that it isn't. It urges you to enter your credit card details here.
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Spotify also forecast total revenue in the range of EUR 1.85 billion (roughly Rs. 16,216 crores) to EUR 2.05 billion (roughly Rs. 17,968 crores) for the third quarter. Analysts were expecting EUR 2.01 billion (roughly Rs. 17,620 crores).
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Huawei became the biggest smartphone player in the world in the second quarter for the first time with the majority of sales coming from China as its international business suffers due to U.S. sanctions, a new report shows.
Google's One subscription service is a bit of an oddball in the Google family of products. Launched in 2018, it was pitched as a premium, consumer-friendly 'upgrade' to the tech giant's paid Google Drive storage plans, giving subscribers more cloud storage (up to a whopping 30TB) along with some useful extras, like exclusive discounts, premium support and multi-user family plans.
In September 2019, Google added an additional perk to the service, offering automatic phone backup for paying Android users – and today, the company has announced that that feature is being made free of charge, while also being extended to iPhone and iPad owners.
In a new blog post, the search giant has revealed that it's rolling out a new Google One mobile app that will enable users of both platforms to back up their phones for free, even if they aren't Google One subscribers. All you need to do is download the free app and sign in with a Google account.
Backups will include files, text messages, photos, videos, contacts and email, all of which are visible in one place.
There is one caveat though, with storage on the free tier limited to 15GB – the standard amount of Google Drive storage you get with a free Google account. Users who find they need more than this will have to sign up for a paid plan, which starts at $1.99 / £1.99 / AU$4.39 a month.
Apple also offers built-in backup capabilities for iPhones and iPads via its iCloud storage service, although the latter only includes 5GB of space for free.
Along with the new app, Google has added a storage manager feature to the service, which is being rolled out on both the desktop web interface and mobile app.
According to Google, the new feature will help users see how much free storage is available to them and add/remove files without leaving the app. The option to upgrade to a paid plan will also be available on the storage manager.
There are benefits to being a paying One subscriber – a single plan can be shared with up to five other users via family sharing, for example, and opens the doors to premium customer support from the internet company.
In some markets, like in Australia, you'll also get bonus credits that you can redeem on apps on the Play Store, get discounts when shopping on the Google Store online and also enjoy special prices on hotel bookings made via Google Search.
The new Google One app is already available to download from the Play Store, and Google has state that the iOS version is "coming soon".
In an email sent from Apple executive Eddy Cue to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos in 2016, Apple said it would offer a 15% revenue share to Amazon for customers that sign up for Prime Video through Apple's payments system.
As more businesses shift their workloads to cloud environments, Linux threats are becoming increasingly common and cybercriminals have devised new tools and techniques to launch attacks against Linux infrastructure.
One technique they often employ is scanning for publicly accessible Docker servers and then abusing misconfigured Docker API ports to set up their own containers and execute malware on their victim's infrastructure. The Ngrok botnet is one of the longest ongoing attack campaigns that leverages this technique and a new report from Intezer Labs shows that it takes only a few hours for a new misconfigured Docker server to be infected by this campaign.
Recently though, the company detected a new malware payload, which they dubbed Doki, that differs from the usual cryptominers typically deployed in this kind of attack. What sets Doki apart from other malware is that it leverages the Dogecoin API to determine the URL of the its operator's command and control (C&C) server.
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The malware has managed to remain in the shadows and undetected for over six months despite the fact that samples of Doki are publicly available in VirusTotal.
Doki malware
Once the hackers abuse the Docker API to deploy new servers inside a company's cloud infrastructure, the servers, which run a version of Alpine Linux, are then infected with crypto-mining malware as well as Doki.
According to Intezer's researchers, Doki's purpose is to allow hackers to main control over the servers they've hijacked to make sure that their cryptomining operations continue. However, the new malware differs from other backdoor trojans by using the Dogecoin API to determine the URL of the C&C server it needs to connect to in order to receive new instructions.
Doki uses a dynamic algorithm, known as a DGA or domain generation algorithm, to determine the C&C address using the Dogecoin API. The operators of the Ngrok botnet can also easily change the server where the malware receives its commands from by making a single transaction from within a Dogecoin wallet they control.
If DynDNS happens to receive an abuse report about the current Doki C&C URL and the site is taken down, the cybercriminals only need to make a new transaction, determine the subdomain value and set up a new DynDNS account and claim the subdomain. This clever tactic prevents businesses and even law enforcement from dismantling Doki's backend infrastructure as they would need to take over control of the Dogecoin wallet from the Ngrok first.
