IT-Code-News: IT News Head Lines (Techradar) 6/24/2015

UPDATED: iOS 9 release date, features and news

iOS 9 release date, compatibility and features

iOS 9 is Apple's next iPhone and iPad update that brings a smarter Siri, public transit directions to Maps, true tablet multitasking and new built-in apps.
Unveiled earlier this month, it's Apple's next big project between April's Apple Watch launch and September's expected iPhone 6S unveiling, and developers can download it today.
iOS 9 makes a big push for stability, a smaller download size and legacy phone and tablet compatibility. That older iPhone and iPad you have will work with this update if it runs iOS 8.
New iOS 9 features consist of redesigned built-in apps and premiers new ones. Here's what to expect.

iOS 9 release date

iOS 9 is available today to those enrolled in iOS developer program, keeping with Apple's same-day delivery pattern during WWDC. Of course, becoming registered developer requires paying a fee.
iOS 9 release date

Everyone else who wants iOS 9 for free has to wait until either the public beta in July or later this year when it's expected to launch with the new iPhone. Think: September.
That one- to three-month wait can be a good thing. iOS 9 beta 1 is be buggy and unfinished. The best features typically don't launch until the gold master version, anyway.

iOS 9 compatibility

iOS 9 is proving to be more inclusive than previous iOS versions. Apple is choosing to make this update compatible with older iPhone, iPad and even iPod touch devices, too.
iOS 9 is compatible with all iOS 8 devices

iOS 9 is compatible with all iOS 8 devices

Okay, it's not technically more inclusive just yet. Basically, if your dated hardware runs iOS 8, it can run iOS 9. When the rumored iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPad Air 3 and iPad mini 4 launch, then list will grow by four.
But overall, it's good news, as older phones and tablets aren't getting muscled out. The iPhone 4S and iPad 2 are safe, for now, and a few 30-pin dock devices live on.

Smarter Siri

Siri in iOS 9 is getting the much-needed smarts to rival Google Now. Apple's personal assistant understands the word "it" within context and brings proactivity to the operating system.
iOS 9 release date

For example, if you're talking about a topic with someone in iMessages and ask Siri to "Remind me about this later today," it'll scan the open app and try to understand what "this" means.
iOS 9 proactivity puts even more at your fingertips through Siri. It suggests appointments to add to Calendar and pulls up photos based on location and time with the sound of your voice.
Siri's location-based knowledge appears to be most promising when you're out and about. Plugging in headphones at the gym? It'll offer the Now Playing interface right on the lockscreen.
Plug it into your car? It'll bring up that audiobook you were listening to before. It'll even tell you when to leave for an appointment across town, a feature that has made Google's app for iOS a must-have.
iOS 9 release date

One of the most convenient new iOS 9 features is giving context to random numbers that call you, diving into your email to see if it can match the digits. Goodbye, telemarketers - we hope.
Siri already takes over one billion requests a week, according to Apple. That should only increase now that iOS 9 makes Siri 40% faster and 40% more accurate.

Apple Pay expands

Apple Pay has been touted as a success, but so far has been limited to the US. That all changes when the mobile payment platform launches in the UK next month.
iOS 9 release date

The official Apple Pay UK release date is happening in July and it'll be backed by nearly 70% of credit and debit cards there, including Lloyds Bank, Bank of Scotland and HSBC.
Canada and China are rumored to be next up for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus mobile payment platform, but the company didn't announce that broad of an expansion just yet.
iOS 9 release date

In the US, Apple Pay is now backed by 2,500 US banks and, this fall, rewards and store-issued cards will be a part of the mobile wallet. This is an idea we liked about Android Pay at Google IO last month.
Considering these newfound iOS 9 capabilities, Apple is renaming Passbook (the app where Apple Pay resides) to Wallet.

Apple News apps

In addition to getting rid of Passbook in favor of Wallet in iOS 9, Apple is replacing Newsstand with News, and it's very familiar if you're a fan of magazine-style news aggregators.
iOS 9 release date and features

Apple News for iOS 9 is Flipboard, HTC BlinkFeed and Feedly wrapped into one app. It features a personalized feed and is coming to US, UK and Australia at launch.
No telling if publishers will wrap their content in the fresh Apple News format. The advantage to you, however, is more clear: your data will remain anonymous, apart from your Apple ID, says the company.

Apple Maps

Apple Maps is sometimes unavoidable, even if you're a dedicated Google Maps users. Siri and built-in apps still open directions up in the default navigation app. That won't change.
iOS 9 release date and features

The good news is that iOS 9 is going to make Apple Maps better, and maybe even tolerable. In its first major refresh since 2013, the app now includes long-awaited public transit directions.
That means routes for buses, trains, subways and, yes, even ferries are part of Apple Maps. This goes live this fall in Baltimore, Berlin, Chicago, London, Mexico City, New York City, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area, Toronto and Washington D.C.
Notably, it'll support directions for 300 cities in China, a huge emerging market for the iPhone, including Beijing, Chengdu and Shanghai.

Multitasking for iPad

iOS 9 brings true multitasking to its newer iPad tablets, and we're not talking about the "multitasking" app switcher that premiered with iOS 4 back in 2010.
iOS 9 release date and features

iPads will finally be able to handle more hefty productivity tasks. That's to the delight of enterprise users who prefer iOS for personal use, but feel forced to opt for a Microsoft Surface Pro 3 or Android tablet at work.
There are three ways to view multitasking windows on an iPad. Slide Over brings a second app from the side so you can answer a text or write something in Notes. It's just as easy to slide away.
iOS 9 release date and features

There's also a special Picture-in-Picture mode that puts videos and FaceTime calls in the corner of the display when the home button is pressed. From there, you can use any other app while watching the video. Google's YouTube app for iOS works this very same way, at least within that specific app.
Both Slide Over and Picture-in-Picture are compatible with newer iPads: iPad Air, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 2 and iPad mini 3. The last mode, Split View, is an iPad Air 2-only affair.
iOS 9 release date and features

Split View is the mode that everyone imagines when they hear the word "multitasking." It enables two apps to be open side-by-side and they're both active at the same time with full multitouch support.

New iOS 9 keyboard

Apple launched what it called its "best keyboard yet" with the iOS 8 QuickType, and it's trying to one-up that statement with the iOS 9 keyboard.
The QuickType keyboard returns in iOS 9 with a vengeance

The QuickType keyboard returns in iOS 9 with a vengeance

iPad's on-screen keyboard now features a built-in shortcut bar, which flanks the next-word suggestions above the QWERTY letter keys. Cut, copy and paste to the left; bold, italic, underline and attachments to the right.
That's better than having to hunt for these shortcuts in the second layer of the keyboard menu, and in a surprise move, Apple is making this default layout customizable and compatible with third-party keyboard apps.
Cursor control is now easier with a handy (or fingery) slide mechanic when using two fingers. It basically turns the iPad QuickType keyboard into an trackpad. It's way easier than hovering over the tiny cursor, trying to land in between letters.
Finally, shortcuts are coming to wireless keyboards so that you can interact with apps using their own built-in shortcut keys. Pressing and holding the Command, Option or Control key brings up the shortcut list.

Under the hood

New features are exciting and all, but iOS 9 needs to run better than iOS 8, which had a series of WiFi and battery drain problems from the get-go. Some users are still complaining.
iOS 9 release date and features

Longer battery life is a chief concern of iPhone users, but they can squeeze out an extra hour thanks to a new Low Power mode. Apple says iOS 9 pulls switches you didn't even know existed to save juice.
You may be able to install iOS 9 this time around without deleting all of your photos. It'll take about 1.3GB, whereas iOS 8 needed massive 4.5GB of internal storage. That was awful on a 16GB iPhone.
CPU and GPU usage will be more efficient thanks to iOS 9, further improving performance, and security is said to be stepped up. Hopefully that means last year's iCloud hack isn't going to be an annual incident.
Not mentioned during Apple WWDC keynote, iOS 9 will feature a "Move to iOS" app that makes it easier to wirelessly switch from an Android device to a new iOS phone or tablet.
Apple's software-focused WWDC keynote showed a lot of promise for iOS 9, even if it's an incremental update. Google's Android M is taking the same cautious approach. We'll see how they both turn out this fall.

Australian senate passes website-blocking anti-piracy bill

It’s going to get a bit tougher for Australians to access torrent sites like The Pirate Bay and KickAss Torrents, with the Australian Senate passing a bill yesterday that aims to block piracy websites.
The Copyright Amendment (Online Infringement) Bill 2015, which was introduced by Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull in March, passed with a vote of 37-13, and was supported by both Labor and the Coalition.
The bill was opposed by the Australian Greens, as well as Liberal Party Senator David Leyonhjelm, Palmer United Party Senator Glenn Lazarus and Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party Senator Ricky Muir.
Under the legislation, rights holders will be able to propose blocking requests to a Federal Court judge, so long as the site’s primary function is in facilitating copyright infringement.
They’ll have to try hard, though – notorious torrent site The Pirate Bay has a history of thumbing its nose at government attempts to block its services.

Think VPN services will save you?

Rights holders will also be able to request the blocking of ‘Online locations’ that are used for piracy purposes, meaning that VPN services will also be in the bill’s firing line – this is surely a blow to the Australians who’ve turned to VPN services en masse since the recent Dallas Buyers Club court ruling, which gave rights holders access to the names and addresses of illegal downloaders of the film.
Simon Bush, head of the Australian Home Entertainment Distributors Association, called the passing of the bill a “watershed moment,” also stating that "It's a fantastic day and a really positive sign for the creative content industry, who can invest more as a result."
Foxtel has also welcomed the passing of the bill, with its Chief Executive, Richard Freudenstein, stating that the bill is “modelled on legislation that works effectively in other jurisdictions such as the UK, Europe and Singapore.”
Surely incensed by the record breaking Game of Thrones piracy numbers, of which Foxtel owns the Australian rights, Freudenstein continued, “there have been wild claims that it will create an “internet filter”, “break” the internet or prevent legitimate uses of the internet. International experience shows that this is simply nonsense and fear mongering – last time I looked the UK had a perfectly well functioning internet.”
Not everyone shares that sentiment however, with Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam calling the bill “lazy and dangerous” and further stating that “the only effective way to deal with copyright infringement on the kind of scale that the government is concerned about is to just make it available: conveniently, affordably and in a timely way."

Here’s how to setup and maintain a VPN

Gallery: Here's 19 games from E3 2015 with awesome women

The badass women of E3 2015

With last year's E3 a bit of a mess for several reasons, it's nice to see that E3 2015 began and ended on high notes.
One recurring, stand-out trend was the amount of women present in not one, not two and not three titles, but in 19 games. Eight of these titles featured female protagonists, two offering up options to play the lead as a woman, seven with multiplayer female characters and two had strong women who play an important part of the story.
This, folks, is a huge step forward from last year's Assassin's Creed fiasco where "women were too difficult to animate" and thus not included as a playable option. But there's still a long way to go.
The games industry is largely dominated by men catering to a male audience, but it feels like this has been changing, slowly but surely, for awhile now. There's been a lot of constructive discussions surrounding the treatment of women in games, their physical portrayal and of course controversy about female gamers and games journalists who are women.
You can't talk to a single games writer who doesn't know about the head-scratching, backwards philosophy of GamerGaters or the women who have been the group's targets of abuse.
It will take time, but hopefully this hatred and misogyny will disappear into the nether where it belongs as developers continue to create amazing games with women front and center as essential characters.
With this year's share of better female representation, and the positive response surrounding it, perhaps we'll continue to see more titles crop up to show that yes, women are integral in the gaming world, and yes, both genders will still buy games with female characters even if they're not scantily clad props.
That said, let's take a look at the leading women in their respective games.

