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Best wireless chargers 2020 for iPhone, Samsung, Huawei and more

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If you've got a phone with wireless charging, then we've collected all the best wireless chargers together in one place just for you. 

Like most other wireless charging phones, the Samsung Galaxy series, Huawei Mate and P Series and latest iPhone models use the standard Qi charging technology supported by all the chargers on this page.

We've opted for chargers able to juice your phone at 7.5 or 10W - be warned that cheaper 5W chargers will charge your phone more slowly. 

Apple announced its own AirPower wireless charging mat but it has now been declared as dead on arrival, sob. Read more: Apple AirPower is dead

Our guide to the best wireless chargers available today

Anker PowerWave Stand

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Anker is a company well known for creating great quality accessories for affordable prices, and the latest PowerWave products are a brilliant example of that. The new Anker Powerwave 7.5 Stand is capable of delivering 5W, 7.5W and 10W wireless charging, so if you have an iPhone XS you'll get the fastest charge available. Similarly, you'll get 10W fast charging on the Galaxy S9 or S9+. What's more, it has cooling to keep itself cool, enabling it to deliver its peak charging speeds for longer. 

Belkin BoostUp 10W Charging Stand

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Available in black and white, Belkin's 10W charging stand is actually the charger we use every day with our iPhone X - it's a reliable charger with a long 1.5-metre lead that stretches across a desk easily. Not to your taste? Check out Belkin's more standard-looking wireless charging pad below. There's a three-year warranty, too. 

Moshi Otto Q 

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Moshi's charging pad supports up to 10W wireless charging and even can detect foreign metal objects placed on the pad (like keys) for added safety. We like it because of its slightly more lifestyle design as well, it's definitely one of the more living room-friendly pads. It's also lightweight at 181g so is ideal for business travel - some of the other pads are significantly heavier than that.  

Greenwich Humber Wireless Desk Charger

Designed in the UK, this slim charger is available direct from Greenwich and will make a stylish addition to your desk. The cover is crafted from high-quality German bull hide leather with a brushed gunmetal aluminium surround. The tech side of things has been handled by popular accessory designer Proporta, the company also behind Ted Baker tech gear. 

Pure Siesta Charge

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Yes, it's an alarm clock! But it's actually a super clever idea and an awesome device to have in your home. Simply put your Qi-compatible phone on top and it'll charge up overnight. What's more, the Siesta Charge is a DAB+ and FM radio with three alarms (all with daily or single-use options) various radio presets, a Bluetooth speaker and there's even a USB port on the back so you can charge other devices like your Apple Watch or a music player (yes, people still have those). It's available in graphite and polar.

Aircharge Dual Fast Wireless Charger

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This double-charger isn't the best-looking device but it is very practical, delivering up to 20W fast charging to two Qi devices at once. It's also extremely portable at 130g, so could easily be used for travel. The charger also has several protections against common issues such as overheating or foreign objects, while it can also charge through phone cases up to 5mm. 

PowerPic

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This innovative charger is inside a picture frame. It's actually a rather cool way to have a wireless charger somewhere accessible within your home. The 5x7-inch frame is made from New Zealand pine and comes in white or black. Naturally, it's Qi compatible and works up to 10W, while it will also work with cases up to 3mm thick and 6.5-inches tall. There's a status light on the back of the frame. A clever idea indeed. 

Moshi Symbus Q Compact USB-C dock

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Taking the premise of the Otto Q a stage further, the Symbus Q boasts 10W wireless charging on top but changes things up significantly with a USB-C cable enabling a single connection to a Mac or PC for display (there's HDMI), network and USB - there's two USB-A ports on the front. Sadly there's no extra USB-C port, but otherwise, this is a super choice as an all-purpose desk dock. 

Anker PowerWave Pad 

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The PowerWave 7.5W Pad shares all the same features of the Stand, except, rather than an angled stand, this is a circular pad that you lie your phone down on. The entire surface is coated in a fairly grippy finish to ensure that even glossy phones won't slide off. It has the same power delivery and cooling to keep it charging quickly. 

Mophie Wireless Charging Base

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Mophie is the undisputed champion of battery covers, and it's now launched a wireless charging base, imaginatively called the Mophie Wireless Charging Base. It's a compact round device with non-slip rubber finish to ensure your shiny phone doesn't just slide off into oblivion whenever you place it down on the charger.

