Bentley is diversifying — into honey. The maker of luxury cars has installed two beehives on the perimeter of its main campus in England as part of efforts to improve its green credentials and boost the local bee population.
from Digital Trends https://ift.tt/2ZyIkio
from Digital Trends https://ift.tt/2ZyIkio
Ride-sharing and transportation platform Didi Chuxing announced today that it has formed a joint venture with BP, the British gas, oil and energy supermajor. to build electric vehicle charging infrastructure in China. The charging stations will be available to Didi and non-Didi drivers.
The news of Didi and BP’s joint venture comes one week after Didi announced that it had received funding totaling $600 million from Toyota Motor Corporation. As part of that deal, Didi and Toyota Motor set up a joint venture with GAC Toyota Motor to provide vehicle-related services to Didi drivers.
BP’s first charging site in Guangzhou has already been connected to XAS (Xiaoju Automobile Solutions), which Didi spun out in April 2018 to put all its vehicle-related services into one platform.
XAS is part of Didi Chuxing’s evolution from a ride-sharing company to a mobility services platform, with its services available to other car, transportation and logistics companies. In June, Didi also opened its ride-sharing platform to other companies, enabling its users to request rides from third-party providers in a bid to better compete with apps like Meituan Dianping and AutoNavi, which aggregate several ride-hailing services on their platforms.
Didi says it now offers ride-sharing, vehicle rental and delivery services to 550 million users and covers 1,000 cities through partnerships with Grab, Lyft, Ola, 99 and Bolt (Taxify). The company also claims to be the world’s largest electric vehicle operator with more than 600,000 EVs on its platform.
It also has partnerships with automakers and other car-related companies like Toyota, FAW, Dongfeng, GAC, Volkswagen and Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi to collaborate on a platform that uses new energy, AI-based and mobility technologies.
In a press statement, Tufan Erginbilgic, the CEO of BP’s Downstream business, said “As the world’s largest EV market, China offers extraordinary opportunities to develop innovative new businesses at scale and we see this as the perfect partnership for such a fast-evolving environment. The lessons we learn here will help us further expand BP’s advanced mobility business worldwide, helping drive the energy transition and develop solutions for a low carbon world.”
from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/2MugSPp
The FAA's original B4UFLY app for drone pilots was roundly lambasted for being confusing, slow, and glitchy when it launched in 2016. On Wednesday it rolled out an overhauled, improved app to help drone owners fly safely.
from Digital Trends https://ift.tt/2Yfyd5D
from Digital Trends https://ift.tt/2Yfyd5D
Pearson, the London-based educational software maker, said today that thousands of school and university accounts, mostly in the United States, were affected by a data breach. The company added that it has notified affected users already and that the vulnerability has been fixed.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the data breach happened in November 2018 and Pearson was notified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in March. The perpetrator is still unknown.
According to Pearson, unauthorized access was gained to 13,000 school and university accounts on AIMSweb, the company’s student monitoring and assessment platform. The data exposed included first and last names and, in some cases, date of birth and email addresses. Each account could potentially include information about thousands of students.
Pearson added that it has no evidence that any of the exposed information was misused. It will offer free credit monitoring services to affected users as a “precautionary measure.”
News of Pearson’s data breach comes the same week that Capital One disclosed a massive cyber attack that exposed sensitive information for about 100 million people in the U.S. and 6 million in Canada.
from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/332qCGl
We’ve officially heard from Google that its upcoming Pixel 4 flagship smartphone will feature Apple-esque face unlocking thanks to a complicated array of sensors and camera systems on the front of the phone, but that might not be the only Google device gaining this biometric security measure.
A recent discovery by specialist website Chrome Unboxed has found mention of Face Detection in an update for the Chromium open-source project, which itself is responsible for the ChromeOS software that powers Chromebooks. (Eeesh, that’s a lot of Chrome…)
- Google Pixel 4 officially revealed to support Apple-esque face unlocking
- What is a Google Chromebook?
While this in itself isn’t solid proof that the feature is definitely happening, when coupled with the aforementioned Pixel 4 announcement, it's a fairly strong hint that Google will start implementing its Face Unlock in future Chromebooks.
Chrome Unboxed convincingly makes the case that the source code updates suggest the new feature is being “aggressively worked on” for ChromeOS and we could well see its debut in the anticipated Pixelbook 2 (believed to be codenamed 'Atlas') alongside the Pixel 4 launch this October.
What isn't known is how many older Google laptops the new tech will come to. While we know that the Pixel 4 will include an array of infra-red, dot-projector and other dedicated face sensors, the same isn’t true of most existing Chromebooks.
As such, if the feature is rolled out to older Chromebooks, it’s likely that facial recognition will be used as an optional layer of security to add more convenience – the suggestion being that, on Google laptops that only have simple webcams, users will need to enter their passcode once after booting the device, but could then quickly unlock the device using a face scan for the rest of that session.
Although any speculation surrounding the successor to the excellent Pixelbook must of course be taken with a grain of salt for the time being, the addition of Face Detection to Chromium does indeed look like it's almost official... we just don’t yet have any solid information on when it will become publicly available.
- Google Pixelbook review
- Pixelbook begone? Google reportedly reduces in-house computer production
- The best Chromebooks of 2019
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/2YwqF9P
In May, venture capitalist Michael Moritz of Sequoia Capital warned in a Financial Times column that Amazon’s recent $575 million investment in the London-based delivery service Deliveroo could prove ominous for local restaurants. Wrote Moritz: “Amazon is now one step away from becoming a multi-brand restaurant company — and that could mean doomsday for many dining haunts.”
Moritz was right to attract more attention to the deal. Deliveroo has begun operating shared kitchens from which it will not simply transport food to customers but eventually prepare it, too. His warning may even have played a role in this recent decision of Britain’s competition regulator to halt work on Amazon’s investment so it can first investigate whether the deal poses competitive concerns.
Moritz knows the playbook because of Sequoia’s early investment in Rebel Foods, formerly known as Faasos, a once-small Pune, India-based company that now prepares a variety of foods in its cloud kitchens. As he says in the same column, Faasos largely pioneered the trend. Still, the growth of the nine-year-old company is a bit breathtaking.
According to Bloomberg, Rebel — which this month raised $125 million in fresh capital from the Indonesian delivery service Go-jek, Coatue Management, and Goldman Sachs — now operates 235 kitchens across 20 Indian cities. And it’s processing two million orders a month. (It calls itself the “world’s largest internet restaurant company.”)