Lara Croft - Rise of the Tomb Raider

Lara Croft is the most familiar and beloved of the bunch because she's been around a long time. Questionable outfits aside - who can scale a snowy mountain in short shorts comfortably?! - Lara was iconic for being a tomb raider before Nathan Drake was even born. She's the ultimate survivor and in Rise of the Tomb Raider for PS4, Xbox One and PC, I'm sure she'll continue to amaze us with her skills.
YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGFfeNjxnb0

Emily Kaldwin - Dishonored 2

Emily Kaldwin from Dishonored 2 is a welcome addition to the world of Steampunk and assassin plots gone wrong. The little girl from Dishonored is gone and replaced with a deadly killer, expertly trained with magic and crazy Steampunk tech. Emily's skill and intelligence really shone through in the trailer as she quickly dismantled a murderous robot. She's also dressed to the nines in an outfit perfectly tailored for future cosplayers to emulate.

Faith Connors - Mirror's Edge Catalyst

After Heavenly Sword was released in 2007 with the kickass, sword-wielding Nariko, 2008 introduced us to Mirror's Edge and Faith Connors. Fast forward seven years, and Faith is getting another title in the form of Mirror's Edge: Catalyst. The hardcore, parkouring lady is back to show us a bit more about who she really is.
DICE senior producer Sara Jansson highlighted nearly a week ago that Catalyst won't just be a sequel. Instead, Jansson promised a game that will push the "boundaries of first person movement and diving deeper into the story behind our heroine Faith."
YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsDX_LiJT7E

Evie Frye - Assassin's Creed: Syndicate

Assassin's Creed is a long-loved series with a rotating cast of figures from throughout history. Aveline was one of the few women to show up as a playable character, but alas, it was only a DLC. Evie, however, gets to be a part of the Syndicate world as one of the main characters. It's nice to know that Ubisoft is paying attention and figuring out how to better animate female characters.
YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Hocg3iOyxs

Aloy - Horizon: Zero Dawn

Perhaps one of the more mysterious women seen at E3, Aloy looks fierce and fully capable of putting 10 arrows in your face, if you're a giant machine, that is. Horizon: Zero Dawn was one of the most exciting games to come out of the show thanks to its combination of lush wilderness, feral-looking people and mechanical beasts roaming the land. Aloy is not only a master hunter, she's also a master crafter. You'll employ both of these skills quite a lot in this upcoming RPG action game.
YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkg5UVTsKCE

Joule - ReCore

ReCore's trailer is just as enigmatic as Horizon: Zero Dawn because we don't even learn the name of the woman from Microsoft's press conference trailer. It was only later that we found out the robot engineer is named Joule, a spry and smart person trying to find out what happened to civilization. We don't know much else except the fact she's roaming the desert with her robot dog, Mack, but it's enough to get us excited.
YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2xgu4QnYA0

Rae - Beyond Eyes

Smaller indie titles are pretty good at showcasing female protagonists, such as last year's - Child of Light. This year, we saw another beautiful title added to the indie mix. Beyond Eyes centers on a blind girl trying to find her cat. Dutch developer Sherida Halatoe even spoke about her title during the PC Gaming Show, describing how she started working on the game in college to test out her colleagues' senses and perception.
YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ce3DazCFPDM

Amy Ferrier - Tacoma

The Fullbright studio is no stranger to creating games with female protagonists. Just like Gone Home, Tacoma is slightly creepy and eerily quiet as Amy wanders the space station trying to figure out what happened to her missing crew. Space with a female astronaut and a hunt for missing people? Sounds like a good time.
YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoBJ63oMkwo

Fallout 4

Bethesda already lets you create both male and female protagonists in Fallout 3, so it makes sense you get to do it again in Fallout 4. The demo on stage during the company's E3 press conference even emphasized the variations of people you can create to play the already packed game. November 10 can't come soon enough!
YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE2BkLqMef4

Mass Effect: Andromeda

Another game notable for memorable characters? BioWare's Mass Effect series. Who can forget Jennifer Hale's incredible voice acting work as Commander Shepard? We're hoping the next N7 soldier will have the same impact. Actually, we're sure she will.
The next Mass Effect will see our systems "holiday 2016."
YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG8V9dRqSsw

Women can fight too

First person shooters have gotten better over the years at incorporating women into their repertoire of characters. Halo 5: Guardians, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, Rainbow Six Siege, The Division and Star Wars: Battlefront are the main games from E3 2015 that offer options to play as a woman during multiplayer matches.
FIFA is also now letting you choose women's soccer teams for the very first time where Forza Motorsport 6 is employing female drivers as an option.
Gear of War 4 also showed off Kait, an intimidating ally and perhaps potentially playable character, though we won't know for sure until more details are released. The Gears franchise has included playable women before, so it wouldn't be a longshot to assume one playable female will be an option.
Of course, who could forget the magnificent Angela Bassett? Her role as Agent Six in Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon is not someone to be trifled with.
This was the first E3 to prominently feature women in almost every game as player one. What's more, even in games where a woman wasn't the protagonist, female characters were featured. It's not much, but we'll take even the smallest victories where we can find them. Let's hope this continues into E3 2016 and beyond.

Here's our take on the top 10 moments from this year's E3

Review: Updated: Sling TV

Features and FAQ

Update: DISH has recently added Polaris+ - a gaming, comic book and pop culture channel from Maker Studios - to its "Best of live TV" basic package. Also, Sling's "Hollywood Extra" add-on pack will now include Turner Classic Movies.
Imagine everything you liked about cable. You probably enjoyed surfing the channels, watching the shows people were talking about when they aired instead of months after. And, if you were lucky enough to own boxes of a certain caliber, pausing and rewinding said TV shows in real time.
Now, imagine everything you hated: the costly bill at the end of the month, the bulky, expensive equipment that marred the side of your house and entertainment center. Not to mention the service contract that never seemed to end.
But what if you could get everything you loved about TV without any of those gripes?
That, in a nutshell, is Sling TV.
It's live TV streaming whenever and wherever. No contracts, no equipment and no costly statement.

Sling TV? Is it the same thing as a Slingbox?

While there are some concepts borrowed from Slingbox, Sling TV is in a different league when it comes to cutting the cord.
Sling TV is a US-only service offered from DISH that allows you to watch the channels you'd typically find on basic cable for $20 a month without a contract, subscription to DISH or any pesky cable equipment on your roof or in your living room.

What devices can I use to watch it?

Create an account on DISH's website and use that info to login to the app on iOS, Android, Amazon Fire TV and Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google's Nexus Player, Xbox One and Roku TV. The service will also work on select LG and Samsung smart TVs, and on Macs and PCs via a website portal. The service is expected to come to Google Chromecast later this year.
Sling TV review

The system is more eloquent than apps like TWC TV or Xfinity, and while the latter is almost universally available, trying to remember whose name and email you use to login can ruin a session before it even starts.

What channels are included?

So far, channels on the basic, $20-per-month plan include ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, TBS, HGTV, DIY Network, Food Network, Travel Channel, CNN, Cartoon Network, ABC Family, Disney Channel, AMC, IFC and, most recently, A&E, History, H2, Lifetime, Bloomberg and most recently, Polaris+.
The biggest change to this roster is HBO. Starting April 12 for the premiere of the new season of Game of Thrones, Sling TV will offer live HBO for $15 a month to current "Best of Live TV" subscribers. Also new is the addition of DishWorld multi-lingual content to Sling TV.
In addition to the base subscription, seven add-on packages are available for $5 apiece each month:

Kids Extra, with Disney Jr, Disney XD, Boomerang, Duck TV, and Baby TV.
Sports Extra, which includes the SEC Network, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, Universal Sports, Univision Deportes, beIN Sports, ESPN Buzzer Beater, ESPN Bases Loaded and ESPN Goal Line.
Lifestyle extra, with Cooking Channel, DIY, truTV, WE tv, FYI, and LMN.
Hollywood Extra, which includes live and video-on-demand content from EPIX, EPIX2, EPIX3, EPIX Drive-In, Sundance TV and Turner Classic Movies (TCM)
World News Extra, with HLN, News 18 India, Euronews, NDTV 24x7, France24 and RT.
Deportes Extra includes Azteca, beIN Español, beIN HD (English), Univison, Univision Deportes and UniMás.
Películas & Novelas Extra includes Azteca Corazon, Cinelatino, De Película, De Película Clasico, Pasiones, Univision tlnovelas, Univision and UniMás.

Functionality

Now, remember when you asked about Slingbox? Well, it's true, Sling TV and Slingbox share a few similarities beyond the first syllable.
Sling TV allows you to pause, rewind and fast-forward live TV on some channels (note the word "some" there), and the ability to watch shows a few days after they've aired.

Also similar to Slingbox, Sling TV lets you watch its service on most mobile devices anywhere in the world. That is, as long as you can establish and maintain a bitrate of about 1.5 Mbps for high-quality streams, 0.8Mbps for medium resolution, and 0.5 Mbps for low-quality.

Sling TV on Roku

TechRadar was given two platforms to test Sling TV. One was Roku (specifically on a Roku 3) and the other was iOS, which we'll get to in a minute.
By and large, the experience on Roku was everything I've come to love about a cable box: simple functionality, clean layout and crisp picture. Installing the app was as easy as going to Roku channel store, finding the Sling TV app and pushing it to my Roku 3.
Coming from the home screen, Sling TV's interface loads up In a matter of seconds. The time it takes to get from home screen to live TV is astonishing - it's leagues faster than the time it takes my DirecTV cable box to boot up.
Once loaded, the stream was crisp and clear. (This obviously is a YMMV situation, as my home setup isn't identical - or even necessarily in the same ballpark - as everyone else.) A quick test of my network showed I was pulling around 26Mbps over Wi-Fi, which worked fairly well at high-quality 1080p 99% of the time.

The only stark contrast to traditional cable, at this point at least, is the amount of content available on Sling TV.
Comparatively, the 40-or-so channels offered on Sling TV are just a drop in the bucket compared to the over-800 I have available on DirecTV. And because you aren't able to record a show like you can on TiVo, you're limited to watching whatever's on or whatever's been on in the past few days.

Sling TV on iOS

Sling TV on iOS is a vastly different experience. Not only are you trading down to a smaller screen size, but you're also losing connection stability and clean interface of the set-top app.
Using an iPhone 5S for testing, I took Sling TV with me for a gauntlet of daily errands. As you might expect, over LTE the stream was nearly flawless. Dropping down to 3G, however, presented real problems as seconds slipped away to buffering screens.
Sling TV review

Problematically, when you return home, continuing what you were watching on your phone isn't as simple as starting up your Roku. You'll need to go into the menu, find the show you were watching and rewind it manually.
Trying to use both a phone and a Roku at the same time won't work either. DISH is clearly (and rightfully) afraid of the account-sharing trap that has befallen HBO Go and Netflix, and doesn't allow two devices using the same account to run the service simultaneously.
Overall, I found the iOS experience less enjoyable than the set-top app, but still impressive. Being able to take TV figuratively anywhere is an appealing, practical proposition for morning commuters or long-distance travelers.