Belkin BoostUp - 7.5W or 10W

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The Boost Up Wireless Charging Pad is round and flat, with a grippy rubber ring in the centre, again to ensure you slippery glass phone doesn't fall off. It can also charge through cases up to 3mm thick, and supports 7.5W faster charging for devices that support it. There's also a newer version of this pad for 10W charging. 

AirUnleashed

The designers of AirUnleashed have produced a mat that looks similar to Apple's doomed AirPower mat but there is a difference. While AirPower was intended to be a mat you could charge devices on wherever you placed them, AirUnleashed has specific places for each device. The mat will charge all variants of Apple Watch, AirPods 2 with the wireless charging case and any Qi-compliant phone. It's 7.5W rated for the iPhone.


The best coding toys 2020: From robots to iPad games, these toys will help teach your kids to code

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Coding is all the rage at primary school and beyond as parents and teachers show how keen they are to teach children the value of learning how the technology around us works.

Coding toys and robots range vastly in their approach. Some focus on teaching the importance of sequencing while others allow you to dabble in AI. The big takeaway? Your kid's never too young to start to learn how to code.

This selection of the best coding toys and robots offers a number of options to suit a range of ages and budgets. Some will require you to supply a smartphone or a tablet to work while others focus on just having fun.

Kano Harry Potter Coding Kit

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This magical kit from Kano lets you build your own wand before you begin to start learning how to code. The kit, which is well put together, includes easy to follow instructions, colour coded parts, and that all-important wand.

To keep the costs down you'll still need to provide your own device to pair it with (like an iPad or smartphone), but you're pretty unlikely to be missing one of those, right? Young kids will struggle without some parental help, but this kit is a great way to explain some of the magic of coding.

Anki Vector

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Looking and sounding like a robot from Disney's Wall-e, Vector is a miniature robot with a huge amount of personality. He uses AI to whizz around your kitchen table, can recognise your face and therefore say hello, and when used with a smartphone or tablet play a number of games and perform a number of tricks.

You can use the education side of things comes into play with the accompanying app that lets you code Vector. The more you play, the more you can unlock. Great fun but you will need a phone or tablet to get the most from him.

Fisher Price Code-a-Pillar

Aimed at really young children (3+), the Code-a-Pillar is about learning the value of sequencing. The caterpillar can be broken into nine segments which control whether the caterpillar goes left, right, forwards, or wiggles, among other instructions with the aim of the game to reach targets you place on the floor.  

This is really entry level stuff, but it's great fun and helps start those value building blocks of placing commands in order to get an outcome. Certainly one for pre-schoolers.

Osmo Coding Awbie

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Osmo is a series of games for children designed to merge physical and app-based play using an iPad. This game - check out our full Osmo Coding Awbit review - lets you follow the adventures of Awbie as he eats his way through strawberries on screen.

To make that happen, children must place together physical coding blocks giving the instructions to move, run jump or stop. The game works using the iPad's camera to watch what pieces you are putting down in front of the screen and then follows your commands accordingly.

Mind Designer Robot

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Aimed at 6-10 year old children who want to code, the Mind Designer Robot from Italian company Clementoni is great in that, although you can enhance it with an app, you don't need a smartphone or tablet to use it.

Instead, you can either program it via pressing a series of buttons on the back or, better still, just talk to it thanks to voice recognition. You can also load the bug-looking robot with a colouring pen to help you draw a picture. 

Botley - the coding robot

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Ditching the need for a smartphone or tablet all together, Botley is a fun friendly coding robot that's suitable for young children. In the box you'll get a stack of activity accessories to play with and the all-important remote control to be able to code up to 80 instruction steps.

It might sound basic, but Botley features object detection, loop commands and black line following. For those worried about screen time this is perfect.

BinaryBots Plastic2Code Crab

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BinaryBots is a smart toy robotics manufacturer that uses the BBC micro:bit pocket-sized codeable computer inside the toy (that is sold separately, though, it's key to note). Featuring a mechanical meccano-like approach to play, kids have to build the robot before they can code and control it.

There are three kits to start with: Totem Crab, Totem Tortoise, and Totem Spider, and these can all be merged and expanded on. One for older kids looking to experiment further. 

