Category: Tech Radar

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Bug that broke Linux in Windows 10 update is finally fixed

Microsoft has finally released a fix for a Windows 10 bug which broke Linux support, with the resolution arriving in the latest preview build of the OS – along with a whole host of other fixes. You may recall that Windows Subsystem for Linux has been suffering at the hands of an ‘element not found’ error which prevents it from functioning, a gremlin seemingly introduced by September’s cumulative update for Windows 10. Microsoft subsequently confirmed this issue, and then said that a fix was in the pipeline imminently, and indeed the software giant remained true to its word, delivering the solution in the newest preview build for Windows 10, version 19042.541 (for the soon to release October 2020 Update). As we mentioned at the outset, there are a whole load of fixes implemented with this new preview build, and they include a solution for an issue which caused crashes with games that use spatial audio, plus some useful tweaks for Windows Mixed Reality headsets. Enterprising solutions There are a stack of enterprise-related fixes here too, such as cures for problems with Windows Defender Application Control and Microsoft Intune. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that no fresh problems are introduced here, and the October 2020 Update proceeds smoothly.  If you recall, the cumulative update which cured an SSD issue with Drive Optimize in Windows 10 was the one which accidentally broke Linux support in the first place, so obviously we don’t want to see anything else going awry in a similar…Continue readingBug that broke Linux in Windows 10 update is finally fixed

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This tiny CPU firm could play a key role in the future of Apple One

Three former Apple executives – part of the team that created the CPU found in the iPhone, iPad and soon the MacBook – have managed to raise a staggering $240 million with a startup called Nuvia. The tiny CPU firm hopes to replicate the same resounding success in the data center, using the ethos that drove the team to create what is arguably the most powerful mobile processor family in the world. Based on Arm technology, the new chip is expected to challenge more traditional players in the data center arena, some of which are also based on Arm (e.g. Ampere Altra/ Marvel Thunder), as well as AMD EPYC and Intel Xeon.  Nuvia According to Reuters, the funding round was led by Mithril Capital, which has very close ties with Facebook, one of the world’s biggest users of data center processors. Only a few days ago, Arm announced two new CPU designs – Neoverse V1 and Neoverse N2 – which aim to deliver better per-thread performance than the competition. However, after Arm was acquired for $40 billion by Nvidia, Nuvia’s CEO has confirmed that the company is evaluating other options as an alternative to Arm IP. RISC-V, for example, has been gathering momentum ever since it went open-source, with backing from Facebook, Google and IBM. Apple connection The Apple-Nuvia thread can’t be dismissed though; Apple acquired three different silicon companies (Passif, Intrisity and PA Semi) in order to build the A-series processor. There’s no reason it wouldn’t buy a fourth…Continue readingThis tiny CPU firm could play a key role in the future of Apple One

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iPad Air pre-orders: when can you buy and where?

iPad Air pre-orders aren’t available until ‘October’ according to Apple, but fear not, we should have the exact date pretty soon, and what’s more, there’s not too long before these awesome new tablets will be shipped. As soon as we know the date, we’ll be updating this page accordingly, but in the meantime, we’ll clue you in on what we think about these new tablets plus what retailers you can expect iPad Air pre-orders from early next month. With Apple’s mid-September event officially announcing a new iPad Air for 2020 we should soon have a worthy replacement to the capable, but slightly dated 2019 iPad Air. More options are always fantastic, but is it worth the price? Right here you’ll find links for the soon to be live pre-orders, price information, a quick specs breakdown, and also a direct comparison to 2019’s model – all the information you would need before considering a new iPad Air 2020 pre-order. iPad Air pre-orders are on the way, but new releases also mean we should also be seeing some a fresh round of competitive prices on cheap iPad deals – great news if you find the new updates not worth the cash. iPad Air pre-order quick links Firstly, here are the direct links to the relevant iPad Air Pre-order pages on Apple, should you choose to bookmark them ahead of the actual release date. Currently, we don’t know exactly when pre-orders will be going live, but we’ll be updating this page as soon…Continue readingiPad Air pre-orders: when can you buy and where?