Sling TV on Amazon Fire TV

Sling TV made a splash this week by offering a a free Fire TV Stick to new subscribers. To activate your subscription on your new device, check out Sling TV on the "featured app" section of the storefront, start the download, enter in your account info and soon you'll have live TV on your favorite Amazon device.
The interface on Amazon Fire TV looks almost identical to the service on Roku, which is to say clean and convenient. Pressing the "list" button on Fire TV remotes brings up a channel listing while the three media control buttons do their things on playback-enabled channels.
The service looks a little clearer than it did on Roku - Sling probably set the highest visual quality as a default on Amazon devices - but it does seem to hit a few more snags. The system was stuck in buffering for such a long time at one point that it completely shutoff. Whether this was a one-time fluke or a persistent problem remains to be seen...

Sling TV on Xbox One

When I heard Sling was shooting for five platforms in five months, I had my doubts it could keep up with the development pace. Yet here we are just two months later talking about the fourth version of the system, Xbox One.
If you've used the service on any of the set-top boxes so far, you'll probably know what to expect here.
The channel interface is brought up with a flick of the stick in any direction, while the menu button (formerly known as start) opens up a menu for video-on-demand movies. Last but not least is the share button (again, formerly known as back) that brings up a menu that filters channels by category.
One major change worth noting is that Sling - unlike some apps on Xbox One - actually utilizes the Kinect to take in voice commands and allows you to pin both video-on-demand and specific channels to your home screen.
During testing I noticed a fair bit of latency (38ms compared to 30 on my tablet), which caused the service to stop and stutter multiple times. This occurred with a 4.24Mbps download speed and could be a worrying sign for potential Xbox One users.
Overall the service looks great and is functionally stable on Xbox One, but its performance - as users have noted in the comments - will definitely vary depending on your connection speed.
[Editor's Note: We haven't tried the service on a web browser and Android TV, however we will update the review with that section when it becomes available.]

Verdict

Sling TV is a great solution for users of a certain lifestyle, like restaurant owners who only use ESPN and CNN, or cord-cutters who know exactly the channels that they like.
If you don't fall into those groups, you're not out of luck. The service is just starting, and with more content packs en route, your favorite set of channels may be just a few months out.
Curmudgeons, however, could easily quote Shakespeare's famous line in Romeo and Juliet: "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

We liked

At its core, there's a lot right with Sling TV. It presents the clearest alternative to cable we've ever seen. Plus, when combined with a movie streaming service like Netflix, Hulu or Amazon and an HD antenna, provides a nearly complete solution.
There's no setup, no fees, and no contract. It's simple, just the way we like it.
Sling TV is also awesomely and incredibly convenient. Whether you're trying to quickly catch up on a show on the go with the iOS app or bunkering down for a marathon on your PC, accessing the service isn't a problem.

We disliked

But no matter how much I liked the service and its convenience, there are still some glaring issues Sling TV needs to fix to score my full recommendation.
DISH still hasn't found the right balance between cost, content offered and features, like letting an additional viewer watch simultaneously or enabling every channel to offer pause, rewind and restart options.
Seriously, the lack of pause and rewind on every station, or a way to record live TV to watch later, is a bummer. And while traditional cable may have cost upwards of $70 per month, there are easily over 100 channels of content available in those services. It can be argued that a typical user only watches seven or eight in a given week but, even so, the options are always there. Sling TV users aren't so lucky.

Verdict

Yes, DISH is offering a $20 a month, contract-free plan that can be streamed to any mobile device and most set-top boxes. But that $20 could easily turn into $30 by the time you tack on the additional two packages. Add on a few more and you'll quickly find yourself paying the same amount you gave to the cable company before cutting the cord.
And $20 a month for 20 channels doesn't present the same content-to-dollar ratio that a service like Netflix or Amazon Instant provides, especially when you consider that you can only have one device active at a time.
Pending a change in pricing or device limitations, though, Sling TV could finally be the straw that breaks corporate cable's back. It's quick, convenient and fits into your life whenever and wherever you are. One thing I won't miss? The customer service.

Google wants you to test Jump, its crazy GoPro VR camera rig

Google revealed during Google IO 2015 that it had teamed up with GoPro to create a 360-degree camera rig to capture VR-ready videos.
Now, Google has announced it's seeking "creators" to take "a Jump camera out for a spin" beginning this summer.
The rig basically connects 16 GoPro cameras for a full 360-degree view, with videos to be uploaded to YouTube.
Though Google is mostly looking for filmmakers, artists and journalists, anyone can sign up for a chance to try out Jump.
In the meantime, here's an awesome Jump VR video in action:
YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbA4oEHleg8

Hands-on review: Updated: Project Morpheus

E3 2015 hands on

Not much has changed regarding Sony's last big announcements during GDC 2015 about Project Morpheus, but E3 2015 saw a slew of new games added to the roster.
Most of the games are in pre-alpha stages with the developers hoping to launch at the same time as Morpheus during the first part of 2016.
There's still no audio input aside from headphones you manually put on, unlike the consumer version of Oculus Rift but the sound is still crisp as ever.
Several of the games I played utilized not only the Move controllers, but a modified PlayStation Sharp Shooter gun and even a bike with sensors.
Project Morpheus

I naturally gravitated toward the bike demo, because I hadn't seen it before. Created by company VirZoom, the premise of the experience was pretty simple: sit on a bike, put on a Morpheus, pedal, get fit in the VR world. Pretty awesome, right?
There were sensors attached to a bike - which can be placed on a stationary bike or your own personal bike - that wirelessly connect to the headset. Trainers keep your non-stationary bike still so you don't go flying and will be bundled at an undisclosed price with the sensors - though I was told it would be affordable.
Project Morpheus

The demo on hand involved riding a horse which could turn into a Pegasus if you find wings and then pedaled faster. Being a horse while pedaling is jarring at first but really fun once you get the hang of it. The company will expand and let you be dragons, tanks and a bunch of other random things you wouldn't expect.
The other games involved the more conventional Move controllers but were still immensely fun and immersive.
Impulse Games wants to make a shooter with the Morpheus and what it has so far is a simple yet enjoyable game where creatures like spiders pop up to attack you. There's a lot of movement involved and you're standing the whole time while using the thumbstick on the Move navigation controller to walk around. It's not as dizzying as it sounds though which was a nice surprise.
Project Morpheus

I did however get a little nauseous playing Battle Zone, a game from Rebellion where you're in the cockpit of a spaceship shooting at aliens. Turning in virtual reality while actually being stationary wasn't a particularly pleasant experience - though I felt far worse in EVE: Valkyrie and the Oculus. But the actual game where I was zooming around shooting people was a blast.
London Heist was one of the first Morpheus games I played and really enjoyed. The mechanics of reloading and shooting were the same in the second demo from Heist except I was the passenger in a moving car. There were a lot things you could interact with like opening and closing the door - which made me feel like I was going to fall out of the car - to throwing empty cans of soda around. Shooting thugs was just as fun as I remembered and perhaps even more so because motorcycles were exploding and clips were being used up like crazy.

Super Hypercube is a game older than Project Morpheus and has been in development since 2008 but proves the VR headset is great for all sorts of games. Using a DualShock controller, you're essentially trying to fit cubes into a cutout while more cubes are added as you move through. It's almost like a horizontal, 3D Tetris with the added difficulty - and fun - of VR.
Aside from mild dizziness, the latency remained good on the other games. I couldn't detect any jitter and controllers didn't lose tracking in-game in anything I played.

Early verdict

After experiencing more games on the Morpheus, I'm more convinced we'll see it sooner rather than later in 2016. Sony already has a leg up on providing motion controllers unlike Oculus's Touch controllers which are still being developed.
The games on both platforms don't seem like they're quite ready yet and I get the sense a lot of companies are scrambling to make polished titles in time for release. However I'm confident that there will be enough titles and more released because VR is definitely the future of gaming.

GDC 2015 hands on

Sony unveiled Project Morpheus at GDC 2014 introducing us to the first real virtual reality competitor to the Oculus Rift.
GDC 2015 saw the newest evolution of Morpheus revealed to the public along with the news that, barring any complications, we'll be able to own one in the first half of 2016.
Complete with a larger 5.7-inch OLED screen with 1920 x RGB x 1080 resolution, Morpheus 2.0's leap forward is more notable than it probably sounds. The field of view has been stretched to 100 degrees, and Project Morpheus now supports an impressive 120fps output (a new SDK will let 60fps images output at 120fps, too).
It now also supports 3D audio and has a new feature called social screen, which lets users take the same gameplay they see inside their Morpheus and put it on a TV so other people can play along.
Project Morpheus

The new design is, obviously, the most noticeable part of the Morpheus. It feels far lighter than the Crescent Bay edition of the Rift - and it's far easier to put on and take off, especially for the glasses-adorned folk. The visor even fits super comfortably over large frames.
The weight distribution of Morpheus makes it much more comfortable to wear than the Oculus Rift and other headsets where you can start to feel some strain around your eyes.
The new edition is even easier to adjust - simply pushing forward with a quick release button on the bottom right of the visor will free it from your face, making making is easy to move to a comfortable spot.
Morpheus

There's a new single band too, which again helps with putting on and taking off the headset. Looking down might require a slight readjustment though, but on the whole it feels nice and secure - more so than the latest iteration of the Oculus Rift.
Project Morpheus

Three additional LEDS have been added on for a total of nine altogether - three can be found on each side, one on top and bottom, one smack dab in the middle of the faceplate, and two lights on the very back. All this is supposed to help improve tracking accuracy which it definitely seemed to do.