Logiblocks

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Logiblocks is an electronic coding toy that lets you physically snap "commands" together to build an electronic system. The blocks which are battery powered and sealed to allow for non-supervised play, can be arranged in a number of ways to create everything from rain detectors to a Morse code machine.

There's a range of sets available with a range of different projects to complete. Everything is interchangeable, so you can expand as you go. The company is also planning on introducing a Bluetooth bolt on to allow Scratch programs to control the Logibloc circuits and vice versa.

Sphero Mini

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Sphero Mini is a miniaturised version of the original app-enabled robot toy. The size of ping pong ball, you can control it with different modes in the Sphero Mini app, or you can just use your face thanks to a new feature called Face Drive. As you might expect, this uses your facial expressions to steer the ball.

Sphero Mini sports a little gyroscope, accelerometer and LED lights, as well as colourful, interchangeable shells. 

It uses Micro USB charging and gives you about one-hour of play after an hour of full charging. It also comes with three mini traffic cones and six mini bowling pins for different games. 

Google Pixel 4a: Release date, rumours, specs and leaks

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In 2019 Google launched a more affordable handset, the Pixel 3a and it looks like there's going to be a follow-up in 2020, a cheaper version of the Pixel 4.

Leaks surrounding the Google Pixel 4a have started to appear, so we're rounding them up so you know expect come launch day.

Release date and price

  • May 2020 expected

Nothing has been said about when we might see the Pixel 4a launch so far, but the Pixel 3a was announced at Google I/O 2019, in May. The best starting point is that we'll see a similar launch timetable from Google, although it might be earlier to get the phone to market sooner, following the success in 2019.

There's no word on price, but that's a key point of this phone. Google dropped the prices on the Pixel 4, so the 4a might come in cheaper than the 3a's £399.

Design

  • 144.2 x 69.5 x 8.2mm

Thanks to some detailed renders, we have a vision of what this phone will look like. It doesn't throw up too many surprises, but it's worth mentioning that the given dimensions suggest that it's slightly smaller than the Pixel 3a. However, the display - while not edge-to-edge - cuts down the forehead and chin of the 2019 phone, so the display is likely to be larger.

There's a fingerprint scanner on the rear, but it's not yet known what material is being used for the body. The early renders give it a seamless look like it's polycarbonate, but with glass being so common even in budget phones, we suspect it will be glass.

Also interesting is that Google looks to be pushing a pronounced camera bump here, with a single camera and flash in the black housing on the rear. That does, at least, give some familial design link to the Pixel 4.

An interesting detail is the 3.5mm headphone socket, something many flagship phones now omit.

Display

  • 5.7 or 5.8-inch display 
  • Punch hole camera
  • Likely OLED

The display on the Pixel 4a is expected to be flat, with slimmed down bezels and no notch. Instead, there's going to be a punch hole for the front camera, something that we've not seen on a Pixel before. 

There's no word on the resolution of the Pixel 4a - and there's nothing so far on whether there's going to be a Pixel 4a XL, we suspect there will be. It's likely that both will be 1080p and the larger device could be around 6.2-inches.

While there's no detail on the display technology we suspect it will be OLED.

Hardware specs

As for the hardware, there's no detail at all. We can assume it will be a Snapdragon 700 series. If Google wants to push 5G then it will likely be Qualcomm Snapdragon 765, but we can't see this being an immediate priority for Google.

The same applies to other key hardware specs: we don't know the RAM or the storage, but the Pixel 3a was a 4/64GB configuration. 

Camera

From the renders we can see a single camera in the rear housing, along with the LED flash. We can fairly safely assume that this is the same camera unit as the Pixel 4 - that's the point of these phones after all - to give you access to those camera skills at a lower price point.

In that sense, you can expect to find a 12.2-megapixel 1.4µm sensor with f/1.7 lens and optical image stabilisation. It will likely have all the AI skills of the Pixel 4, like Night Sight.

The front camera in the display is likely to be an 8-megapixel 1.22µm sensor with f/2.0 lens and some rare bokeh skills.

Google Pixel 4a rumours: What's happened so far?

Here are all the rumours surrounding the Pixel 4a so far.

30 December 2019: Pixel 4a leak revives Google's desirable mid-range handset

Renders of the Pixel 4a from a reliable source have given us a good look at this future phone from Google.

Samsung to demo SelfieType and other Back to the Future-style innovations at CES

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As part of its CES 2020 line-up, Samsung will demonstrate several tech innovations from its C-Lab Inside program and a few from partnering third-party start-ups.