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Epic Games is essentially paying you to download Rocket League

Rocket League has now gone free-to-play, and those who download the game from the Epic Games Store before October 23 can earn a $10 / £10 voucher. The voucher can only be used on qualifying games and add-ons priced at $14.99 / £15.99, and expires on November 1, 2020. You literally have nothing to lose, then, other than some hard drive space. The vehicular-based soccer game was snapped up by Epic Games, and is no longer available to purchase on Steam. The game will continue to be fully supported for Steam owners, though, and cross-platform progression support has been enabled, allowing users to link their Epic Games Account across Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch and Steam.  Rocket League is currently holding a Llama-Rama event that allows players to unlock rewards for both Rocket League and Epic’s other popular online multiplayer game, Fortnite. A Battle Bus is also coming to Rocket League as a new playable vehicle. Drive of your life Rocket League was extremely well-received when it debuted as a PlayStation Plus title way back in 2015 and continues to be popular with players on all platforms. Now that Rocket League has gone free-to-play, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch owners won’t need either a PS Plus or a Nintendo Switch Online membership to play. Xbox One users will still require Xbox Live Gold, however. The Epic Games Store continues to give away free games each and every week. This week’s title is RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Complete Edition.  Today’s best rocket…Continue readingEpic Games is essentially paying you to download Rocket League

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Solar-powered Garmin Fenix 6 Pro and Instinct smartwatches launched in India | TechRadar

Garmin has unveiled two new smartwatches in India today – the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro and the Garmin Instinct. These are powered by Garmin’s patented solar charging technology.  Both the smartwatches are integrated with Garmin’s solar charging technology which enhances battery optimization. The watch also gets new sports activities like Indoor Climbing, Fishing. Garmin also says that the Solar conversion rate on these smartwatches is up to five times higher than the industry standard.  The watches support features like heart rate, GPS, multiple sensors, body battery and more. Garmin Instinct Solar (Image credit: Garmin) The Garmin Instinct Solar comes with a 0.9-inch monochrome display with a resolution of 128 x 128 pixels. It comes with a bunch of colour options and there is a 22mm strap on all of them which are interchangeable. The watch weighs in at 53 grams. Garmin has incorporated the solar lens into the watch. Instinct is made for the outdoor enthusiast. The watch can last up to 24 days in smartwatch mode in indoors and more than 50 days with sufficient solar exposure. You can extend the battery life on the go with Instinct Solar power manager. This feature allows you to toggle to the Battery Saver mode to enjoy unlimited battery life.  Further, in addition to outdoor activity and health tracking features, Instinct Solar also includes the Body Battery feature which analyzes heart rate variability, stress level, sleep quality and activity data. There is also a SpO2 monitor to measure blood oxygen saturation. Garmin…Continue readingSolar-powered Garmin Fenix 6 Pro and Instinct smartwatches launched in India
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OnePlus 8T pre-bookings start on September 25 in India | TechRadar

The OnePlus 8T will launch in India on October 14, will sales starting soon after. For those who’d want to get their hands on the device in the first wave can now pre-book it. Pre-bookings for the OnePlus 8T 5G will commence on September 25, and will last till October 16. Interested customers can pre-book the device at all OnePlus exclusive stores at a token price of Rs 2,000 to get first preference to buy the phone when the open sales begin. There’s no word on if you’ll be able to pre-order the device from any of the online channels, but those could emerge in the coming days. (Image credit: OnLeaks) Thankfully, the company hasn’t left much for guesswork with a steady stream of spec confirmations. The Oneplus 8T will have a 6.55-inch Fluid AMOLED display with a Full HD+ resolution and a refresh rate of 120Hz. It will have a peak brightness of 1,100 nits along with “the highest colour accuracy possible across the industry”. Slimmer bezels and a punch-hole display will enable a screen-to-body ratio of 91.9%. The other major upgrade will be the move to Warp Charge 65. Implementing a new dual-cell design, the 65W charging will fill the 4,500mAh battery in under 40 minutes. In fact, a 15-minute top-up is claimed to add 58% juice. The new adapter will also support 45W USB PD to quickly charge other devices. On the inside, the OnePlus 8T will be powered by the Snapdragon 865 chipset with UFS 3.0/3.1…Continue readingOnePlus 8T pre-bookings start on September 25 in India
| TechRadar

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Poco M2 goes on sale today: price, specs, and availability

Update (September 25): The Poco M2 will go on sale in India at 12 noon today via Flipkart. Poco’s latest budget phone, the Poco M2 will go on sale for the first time today. The device was unveiled last week in India as the cheapest phone with 6GB of RAM.  The device will go on sale via Flipkart at 12 noon today. The Poco M2 comes in two configurations. The 6GB + 64GB variant is priced at Rs 10,999 while the 6GB + 128GB variant is priced at Rs 12,499. Colour options include Pitch Black, Slate Blue and Brick Red.` (Image credit: Poco) Poco M2 specs On the front, the Poco M2 sports a 6.53-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 2,340 x 1,080. There’s also Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection on top. The fingerprint scanner is located under the cameras on the back. The entire phone is also P2i coated for splash-resistance.  The Poco M2 is powered by the MediaTek Helio G80 chipset with. This is an octa-core processor built on the 12nm process. The Mali G52 clocked at 950MHz takes care of the graphics duties. MediaTek’s HyperEngine Gaming technology also makes the cut. It is also the cheapest phone in India to offer 6GB of RAM across the board. There’s up to 128GB of internal storage, which can be further expanded by 256GB via micro SD.   On the back is a quad-camera setup consisting of a 13MP primary camera, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, a 5MP macro shooter…Continue readingPoco M2 goes on sale today: price, specs, and availability