The game Sony is proudly showing off for Morpheus v2 is The London Heist, and, honestly, it might be the best VR experience yet. This is far more contained than many of the intergalactic space games and open environments that VR has been used for so far, but as we've learned over the course of our time trying out different headsets, these more intimate experiences can be the most incredible.
The game began with us sat on a chair opposite a man - who can be best described as a "London geezer" - began barking demands at us.
Moments later he was waving a blowtorch in our face and we couldn't help but recoil just a bit. Short of feeling the heat against our cheeks, this was about as real as someone thrusting a flesh cooker in your face could get. He then handed us a phone which we picked up using one of our virtual hands, both of which are controlled by the Move controllers. Those hands are noticeably detached, and while the lack of arms breaks the immersion a bit, you can understand why putting them in would cause a technical nightmare.
Morpheus

When we held the phone it to the side of our face, the voice from the speaker grille sounded like it was close to our ear - one of those small details that makes a remarkably big difference.
The next thing we knew we were teleported to a large room. There was a large desk in front of us, and a sense that something about about to kick off. This is where the demo started to pick up, as we were tasked with rummaging through the desk draws for a diamond. Using the Move's trigger we were able to create a clasping motion with our hand, which allowed us to pick up a torch and start rooting for the treasure.
Instead we found a handgun and some ammo - yes, it really was about to kick off. Suddenly we were aware of approaching enemies and it was time to lock and load. Grabbing the gun with one hand and a magazine clip with the other we were able to slot it in and load the weapon. It truly was one of those moments where you realise that VR is here to stay.
Project Morpheus

As the enemies starting coming in we were able to duck behind the desk for cover. Every time we sprang up we were taking down baddies (although we might have been the bad guy, we're not certain) with lifelike precision.
It wasn't perfect - we felt like the Eye sometimes had difficulty tracking our movements, especially when trying to reload the gun quickly. That may have been due to us kneeling to hide behind a VR desk, making it difficult for the camera to see our hands.
Sony claims latency issues have been addressed. It was hard to tell with this demo since it was a straightforward shooter but ducking down to avoid being shot, looking down to reload and then quickly looking up to shoot didn't make us feel sick at all.
The graphics in general were also almost on par with my previous Rift experiences which is impressive considering we were actually interacting with the environment around me instead of just looking at things.
Morpheus

The experience as a whole was quite incredible, and probably the most immersive we're had with VR to date. It made us want to experience something like BioShock Infinite or GTA V in VR, and this demo gave us a little sneak peek of what gaming could be like with FPS type games.
Project Morpheus

The other demo we tried involved a PS4 Dualshock controller and those little guys from Sony's augmented reality game, The Playroom.
The first part involved using the Dualshock controller to interact with the little bots. Pressing circle made music come on and cause the bots to dance, X shined a flashlight on their little faces (supremely annoying them) and so forth.
The coolest part of this demo was seeing the controller actually in virtual reality, as in whatever buttons you pushed, the VR controller would respond in sync.
Morpheus

The light on the controller also serves a tracking point so turning it around in your hands simultaneously turned it virtually - so what you'll see is a PS4 controller floating in front of you to help guide you. You can see this being an interesting addition to future games as it should help you feel less weird using a controller in VR.
The second part of the demo was a real treat, and we could tell the creators had a blast making it. It was reminiscent of an Oculus Rift demo we tried at CES where you're basically observing a little scene. In this case, the experience involved peering into a little dollhouse with a bunch of rooms full of AR bots as they fought over sodas, had their own Morpheus experiences, swam in a pool and more. No direct interaction or controller was used but some bots would wave and turn their heads to stare at you. One was even flying a tiny DJI drone in your face, snapping pictures which made me want to keep swatting my hands around, but of course, there was nothing there.
Hearing the 3D sound from the drone felt like it was seamlessly coming from all around us. This was the case with the previous demo too, where shooters would be placed in different locations.

Early verdict

The newest Project Morpheus is magnificent. There seem to be a few minor hiccups to sort out but it feels like the hardware is solid, and far more comfortable than a lot o VR headsets out there which is huge. No one wants to wear something bulky and restraining for more than an hour, but we can imagine you'd feel pretty comfy with a Morpheus on your noggin.
The Crescent Bay edition of Rift is equally spectacular in usage compared to Project Morpheus but it doesn't provide any real game demos to show off how well it does with interactive experiences. Granted, the Oculus team seem more keen on providing immersive experiences without peripherals opposed to full on games.
This is where the Morpheus has the edge. Its proven itself a real contender for virtual reality in your living room thanks to the incorporation of the Move controllers and the PlayStation Eye. As for The London Heist, well, you'll have to try that for yourself to see what we're raving about. But it's truly something special.
Read on for in-depth coverage on Project Morpheus, or if you're in the mood to read Cameron Faulkner's impressions, who nearly flipped his lid upon first trying it, check that out here.

Previous Project Morpheus hands ons

Additional hands on reporting by Hugh Langley and Nick Pino
When the creator of Oculus Rift told us that he didn't think consoles were fit for virtual reality, I wondered if he might have a point. But as is the way with VR, seeing is believing, and having taken Morpheus for a spin there's no longer a doubt in my mind: virtual reality on the PS4 is going to be amazing.
Morpheus is in prototype right now. Sony told us that the final product will probably be quite different in both look and specs, but the current headset looks pretty damn slick nonetheless.
It certainly feels more "finished" than Oculus; not only does the main eyepiece look like a polished product, there's a dynamic plastic headstrap to boot. Getting it to fit wasn't too difficult and the headset felt secure enough for the purposes of the demo.
However it does feel like the weight balance needs addressing, and Sony will want to relocate some of those wires that I kept almost chewing on.There's also the tiniest of space near the bridge of your nose. It's not too distracting from the overall experience and, during the more intense sensations, served as an easy reminder that my feet are still planted safely in reality.
Project Morpheus

Morpheus hits the ground running with a 1080p display - some of you will never know the nausea that an SD screen with lag can induce. We asked Sony if its God of Dreams might end up in 4K however it didn't sound promising. As it is, Morpheus is satisfyingly crisp, but I did notice the occasional jaggedly-rendered object and felt the odd frame rate stutter. It's the same stuff we've seen with Oculus.
Morepheus's 90-degree field of vision does lose out to Oculus's 110 degrees but this is hardly noticeable - and likely to change come the final product.
Morpheus

Lost in space

The first game I tried was space simulator Eve: Valkyrie. Already a fan of Strike Suit Zero on the Oculus Rift, I was reasonably prepared for what was about to come.
Hurtling through space, admiring the view of giant ships as you pass under them, dodging your way through asteroid fields - this is exactly the kind of stuff we all dreamed about when we were younger.

And even though I'd experienced space in VR before, there were a couple of barrel rolls that sent my stomach spinning.
It's clear that some people are more prone to feeling physically affected by VR than others, but the clarity and low latency of Morpheus in its current state mean the risks of nausea are low. I felt ok during my 10 minutes with Eve, but like I said, there were a couple of hairy moments.

Beyond the sea

But as great as space was, it was exploring the ocean depths that really set the pulse racing. The Deep, Sony's second demo, was a perfect tease at what's possible when you wed VR and horror.
The game begins with you in a diving cage, floating near the surface of the ocean. What was different about this experience was that I was standing up so the game needed to account for this. Sure enough, when I squatted down I noticed my virtual legs bent at the same time, a feat made possible by the motion tracking.
Morpheus

It's these little touches that help make the experience that bit more immersive. As I sunk further down to the ocean depths, it became clear that I'd made an enemy among the aquatic wildlife as a shark began circling my cage.
The Deep wasn't a very interactive experience. I could look around me was holding a flare fun that would move with my real hands thanks to the motion-enabled Dualshock 4, however there were a couple of moments where I "broke" the connection between my real hands and my virtual ones.
As it turned out, the flare gun was about as effective as a bacon sandwich when the shark started ripping into the cage. But it was fantastic way to experience VR, especially with the lack of any form of HUD.
It was just me, under water, face to face with Jaws. And for a couple of brief moments it was absolutely terrifying.
Morpheus

Street Luge

Where The Deep represented pure fantasy as only a faux-holodeck experience could provide, the Street Luge stood out for its ability to make me cringe, wince, yelp and ultimately feel like I was on a roller coaster without the intense wind and bodily sensations.
It started slow, allowing me to get used to the controls - lean left to drift left, lean right to go right. Then came my first car. I dodged left and, in doing so, earned a small speed boost. There was a timer ticking in the corner of my screen that I hadn't noticed before; this was one of virtual reality's first time trials.
More cars came and went as I slowly became comfortable balancing the hardware that was secured around my head and the bodily sensations I was starting to feel. I could look straight up at the clouds and left and right over the mountainside. If I hadn't been sharing the road with sedans and semi-trucks this would've been a relatively zen-like experience. Alas.
Project Morpheus Luge Demo

The crowning moment came when, unable to dodge left or right, I slid unscathed between an truck's wheels and looked up into its undercarriage. When I did eventually crash, however, the screen briefly flashed red before I slowed down some - there were no gruesome, Tomb-Raider-getting-impaled-on-a-tree-branch moments here.
I crossed the finish line with two minutes and thirty two seconds on the clock. Not bad for my first downhill run.

Morpheus Castle

The final demo was called Morpheus Castle, a smack-'em-up that served to demonstrate how Move can be used so brilliantly with Morpheus. You may have forgotten about Sony's Wiimote rival, but these glowy sticks may be about to have a serious comeback.
By pressing the back triggers you'll curl your fingers into a fist. Extend them rapidly and you'll throw a punch. Because the PS Camera can track your position in a room, you'll be able to walk a few feet forwards and backwards - but not very far left or right.
You're asked to punch a hanging dummy. Complete the task and you're rewarded with your first weapon, a sword. I held the trigger on the back of the Move and I was able to cast the sword in huge arches, eventually lopped off the poor dummy's arms, legs and head.
Morpheus Castle

This was a smooth, seamless experience and gave me hope that the Star Wars game we've always dreamed of - the one where lightsaber duels are not only plausible, but an enjoyable part of the game - are within arm's reach. (See what I did there?)
Next I grabbed a mace that, when extended, felt the force of gravity and hung low on its chain. I swing it a few times to get some momentum going and before long was using it to dismember a newly furnished foe.
After which was a crossbow demo, the least exciting part of my experience. I didn't need to hold down a button in the back this time and was only required to press the trigger when I had lined up a shot. The arrow tended to curve down and, while realistic, it felt a little unfulfilling in a so-far, so-good demo.
But as with the flare gun in The Deep, there was occasionally a disconnect between my virtual and real hands. There are clearly some technical boundaries when it comes to body motion with VR, and making them harder to break will be key to immersion.
Like the Playstation camera and the Dualshock 4's tracking blue light, Move suddenly makes a lot more sense with Morpheus. Sony's master plan is coming together.
YouTube : www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OQtByjyD-4

Early verdict

The most frustrating thing about VR right now is trying to convey it with words. You really do have to see Project Morpheus (and, indeed, Oculus Rift) to believe it.
There's still work to be done - edges were rough and objects seemed a little less than their HD display - but Sony is clearly determined to iron these out before it comes to market.
When that might be is hard to say. But take Morpheus for a spin and I guarantee you'll be as excited as I am for what virtual reality will offer. This is the missing piece of the PS4 puzzle, and it's a big one.

Smaller New Nintendo 3DS headed to US, CEO teases

Classic Reggie. Not an E3 goes by without a tease from Nintendo of America's CEO Reggie Fils-Aime, and this year won't be any different.
When asked about the possibility of the smaller version of the New Nintendo 3DS making its way to North America Fils-Aime said, "Not going to make any promises but, you know, I would suggest to your readers that they stay tuned and maybe some special SKUs might show up," to Stephen Totilo, Editor-in-Chief of Kotaku.
In past years Fils-Aime has hinted at everything from the latest Legend of Zelda to the upcoming Star Fox game before they're ready to be released, building excitement and buzz before the products are showroom-ready.
Sales for Nintendo's new handheld reached around 400,000 units per week when it launched in February, a number that has slowly declined before settling around 100,000 units per week in June, according to sales site vgchartz.com.

Nintendo currently sells a standard 3DS, a 3DS XL, a New Nintendo 3DS XL and Nintendo 2DS here in the US, though it looks like that lineup could have a new addition before the holidays.