For more than six hours, members of the House Antitrust Subcommittee grilled the CEOs of Alphabet, Amazon, Apple and Facebook on a wide range of matters. Here's a recap.
Less than a year after its launch, the Disney Plus streaming service has made a fantastic awards season debut, snagging a total of 19 nominations for this year's Emmy Awards, with The Mandalorian scoring 15 nods in total.
Among its many nominations, the live-action Star Wars series managed to score a nomination in the Outstanding Drama Series category, which is the Emmy equivalent of Best Picture at the Oscars.
Other notable categories for which The Mandalorian was nominated include Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance for Taika Waititi's memorable portrayal of the IG-11 droid, Outstanding Cinematography For A Single-Camera Series (Half-Hour) and Outstanding Special Visual Effects.
Along with The Mandalorian, Disney Plus' Star Wars Resistance also received a nomination for Outstanding Children’s Program, alongside nods for The World According to Jeff Goldblum, The Imagineering Story, A Celebration of the Music From Coco, and Disney Pixar's animated short Forky Asks a Question.
Also making its Emmys debut this year is Apple TV Plus, with the service landing 18 nominations across a number of shows and specials, including The Morning Show, Beastie Boys Story, Defending Jacob and Central Park.
Some seriously stiff competition
While Disney Plus' first showing at the Emmy Awards is certainly impressive, it is but a small drop in the ocean compared to Netflix's record-breaking number of nominations.
The streaming giant has made history with an astounding 160 nods in total, easily smashing the 137 nomination record set by HBO in 2019. Of the Netflix shows receiving Emmy appreciation, Ozark leads the pack with 18 nods, followed by The Crown selected for 13 categories in total.
That's not to say that HBO is lacking in nominations, picking up an incredible 107 nods of its own, with its celebrated Watchmen series earning 26 nominations – the most of any single series in competition this year.
In second place is Amazon Prime Video's The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which picked up an impressive 20 nods. Surprisingly, Amazon's hit original series The Boys only picked up one nomination for Outstanding Sound Editing.
Streaming service Hulu also fared well, picking up nominations for Wu-Tang: An American Saga, Little Fires Everywhere, Ramy and The Handmaid's Tale.
As you can see, the competition at this year's Emmy Awards is certainly going to be fierce – you'll be able find out if your favorite show will take home the big awards of the night when the ceremony airs on September 20, 2020.
It's fair to say we're big fans of the new Sony's new hybrid video camera, with our Sony A7S III review concluding it's "as good as it gets" for video shooters. But that doesn't mean we won't be tuning into Sony's bonus livestream for the A7S III, which should shed even more light on the full-frame star.
Following today's relatively brief announcement, Sony is promising a "deep dive" on the A7S III in a live webinar today, which will be open to anyone who registers for the event.
The 90-minute event will apparently include an in-depth look at the camera, along with special guest interviews with filmmakers Philip Bloom and Olivier Schmitt, who have both spent some extensive time with the A7S III.
There'll also be a live Q&A where Sony technical experts will answer any questions you have (aside from "can I have one?") about the full-frame camera.
This could be useful, because there's no doubt the Sony A7S III is a complex beast of a super-camera – even if you're not planning to buy one, the webinar could well boost your knowledge of state-of-the-art mirrorless camera tech.
So how do you tune into the Sony A7S III livestream? Here's how.
The Sony A7S III "Imagination in Motion" event livestream will be starting on July 29 at 12pm EDT / 5pm BST (which is 2am AEST on July 30).
Sony suggests registering at Alpha Universe for the event, though it appears you can also simply tune in on its YouTube channel.
The streams haven't started yet, but YouTube lets you set reminders so you can get a nudge when the event is about to start. To do that, just hit the 'set reminder' button at the bottom of the YouTube video.
Apple CEO Tim Cook is expected to focus on three key things—how the iPhone became as popular as it is in the face of stiff competition from the likes of Samsung, LG, Huawei and Google, Privacy and Security as a key foundation for building products and the App Store policies.
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The development comes at a time when the US government is considering a ban on TikTok, a popular short video-sharing platform owned by Chinese unicorn ByteDance.
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The collaboration aims to strengthen Mastercard's cloud services and other capabilities and fintech partners, sparking innovation and creativity for the ecosystem, the company said.
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In a new episode of the I'm So Obsessed podcast, the actor best known for Atonement and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights opens up about making a Gothic horror movie that might hit way too close to home for some.