It began life as a chain of kebab restaurants, but that original concept, Faasos, is now just one of eight other brands that Rebel operates, including a tea brand called Kettle & Kegs, a Chinese concept called Mandarin Oak; a pizza brand called Oven Story; and a brand called Behrouz through which it makes and sells slow-cooked rice dishes known as biryani.
Most people ordering food might think each is individually operated and run; they aren’t.
Rebel Foods isn’t the only fast-moving operator using cloud kitchens to offer every kind of cuisine imaginable under one roof.
The company — which tells Bloomberg it is now valued at $525 million — has plenty of competitors, including UberEats and the food delivery company Zomato, which itself has plans to open more than 100 cloud kitchens by the end of this year.
Zomato says it isn’t getting into the food preparation business — yet — but rather renting out facilities, kitchen equipment, and software to restaurants.
Little wonder that Rebel is racing headlong into new markets as fast as it can. According to Bloomberg, the company is now planning to build 100 cloud kitchens in Indonesia over the next 18 months with Go-Jek’s help. It also plans to open 20 cloud kitchen facilities in the United Arab Emirates by December.
Rebel was founded by Jaydeep Barman, a native of Mumbai with an MBA from INSEAD who spent nearly four years with McKinsey before joining forces with business school classmate Kallol Banerjee to launch Faasos.
Despite raising money early on from Sequoia, the company was once at risk of going out of business, in part owing to high rents and employee turnover. But as Moritz tells it, things turned around dramatically when the duo closed their restaurants and opened their first centralized kitchen.
In fact, today, the company tells Bloomberg, the entire operation runs the equivalent of 1,600 restaurants.
from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/2yqUpKN
Fintech startup Revolut is launching its stock trading feature today. It’s a Robinhood-like feature that lets you buy and sell shares without any commission. For now, the feature is limited to some Revolut customers with a Metal card.
While Robinhood has completely changed the stock trading retail market in the U.S., buying shares hasn’t changed much in Europe. Revolut wants to make it easier to invest on the stock market.
After topping up your Revolut account, you can buy and hold shares directly from the Revolut app. For now, the feature is limited to 300 U.S.-listed stocks on NASDAQ and NYSE. The company says that it plans to expand to U.K. and European stocks as well as Exchange Traded Funds.
There’s no minimum limit on transactions, which means that you can buy fractional shares for $1 for instance. You can see real-time prices in the Revolut app.
When it comes to fees, Revolut doesn’t charge any fee indeed, but with some caveats. The feature is currently limited to Revolut Metal customers for now. It currently costs £12.99 per month or €13.99 per month to become a Metal customer.
As long as you make less than 100 trades per month, you don’t pay anything other than your monthly subscription. Any trade above that limit costs £1 per trade and an annual custody fee of 0.01%.
Eventually, Revolut will roll out stock trading to other subscription tiers. Revolut Premium will get 8 commission-free trades per month and basic Revolut users will get 3 commission-free trades per month.
Behind the scene, Revolut has partnered with DriveWealth for this feature. This is a nice addition for existing Revolut users. You don’t have to open a separate account with another company and Metal customers in particular get a lot of free trades.
from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/2KgPqC2
Got hardware? Well then, listen up, because our search continues for boundary-pushing, early-stage hardware startups to join us in Shenzhen, China for an epic opportunity; launch your startup on a global stage and compete in Hardware Battlefield at TC Shenzhen on November 11-12.
Apply here to compete in TC Hardware Battlefield 2019. Why? It’s your chance to demo your product to the top investors and technologists in the world. Hardware Battlefield, cousin to Startup Battlefield, focuses exclusively on innovative hardware because, let’s face it, it’s the backbone of technology. From enterprise solutions to agtech advancements, medical devices to consumer product goods — hardware startups are in the international spotlight.
If you make the cut, you’ll compete against 15 of the world’s most innovative hardware makers for bragging rights, plenty of investor love, media exposure and $25,000 in equity-free cash. Just participating in a Battlefield can change the whole trajectory of your business in the best way possible.
We chose to bring our fifth Hardware Battlefield to Shenzhen because of its outstanding track record of supporting hardware startups. The city achieves this through a combination of accelerators, rapid prototyping and world-class manufacturing. What’s more, TC Hardware Battlefield 2019 takes place as part of the larger TechCrunch Shenzhen that runs November 9-12.
Creativity and innovation no know boundaries, and that’s why we’re opening this competition to any early-stage hardware startup from any country. While we’ve seen amazing hardware in previous Battlefields — like robotic arms, food testing devices, malaria diagnostic tools, smart socks for diabetics and e-motorcycles, we can’t wait to see the next generation of hardware, so bring it on!
Meet the minimum requirements listed below, and we’ll consider your startup:
- Submit your application to TC Hardware Battlefield 2019 by August 14th
- You must have a minimally viable product to demo onstage
- Your product has received little if any, press coverage to date
- Your product must have a hardware device or component
Here’s how Hardware Battlefield works. TechCrunch editors vet every qualified application and pick 15 startups to compete. Those startups receive six rigorous weeks of free coaching. Forget stage fright. You’ll be prepped and ready to step into the spotlight.
Teams have six minutes to pitch and demo their products, which is immediately followed by an in-depth Q&A with the judges. If you make it to the final round, you’ll repeat the process in front of a new set of judges.
The judges will name one outstanding startup the Hardware Battlefield champion. Hoist the Battlefield Cup, claim those bragging rights and the $25,000. This nerve-wracking thrill-ride takes place in front of a live audience, and we capture the entire event on video and post it to our global audience on TechCrunch.
Hardware Battlefield at TC Shenzhen takes place on November 11-12. Don’t hide your hardware or miss your chance to show us — and the entire tech world — your startup magic. Apply to compete in TC Hardware Battlefield 2019, and join us in Shenzhen!
Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at Hardware Battlefield at TC Shenzhen? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.
from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/33dKjv4
Lyft has suspended its bikesharing operation in San Francisco following two fires in the space of a few days. The cause is thought to be faulty batteries that power the electric two-wheelers, though this is yet to be confirmed.
from Digital Trends https://ift.tt/2ysOYv2
from Digital Trends https://ift.tt/2ysOYv2
It's been a long time coming, but Netflix has finally dropped the first trailer for Martin Scorsese's biggest crime epic to date, The Irishman, which is said to have cost upwards of $140 million (USD).