Nintendo NX: A closer look at the mystery console

Forget Humvees: The US wants hoverbikes on the battlefield

The US Army may have Star Wars on its mind as a new deal was announced between the US Department of Defense and Malloy Aeronautics, developers of a hoverbike.
Described as cheaper and more rugged than a helicopter, the company's Marketing Sales Director Grant Stapleton told Reuters that safety and maneuverability are key advantages of the hoverbike.
The UK-based Malloy Aeronautics will be working with Survice Engineering Company, a defense contractor based in Maryland, to help develop the military-focused crafts.
Service Engineer Mark Butkiewicz explained the US DoDefense is interested in developing the hoverbike as it can support multiple military and humanitarian roles, including transporting supplies and troops, including over difficult terrain, operating in both manned and unmanned operations, along with the ability to operate as a surveillance platform.
"We've been working with Malloy Aeronautics to develop a full-scale version of the scale model in front of me, and the next step is to do additional testing, and then to design and construct prototypes that meet military requirements," Butkiewicz said at the Paris Airshow, where a model of the hoverbike was on display.
You can see more of the hoverbike in the video below:
YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlkUZNwHMhw

Buying guide: 7 Best Windows tablets: top Windows slates reviewed

Best Windows tablets

Microsoft's been pushing tablet computers for the best part of a decade, so you can imagine how happy the success of the iPad Air, Samsung Galaxy Note series, the short line of Google Nexus slates and other great tablets makes the software maker feel.
But Microsoft doesn't give up easily, and Windows tablets have been trickling out since Windows 8 first introduced touched controls. The focus on tablets that can double as PC has only been getting bigger as with Window 10's upcoming release. The range of devices with is huge from simple slates to fully convertible laptop-tablet hybrids, including those where keyboards slide out from beneath the screen, as well as those with styluses and detachable keyboards. We've even seen tablet/all-in-one hybrids.
There's as much variety in Windows tablet world as there is to the plethora of tablets running other operating systems.
Now the question is what sort of Windows-powered tablet do you want. Are you looking for something mainly as a reading device, perhaps a dedicated Hearthstone, typing out documents on your commute or sketching ideas for a new artwork?
To help you decide, here's a rundown of the best Windows tablets that we've reviewed so far.

1. Dell Venue 11 Pro 7000

A powerful, small tablet that wants to play in the big leagues

Performance

Compact design

Cramped screen

Ergonomics

Starting at $700 (£437 and AU$800), the Venue Pro 7000 offers a nice balance of performance and portability in a travel-friendly size. However, unless you find yourself accessing CPU and GPU taxing apps, you might find more value in an Atom-based convertible. Going with Atom will lower your cost and give you better battery life.
For those who need power and performance, the confines of a 10.8-inch display may be too rigid to maximize productivity. Opening more than a few tabs or windows on the small display will trigger claustrophobia. If you need to be more productive, there are bigger convertible options, like the Surface Pro 3, to choose from that may fit that need better.
Read the full review: Dell Venue 11 Pro 7000
Best Windows tablets

2. Asus Transformer Book T300 Chi

This 2-in-1 laptop takes thinness to a new level

Vibrant display made for media

Flexible use cases

Colors a touch too saturated

Unimpressive battery life

The Asus Transformer Book T300 Chi is one of the first laptops to finally get the hybrid form factor right. Thanks to the use of a magnet latching system and Intel's fanless Core M processor, Asus has been able to produce a lighter tablet-laptop hybrid that's thin to boot.
The detachable Bluetooth keyboard also opens up a few alternative ways to use the device. Over the last few weeks, I propped up the screen while I used the keyboard as a remote for Netflix and stood the screen on its side, using it as a makeshift vertical screen. The best thing about all this is it's entirely seamless, letting you easily switch between tablet and laptop modes with ease.
There are a few things Asus didn't get right in this go around with the T300 Chi, namely the micro-sized ports. It has helped Asus shave down it's latest Transformer Book into a much more svelte profile, but you'll need to carry around a set of cables and adapters to plug in something as simple as a USB drive. With battery life averaging five hours and maxing out at six at best, you might want to look into a tablet or Chromebook for longer use cases.
Read the full review: Asus Transformer Book T300 Chi
Best Windows tablets

3. Microsoft Surface Pro 3

The best tablet-laptop hybrid device yet released

Sharp display and design

Huge Type Cover upgrade

Runs hot at times

Type Cover still optional

This is not only Microsoft's most striking and versatile device to date, but the most convincing poster child for the hybrid category yet. And this ringing endorsement comes from a long-time skeptic of such devices.
That said, the Surface Pro 3 (starting at $799, £639, AU$979) is hamstrung by flaws that cannot be ignored. Namely, the battery life might be in line with most Ultrabooks, but isn't close to what Apple's leading laptop and top tablet. Then there's the added cost of having the Type Cover billed as a separate accessory. However, this Windows tablet is still cheaper than getting the lowest spec iPad Air and 13-inch MacBook Air combined, even with the Type Cover, and that's the point.
On paper, this slate is also more powerful than either Apple device, not to mention most other comparably priced laptops and tablets. The Surface Pro 3 might not be perfect, but it's far and wide the brightest shining example of a potential tablet takeover. If you're not concerned about a downgraded performance, consider the new Surface 3, which doesn't provide as much kick as the Pro, but is lighter and a lot cheaper.
Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Pro 3
Best Windows tablets

4. Dell XPS 18

A large Windows slate to comfortably use around the house

Impressive battery life

Light enough to carry

Vented side gets hot

Expensive

The Dell XPS 18 blows away any notion that all-in-ones are hulking great machines tied to desks. Instead it's an 18.5-inch Windows 8 tablet you can carry around the house and out to the cafe, assuming your bag is big enough to carry it.
The Dell XPS 18 also ships with a charging stand, Bluetooth mouse and keyboard that all turns it into a desktop machine. Thanks to it's gorgeous 18.5-inch screen, it's a great choice for online TV addicts. It's a capable PC too thanks to its Intel Core i7 CPU, Intel HD 4400 graphics and 8GB of RAM at the top end.
Read the full review: Dell XPS 18
Best Windows tablets

5. Lynx 8

Cheap and surprisingly capable Windows tablet gets a small boost

Bright, high-contrast screen

Good connectivity

Limited RAM and power

32-bit Windows

If you like to watch Youtube, check your emails, Twitter or Facebook, the Linx 8 comes at an absolute bargain. It's fast, well-built, packed with features squeezed into a very handy form factor and is one of the cheapest tablets on the market priced at £90 (about $134, AU$173).
It comes as a fully functional PC you can stow in your jacket or set at home with a monitor or television (with a HDMI port), plus a keyboard and mouse plugged in via a USB hub. And don't forget that Office 365 Personal also comes included. If you're a keen traveller, the Linx 8 has enough juice to play back a 720p video for more than eight hours with Wi-Fi off and the brightness turned down.
Read the full review: Lynx 8
Best Windows tablets

6. Pipo W2

This cheap Windows tablet brings more than savings

5MP rear camera

battery life

32-bit Windows 8.1

With most cheap tablets you get what you paid for and end up having more headaches than its worth in the long run. The Pipo W2, on the other hand offers surprisingly more than you would think with its $164 (about £121, AU$216) sticker price. For the price you'll get a more than capable Intel Bay Trail Atom processor-powered tablet that comes with an included year of one-year subscription to Office 365 for personal use.
What's more, the Pipo W2 is well built. You won't find any loose or poorly glued parts, meanwhile the the 8-inch screen is sharp and shows no apparent gaps anywhere. One thing you'll need to bear in mind is that this tablet hits the lowest rung of the PC ladder. Still that won't stop you from running Windows right out of the box. Add a monitor, a keyboard and mouse and you've got a fully functional desktop computer as well.
Read the full review: Pipo W2
Best Windows tablets

7. Lynx 10

Bigger and even more bargainous than the Linx 8

Good connectivity

Low price

Slightly underpowered

Lacking in storage space

If you're looking for a 10-inch tablet and don't want to break the bank, the Linx 10 fits the bill. Packing solid build quality and a good range of ports including micro-USB, mini-HDMI out and a microSD card slot, you get a lot for your £160 (around $238, or AU$307). The Linx 10's bigger display is more suited to playing YouTube videos, streaming Netflix and watching over video content than the Linx 8's, and you'll be able to see spreadsheets on it more easily with the included Office 365 subscription.
Read the full review: Lynx 10

OPINION: 3 reasons Apple should always keep the iPhone home button

The iPhone home button is where my heart is, which is why it pains me to see today's rumors indicate Apple is working on a way to get rid of this clicky input.
I see the trade-offs. More screens space and less "needless" bezel for future iPhone models. An on-screen button also means fewer parts and therefore fewer repair AppleCare jobs.
That's all well and good, but the substitute isn't worth it. Software buttons aren't as easy to use without the tactile feedback of pressing something inward.
An iPhone without a home button is unlikely to come to the iPhone 6S, which may be more of an iterative update. But I can think of multiple reasons it shouldn't debut in the iPhone 7, either .

Makes iPhone different from Android

I like Android phones. I'm a fan of the Moto X design, which came to the Nexus 6 in an even bigger form factor last year. I gave both high praise despite having on-screen buttons.

Likewise, the LG G4, HTC One M9 and Sony Xperia Z4 are all designed to be nearly bezel-free by skipping out on physical buttons and expanding their display sizes.
But that doesn't mean I want the new iPhone to sacrifice its thumb-sized input for an elongated display, even if that bigger display doesn't make the actual phone's dimensions any bigger.
A physical home button has always been part of the iPhone design. I want the next iPhone to be more like Android in some ways, but this is not what I had in mind.

2. The no-look click

I really like Samsung's approach here. It uses a thinner home button in the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, giving me a happy medium and top pick for our best phone list.

In addition to returning to the home screen, is acts as a fingerprint sensor and, with a double click, speedily opens up the camera app. Holding it down leads to the Google Now menu.
Try doing that with an on-screen button. All of a sudden, that no-look mechanic isn't an option, requiring your eyes to look down at the screen more than they already do.

3. Disappearing physical buttons are a bad trend

Physical buttons are on the endangered "specs" list, and like a lot of new trends, I don't much care for it. Maybe I'm just getting old, but my fingers like knowing what I'm pressing.
Apple's fingerprints are already all over the murder weapon - it axed the mute switch on the iPad Air 2 in favor of an on-screen mute toggle. The next iPhone could be in for the same.

The mute switch is one of the iPhone features I like that you won't find on Android. Could it and an on-screen home button be the next things Apple adopts from Google?
For current iPhone owners without Android experience, remember when you'd toggle a big on and off switch on an older game console like the N64? Now think about the PS3 or PS4.
Haptic feedback buttons are hardly a solution. How many times did I mean to turn off my PS4 and reset it instead? The even smaller, harder-to-see buttons of the PS4 made things worse.
That's the sort of interface I expect from a new iPhone without a home button: confusing and not always working well. I have enough problems with the on-screen keyboard ever since autocorrect seemingly became dumber with the iOS 8.3 update.

Let's get physical

Let's get real. I'm going to buy the next iPhone and the one after that and the one after that, whether there's an on-screen button or a physical one.
I'm just a fan of phones, and while I rate the current Samsung Galaxy S6 higher than the iPhone 6 by one place on our best phones ranking, Apple makes a great mobile device.
I'll buy it, but I don't have to like it.