After a bit of teasing around, Realme has announced a fully loaded smartphone - Realme C15 in Indonesia. The C lineup of smartphones in Realme is the entry-level devices that are aimed at budget smartphone users. This new smartphone is a successor to the Realme C11 that was recently launched in India.
The Realme C15 comes with somewhat similar specifications as its predecessor C11. It has the same processor; however, the primary differences can be counted as a quad-camera setup and a bumped-up battery pack.
The Realme C15 comes in Marine Blue and Seagull Silver colour options and is available in multiple storage and memory variants. The Indonesian pricing of Realme C15 can be found below:
Variant
Price in Indonesia
Approx INR Price
3GB RAM, 64 GB storage
Rp 1,999,000
Rs. 10,000
4GB RAM, 64 GB storage
Rp 2,199,000
Rs. 11,000
4GB RAM, 128 GB storage
Rp 2,299,000
Rs. 13,000
The company has not yet revealed anything around the availability of Realme C15 in India. As the C11 has already been launched in the country, you can expect its successor to make it to the Indian shores within a couple of months.
Realme C15 specifications and features
The Realme C15 sports a 6.5- inches LCD with a waterdrop notch and an HD+ (720x1,600 pixels) resolution. The display gets Corning Gorilla Glass protection. The phone draws power from an octa-core MediaTek Helio G35 SoC, coupled with up to 4GB of RAM and up to 128 GB of storage. The phone does support memory expansion up to 256 GB of storage with the help of a micro SD card.
It houses a quad rear camera setup that consists of a 13-megapixel primary sensor, an 8-megapixel 119-degree ultra-wide-angle sensor, a 2-megapixel black and white sensor with f/2.4 aperture, and a 2-megapixel retro sensor with f/2.4 aperture. While on the front, it has an 8-megapixel sensor with an f/2.0 lens housed in the waterdrop notch.
A massive 6000 mAh battery powers the device and comes with an 18W fast charging support. The phone runs on Realme UI based on Android 10 and has a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. This is a dual-sim smartphone phone that comes with connectivity options like Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v5.0, GPS/GLONASS/Beidou, MicroUSB, and 3.5mm Audio jack.
Amazon, Facebook, Apple and Google are expected to answer some tough questions about business practices, how they operate and practices that could hurt rivals.
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The Microsoft Family Safety app is designed as a tool for parents to get insights on the activity of their child, across multiple devices. This will be able to log activity on Windows PCs, Android phones and the Xbox console, all synced in one place.
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In an exclusive email exchange with TechRadar Pro, CEO and founder of Nimbus Data Thomas Izakovich revealed that solid state drives with capacities of up to 400TB are on the horizon.
"We can do 200TB in 2021 and likely 400TB by 2023," he said, in reference to the unformatted storage capacity of the company's yet-to-be-announced SSDs. This is a symbolically significant milestone, because a prospective SSD with a native capacity of 400TB equals 1PB in tape capacity.
Tape vendors usually deliver a native/compressed number for tape storage. The largest tape size, LTO-8, currently tops 12TB native and 30TB compressed, while LTO-9 (expected to land later this year) is set to double the capacity to 24TB (60TB compressed).
In other words, you would need at least 17 of these tapes to match the expected capacity of a 400TB Nimbus Data SSD.
While the theoretical Nimbus drive is likely to be a few orders of magnitude more expensive, it will probably be much smaller (as it doesn’t need a separate tape drive) and far faster.
Nimbus Data is behind the world’s largest solid state drive to date, the $40,000 100TB ExaDrive DC, and has remained unchallenged for two years now. The full email interview, set to be published next week, covers topics including:
Nimbus Data's view on computational storage
Where Ultra High Capacity (UHC) solid state drives fit in the storage continuum
Why no big vendors have released a drive bigger than 32TB
Google Stadia is finally ready to break free of Wi-Fi and be played on a 4G and 5G mobile connections using most Android devices.
It’s a feature Google has been working on for months and follows other Stadia Experiments that enabled touch controls for some games and widespread roll out of the Stadia app to most Android devices that launched in June.
Until now, subscribers have been able to use the game-streaming service on Android devices – but only when connected to steady Wi-Fi. Today’s news changes that.
According to a community blog post about it, Google says to opt into the latest 4G/5G experiment all you have to do is open the Stadia app on an Android phone, select Experiments under your profile, and then choose Use Mobile Data.
Is streaming on a mobile connection worth it?
Theoretically, streaming over your mobile connection could be a fantastic way to play your Stadia game collection anywhere, anytime.