Based on the book 'I Heard You Paint Houses' by Charles Brandt, the film follows WWII veteran Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro), a real-life hitman who was allegedly involved in the infamous disappearance of union boss Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino), which is a mystery that remains unsolved to this day.
- The best upcoming TV shows and movies on Netflix
- Netflix to be more selective with big-budget shows
- Which Netflix plan is right for you?
So why the huge budget? As the story takes place over the course of multiple decades, director Martin Scorsese (Goodfellas, Casino, Gangs of New York) and his team have employed expensive and cutting-edge de-aging technology to make some of its cast appear up to 30 years younger in certain sections of the film.
The extensive de-aging work can also be blamed for the long wait leading to the film's release, with Scorsese's longtime editor Thelma Schoonmaker telling Yahoo in February that the production is "youthifying the actors in the first half of the movie," and that "the second half of the movie they play their own age. So that’s a big risk."
Based on the trailer below, it certainly looks like Scorsese and Co. have pulled off the de-aging effect – we'll know for sure when the film lands on Netflix and in theaters this US fall.
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/2SW2Y9I
With the NBN rollout well underway and expected to reach its completion target by 2020, there's a good chance you've already got access to the nation's high-speed network. While different addresses and areas have access to different connection types, one of the toughest choices customers will face is deciding which provider to go with, which speed tier to choose, and how much data they'll need.
On this page, we'll break down the best NBN plans currently on offer, whether it be the most affordable offering, the highest speeds and data allowances, or the overall best value. Along with our hand-picked choice offers, this page will feature a live tracker of the best NBN plans as, and when, they're put on offer, so you can be sure to get the best deal available right now!
Best NBN plans
After years of waiting, many Australians are now finding that the NBN has finally reached their area. If you do have access to a fibre connection, it's definitely worth considering one of the plans below. While a great many plans offer unlimited data, there are still some that don't, and others will sacrifice certain perks in order to cut costs, so keep an eye out for what's included and what's been left out.
Editor's Pick: Best Value
Editor's Pick: Premium Package
Editor's Pick: Budget Plan
Live-updated NBN deals: today's best-value plans
- Want to see other broadband options? You can use our broadband plan finder to compare a huge range of Australian NBN, broadband and cable plans!
Other factors to consider
It's important to note these recommendations do not take into consideration other factors which could make certain deals a better option for you. For instance, do you already have a Telstra or Optus mobile plan and home phone line? If so, sometimes combining them with their respective NBN plans could save you some money.
When applying for new NBN deal, make sure you're not already signed up to a contract you can't get out of – most contracts are on 12 or 18 month terms, so it's important to contact your current provider before committing to anything else.
Another thing worth noting is some services may not be available in your area. If a particular deal seems good to you, head over to the provider's website to find out if it's available at your address.
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/2nykMXk
When it comes to mobile plans, those that come bundled with a handset tend to steal the limelight, but if you've already got a phone you're happy with, then SIM-only plans present an excellent opportunity to save some money.
As the name implies, a SIM-only plan is any plan that doesn't bundle in a phone, whether it's on a 12-month contract or a no lock-in situation where you simply pay month-to-month, there is often a great deal of value to be found in these plans.
To make it even easier for you, we've gone through each of the SIM-only providers available to Aussies right now and have hand-picked the best deals we've come across, whether they're big on data, low on cost, or an excellent middle-ground overall.
- Discover our picks for the best outright mobile phones on the planet
Editor's pick: Best SIM-only plans under $25
Editor's pick: Best SIM-only plans under $40
Live-updated SIM-only deals: Plans under $40
Editor's pick: Best premium SIM-only plans
Live-updated SIM-only deals: Plans over $40
Should I go SIM-only?
If you a) want to save some money; b) don't want to be tied into a lengthy contract; c) already own a perfectly fine phone; or d) all of the above, then going SIM-only is well worth considering. In fact, you're probably in one of two situations if your thoughts are turning to a SIM-only mobile plan:
- You're coming to the end of your contract and your phone is still fighting fit (if it isn't, then head to our best mobile phones deal page to see what plan you can grab alongside a phone), but otherwise going SIM only on your current phone is a no-brainer. You'll wind up paying much less than you are under contract, and you can often stick to a rolling month-to-month arrangement so that if your circumstances change, you can change with them.
- It's time for a shiny new smartphone and you want to get the best value humanly possible. You'll have to find a few hundred bucks (or thousand at this stage) up front for the handset (be sure to check our SIM free comparison chart) but you'll end up better off at the end of it all. Plus, if you're a commitment-phobe, most SIM-only plans don't require you to sign up for two years like you would with a normal contract.
What SIM card size do I need?
There are three sizes of SIM card that you can get for your phone, and the one you need will depend on your handset. It's been a while since the traditional, so-called standard SIM (15 x 25mm) has genuinely been the staple in new phones. Instead, any phone you've bought within the last five or so years is much more likely to require a micro (12 x 15mm) or nano (8.8 x 12.3mm) SIM – the iPhone 5 was Apple's first mobile with a nano SIM, while Samsung began using the smallest size in its Galaxy S6.
Before you purchase your new SIM, double-check the manufacturer's website to see what size you require. And if you're simply not sure, most networks now simply send out a triple SIM, so you'll get one of each size.
What contract length should I get?
Unlike with a contract, there's a lot more flexibility available when it comes to how long your SIM-only plan will last. Two year commitments are virtually unheard of, with the norm being either one year or rolling one month contracts for ultimate flexibility. You can often get better prices if you tie yourself in for 12 months, especially on larger data tariffs. But sticking to one month at a time means that you can effectively hand pick a new plan to suit you every 30 days or so.
How much data do I need?
Because you can change your plan up more regularly than a normal, lengthier contract, it's less crucial to get this nailed from the start. But if you're thinking of grabbing a 12-monther or just put a personal pride on getting things right first time, then we'll help you pick out the sweet spot of data for you.
Firstly, check your phone to see how much data you've been using to date, and whether you have the tendency to use more than your current allowance every month. Then, if you're still unsure, check out our guidance:
- 0-1GB Tiny amounts of data on SIM only plans could be a blessing or a curse. If you're putting it in a rarely used phone that will scarcely be away from wi-fi then it makes total sense. But if you end up with one because your head's turned by the incredible price, then you could end up paying more if you continually go over your allowance.