Here's everything you need to know about iOS 9

Updated: 8 best 2-in-1 laptops 2015: top hybrid laptops reviewed

Best 2-in-1 laptops

Microsoft's Windows 8 didn't just shake up the company's entire software empire, but the mobile computing industry as well.
Given the dualistic nature of the new Windows, laptop and tablet makers responded in kind with devices commonly known as 2-in-1 laptops, or hybrid laptops.
These are devices that are able to serve as both a laptop and a tablet, either in a detachable design that sees the touchscreen doubling as a tablet, or a convertible approach in which the notebook's hinge rotates 360 degrees for a similar effect. In the past, neither have been all that successful in providing both experiences in equal measure, but that's slowly changing.
Considering their similarity to Ultrabooks in terms of build quality, thinness and lightness, 2-in-1 laptops are generally priced in the same range: between $700 (about £450, AU$800) and $2,000 (around £1,169, AU$2,131). However, some manufacturers, like Acer, make budget hybrids, and there are even 2-in-1s designed specifically for the business user, like the Dell Venue 7000 series. However, the hybrid market is almost entirely catered toward consumer needs.
These are sleek, powerful devices that look good and serve multiple use cases to varying degrees of success. Obviously there are a ton of solid devices out there that narrowly missed the cut, such as the Asus Transformer Book Flip TP300LA, so there's no shortage of great devices for you to choose. As Microsoft's release of Windows 10 draws near, expect an even greater selection of these devices to pop up in due time.
With that, here are the best 2-in-1 laptops that we've reviewed thus far.
Best hybrid

1. Microsoft Surface Pro 3

The best of the best

CPU: 1.9GHz Intel Core i5-4300U (dual-core, 3MB cache, up to 2.9GHz with Turbo Boost) | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4400 | RAM: 8GB LPDDR3 | Screen: 12-inch, 2160 x 1440 multi-touch (ClearType, 3:2 aspect ratio) | Storage: 256GB SSD | Optical drive: none | Connectivity: 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 | Camera: Two 5MP webcams (1080p HD video) | Weight: 1.76 pounds Dimensions: 7.93 x 11.5 x 0.36 inches (W x D x H)

Sharp display

Perfect as laptop and tablet

Mediocre battery life

Runs hot at times

This is not only Microsoft's most striking and versatile device to date, but the most convincing poster child for the hybrid category yet. And this ringing endorsement comes from a long-time skeptic of such devices.
This version of the tablet comes in cheaper than the most affordable iPad Air and 13-inch MacBook Air combined, even with the Type Cover, and that's the point. On paper, this slate is more powerful than either Apple device, not to mention most other comparably priced laptops and tablets. The Surface Pro 3 might not be perfect, but it's far and wide the brightest shining example of a potential tablet takeover. If you're not concerned about a downgraded performance, consider the new Surface 3, which doesn't provide as much kick as the Pro, but is lighter and a lot cheaper.
Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Pro 3
Best hybrid

2. HP Spectre x360

Sublime. Near-perfect.

CPU: 2.2GHz Intel Core i5-5200 (dual-core, 3MB cache, up to 2.7GHz with Turbo Boost) | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 5500 | RAM: 8GB DDR3 (1600Mhz) | Screen: 13.3-inch, 1,920 x 1,080 FHD Radiance LED-backlit touchscreen | Storage: 256GB SSD | Connectivity: 802.11ac (2x2) and Bluetooth 4.0 combo | Camera: HP TrueVision Full HD WVA Webcam (front-facing) | Weight: 3.26 pounds | Dimensions: 12.79 x 8.6 x 0.63 inches (W x D x H)

Superbly thin

Vibrant, bright display

Excellent performance and battery life

Too heavy to use as a tablet

Weird, wide trackpad

Buy the HP Spectre x360. It easily comes as one of my most recommended machines, with an excellent 1080p screen, solid performance, good battery life, and sturdy build quality; all for an excellent deal at $999 (£899, AU$1,899).
If it weren't for a few missteps with the trackpad and being too hefty for tablet use, this laptop would have easily stood amongst the most highly rated laptops TechRadar has ever reviewed. Despite its flaws, though, the Spectre x360 is one of the best-looking and powerful devices HP has ever produced and well worth a look over many, many other 2-in-1 laptops.
Read the full review: HP Spectre x360
Best hybrid

3. Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 12

A versatile hybrid ideal for those who work as hard as they play

Solid performance

Versatile design

Slightly heavy

No ethernet port

The Yoga 12 is a versatile bulldog of a device. You can use it as your work laptop. You can use it for play. It won't be the best pick for either of these tasks, but it won't stray too far from the upper tier either. At 3.4 pounds and 0.74 inches thick, it's just light and slim enough to claim portability. With more than seven hours of video playback, its battery is good enough to get through a workday, and it's affordably priced starting at just $845.
Packing a full HD display that can bend into four different modes, you'll enjoy this device's flexibility, even though it isn't the lightest or sexiest device on the planet. With that being said, it performs on par or better than any of the devices on this list.
Read the full review: Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 12
Best Hybrid

4. Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro

Lenovo's former-flagship Ultrabook is a real stunner

Unique flexible design

Top-notch QHD IPS display

No 802.11ac wireless adapter

Keyboard complicates tablet mode

With the Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro (starting at $1,099, £999, AU$1,599), we can now confirm that 3,200 x 1,800 pixels is delicious indeed. On top of the winning Yoga form factor, we loved the solid performance, backlit keyboard, and the snappy SSD, creating mobile device-like response times.
At the $1,000 price point, you could put the Yoga 2 Pro in just about anyone's hands and make them quite pleased.
For those of you who crave portability more than anything, Lenovo recently unveiled the new LaVie Z, which the company claims is the lightest convertible on the market. For those who want more power and don't mind a little heft, you could also check out the Lenovo Yoga 3 2014.
Read the full review: Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro
Best Hybrid

5. Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S

The laptop that will bend over backwards for you

CPU: 1.5 GHz Intel Core i7-3689Y | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4000 (integrated) | RAM: 8GB PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz SODIMM | Screen: 11.6" HD LED Multitouch 1366x768 | Storage: 128GB DDR SSD | Optical drive: none | Connectivity: Lenovo 802.11 b/g/n wireless, Bluetooth 4.0 | Camera: 1.0MP 720p HD integrated webcam | Weight: 3.10 lbs Dimensions: 11.73" x 8.03" x 0.67"

Extremely portable

Strong hinges

USB 2.0 not 3.0

Tablet mode leaves keys exposed

Yes, another Lenovo hybrid! The 11.6-inch Lenovo Yoga 11S (starting at around $799, £599, AU$1,299) laptop is a flexible machine that can fold over from a typical laptop stance to a stand position, to a position with the keyboard behind the screen, ready for delivering presentations.
It comes with HDMI, SD card and USB ports, and boasts a surprisingly impressive Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD for storage. The screen is sharp and bright, though not full HD, and works well with Windows 8. It's also nicely light and small for portability. You can easily use the Yoga 11S as you would any other laptop, replete with a full QWERTY keyboard.
Read the full review: Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S
Best Hybrid

6. Asus Transformer Book T200

Another excellent transforming tablet-laptop from Asus

CPU: 1.46GHz Intel® Bay Trail-T Quad Core Z3775 | Graphics: Integrated Intel HD Graphics | RAM: 2 GB LPDDR3 | Screen: 11.-inch 16:9 IPS HD (1366 x 768) with multi-touch screen | Storage: 32GB eMMC With 500 GB HDD | Optical drive: None | Connectivity: Integrated 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth V4.0 | Camera: Front 2 Mp and rear 5 MP | Weight: 1.71 pounds Dimensions: 12 x 7.6 x 0.47 inches (W x D x H)

Great value hybrid

Good connectivity

Low resolution screen

Fairly bulky

If you are looking for a combination of Windows laptop and tablet, the Asus Transformer Book T200 is a very appealing option that offers a fair amount for only $539 (£349, or AU$690).
The T200 is quiet, light, well built and feels responsive during normal usage. Battery life is excellent, so you won't find yourself hunting obsessively for charging points throughout the day. Its "smart" hard drive bay adds plenty of storage space alongside the speedy 32GB SSD, and despite having a disappointing resolution, the IPS display is at least vibrant with good viewing angles. Good connectivity in the form of USB 3.0 and RJ45 ports are welcome additions, with a reasonable pre-loaded software set finishing off the package nicely.
Read the full review: Asus Transformer Book T200
Best Hybrid

7. Dell Venue 11 Pro 7130

A powerful, small tablet that wants to play in the big leagues

CPU: Intel Core M-5Y71 vPro | Graphics: Intel Gen7 graphics | RAM: 8 GB | Screen: 10.8-inch FHD 1920 X 1080 IPS display | Storage: 128 GB SSD | Optical drive: None | Connectivity: Intel 7265 dual-band 2X2 802.11 ac WiFi & Bluetooth 4.0 | Camera: 2-megapixel webcam; 8-megapixel rear camera | Weight: 1.6 pounds (0.72kg) Dimensions: 11.01 x 6.95 x .42 inches (27.97 X 17.65 X 1.07 cm)

Performance

Battery life

Cramped screen

Modest battery gains over i5 model

At the $700 (£437 and AU$800) entry price, the Venue Pro 7000 offers a nice balance of performance and portability in a travel-friendly size. However, unless you find yourself accessing CPU and GPU taxing apps, you might find more value in an Atom-based convertible. Going with Atom will lower your cost and give you better battery life.
For those who need power and performance, the confines of a 10.8-inch display may be too rigid to maximize productivity. Opening more than a few tabs or windows on the small display will trigger claustrophobia. If you need to be more productive, there are bigger convertible options, like the Surface Pro 3, to choose from that may fit that need better.
Read the full review: Dell Venue 11 Pro 7130
Best 2-in-1 laptops

8. Asus Transformer Book T300 Chi

This 2-in-1 laptop takes thinness to a new level

CPU: 1.2GHz Intel Core M 5Y71 processor (dual-core, 4MB cache, up to 2.9GHz with turbo boost) | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 5300 | RAM: 8GB DDR3L (1600MHz) | Screen: 12.5-inch, 2,560 x 1,440 (WQHD) capacitive multi-touch IPS display | Storage: 128GB SSD | Optical drive: None | Connectivity: Intel Dual Band Wireless-N 7265 + Bluetooth 4.0 LE | Camera: 2MP 720p webcam | Weight: 3.14 pounds Dimensions: 12.5 x 7.5 x 0.65 inches (W x D x H)

Vibrant display made for media

Flexible use cases

Colors a touch too saturated

Unimpressive battery life

Samsung's 4K FreeSync displays juggle work and play

Samsung unveiled two UHD resolution desktop monitors targeting gamers and multitaskers. The U28E590D ($599, £378, AU$775) comes with a 28-inch panel while the E24E590D ($399, £252, AU$516) comes with a more compact 24-inch screen. Both monitors sport a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 pixels and come with AMD's FreeSync technology, which improves the refresh rates and picture quality for gaming and entertainment.
Because the 28-inch model comes with a twisted nematics (TN) panel, it has a faster gray-to-gray refresh rate of 1ms. The PLS, which is similar to IPS screen technology, panel of the 24-inch model has a slower 4ms gray-to-gray refresh rate. Another big difference between the two underlying technologies is the viewing angle, with PLS offering a wider 178-degree view horizontally and vertically, while the TN has more limited 170-degree and 160-degree viewing angles, respectively.

Enterprise productivity

Even if you plan on buying these displays for gaming, you can still use them to keep productive at work. The monitor comes with Picture-in-Picture technology, Picture-by-Picture to connect two different PCs to the same monitor and support for both DisplayPort and HDMI ports for video input.
Samsung is also promoting the UHD 4K resolution of the two panels as a benefit to reducing eye strain. The display is also marketed as flicker-free, which should help further reduce eye strain even at lower brightness levels.