We say theoretically because, on paper at least, both 4G and 5G connection speeds surpass Google's recommended connection speeds of 10Mbps down to play in HD. 5G can reach data speeds several times that rate, according to our 5G speed tests, so Stadia should theoretically play flawlessly when you're standing under a 5G tower.
The potential downside here is that all this gaming on the go could chew through your mobile data cap, if you have one. Google has warned in the past that using the service can eat up between 4.5 and 20GB of data per hour played, so you might want to play outside sparingly.
All that being said, having the extra option to play on the go is a neat perk of the service and, as long it works well, it could bring some gamers back to give the service another go.
Need something to play? Don't miss our guide to the best Stadia games
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Australia's lockdown rules may have eased but the threat of the Covid-19 pandemic hasn't entirely gone away. If you're being cautious and continuing to stay indoors, then you may have a few spare hours each day to spend.
While you could use that time to binge watch shows on Netflix or Stan, or get some pending DIY projects done and dusted, you could also spend that time catching up on your reading... without needing to even step into a bookstore or library.
Although some booksellers have opened for business, buying or borrowing ebooks (many public libraries in Australia have extensive ebook catalogues) might still be the way to go.
To read the digital versions of your favourite books, though, you will need a dedicated ereader, a device that can be fairly easy to dismiss if you've got a modern big-screen smartphone or tablet and you're using Amazon's Kindle app to get your ebook fix.
According to a 2014 report from the Stanford Center for Teaching and Learning, however, the way we read on our smartphones and PCs is different from how we read on paper. Thanks to the internet, we've trained our eyes to skim and dart around on screens, constantly hunting for the information we're after – a non-linear behaviour the Stanford paper calls 'surface reading'.
When reading from a paper book, by contrast, our brains switch to a more concentrated form of information processing – dubbed 'deep reading' – and it's a mode that actually helps us better absorb and comprehend what's on the page.
To us, that sounds like a great argument for giving books their own space, away from the distractions of apps and constant notifications on our modern do-all devices.
And while there's certainly something irreplaceable about curling up with a good hardcover or paperback, nothing beats the convenience of a digital device when it comes to size and browsing for new books – but with a dedicated ereader, you can arguably have the advantages of both.
By design, they're a simpler device made for the singular purpose of reading – and they have advantages too, such as batteries that last weeks rather than hours, and much-clearer legibility in direct sunlight.
There are only two companies that sell their ereaders in Australia: Amazon (with its range of Kindle ereaders) and Kobo. We've divided this page into two sections to highlight the best both companies have to offer, so you can choose which ereader is best for you.
Amazon Kindles
(Image credit: Amazon)
1. Kindle Oasis
For a luxurious reading experience
Screen size: 7-inch | Screen type: Carta E Ink | Storage: 8GB/32GB | Resolution: 300ppi | Weight: 188g | Front light: Yes | Touchscreen: Yes | Wi-Fi: Yes | 4G: Yes | Battery life: up to six weeks
Premium reading experience
Adjustable backlight
Ergonomic design
Expensive
If money is no object and you want the most luxurious reading experience a digital ebook reader can give you, then it doesn't get any better than the 2019 version of Amazon's Kindle Oasis.
While the older 2018 model is also still available on Amazon, the new model is lighter than its predecessor, and its IPX8 waterproofing means it can easily handle an accidental dunk in the bath or the pool.
The backlight can be adjusted from white to warmer yellow hues to reduce eye strain, and it can even be scheduled to become warmer at bedtime (say, 9:30pm for example).
There's also the usual Kindle Oasis features we saw in the previous generation – a high-quality and large 7-inch display with E Ink technology that makes words on the page crisp and clear, and a 'ridge' on one side of the sleek-looking aluminium chassis that has been designed for easy and comfortable single-hand use.
The buttons to turn pages are within easy reach for the thumb even if you have small mitts, and the device can be turned upside down for use with either hand, with the pages swapping automatically to suit.
WhisperSync support means you can stop reading on your Oasis and pick up reading where you left on the Kindle app, or another Kindle device, although this will require your devices to be on the same Wi-Fi network.
There's also plenty of storage space onboard, with 8GB being the starting point, but you can get a 32GB version of the Oasis if you've got (or planning on having) a large digital library. The base model comes with Wi-Fi enabled, but there is an LTE option as well, which allows you to download ebooks from the Kindle Store no matter where you are.
It's the ereader that comes with all the bells and whistles, if you can stomach the premium price.