Among them will be a virtual keyboard using the selfie camera of a phone, a digital highlighter pen that will read text and send it to your handset, a hair loss sensor that takes readings from your scalp, and a UV reader that you wear on your wrist.

Samsung's partner products and software innovations include a friendly household robot and a motion sensor that can read hand and eye movements to control your TV, smart home or even in-car systems.

We hope to catch up with the C-Lab concepts at CES 2020 when we're there from the start of next week. These, though, are the ones that have piqued our interest the most so far.

SelfieType

As mentioned above, one of Samsung's developments includes a virtual keyboard that uses the front-facing camera on an existing smartphone to recognise your finger movements. That way you can simply tap on a black table or desk, yet touch type as if you have an actual keyboard in front of you. Of course, it'll help if you can already touch type as it doesn't seem to project anything onto the desk.

Hyler

Hyler is a smart highlighter pen that converts text in a book or on a sheet of paper into digital words on a mobile device. It can even be used to search for phrases or words on the internet.

SunnySide

SunnySide seems to be inspired by sci-fi movies - those that feature apartments without a view of the outside world. It is a light that sits in a window frame that produces artificial sunlight that changes depending on the time of the day.

Vtouch

One of the third-party innovations, Vtouch is a gesture control technology that can be used in all-manner of circumstances, including in-car, smart home and on digital signage for information booths or even advertising. You can find out more about it here.

The other C-Lab concepts to appear at CES 2020 will be Becon, Ultra V, Circulus, Fitt and Smoothy - the latter being a group chat app that uses Samsung AR Emoji to mirror real facial expressions and motions on screen.

Nintendo Switch storage full? The best microSD card offers to buy and avoid download disappointment

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You've got a shiny new Nintendo Switch but, wait, what's that? Yep, just one game download can easily fill the console's measly 32GB storage.

Fortunately the Switch has a microSD card slot for expansion to avoid this being a huge issue.

Furthermore, cartridge games don't need to be installed on the console unlike downloaded titles from the Nintendo eShop, which is another way to swerve filling up the on-board storage.

Here are some safe bets to ensure your Nintendo Switch has spare storage for dabbling in eShop download land. The 64GB option is a bona fide bargain, but if you want to go all-out there are official Nintendo-endorsed SanDisk options.

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Some advice if you wish to buy outside of those options: check the card speed, but don't read too deeply into it. See that circle with a number in it? That's the card class. Class 10 means 10MB/second minimum sustained write speed, Class 6 means 6MB/sec, and so forth.

Often you'll see an "I" to the bottom corner of a card, too, in numeral style, which represents UHS-I, or ultra-high speed, assuring a decent buffer speed to keep data chugging along. UHS-II ("II" rather than "I" symbol) is a lot faster, but rarely supported - so best avoided on a cost basis here as it'll bring no benefit. If you see a 3 symbol in a bucket then, again, that's the higher UHS speed class and not necessary.

A final word of caution: if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. A number of tampered cards are available to buy, many of which might say "128GB" on the outside buy be considerably less capacious in reality. Don't get stung! We advise sticking to well-known brands if you're not sure.

This article was first published March 2017 and has been updated to reflect changing offers.

The Pocket-lint team pick their tech of the decade - what's yours?

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Last week the Pocket-lint team selected our personal favourite tech from 2019. But what about the decade as a whole? It's the understatement of the year that it's been an incredibly busy 10 years not only in terms of the devices themselves but also in the evolution of the technologies that power and connect our devices.

The start of the decade saw us moving well-and-truly into the smartphone era, while the end of it sees us about to embark on a 5G adventure. 

While the smart home was still a pipedream in 2010, having swathes of smart devices is now within the grasp of many. And while wireless audio, Full HD and 4K, smart assistants and online banking are among the other things to have taken off this decade, it's worth remembering that some of our most used devices weren't around at the start of 2010 - the iPad (see below) wasn't launched until April 2010, for example. 

So what tech and gadgets do the Pocket-lint team look back on most fondly from the last decade? It's worth remembering that these aren't what we think are the out-and-out best gadgets of the 2010s, but the ones that have made the most difference to our own lives. 