- 2-3GB For anybody who needs data for little more than the occasional Google Maps route planning, 2GB and 3GB plans come cheap and give you much more freedom to scroll away online away from the wi-fi.
- 4-8GB If you can't leave the house without having a music streaming service like Spotify pouring into your ears, then it might be worth paying for some extra GBs of data.
- 10-16GB This is a significant amount of data and some networks offer it for a very appetising price. Whether streaming music, downloading podcasts, watching social media videos, or all three is your thing - you should be covered.
- 20-30GB Only smartphone junkies that need regular (and hefty) data fixes need bother with this avalanche of GBs. You'll be able to rinse Netflix, Spotify and online games without too much fear of topping out.
The SIM-only plans on this page are checked regularly, so make sure you visit often if you want to get the most up-to-date information on the plans that are currently available!
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/2upJEIn
Whether you own a PlayStation VR, and Oculus Rift, or an HTC Vive, you have a ton of different choices when it comes to games. These are 15 of the best virtual reality games available right now.
from Digital Trends https://ift.tt/2Of6QUo
from Digital Trends https://ift.tt/2Of6QUo
A Matternet delivery drone used by Swiss Post deployed its emergency parachute too early, causing it to break and crash about 50 yards away from a group of kindergarten children playing, authorities said
from Digital Trends https://ift.tt/2ZtkGEk
from Digital Trends https://ift.tt/2ZtkGEk
There goes any chance of you leaving your desk this lunchtime – Blizzard's original Diablo game from 1996 can now be played in a web browser.
Hosted by the Blizzard-loving developers at Rivsoft, visiting https://diablo.rivsoft.net gives you access to the shareware version of the game, "based on source code reconstructed by GalaXyHaXz and devilution team."
That gives you access to the first two areas of the game's giant dungeon, and makes one of Diablo's three character classes available. However, if you own the game from a site like GOG, you can go one better. According to the site, "if you own the original game, you can drop the original DIABDAT.MPQ" file onto the loaded browser page, and access the full game from within your browser.
- Diablo 3 (Nintendo Switch) review: battling demons, while on the toilet
- Diablo Immortal: everything there is to know about Blizzard's mobile RPG
- Diablo 4: everything this is to know so far
Hellish beginnings
If you're a latecomer to the franchise, or just can't wait until Diablo 4 and Diablo Immortal release, going back to the original game is a fascinating experience.
Lots of what makes the series so addictive remains, from the ghoulish monsters to the isometric viewpoint and moreish loot cycle. It's far simpler than the Diablo series would eventually become (and more than a little buggy), but it's also hugely ahead of its time – you wouldn't have World of Warcraft Classic or even the likes of Borderlands 3 without it.
And, it works surprisingly well as a browser game too. There's no lengthy conversations or start-up cut scenes – just a quick sojourn to the moody town of Tristram and then hours of imp-smashing, skeleton-whacking adventure.
Head here to give it a play. Just make sure your boss or teacher doesn't catch you when you should be working.
- Best free PC games 2019: the top free games to download on PC
- Via PC Gamer
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/2SUVAvf
It's time to crown the finest performers in the mobile world with the TechRadar Mobile Choice Consumer Awards 2019, and we need your help to pick the winners from our stellar shortlists. And there are great prizes to be won!*
You've already helped our judges narrow down our fantastic longlists to the star-studded shortlists you can see at the bottom of this article, and we're calling on you again to help our judges pick the winners from these exclusive shortlists.
The good news is that voting is now open, so please take a moment to have your say on who should claim a coveted award.
Voting for the winners of the TechRadar Mobile Choice Consumer Awards 2019 will close at 5pm BST on August 28, so make sure you don't miss out.
Once we've counted all the votes, and consulted with our expert judges, we'll announce the winners at the TechRadar Mobile Choice Consumer Awards, on October 10 2019 in London.
- For more information on the awards please visit the TechRadar Mobile Choice Consumer Awards website
Vote now in the awards
The 2019 Awards Shortlists
Congratulations to all our shortlisted nominees for the 2019 TechRadar Mobile Choice Consumer Awards.
Best Repair Service
- Apple Care
- CeX
- i-Fix
- iSmash
- O2 Repair
- Team KnowHow
- Timpson
Best Recycling Service
- CeX
- Envirofone
- Mazuma Mobile
- Music Magpie
- O2 Recycle
- Samsung Recycle
- Vodafone
Best Wearable
- Apple Watch 4
- Fitbit Inspire
- Fitbit Inspire HR
- Fitbit Versa Lite
- Garmin Forerunner 945
- Samsung Galaxy Watch
- Samsung Galaxy Watch Active
Best Value Phone
- Honor 10 Lite
- Huawei P Smart 2019
- Moto G7 Power
- Nokia 4.2
- Samsung Galaxy A20e
- Sony Xperia L3
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 7
Best Mid-Range Phone
- Google Pixel 3a XL
- Huawei P30 Lite
- OnePlus 7
- Samsung Galaxy A50
- Samsung Galaxy A70
- Sony Xperia 10/10 Plus
- Xiaomi Mi 9
Best Camera Phone
- Google Pixel 3/3 XL
- Huawei Mate 20 Pro
- Huawei P30 Pro
- iPhone XS/XS Max
- Samsung Galaxy Note 9
- Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
- Sony Xperia 1
Best Gaming Phone
- Asus ROG Phone
- Huawei P30 Pro
- iPhone XS Max
- OnePlus 7 Pro
- Razer Phone 2
- Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
- Sony Xperia 1
Phone of the Year
- Google Pixel 3 XL
- Huawei Mate 20 Pro
- Huawei P30 Pro
- iPhone XR
- iPhone XS/XS Max
- OnePlus 7 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Best Value Network
- EE
- giffgaff
- O2
- Sky Mobile
- Tesco Mobile
- Three
- Vodafone
Best Networking for Roaming
- EE
- giffgaff
- O2
- Sky Mobile
- Three
- Virgin Mobile
- Vodafone
Best Network for Data
- EE
- giffgaff
- O2
- Sky Mobile
- Three
- Virgin Mobile
- Vodafone
Best Customer Care
- EE
- giffgaff
- O2
- Sky Mobile
- Tesco Mobile
- Three
- Vodafone
Best Network
- EE
- giffgaff
- O2
- Sky Mobile
- Three
- Virgin Mobile
- Vodafone
Best Smart Home Device
- Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen)
- Amazon Echo Plus (2nd Gen)
- Amazon Echo Show (2nd Gen)
- Amazon Echo Show 5
- Google Home Hub
- Google Nest Hub Max
- Ring Stick-Up Cam
Best Online Retailer
- Amazon
- Carphone Warehouse
- ebay.co.uk
- EE
- Mobiles.co.uk
- O2
- Vodafone
Best High-Street Retailer
- Argos
- Carphone Warehouse
- EE
- John Lewis
- O2
- Three
- Vodafone
Best In-Store Customer Experience
- Argos
- Carphone Warehouse
- EE
- John Lewis
- O2
- Three
- Vodafone
Best Quad-Play Provider
- BT
- EE
- Sky
- Virgin
*Terms and Conditions: Voting is open to everyone, however to take part in the prize draw you must be a UK resident. Under 18s must obtain parental consent to enter this competition and be able to demonstrate this to TechRadar's reasonable satisfaction. Nominations must be received by 17:00 (BST) 28/08/2019. The winner will be selected at random from all correct entries received and will be sent the prize free of charge. By taking part in the voting and the competition, you agree to be bound by the full terms and conditions which can be found here http://www.futureplc.com/competition-rules/.