Screen size: 6-inch | Screen type: E ink | Storage: 4GB | Resolution: 300ppi | Weight: 209g | Front light: yes | Touchscreen: yes | Wi-Fi: yes | 3G: yes | Battery life: up to six weeks
Affordable price
Improved screen features
Bland design
Lacks some UX features
There was a time when Amazon had a Kindle called Voyage, but that has been discontinued. Instead, some of the features from the Voyage have been added to the Kindle Paperwhite, making it one of the best, affordable Kindles till date.
The new Paperwhite is thinner and lighter than the previous generation, and offers 8GB of storage on its base model – twice that on the predecessor. Like the Oasis, though, you can opt for a 32GB flavour as well, in case you'd like to store a staggering number of ebooks on the device. And, like the Oasis, there are Wi-Fi and 4G models available too.
The 6-inch screen is a gorgeous HD display with 300ppi pixel density that makes the words on the page appear sharp and clear, even in bright sunlight. The built-in light can be adjusted from white to warmer hues to reduce eye strain, although you can't schedule the light to change for nighttime reading as you can with the Oasis.
Compared to the Oasis' sleek, premium design, the Paperwhite's chassis is rather boring and feels plasticky in the hand, but it's remarkably functional, as long as you don't need need to use it with a single hand.
Thanks to its IPX8 waterproofing, you can safely relax in the bath or lounge by the pool with your favourite titles and not worry about it falling into the water.
Battery life doesn't seem to be as good as it was in the older version, but you'll still get days of use out a single charge with the current model of the Paperwhite.
Screen size: 6-inch | Screen type: Carta E Ink | Storage: 8GB | Resolution: 167ppi | Weight: 174g | Front light: yes | Touchscreen: yes | Wi-Fi: yes | 3G: no | Battery life: up to four weeks
Cheap
Backlit
No waterproofing
Not the best screen
These are unprecedented times and everyone is budget conscious at the moment. So if you'd like an ereader that won't burn a hole in your pocket, then Amazon's latest Kindle is for you.
It retails for AU$139 a pop, but you get what you pay for. It's an entry-level, no-frills device that comes with a backlight that has no blue light filter. The 6-inch display is glare-free but it's not the sharpest screen available on the Kindle range.
That said, the screen is adequate for reading indoors, the battery will see you through a couple of weeks of reading and you'll get up to 8GB of storage. The Kindle isn't waterproof, so you'll need to be careful if you're a poolside, beach or in-the-bath reader.
For a basic ereader, the latest iteration of the Kindle comes with Bluetooth support, so you can connect a set of wireless headphones and link your Audible account if you're keen on listening to audiobooks when you're unable to read.
The user interface is basic but intuitive and makes reading digital books and magazines a breeze. It's also slim and light, making it a highly portable library for all the titles you own.
The Forma is Kobo's answer to the Kindle Oasis, albeit with a much steeper price tag. Like it's Amazon competition, the Forma has an asymmetrical design that's meant to make prolonged one-handed holding comfortable. Where the Forma one-ups the Kindle – and perhaps attempts to justify its AU$30 price premium over the AU$399 Oasis – is by adding an extra inch to the display, for an expansive 8-inches in total.
Despite the size disparity, both premium ereaders have similar weights, although the Forma's plastic body tends to lose its shiny look over time and use. But while the Oasis’ metal exterior certainly feels more durable, it's also much more slippery. The Forma's rubbery and textured back, on the other hand, means that despite its bigger size your grip never wavers and its bigger footprint helps keep that weight feel more evenly distributed.
You can hold the Forma in either your left or right hand (or even in landscape) and the display orientation automatically rotates within a couple of seconds of switching. And it’s clear the Forma uses newer and snappier E Ink tech than Kobo’s previous flagship device, the Aura One, with full screen refreshes required less often and a touch more responsiveness when turning pages or using the onscreen keyboard. It’s fast.
As is common with all Kobo devices from the last few years, the Forma's backlight also offers colour-temperature adjustment, so you can opt for an orangey-yellow light tone rather than the standard (and potentially sleep-disrupting) blue light, which can even be scheduled.
Unlike the Oasis, though, there's only a single 8GB version of the Forma available but it's the reading experience that ultimately counts. The Forma undoubtedly shines in that regard: it’s asymmetrical design and large screen do undeniably make it more comfortable to use for long periods, and it's user interface has a lot more features than the Kindle alternatives, particularly when it comes to organising your library.
Another advantage to using a Kobo ereader is OverDrive support, which allows users to borrow books from their local libraries – and most of the libraries in Australia allow you to do so. So if you’re an ebook junkie looking for an ereader that can keep pace, this one’s got the goods.