Gaming

For gamers, using a PC or notebook that supports AMD FreeSync technology with these two displays means that you'll get a more responsive screen, resulting in the "elimination of screen tearing and shuttering," according to Samsung. This will be especially true of the larger panel, which has a fast 1ms response rate.
For high-frame rate games, this is an important feature as it reduces or eliminates ghosting.
Both displays come with a 60Hz refresh rate for smooth performance. The 24-inch will become available on July 26. Users interested in the 28-inch U28E590D can pick one up now.

Read our picks for the best monitors

iOS Tips: How to erase all email on an iPhone or iPad

Got an Apple, Mac or iOS tech question? We have the answer. This time we have reader question that sounds simple: how do you delete all your emails from a device running iOS 8? It's trickier than you might think, but we'll show you how it's done.

Question

What's the best way for me to permanently remove all the email messages I have on my iPad or iPhone? I'm running iOS 8.

Answer

Deleting all of the email from an iOS device is surprisingly tricky, but it can be done. If you have more than one email account on your device, you should start by opening the Mail app, then hitting the Edit button. Scroll down the list that appears; near the bottom you'll find an option called All Trash.
Check this option (see image to the left) so that an All Trash mailbox appears on your main mailbox page.
Next, select All Mailboxes (or, if you have only one mailbox on your device, go to the inbox). Press Edit, then press the circle to the left of one of your emails to check it (see image below).
Now comes the tricky part: press and hold the Move button at the bottom of the screen with one finger, then, with another finger, uncheck the email you previously checked.
Erase All Mail

When you release your finger from the Move button, all of your email should be selected to be moved to a new location. (This could take a while if you have a lot of messages; also, if you're having trouble selecting all your messages at once, try marking them all as read or unread a few times.) Choose to move it all to the Trash.
Go to the All Trash folder that you setup earlier (or your Trash folder if you have only one account). Choose Edit, then Delete All.
Actually deleting all your email could take some time depending on your email setup and the amount of mail you have, so you may want to wait a while before performing any additional tasks in Mail.
Going through these steps should erase all the mail from your inbox, but if you want to clean out other folders as well (such as your sent mail), you'll need to repeat the process.
Got an Apple tech question? Email ask@maclife.com.

Review: Acer UT220HQL

Introduction and design

Acer's UT220HQL ($199, £125, AU$255) is an excellent option for PC owners who want a larger display than what's available on a laptop, but also require a touchscreen. It's an easy way to add touch to an older PC or laptop to take advantage of all the gestures enabled on Windows 8, 8.1, and 10. For modern laptop owners, the built-in touch support on the UT220HQL is also a convenient way to gain the benefits of working on a larger panel without losing the touchscreen.
With a 21.5-inch full HD screen, the UT220HQL can be found for as little as $146 (£91, AU$187) at some online retailers. It's a very competitive offering considering that many other 21- to 24-inch panels cost about as much but don't include touch.
The Acer UT220HQL competes in the same space as full HD monitors like the 24-inch BenQ EW2440 ($220, £140, AU$285), 21.5-inch Samsung SD300 series ($149, £93, AU$191) and 22-inch LG 22MP57HQ-P ($159, £100, AU$204), but none of these options come with touchscreens. If you're willing to pay $100 more, Dell's 28-inch P2815Q display increases the screen size and bumps up the resolution to 4K, but takes away the touchscreen for $299 (£188, AU$386).

Design

The single piece design of the UT220HQL looks more like an all-in-one desktop PC than a monitor. The design reminds me of the 19.5-inch Acer Aspire ZC ($550, £346, AU$706) and 23-inch Aspire U5 ($850, £535, AU$1,091) AIO.
Acer UT220HQL review

The UT220HQL comes fully assembled out of the box. The front is dominated by the 21.5-inch touchscreen, while a silver metal bar on the rear can be pulled down, like a kickstand, to turn the screen into an easel. The bar has quite a bit of resistance, which is good, so that you don't accidentally recline the screen to a larger angle of tilt when you touch it from the front.
Measuring 20.2 x 1.8 x 15.2 inches (51.31 x 4.57 x 38.61cm) and weighing 9.5 pounds (4.3kg), the UT220HQL technically doesn't take up that much space on a desk. However, the kickstand has to be open, and depending on how far back you want the screen to tilt, this means that the area the UT220HQL takes on your desk could equal the screen's front surface area of 20.2 x 15.2 inches (51.31 x 38.61cm).
Acer UT220HQL review

The touchscreen panel is surrounded by a raised glossy black bezel, meaning that the display doesn't have a flush look with edge-to-edge glass, and this makes the design appear somewhat dated, like the discontinued Lenovo 3000 series C315 AIO from a few years ago. From a functional perspective, the beveled design makes the UT220HQL harder to wipe down and keep clean since dust can get trapped in the corners and edges between the screen and the bezel.
Just below the screen is a narrow strip of black plastic that conceals five springy hardware buttons in the center and a sixth power button on the far right side. Navigating the monitor's menus with the buttons is still tedious, requiring multiple button presses, but the presence of physical buttons is a definite upgrade over capacitive touch buttons on the BenQ EW2440 or the more discrete downward-facing buttons on the flagship S277HK.
Acer UT220HQL review

Below the buttons is a 0.75-inch strip of dark silver that houses the speaker, and below the speaker is a long strip of lucite plastic that measures two inches wide.
The plastic makes the display appear like it's floating, but in reality makes cable management harder as you can see right through the base. I personally didn't care for the clear plastic strip on the bottom, as I felt that it makes the display look disjointed moving between the glossy black, mesh silver speaker grill and clear plastic.

Specifications and performance

Because of the touchscreen support, the UT220HQL requires an added USB cable for everything to work. This extra cable will only add more clutter to crowded desks. The USB cable joins other inputs on the UT220HQL, including a single MHL/HDMI, VGA and audio input ports.
Acer UT220HQL review

The low downward-oriented position of the video, audio, and power ports on the rear of the monitor makes it somewhat less comfortable to use. I found that it's easier to lay the monitor flat, plug in the cables and then stand the monitor back in place while trying to avoid sandwiching the cables between the bottom edge of the display or the kickstand and my desk. Although the process isn't complicated, it becomes burdensome while trying to run cables in a tight corner desk or cubicle.
On my HP EliteBook Folio 1020 G1, I connected the HDMI cable and USB cable and I was able to display the content from my Ultrabook to the UT220HQL, hear audio out of the display's front-facing speaker and use the monitor as my touchscreen.

Specifications

Screen size: 21.5-inch
Aspect ratio: 16:9
Type: LED-backlit LCD IPS
Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080 full HD with touch
Brightness: 250 cd/m2
Response time: 8ms
Viewing angle: 178/178
Tilt: 0/+80
Contrast ratio: 100000000:1
Color support: 16.7 million colors
Weight: 9.50 pounds
Ports: HDMI, VGA, USB, audio, USB hub
Speakers: 2 x 1.0W

There is a small USB hub and headphone jack in the middle of the left edge of the display. As there are two ports, I was able to connect a USB keyboard and mouse to the hub and a standard 3.5mm headphone cable to the side. My only complaint is the hub's positioning, as it looks like the cables are just dangling from the center of the display.

Performance

The UT220HQL does not come with extra frills, like a Blue Light Filter on the premium Acer S277HK. Uncalibrated, the monitor displays colors on the cooler side, with a blueish tint to whites, so a blue light filter mode would be helpful out of the box for users who do not have a colorimeter.
Acer UT220HQL review

After calibrating the UT220HQL with Datacolor's Spyder5 Elite colorimeter, colors appear more pleasing to the eye as the blueish tint was removed. Displayed images instantly looked warmer. Datacolor's display analysis tool reveals that the UT220HQL can achieve 99% of the sRGB, 74% NTSC and 77% Adobe RGB color space, which is slightly better than the BenQ EW2440, but the EW2440 lacks touchscreen support.
The UT220HQL has excellent contrast and color accuracy, good color uniformity across the screen, and mediocre brightness uniformity with some light leakage at the screen's edge. In general, the screen is still a good panel unless you're working in a production setting.
Acer UT220HQL review

Because the UT220HQL uses an IPS panel, users will benefit from wide 178-degree viewing angles horizontally and vertically. However, the downside is that the refresh rate is slower, up to 8ms, which makes the panel less ideal for gaming than twisted nematic (TN) panels.
Speaker quality is decent and is plenty loud to enjoy music, a YouTube video or a movie, but lacks the rich audio fidelity of more premium speakers.

Ergonomics

Just like the Surface Pro 3 tablet, the kickstand of the UT220HQL is adjustable, allowing the display to recline between zero degrees with the kickstand unactivated to 80 degrees. At the 80-degree setting, the UT220HQL feels more like a regular upright display, but the reclined position makes it look more like an art easel, which is great for viewing photos.
Acer UT220HQL review

Given the display's high color accuracy ratings, a more reclined easel position is ideal for making quick Adobe Photoshop edits or collaborating on a presentation. I was working on a presentation with a friend in this mode, and at an approximate 50-degree tilt, it was comfortable for both of us to manipulate the PowerPoint and rehearse together. The easel position reminds me of what the Acer Aspire R13 could do, but with a much larger screen panel.
For enterprise users looking to adopt the UT220HQL, the biggest downside is that the display cannot be raised or lowered vertically. Similarly, there is also no horizontal adjustment – to adjust the panel sideways, you'll have to just move the display, which isn't too big of a deal considering the panel doesn't weigh that much.
Acer UT220HQL review

This situation is somewhat alleviated if your office is equipped with VESA mounts. In this case, you wouldn't need to pull the metal bar down for a kickstand – you'll just need to screw in the VESA mounting plate to the rear of the UT220HQL.
If your desk butts up against a wall, the VESA-compatible UT220HQL also allows you to free up desk space by mounting the unit on the wall. In this case, the downward-facing position of the ports make sense as the input wires will be accessible, whereas on the desk the cables are harder to reach without having to lift or reposition the display.

Verdict

At its current retail price of $146, the UT220HQL packs in a touchscreen on top of full HD resolution. This is great for desktop users to enjoy touch support on Windows 8, 8.1 and 10. Laptop owners who have a built-in touchscreen can now enjoy their content on a larger canvas without losing touchscreen functionality.

What we liked

An affordable price tag and touchscreen functionality makes the UT220HQL a great desktop companion for Windows users with multitouch support. For office workers collaborating on presentations and projects, the added touchscreen makes the experience more engaging for everyone. In a small group, this means that everyone can actively participate and drive the computing experience, rather than designate one person to select things with a keyboard and mouse.

What we disliked

Uneven screen luminosity may limit this affordable panel's appeal to creative users who need a studio-grade display. For the majority of users, however, there is still plenty to like, provided you don't need a higher 4K resolution. Gamers will likely want to stay away from the UT220HQL due to its slower 8ms grey-to-grey refresh rate.
Despite it's low price, falling prices in the PC market means you can probably get an all-in-one – monitor and PC in a single package – for just a little more. A refurbished Aspire ZC, for example, costs about $100 (£63, AU$128) more at $250 (£157, AU$320). Also, upgrading to a 4K panel is about $150 (£94, AU$192) more, with Dell's P2815Q priced at $299 (£188, AU$383), but that option comes in a 28-inch size and lacks touch.