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/2ymC6Xc
Forget World Cups and Twenty20s - winning the Ashes is the biggest feather in a cap for any cricketer from old rivals England and Australia. Thursday sees the start of the latest chapter in the 135-year sporting story and you'll be able to watch all of the action between England vs Australia no matter where you are in the world with our 2019 Ashes live stream guide.
It's one of oldest sporting rivalries and the Ashes series still stands as the pinnacle of Test cricket. England will be desperate to win back the Ashes on home soil, having been thrashed 4-0 Down Under 18 months ago. While for the Aussies it's an opportunity to make some positive headlines after their recent ball-tampering scandal and a World Cup campaign that ended at the semi-final stage after promising so much more.
The home side appear to have huge strength in depth when it comes to bowling, but big doubts remain over their batting line up going into the series. Jofra Archer's superb showing at the World Cup which saw him take 20 wickets during the tournament,ensured his place in the squad for the first Ashes Test. His pace, added to the quality brought by Jimmy Anderson and Chris Woakes makes England a formidable force with the ball.
However, last week's one-off Test against Ireland at Lords only served to highlight just how unconvincing England's batting order still looks, with it clearly lacking a settled top three order.
Australia go into the series with former captain Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft all reinstalled to the line-up after completing their bans for the infamous sandpaper ball-tampering scandal. Their middle and lower middle-order however, looks decidedly weak and inexperienced on paper.
If Australia are to avenge their recent humbling in the World Cup semi-finals against their arch-rivals and win their first series in England since 2001, then it'll likely be down to fast bowling department, which boast a potent mix of James Pattinson's pace and Pat Cummins' machine-like accuracy.
It's set to be a fascinating series - follow the instructions below to watch all of the action where we'll tell you how to grab an England vs Australia Ashes live stream from pretty much anywhere on Earth. The great news...it's absolutely free in Australia.
Watch an Ashes live stream when away from your country
For cricket fans in the UK, Australia, India or the US and looking to find out how to watch the Ashes, we've got all the details about the broadcasters with the rights to show the England vs Australia Test series in your region below.
If you're away from home country and looking to see the action you'll likely to find you won't be able to thanks to geo-blocking. Thankfully there's a way to alleviate that frustration. By using a VPN you'll be able to watch the game without having to resort to watching via an illegal feed from a dodgy website you've discovered on Reddit.
England vs Australia: how to watch the Ashes in the UK
How to live stream the Ashes 2019 in Australia for FREE
How to get an Ashes live stream in New Zealand
How to watch England vs Australia: live stream in India
How to live stream England vs Australia in America
Who has won the Ashes the most?
Australia are currently ahead on 33 Ashes series wins to England’s 32 and five series drawn
Who is favourite to win this year's Ashes?
The hosts England are currently installed as favourites with Betfair.
How to watch the Women's Ashes
We have no idea yet whether it's a precursor for what will come in the men's version, but the Aussies have given England an absolute drubbing in the female series. A whitewash in the ODIs, a trouncing in the Test and business as normal in the T20s. The last match takes place in Bristol at 6.30pm BST / 3.30am AEST on Wednesday, July 31 with Australia looking to complete a perfect tour.
And the viewing options are actually exactly the same for the men's Ashes. So you're looking at Sky Sports Main Event or a Now TV sports pass if you're in the UK and the NIne Network's GEM station and the 9Now app if you're Down Under.
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/2ZkK92q
It's happened to us all. You order a small item on Amazon only for the seller to send it out in a box that's unnecessarily huge. It's inefficient and wasteful, and the firm is about to impose a new rule in a bid to stop it.
from Digital Trends https://ift.tt/2ytTSri
from Digital Trends https://ift.tt/2ytTSri
We had initially expected Samsung to unveil the new Galaxy Tab S6 tablet and Galaxy Watch Active 2 smartwatch alongside the Galaxy Note 10 on August 7, but the company will now unveil those former products ahead of its next smartphone.
July 31 - that's today - is the official unveiling date for a new tablet from Samsung, according to an official video that teases it alongside the smartwatch.
We're expecting to hear all about the tablet at 10AM ET (7AM PT, 3PM BST or midnight ACT on August 1 for those in Australia) but it's currently unclear if the company will be hosting a livestream or if the details will just drop on the company's website.
- Our guide to the very best Samsung phones
- Can't wait? Try our best Android tablet guide
- Our thoughts on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e
The video doesn't outright confirm it'll be called the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6, but the 20 second teaser definitely shows a tablet with a stylus and gives us a quick glimpse at the edges of the device.
While in the video description, Samsung has written: "Take a first look at the new Galaxy Tab, our all-new tablet that inspires creativity and elevates your productivity to another level."
A smartwatch is also pictured in the video, but it's clear we won't be hearing about that until August 5.
We expect this to be the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2, and while it's difficult to make out any changes in the video it definitely shows a device without a rotating bezel, which matches with other leaks we've seen.
The video's description reads: "Also, say hello to the new Galaxy Watch, your assistant to keep you fit and on top of your day."
Samsung's Galaxy Tab S6 is expected to come with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset inside, which is the first time we've seen Samsung's tablet range embrace the latest power available at the time.
Others specs include a AMOLED display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 and a 7,040mAh battery. On the rear is a dual-lens camera that's expected to harness both a 13MP f/2.0 main lens and a 5MP f/2.2 secondary one.