Premium reading experience for an affordable price
Screen size: 7-inch | Screen type: Carta E Ink | Storage: 8GB | Resolution: 300ppi | Weight: 192g | Front light: yes | Touchscreen: yes | Wi-Fi: yes | 3G: no | Battery life: up to six weeks
Improved user interface
Premium design yet affordable
Responsive screen
MicroUSB charging port
Slightly stocky design
While traditional tablet-like ereaders (like the Kindle Paperwhite mentioned above and the Kobo Clara HD below) are the most affordable ebook readers you can get, they're difficult to use single-handed. And so the asymmetric design that the Kindle Oasis pioneered is becoming more popular, with Kobo introducing the Libra H2O in late 2019 as a more affordable option to both the Amazon counterpart as well as the bigger Kobo Forma.
But it's not just the Libra's relatively affordable price tag that makes it a compelling ereader alternative – it's also more durable than the expensive bigger brother listed above and it boasts an improved user interface that offers a better reading experience than what you'd get on a Kindle.
With a 7-inch screen (compared to the Forma's 8 inches), it's smaller than it's bigger brother, but that makes it more portable and it's a much faster device besides. With the latest E Ink technology, the Libra H2O matches the Oasis in speed and responsiveness – whether you're just turning a page, selecting words for dictionary look-up or entering a Wi-FI password to set up the ereader.
The Libra H2O debuts improvements to the user interface, like a new ebook navigator accessed by either swiping upward from the bottom or tapping in the centre of the screen. You can even use the Libra to read in landscape mode if you prefer, something you won't be able to with the Oasis. We were already partial to Kobo's user interface and these changes have made it more streamlined than the cluttered UX of the Kindles.
Thanks to its hard plastic body, the Libra has a more premium and rugged look than the Forma. The page-turn buttons feel a lot more sturdy with good feedback, while the power button on the rear is easy to locate as it sits in a recess that's quite deep. That said, the buttons on the Oasis are, by far, the best of the three.
And while the Oasis' metal body gives it a very premium look and feel – and carries a price tag to match its status – the Libra's affordability (at AU$249 apiece) and usability makes it easy to recommend – especially in Australia where OverDrive support means you can borrow ebooks from you local public library.
Screen size: 6-inch | Screen type: Carta E Ink | Storage: 8GB | Resolution: 300ppi | Weight: 166g | Front light: yes | Touchscreen: yes | Wi-Fi: yes | 3G: no | Battery life: up to 8 weeks
Affordable
Excellent user interface
Bland design
No waterproofing
Kobo's Clara HD ereader is more than capable of giving its direct competition – Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite – a run for its money. Priced cheaper than its Kindle counterpart, the Clara HD manages to outperform Amazon's most popular ereader in almost every area that matters.
Key among those is the screen. The Clara HD's 6-inch front-lit display matches the Kindle for sharpness (both are 300ppi) but integrates a blue-light filter which uses your timezone to automatically change screen brightness at night to reduce your exposure to sleep-disrupting blue light. It fits that display into a compact body that's lighter than the Paperwhite, making it easier to slip into just about any bag.
Cover art and text are rendered at a higher DPI (dots per inch) on the Clara HD than other older Kobo ereaders, making them appear significantly sharper in comparison. The Clara HD also introduces a new 'rapid page turn' engine which allows you to quickly move forward in an ebook by holding down the bottom left corner of the screen. The slight caveat is that this feature only works with KEPUB ebooks, i.e. the ones bought directly from Kobo.
The responsiveness of the new E-Ink screen was also much faster and more precise than we're used to seeing on either Kindle or Kobo ereaders, which makes things like text selection for dictionary lookup (or highlighting and note-taking) much less hit-and-miss than before. It also has wireless OverDrive functionality, so you can browse and borrow from your local library's ebook collection directly on the device.
With battery life that lasts a few weeks, the Clara HD is a feature-packed device with a display that's the best-in-class for an ereader at this price point.
The basic Kindle rival with a higher resolution screen
Screen size: 6-inch | Screen type: Carta E Ink | Storage: 8GB | Resolution: 212ppi | Weight: 172g | Front light: yes | Touchscreen: yes | Wi-Fi: yes | 3G: no | Battery life: Up to four weeks
Better display than Amazon Kindle
Affordable price
No waterproofing
No Bluetooth support
Announced in July 2020, the Nia is the latest ereader to join the Kobo ranks. It's the cheapest Kobo model, a no-frills device that offers direct competition to the basic Amazon Kindle. While it's priced a touch higher than the Kindle, you do get a slightly better and more responsive 6-inch screen, with a resolution of 1024x758, or 212ppi (a step-up from the 167ppi Kindle display).