Final verdict

While the UT220HQL won't appeal to niche audiences – gamers and creative professionals requiring a studio quality display – it's an excellent option for mainstream computer owners who would like to add a touchscreen. The display doesn't come with frills, such as low blue light modes, but it still renders colors accurately and covers much of the color spectrum. It is an excellent option for students, home users and professionals who still want post-PC touch capabilities while being stuck in a PC world.

Pebble Time pre-orders now open to all

If you weren't a Kickstarter-backer for the Pebble Time, we have good news: Pebble has opened up pre-orders globally for its second-gen smartwatch.
While Kickstarter backers have already had their units shipped to them, everyone else can now pre-order the newest Pebble from Best Buy or Pebble's online store. An announcement on in-store availability is due out soon, too.
Cheaper than most of its competitors, the Pebble Time is priced at $199.99 (£179, AU$199.99), and comes in black, red and white. Shipping is expected to start in July, though this could change.
Do keep in mind that the Pebble Time Steel is set to go on sale a little later this year, so if you want a stainless steel casing instead of plastic, it might be best to wait a few months more.

Pebble Time vs Pebble Steel vs Pebble

Acer's Chromebase all-in-one touchscreen desktop is now available

For better or worse, the world has two new Chrome-based desktops. Acer has finally unveiled the Chromebase DC221HQ all-in-one desktops it first teased back in April.
The new desktop lineup will feature two 21.5-inch computers, one touch-enabled and one with a standard screen. Both displays will feature a 1,920 X 1080p full HD resolution.
Under the hood, the Chromebase will feature an NVIDIA Tegra K1 quad-core processor, and a storage capacity of up to 16GB of data. If you buy this desktop, you'll also receive 100GB of free Google Drive storage. Acer boasts a speedy start-up time of 10 seconds for these AIOs, which come standard with 4GB of DDR3 1600Mhz memory, but we can't guarantee that speed until we get our hands on a unit.

Price and usability

The Acer Chromebase is available for $429.99 (£270, AU$556) with a touchscreen, or $329.99 (about £200, AU$360) for the standard model.
As we learned in April, the Chromebase can be mounted via a VESA interface, so you can attach it to a stand, bracket, arm or wall, which should please managers of cramped offices and purveyors of retail stores that require easy access to inventory navigation.

The market

The Chrome desktop phase has only just begun. The market already has a solid entry, the LG Chromebase ($349.99, £207, AU$376), an affordable and easy-to-use desktop that is limited only by a weak speaker and uncomfy keyboard. There is also Acer's Chromebox ($179, £178, AU$230) tower, which does not come with a dedicated monitor, but serves as a nifty machine that can be transported from office to office.
The Chromebook market is incredibly mature, with dozens of incredible options available from multiple manufacturers, including Acer. However, as more and more users move away from Windows-, OS X- and Chrome-based desktops and laptops to tablets and hybrids, you've got to wonder if there is a large enough consumer base for Acer and LG to capitalize on Chrome-only desktops.
What are the Best Chromebooks on the market?

E3 2015: Who came away from E3 2015 with the console crown?

Who won E3 2015?

This year's E3 is all wrapped up, the glitz and glamour of the world's biggest gaming show is over and the votes have been cast. With Microsoft and Sony going toe-to-toe, and Nintendo sneaking in the back door, who has come away from LA with the E3 2015 crown?
Well, Sony is my choice for "winner" of this year's E3 expo, but I think Nintendo is the company most deserving of a round of applause - or at the very least, a heartfelt hug and restorative cup of tea.
It might have had by far the least memorable conference, with fans up in arms over the absence of certain games and franchises, but it also had to work the hardest for what little acclaim it managed to garner.
The fabulous but underselling Wii U, after all, is at death's door - a successor, the NX, has been announced but isn't yet ready for reveal, which puts Nintendo in the painful position of shoring up an ailing platform while tacitly setting aside the pick of forthcoming games for a console it can't discuss.
Hence its unexciting E3 software line-up, a parade of spin-offs led by the already known-about game editing suite Super Mario Maker and arcade shooter Star Fox Zero, bolstered by some diversionary theatrics on the part of company executives.

Perhaps the fan reception would have been kinder had Nintendo gone first with its presser, rather than striding into the frenzy generated by some utterly bonkers announcements from the other two manufacturers.
As things stood, it was like watching Mario play tennis against two tennis machines, armed with a string-less racket.
Judged in isolation, however, Nintendo's E3 slate was pretty strong - more tangible, certainly, than Sony's fairytale show of vapourware brought back from the dead - and PR blunder-free save for the tactically misjudged announcement of a Metroid that isn't the much-rumoured Metroid Prime 4.
Out in December, the new Starfox is the very definition of a nostalgic Christmas treat, modelled on the celebrated SNES and N64 titles and created in partnership with Platinum Games, a studio with few peers in the third-person action space.
Super Mario Maker looks delightful for all its homely visuals, and is something of a triple triumph - a journey through Mario's glorious history, a workout for Wii U's under-utilised tablet controller and a love letter to wannabe designers of all ages.

While hardly killer apps, these games show that Nintendo has its heart in the right place as the manufacturer prepares its new machine for the public eye.
With Nintendo buying time for NX, it was left to Sony and Microsoft to deliver most of the drama this year. In a refreshing departure from the subtweet-level hostilities that characterise many E3s, this year's clash felt like a sparky double-act rather than a catfight - each company playing to its own strengths without really treading on the other's toes.
The exception there is, of course, the shock announcement of local Xbox One backwards compatibility with Xbox 360 games, given publisher approval.
It's not the kind of feature that wins console wars in itself - previous generations have shown that people are happy to hold onto their old consoles and games - but the impact on the battle of perceptions shouldn't be understated.

Sony has done well over the past few years by presenting itself as best friend to the average gamer, with a cheaper yet more powerful machine and a library of great "free" games on PlayStation Plus.
Now, it must pitch its own, pricey backwards compatibility program, the PlayStation Now streaming service, against a free solution that isn't affected by internet latency. Sony can take some consolation from the fact that Activision's Call of Duty franchise has switched sides, ending its long-standing symbolic DLC partnership with Xbox in order to bring Black Ops 3 maps to PS4 players first.
That teeth-rattling backwards compatibility revelation aside, Microsoft's major reveals and promises were predictable but substantial: a blend of clever strategic overtures, such as the announcement of a Steam Early Access-style trials program for Xbox One, and accomplished-looking winter 2015 exclusives, livened up by a mind-bending show of the HoloLens headset in action.
Bread-and-butter games like Halo 5, Forza 6 and Gears of War all put in appearances along with Rare Ltd's long-awaited new IP, Sea of Thieves, a multiplayer-centric pirate sim with naval battles that call to mind Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag.
In further evidence that the British developer has left its Kinect days far behind, this surfaced alongside an Xbox One compilation of classic Rare games such as Perfect Dark and Battletoads - all IPs we'd like to see more of in future.
Halo

Microsoft also secured what is probably the conference's most important third party exclusive deal in the shape of support for Fallout 4 mods on Xbox One. Major Bethesda RPGs are once-in-a-generation affairs, and this one is impossibly full-featured - it's a game that lets you build your own town, for crying out loud.
Those mods will eventually appear on Sony's flagship console, but according to Fallout 4's game director, Todd Howard, the timetable on that is 'fuzzy'.
But none of that was enough to seriously challenge what is perhaps Sony's greatest E3 conference to date, an exercise in pure wish fulfilment that had the most jaded of observers wiping away tears of gratitude.
It began with the first PS4 footage of The Last Guardian, a spiritual sequel to the acclaimed ICO and Shadow of the Colossus, which stars a lost child and an enormous yet endearing, wonderfully lifelike mythical creature.
The game was announced for PS3 way back in 2009, and most fans of creator Fumito Ueda had given up hope of ever playing it - myself included.
The Last Guardian

The Last Guardian's presence on stage made the conference a hit all by itself, but more was to follow. Square Enix's Final Fantasy VII remake, a game that's been in demand for the best part of two decades, will come first to PS4.
There was no in-game footage and precious little detail, but the CGI trailer alone put the publisher's stock price through the ceiling.
And then, perhaps most miraculously of all, Sony reached into its wizard's hat and pulled out a Kickstarter page for Yu Suzuki's Shenmue 3, successor to the Dreamcast's most treasured exclusive.
Within a matter of hours fans had pledged over a million dollars, crippling the site's servers in the process (the majority of funds will be supplied by Sony and other backers).
Fantasties...

So grand and unexpected were these reveals that most of the Sony show's other big moments, such as live footage of Uncharted 4 and a new IP about hunting robot dinosaurs from Guerrilla Games, felt like warm-up acts rather than plausible GOTY candidates.
The conference left us with plenty of unanswered questions, in fairness - whether The Last Guardian has really overcome its infamous development difficulties? When exactly Final Fantasy VII will launch given Square Enix's track record for delays? And how exactly PS4 owners will occupy themselves this winter, with few exclusive games on offer?
But then, E3 conferences are about raw showmanship in the first instance, about selling a dream to millions of viewers worldwide rather than fielding enquiries from people on the ground, and this year Sony has put on a historic performance.

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Tuesday, June 23, 2015

IT News Head Lines (Techradar) 6/24/2015

iOS 9 release date, compatibility and features

iOS 9 release date

iOS 9 compatibility

Smarter Siri

Apple Pay expands

Apple News apps

Apple Maps

Multitasking for iPad

New iOS 9 keyboard

Under the hood

Think VPN services will save you?

The badass women of E3 2015

Lara Croft - Rise of the Tomb Raider

Emily Kaldwin - Dishonored 2

Faith Connors - Mirror's Edge Catalyst

Evie Frye - Assassin's Creed: Syndicate

Aloy - Horizon: Zero Dawn

Joule - ReCore

Rae - Beyond Eyes

Amy Ferrier - Tacoma

Fallout 4

Mass Effect: Andromeda

Women can fight too

Features and FAQ

Sling TV? Is it the same thing as a Slingbox?

What devices can I use to watch it?

What channels are included?

Functionality

Sling TV on Roku

Sling TV on iOS

Sling TV on Amazon Fire TV

Sling TV on Xbox One

Verdict

We liked

We disliked

Verdict

E3 2015 hands on

Early verdict

GDC 2015 hands on

Early verdict

Previous Project Morpheus hands ons

Lost in space

Beyond the sea

Street Luge

Morpheus Castle

Early verdict

Best Windows tablets

1. Dell Venue 11 Pro 7000

2. Asus Transformer Book T300 Chi

3. Microsoft Surface Pro 3

4. Dell XPS 18

5. Lynx 8

6. Pipo W2

7. Lynx 10

Makes iPhone different from Android

2. The no-look click

3. Disappearing physical buttons are a bad trend

Let's get physical

Best 2-in-1 laptops

1. Microsoft Surface Pro 3

2. HP Spectre x360

3. Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 12

4. Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro

5. Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S

6. Asus Transformer Book T200

7. Dell Venue 11 Pro 7130

8. Asus Transformer Book T300 Chi

Enterprise productivity

Gaming

Question

Answer

Introduction and design

Design

Specifications and performance

Specifications

Performance

Ergonomics

Verdict