Those waiting for the Note 10 are expected to have to continue waiting until August 7 when the company is hosting an Unpacked event in New York, but this allows the company to focus on its phone on that day while giving us some exciting news in the next week too.
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/2GDEIV5
UPDATE: We've now added HBO's Barry and Chernobyl series to our list of the best TV shows on Foxtel Now – check out the next two slides to find out more about them!
Joining Netflix and Stan in the Australian streaming landscape, Foxtel Now gives Australians the easiest way to access Foxtel to date – especially if you own a Foxtel Box.
Offering an unparalleled selection of TV shows in its library (so long as you've subscribed to the right packages), Foxtel Now is currently providing access to some of the biggest and best shows of any streaming service in Australia. In fact, if you have multiple packs in your subscription, you may find yourself with an overwhelming amount of content.
With that in mind, we've created this TechRadar guide to the best TV shows to stream on Foxtel Now at the moment (in no particular order). We'll keep this best TV show list constantly updated with the latest series that you should be watching and also tell you why.
One of the best new comedies in recent years, Barry follows a hitman (played by Bill Hader) caught in an existential crisis who joins an acting class in order to track his latest target. Of course, Barry soon finds that he has a knack for performing, as it allows him to safely express the darkness within him to a group of people without judgement. These people include classmate Sally (Sarah Goldberg), whom Barry is immediately smitten with, and Gene (Henry Winkler), his eccentric acting teacher. And while things are looking good for Barry, his killer work commitments threaten to derail all of his newfound relationships.
A harrowing recounting of the worst man-made disaster in human history, namely the Chernobyl nuclear accident of 1986, this HBO miniseries details the arrogance that led to the event and the Soviet cleanup (and cover-up) efforts that came after. While it might take a few moments to get used to Ukrainian and Russian characters speaking with British accents, you quickly get over it because the performances (from actors like Jarred Harris, Stellan Skarsgård and Emily Watson) are so good. Elsewhere, the show oozes authenticity at every turn – from its use of real locations, to its exceptionally accurate retelling of events, Chernobyl is bound to go down as the definitive dramatisation of this horrific event.
Perhaps the biggest show in the world at the moment (especially as its in its final season), Game of Thrones is required viewing for fans of fantasy and prestige television. Based on George RR Martin's best selling series of fantasy novels, the show follows a number of powerful families as they wrestle for control over the fictional realm of Westeros. While they're all doing this, the undead threaten to destroy the entire world. Will they come together to prevent this from happening? It doesn't seem likely... If you haven't gotten around to watching it yet, Foxtel Now has all eight seasons available to stream in an instant. If you hurry, you might be able to catch-up before its highly-anticipated ending is spoiled!
One of the most relevant and gripping television shows of our time, Mr. Robot follows a group of hackers who attempt to take down the world's biggest corporation. We follow Elliot (Rami Malek), hacker-extraordinaire and cybersecurity engineer, as he orchestrates the biggest hack in history, all while battling social anxiety disorder and clinical depression, among other problems. But is he really the one in charge, or other there darker, more sinister forces pulling the strings? A modern masterpiece of television.
Set in the formerly gritty New York City of the 1970s, this new series from David Simon (The Wire, Generation Kill) follows a number of characters operating around Times Square during its sleazy heyday. This includes a pair of twin brothers (James Franco in both roles), a college dropout (Margarita Levieva), several hookers (including Maggie Gyllenhaal) and their pimps (including Gbenga Akinnagbe and Black Thought from The Roots) and a cop who's tired of corruption in the force (Lawrence Gilliard Jr). An eye-opening look at the sexual revolution and the dawn of New York's porn industry, The Deuce is similar in tone and style to Simon's other HBO masterpiece, The Wire.
This Australian drama has picked up a decent local following and has even aired in New Zealand and the UK. Inspired by the Australian 80s soap opera series Prisoner, Wentworth is set in a contemporary re-imagination of the same fictional women's detention centre. Following a mother who has been separated from her daughter after being convicted of the attempted murder of her husband, the series tracks her introduction to life within the Australian correctional system.
Supergirl is one of the best shows in the CW's 'Arrowverse', and regularly features cameos from the likes of The Flash and Arrow. What makes the show great however, is its progressive storytelling, which puts issues like sexism
and racism in the spotlight and deals with them in a way that only Supergirl (perfectly played by Melissa Benoist) can. That it also occasionally brings spectacular heroes like Superman and Martian Manhunter into the mix is just the icing on the cake.
A terrific NZ/Australian drama starring Elizabeth Moss (Mad Men, The Handmaid's Tale), Top of the Lake: China Girl sees Robin Griffin (Moss) investigate the murder of a young girl found on Bondi Beach. Joining her in this season is Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones) as a Sydney detective who helps Griffin on the case. One of Foxtel's best original shows.
Based on Michael Crichton's classic science fiction movie of the same name, the HBO version of Westworld expands the mythology of the universe, in which rich people visit a Wild West themed resort filled with incredibly lifelike robot NPCs. The show explores the inner workings of the park, as well as a robot revolution that is on the cusp of taking place. A fantastic series that rivals Game of Thrones in terms of budget and scope, Westworld is highly recommended.
The Sopranos is a highly regarded American-Italian mob show based in New Jersey in the early 2000s. Tapping into the psychologically introspective culture of New York and the classic family/crime dynamic found in many mobster films, The Sopranos explores the difficulties of juggling both a functioning crime syndicate and a nurturing family environment, through the prism of a psychologist's chair.
Featuring the most jaw-dropping houses in the country, Grand Designs Australia follows host Peter Maddison as he showcases a number of people who attempt to construct their dream homes. The kind of show that makes you simultaneously entertained and envious, Grand Designs Australia is a terrific Foxtel Original.
Based on a comic book series of the same name, The Walking Dead is an American horror drama set in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse. Former Sheriff's Deputy Rick Grimes heads up the survival party attempting to find his wife, daughter and shelter from the impending danger of this new world. We hope you enjoy watching your favourite characters ruthlessly killed on a near-weekly basis, because The Walking Dead delights in shocking its fan-base.
If uncomfortable comedy is your bag, you're going to love Curb Your Enthusiasm, starring Seinfeld co-creator Larry David as himself. Imagine Seinfeld, only with a much more insufferable protagonist, sans laugh track and with a tonne of swearing and you get the idea of what this show's about. After a hiatus of several years, the show is back with a brand new 9th season which Foxtel Now fast-tracks as new episodes arrive. If you ask us, that's pretty, pretty, pretty good.