You also get a more streamlined user interface which, over the last couple of years, has seen steady improvements. The new features that debuted last year on the Libra H2O have made their way to the Nia, making it a lot more user-friendly than any Kindle model.
The other advantages the Nia offers over the Kindle are wider file format support (like all the Kobos) and third-party application integration with OverDrive for borrowing library ebooks, Pocket for reading on the web and Dropbox for cloud storage. Like the other Kobos, you'll be able to sideload fonts to the Nia, even Amazon's own Bookerly.
Physically, the Kindle and the Nia are similar but the Kobo device has a textured rear panel which makes the ereader feel more secure in the hand. The one complaint we do have is, for a device that launched in 2020, it still doesn't have USB-C charging.
Unlike the Kindle, there's no Bluetooth support on the Nia – a commonality shared by all the Kobo ereaders, even the premium ones. That means the Nia lacks audiobook support, which even the base model of the current Kindle range has.
So, if you're not keen on getting locked into the Amazon ecosystem, then the Nia is an excellent ereader for anyone on a tight budget. However, the Nia lacks a blue light filter, so if you read a lot at night, we think the Kobo Clara HD is a better option – with a sharper 300ppi screen – if you can spare the extra AU$40 for it.
Interested in getting a new ereader? Compare the latest prices of ebook readers in Australia on our sister site Getprice.
Kindle vs Kobo
Kindle vs Kobo: which ereader should you buy?
With not much competition from other brands, Australians have a simpler catalogue of ereaders to choose from. The only ones we can get Down Under are Kindles and Kobos, so which one is best for avid readers in Australia?
It boils down to price and feature set. Both Amazon and Kobo have premium offerings in the Kindle Oasis and the Forma respectively, but there are budget ones as well. The Paperwhite and the Clara HD are excellent in their own way, with the Libra H2O offering an excellent middle path. However, Kobo holds a trump card for most Aussies.
Borrowing books
All Kobo ereaders have OverDrive support, meaning anyone with a public library membership in Australia can borrow ebooks from their local library. Most public libraries in Australia now allow members to borrow ebooks, saving you plenty of dosh in the long term on purchasing books.
That said, Amazon does offer a subscription service called Prime Reading – available for free to all Amazon Prime members. There's over a thousand titles to choose from, but you won't own the books you read via the Prime Reading service.
If you're keen on owning all the books you read, then the Kindle Store usually has way more titles on offer than the Kobo Store, but Kobo's Super Points system allows you to save points you earn on purchases for later use.
File support
Another thing to keep in mind when choosing an ereader is the support for different file types. All Kindle ebooks you purchase from Amazon will be in .azw format, although the ereaders will also support .mobi files too. There is no .epub support here and you will need to use a tool like Calibre to convert .epubs to a supported file (either .azw or .mobi).
Kobos, on the other hand, will support most file types – with the exception of Amazon's own .azw of course. You'll even be able to read PDFs on your Kobo device.
Fonts
You'll find that the Kindles have some customs fonts designed by Amazon, with Bookerly and Ember being the most popular ones. However, you can't sideload more fonts – you're stuck using the ones Amazon has provided on the device which, to be fair, are great. While Kobo devices have their own set of default fonts, you can, in fact, sideload more – including any Amazon custom fonts like Bookerly.
Audiobooks
While the Kobo Store has a large number of audiobooks, you can't listen to them on any of the company's ereaders – not even the expensive Forma. For that, you'll need to download the Kobo app on your smartphone or tablet.
However, all the latest iterations of the Kindle devices (Kindle 8th Gen, Kindle Oasis 8th and 9th Gen, Kindle Paperwhite 10th Gen) have Bluetooth connectivity for wireless headphones and audiobook support for anything you get from Audible.
External app support
Goodreads is a great social platform for avid readers and, ever since Amazon acquired the company, there's seamless integration with Kindle devices available on the ereaders. It's a great and easy way to keep tabs on your library. However, integration with other platforms on Kindle devices stops there.
Other than OverDrive support to borrow library books, Kobo also has a partnership with Dropbox. If you happen to have your library saved in a Dropbox folder, you can easily connect the two and transfer files to the device without needing to plug the ereader into your computer.
Then there's Pocket support on the Kobo devices as well. This app allows you to read long-form articles that you save for later, and syncing with your Pocket account will give you access to them all on your Kobo ereader.