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Amazon’s cheap new Fire TV Stick Lite adds Alexa to your not-so-smart TV

Amazon has just announced a whole range of new devices, including an all-new Echo smart speaker range and a brand-new Echo Show 10 smart display. While other markets are getting more Amazon devices, like new Ring security cameras, the only other non-Echo device Australia is currently getting is a new Fire TV Stick. Called the Fire TV Stick Lite, this new casting device is a plug-and-play solution to stream from your favourite services like Netflix and Prime Video. Just plug it into your not-so-smart TV’s HDMI port and you’ll get access to not just the aforementioned streaming services, but also Stan, Disney Plus, Apple TV Plus and YouTube, and catch-up TV apps like ABC iview, 9Now, 10play, SBS On Demand and 7Plus. What the Fire TV Stick Lite brings is a new Alexa-powered remote that will allow you to start streaming with a simple voice command. Just press the button with the microphone icon on it and say something like “Alexa, open Netflix” or “Alexa, find Australian movies” – easy as that. You’ll also be able to use the remote to control your smart home setup through Alexa voice commands if you wish. Amazon also claims the Fire TV Stick Lite has 50% more power than the current Fire TV Stick, and promises to open apps faster and stream quicker. The new Stick Lite is available for pre-order right now for AU$59 directly from Amazon Australia. However, add a third-generation Echo Dot (which retails for AU$79 a pop) to your…Continue readingAmazon’s cheap new Fire TV Stick Lite adds Alexa to your not-so-smart TV

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Early Prime Day deal: Get yourself an Amazon Echo Show and save up to 31%

We still don’t have official word on when Amazon will host Prime Day 2020 in Australia, but there are already some early offers that could rival the discounts we see when the big sale finally comes round. Hot on the heels of the all-new Echo Show 10 announcement, Amazon Australia has dropped the price of the older Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 8 models – and the discounts are quite significant. The smaller Echo Show 5 is now available for under AU$100 after a 23% discount, while the slightly larger and newer Echo Show 8 is getting a 31% discount, bringing the price down to a much more affordable AU$159. Amazon Echo Show 5 | AU$99 (RRP AU$129; save AU$30) With a 5-inch screen and all the Alexa smarts on board, this little device will fit into any space and help you control your smart home setup. If you don’t have connected devices, you can still use it to watch videos, check the weather, keep up with the news and listen to music. Better yet, the 23% discount makes the Echo Show 5 a lot more affordable at just AU$99.View Deal Amazon Echo Show 8 | AU$159 (RRP AU$229; save AU$70) For those who might find the 5-inch screen of the Echo Show 5 too small, there’s the option of going one step higher for the 8-inch display of the Echo Show 8. Not only do you get a bigger screen, you get a better, higher resolution one, with…Continue readingEarly Prime Day deal: Get yourself an Amazon Echo Show and save up to 31%

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Amazon Luna: Five Things You Need To Know

At the September Amazon Event, the tech giant introduced a host of new products in its Ring and Echo line – and out of nowhere, introduced Amazon Luna, a game streaming service to rival Google Stadia and GeForce Now.  Yes, there’s another game streaming service to choose from, adding yet another option to play cutting-edge games on virtually anything with a screen. And Luna has some similarities with existing services: similar to Google Stadia, Amazon Luna has its own optional custom controller, which costs $49 (around £38 / AU$69), though folks can opt to use a current console controllers or mouse and keyboard instead.  But there’s a few Amazon-specific twists that differentiate it from the competition. The first is price: instead of tiers, the Luna service breaks its gaming catalog up into channels, with Luna Plus being a selection of games Amazon has already licensed. Luna Plus costs an introductory rate of $6 per month (under £5 / AU$9), making it cheaper than other services. The only other confirmed channel is Ubisoft, which has a separate (and not yet defined) subscription fee to access its own catalog of games. Another is variety of devices to stream to: so far, you can stream Luna gameplay over Mac, PC, iPhones and iPads (Android support coming soon), and interestingly, Fire TV devices. A last interesting note: you can play on two devices simultaneously, which implies that you and a friend or family member can play games at the same time (and potentially together)…Continue readingAmazon Luna: Five Things You Need To Know