An action-packed series that dials its violence and sex up to ludicrous levels, Banshee sees an ex-con (Antony Starr) released from jail after 10 years only to immediately assume the identity of a dead sheriff in an Amish country town called Banshee. Before long, he's up to his eyeballs in trouble involving a local gangster (Ulrich Thomsen), and an ex-lover (Ivana Miličević) who has put her criminal past behind her, all while trying to keep his real identity under wraps. Trashy and addictive, Banshee is almost too entertaining!
From Mike Judge (Office Space, Idiocracy) comes Silicon Valley, a hilarious show about a young startup called Pied Piper and its various misadventures navigating the tech capital of the world. Whether it's internal struggles or outside pressure from tech giant Hooli (a clear Google stand-in), the team must do everything it can to keep its company afloat in an incredibly competitive landscape. A must-watch for tech enthusiasts.
Regarded by many (this writer included) to be the greatest television series of all time, The Wire paints a portrait of an American city (in this case, Baltimore) the way that no other show has done so before. Framed against the backdrop of America's 'War on Drugs', The Wire shows both sides of the struggle, focusing on the environment that produces street dealers and turns innocent children into hardened killers, while also examining the issue from the police's perspective, showing how bureaucracy prevents it from affecting any real change. Raw and uncompromising, The Wire is unlike any other crime series you've seen.
HBO's western series Deadwood was devastatingly cancelled before its time, but thankfully we can relive the show's harsh and brutal world on Foxtel Now in its entirety. Ex-lawman Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant, clearly loving his status as a cowboy hero) arrives in the lawless frontier town of Deadwood to start a hardware business and provide for his dead brother's family. Before long, the crime and corruption of this town, headed by bar owner Al Swearengen (Ian McShane), forces Bullock back into the life he tried so desperately to leave behind. A truly magnificent show, Deadwood is binge-worthy bliss. Also, with news that a Deadwood follow-up movie could be in the works, now's a great time to reacquaint yourself with this classic series.
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/2DLE05i
Facebook talked a couple of years ago about creating technology that lets you type with your mind. Aimed primarily at patients with speech loss due to paralysis, the company recently offered an update on its ambitious project.
from Digital Trends https://ift.tt/2GDh770
from Digital Trends https://ift.tt/2GDh770
Windows 10 S was first revealed back in May 2017 as a standalone OS, but it faced some controversy at launch. A lot of the criticism stemmed from the fact that it limits users to apps found on the Microsoft Store. Luckily, users can switch out of Windows 10 S Mode for free. Still, the lightweight operating system has proved instrumental in getting Windows 10 the over 825 million installs it has today.
Windows 10 in S Mode makes a lot of sense for specific users and devices. The Microsoft Surface Go, for example, a cheap alternative to the Surface Pro, only has a low-power Intel Pentium Gold processor, which means that it’s an ideal candidate for Windows 10 S.
We’ve also seen reports of people getting Windows 10 S running on a Raspberry Pi 3, which makes a lot of sense for the lightweight OS. Microsoft is also rumored to be working on Windows Lite, which will further the lightweight nature of the OS, to compete with the best Chromebooks.
Windows 10 S Mode is also able to take advantage of any Windows 10 updates, like the October 2018 Update and the now-available Windows 10 May 2019 Update. What does this mean for Windows 10 S users? Simply that they get nifty features like the May Update’s “Light Mode” and useful storage space tools, as well as the possibility of playing Xbox One games natively.
Even now, a few years after its initial release, Windows 10 S is still a large part of the Windows 10 landscape, so we thought it would be the perfect time to dive in and explore everything this lightweight version of Windows can do.
Make sure you bookmark this page, as we’ll keep it updated with all the latest and greatest Windows 10 S information that appears.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? Windows 10 without x86 and x64 apps
- When is it out? Available now
- What will it cost? Free to all schools using Windows 10 Pro
Windows 10 S release date
Windows 10 S initially launched on May 2, 2017, with devices using the OS trickling out over the next few months. Fast forward to 2019 and Windows 10 S is bigger than ever, making lower spec Windows 10 devices more versatile now than ever before.
Eventually, there will be a UI toggle that’ll let Windows 10 users switch in and out of S Mode (this was not available at the original time of this writing). Sadly, switching out of S Mode is a one-way street and permanent. Fortunately, if you need more than what this light OS can offer, you can get out of S Mode easier than you think – simply go to the Windows Store and search for “switch out of S Mode”.
At the moment, to get Windows 10 in S mode, you are required to have the qualifying devices that are already enabled in S mode. You can also ask your computer manufacturer to see if you can get it installed in a new device you are purchasing. Unfortunately, Windows 10 S is not for individual sale, but it is issued to IT administrators in education as well as laptops found in stores and online. It’s no coincidence that Windows 10 S is focused on the education sector, where Google’s Chromebooks are having unparalleled success and popularity.
Windows 10 S price
Windows 10 S is basically free for users. Microsoft subsidizes the cost of the OS to hardware manufacturers, assuming they’re not getting Windows 10 S for free. Essentially, as a user, you don’t really pay for Windows 10 S Mode, instead you’re paying for the hardware running it.
With the exception of premium devices like the original Surface Laptop, you can find devices running Windows 10 S Mode starting at just $189 (about £146, AU$251) and cap out around $299 (about £239, AU$396). PC makers across the board – including Dell, HP, Asus, Acer and Lenovo – all have Windows 10 S Mode-powered devices in their stables.
However, now that Windows 10 S Mode is a thing, it’s a toggle that won’t cost you anything extra. Both Windows 10 Home and Pro S Mode users are able to go to the Windows Store and opt out of S Mode. Although, again, the conversion only works one way – out of S Mode. At least, at the moment.
There might be a switch in the settings app of a future build that will let users go back and forth, but so far, opting out of it is permanent.
What is Windows 10 S?
Microsoft designed Windows 10 S to serve as a lightweight yet more secure version of Windows 10 for lower-end devices. By lightweight, that also means that in “S Mode,” Windows 10 will only support apps that are downloaded from the Windows Store.
This talk of a version of Windows that can only download Microsoft-approved apps is familiar, isn’t it? Microsoft believes it has perfected this approach since the turbulent days of Windows 8 RT and Windows 8 with Bing – both of which tried to position Microsoft as the sole provider of apps through curation.