So, which one should you buy?
There are some differences between the two platforms when it comes to the user interface as well – the main being the ability to organise your library on the device. While you can create folders and collections on both Kindle and Kobo devices, you can only organise ebooks you've purchased from the Kindle Store on an Amazon device. If you've added books you've purchased from elsewhere, they will sit in the main library but you will not be able to move them to a folder.
On the other hand, everything you have stored on your Kobo device can be organised as you see fit.
Pretty much everything else about the two platforms is competitive, including pricing, so the choice of device ultimately rests on whether you'd like to borrow library books or if you're a Prime member, what file format the vast majority of your existing library is, and whether you'd like to listen to audiobooks when you're not reading.
At the end, you won't go wrong with either a Kindle or a Kobo, with both offering their own set of pros and cons.
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The top startups in India, which include names such as Paytm, Zomato, Swiggy, Udaan, BigBasket, LensKart, CarDekho, and many others, count Chinese investors among their largest backers.
Compared to Apple's growth, Samsung fell 30 percent, Huawei 5 percent, Xiaomi 10 percent, OPPO 16 percent, and others 23 percent in terms of smartphone shipments.
Buying ARM would consolidate graphics giant Nvidia's position at the centre of the semiconductor industry.
With Covid-19 Crisis hardly showing any sign of slowing down, many tech giants like Google and Apple have extended their work from option until next year.
Canada's attorney general says the requirements for extraditing Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou to the United States on charges of bank fraud have been met, documents submitted in a British Columbia court show.
Microsoft Corp could reenergize its advertising business with a huge supply of video if it follows through on acquiring TikTok's U.S. operations from ByteDance.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he was planning to sign an executive order as soon as Saturday banning Chineseowned shortvideo app TikTok from the United States.
A Brazilian Supreme Court judge slapped Facebook with a 1.92 million reais (281,124.18 pounds) fine on Friday for not complying with an order to block globally certain accounts controlled by supporters of President Jair Bolsonaro implicated in a fake news inquiry.
NASA launched its most sophisticated and ambitious spacecraft to Mars: the aptly named Perseverance rover. This will be the third launch to Mars this month.
The U.S. Department of Justice said on Friday that two more people have been charged in relation to a July 15 Twitter hack that took over the accounts of VIPs including former President Barack Obama and billionaire Bill Gates.
Apple Inc's surged over 10% to a record high on Friday after reporting blockbuster quarterly results, helping the iPhone maker eclipse Saudi Aramco to become the world's most valuable publicly listed company.
Facebook said it counts 3.14 billion monthly users across its family of apps, compared to 2.99 billion in the previous quarter.
More Apple iPhones were sold in this quarter, clocking $26.41 million in net sales, up from $25.98 million in same quarter last year. Macs also saw a surge in sales clocking $7.07 million in total sales, up from $5.82 million.
The Netflix scam starts with an email that will take you to a website that looks just like the actual Netflix website, except that it isn't. It urges you to enter your credit card details here.
The Samsung Galaxy M31s will sport a 6,000mAh battery and support a 25W fast charging.
The Poco M2 Pro is a tweaked version of the Redmi Note 9 Pro, however, it does seem like a more attractive option.
Spotify also forecast total revenue in the range of EUR 1.85 billion (roughly Rs. 16,216 crores) to EUR 2.05 billion (roughly Rs. 17,968 crores) for the third quarter. Analysts were expecting EUR 2.01 billion (roughly Rs. 17,620 crores).
Xiaomi continues its tradition of offering maximum value for your money with the new Redmi Note 9 Pro Max.
The project called "The Matchup" will be a part of existing sports pages on member sites and will have its own site in early 2021.
Apple CEO Tim Cook is expected to focus on three key things—how the iPhone became as popular as it is in the face of stiff competition from the likes of Samsung, LG, Huawei and Google, Privacy and Security as a key foundation for building products and the App Store policies.
The development comes at a time when the US government is considering a ban on TikTok, a popular short video-sharing platform owned by Chinese unicorn ByteDance.
The collaboration aims to strengthen Mastercard's cloud services and other capabilities and fintech partners, sparking innovation and creativity for the ecosystem, the company said.
Amazon, Facebook, Apple and Google are expected to answer some tough questions about business practices, how they operate and practices that could hurt rivals.
The Microsoft Family Safety app is designed as a tool for parents to get insights on the activity of their child, across multiple devices. This will be able to log activity on Windows PCs, Android phones and the Xbox console, all synced in one place.