The great thing about this, though, is that it allows for a startup time of under 5 seconds, instead of Windows 10 Pro’s startup time of 30 - 40 second. Additionally, configuration settings (such as Wi-Fi, webcam, etc.) across an entire classroom of students is as easy as inserting a USB stick in each of their laptops.
Being in competition with Google’s Chrome OS, Microsoft has, of course, also positioned Windows 10 S to be a more secure PC operating system. However, its resilience to viruses is mostly a side-effect of the inability to install apps not approved by Microsoft, since historically, Windows viruses have tended to come from untrustworthy internet downloads.
Should you find a must-have app that isn't available in the Microsoft Store in Windows 10 S, you can switch from Windows 10 S to Windows 10 Home or Pro simply by going to the Windows Store and searching for “switch out of S Mode”. Microsoft used to charge a fee for this service, but now it’s free for everyone.
Microsoft will also allow users that upgrade to Windows 10 Pro to move back down to Windows 10 S. And now, Microsoft is rumored to be working on a Windows 10 Lean Mode, which will be even more lightweight and locked down.
Oddly enough, the shiny new Surface Laptop 2 now ships with Windows 10 Home, not in S Mode like the previous.
That said, what exactly can you expect to see included in devices running Windows 10 S? Well, the Edge browser, OneNote and Windows Ink are all givens. The standard Movies and Groove Music apps, not to mention Maps, Mail and Calendar, are obvious picks as well.
Of course, we won’t see x86/x64 program support on a Windows 10 cloud operating system until sometime in 2019 when the previously mentioned Polaris is expected to come out and implement a ‘virtualization container’ for each of your favorite legacy applications. This means that, yes, should everything work according to plan, there will be a Windows 10 cloud OS that can emulate the .exe’s of the past.
In spite of its limitations, Windows 10 S still features File Explorer. And, while many of the laptops that come with the lightweight OS pre-installed may ship with smaller capacity SSDs, Microsoft’s upcoming introduction of OneDrive Files On-Demand will allow users to access files stored in the cloud and view them the same way as locally stored content.
All things considered, there are still questions looming regarding the viability of Windows 10 S. Fortunately, as new developments emerge to address those criticisms, you can count on us to cover them right here in this article.
Bill Thomas and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article
Images Credit: Microsoft
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/2p1BgbS
Nikon has pulled back the veil on its latest Z series lens, the Nikkor Z 85mm F1.8 prime lens. The lens uses optics designed for sharpness, autofocus designed for both photo and video, and a weather-sealed exterior.
from Digital Trends https://ift.tt/2Ytb4rD
from Digital Trends https://ift.tt/2Ytb4rD
Chrome 76 has been released today on all platforms, and it’s brought with it a number of security patches, bug fixes and handy features to help with your browsing.
The most notable change for most users will be how Google is choosing to handle any Flash Player content that’s still lingering around the web. While the move to kill off Adobe’s archaic format has been in the works for a few years, Chrome will now officially block Flash by default.
Since 1996, Flash content has allowed web users to view and interact with media online, but since the launch of standards such as HTML5, WebGL and WebAssembly, it has become redundant and something of a potential security hazard.
For now, users can still enable it manually every time they want Flash media to be played but, considering that Adobe will be discontinuing the format entirely next year, this feature will be relatively short-lived.
- Google Chrome for desktop is finally getting a dark mode
- Google is cracking down on snooping Chrome extensions
- How to remove suggested URLs from Google Chrome
As we reported earlier in July, Google is also plugging a loophole that allowed websites to easily detect when a user is browsing in Chrome’s Incognito Mode, something that was particularly problematic for people in political or social situations that warranted them to conceal their web activity.
Previously, websites that employed a metered paywall (one that offered a limited amount of free articles) would use this method of detection to stop those browsing the web from avoiding detection and exceeding the metered limit.
A side effect of this loophole being plugged is that, these websites will no longer be able to tell when you’re browsing Incognito, and users will now be able to reliably bypass these paywalls.
Outside of these two major improvements, Chrome 76 implements a total of 43 security fixes, offers a variety of minor tweaks, and a host of developer-facing improvements – the full rundown of which can be found here.
Chrome 76 is currently rolling out for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android.
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/317RbYK
As it forecast earlier this month, Samsung reported a steep drop in its second-quarter earnings due to lower market demand for chips and smartphones. The company said its second-quarter operating profit fell 55.6% year-over-year to 6.6 trillion won (about $5.6 billion), on consolidated revenue of 56.13 trillion won, slightly above the guidance it issued three weeks ago.
Last quarter, Samsung also reported that its operating profit had dropped by more than half. The same issues that hit its earnings during the first quarter of this year have continued, including lower memory prices as major datacenter customers adjust their inventory, meaning they are currently buying less chips (the weak market also impacted competing semiconductor maker SK Hynix’s quarterly earnings).
Samsung reported that its chip business saw second-quarter operating profit drop 71% year-over-year to 3.4 trillion won, on consolidated revenue of 16.09 trillion won. In the second half of the year, the company expects to continue dealing with market uncertainty, but says demand for chips will increase “on strong seasonality and adoption of higher-density products.”
Meanwhile, Samsung’s mobile business reported a 42% drop in operating profit from a year ago to 1.56 trillion won, on 25.86 trillion won in consolidated revenue. The company said its smartphone shipments increased quarter-over-quarter thanks to strong sales of its budget Galaxy A series. But sales of flagship models fell, due to “weak sales momentum for the Galaxy S10 and stagnant demand for premium products.”
Samsung expects the mobile market to remain lackluster, but it will continue adding to both its flagship and mass-market lineups. It is expected to unveil the Note 10 next month and a new release date for the delayed Galaxy Fold, along with new A series models in the second half of the year.
“The company will promptly respond to the changing business environment, and step up efforts to secure profitability by enhancing efficiency across development, manufacturing and marketing operations,” Samsung said in its earnings release.
It’s not just market demand that’s impacting Samsung’s earnings. Along with other tech companies, Samsung is steeling itself for the long-term impact of a trade dispute between Japan and South Korea. Last month, Japan announced that it is placing export restrictions on some materials used in chips and smartphones. Samsung said it still has stores of those materials, but it is also looking for alternatives since it is unclear how long the dispute between the two countries may last (and it could last for a long time).
from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/2YwjqyX