Adrian Willings, Contributing Editor - Roborock S6 robot vacuum cleaner  

I've been reviewing robot vacuum cleaners for a while now and once you get one in your home it's hard to imagine anything else. They might not be a replacement for a "proper" clean with a full-sized vacuum cleaner, but they're a Godsend for keeping the house looking presentable with kids, cats and dogs charging about and leaving a trail of mess wherever they go.

Roborock's various robot vacuum cleaners have always been a welcome addition to the home, the flagship S6 robot vacuum does such a superb job of cleaning, mopping and getting about the house with a minimum amount fuss or intervention. These robot vacuums are also jam-packed with features and performance capabilities that outperform much more expensive bots and are proof that quality doesn't have to cost the earth, which is always a winner in my book. 

Cam Bunton, contributing editor - Panasonic Lumix GH4

As someone who shoots video very frequently, it’s hard to imagine a world without the ability to shoot 4K video on a portable, mirrorless system with interchangeable lenses. But it wasn’t always that way. When it launched, the Panasonic Lumix GH4 was really groundbreaking in this area. It allowed you to shoot 4K video, without needing a special storage drive: just an SD card was fine. What’s more, it wasn’t hideously expensive either.

Cameras may have got a lot better since, but the GH4 to me is the modern camera that started that move into 4K, and was THE camera to have for any amateur and semi-professional videographer or YouTuber for a good couple of years after it launched. 

Chris Hall, editor - Android

Android was almost a dirty word in its early years, considered by many as something experimental and lacking compared to the likes of BlackBerry OS or Windows Mobile. But it was the excitement of an open-source offering and vibrant developer community that brought Android into the big time.

Android isn't just about phones, it's a platform for so many different types of device. While it still gets slammed because Samsung phones don't get updated fast enough, it's a platform that's enabling technology of all types, bringing some commonality to this diversity - and that's hugely significant. Android has powered an explosion in smart devices over the past 10 years making it perhaps the most significant technology enabler we saw in the decade.

Dan Grabham, associate editor - Apple iPad and Amazon Echo

What do you mean, I'm cheating having two? Well, I put together this feature so to hell with it - I couldn't decide between them. While the Apple Watch has had perhaps the biggest day-to-day impact personally, these two gadgets have had the biggest impact of the last decade on our home.

The Apple iPad has been a significant driver of everyday computing; looking up recipes, checking out the sales and Skyping the grandparents - it's done it all. In fact, all the stuff that 10 years ago you'd have probably fired up a laptop for. We've had an iPad almost since day one - I still have an original one in the cupboard - but the one that's stuck in the living room remains an ageing original iPad Air (I use a 2017 iPad Pro other than that). The iPad Air may be creaking under the strain of updates and is in need of a wipe-and-restore, but it's still the go-to device. 

And as for the Amazon Echo, we've had one in the kitchen since its 2016 UK launch, with the original model since replaced by both generations of Echo Plus. It's not just something we use for timers, music and some general queries but interestingly it's also something the kids like talking to - and that's probably a sign of where our devices are heading in the 2020s. Unlike three years ago, I'm now certain that it's here to stay and the competition between Amazon and Google for our voices is going to be a compelling theme of the next decade. 

Max Freeman-Mills, writer - Anker PowerCore 10,000

The best technology isn’t always exciting or glamorous. But there’s only one piece of tech that I’ve had in my bag, without new generations or replacements, for the full majority of the last 10 years — a modest Anker PowerCore 10,000. First and foremost, it’s a great portable battery, diminutively sized and with great charging rates. 

More than that, though, it sums up a lot of the big moves this past decade. We started it off with phones that would last through the day, but soon succumbed to a few years of terrible battery lives, even before the perils of uber-popular battery destroyers like Pokémon Go came around to make battery packs ubiquitous. In more recent times, we seem to be through that dark patch, but my PowerCore remains on standby at all times, faithful and reliable. My decade would have been incrementally more stressful without it. 

Mike Lowe, reviews editor - Nintendo Switch

It’s hard to imagine a world devoid of Nintendo making games consoles. But that could have happened: the Wii U, released in 2012, was such an ill-named flop that its follow-up, the Switch, had to be right. Not only was it bang on the money when it arrived in 2017, but it was also revolutionary, wrapping together a portable system that could be played on the go, or docked to be played at home on the telly like a traditional console. 

Zelda came to the rescue in one of the best console launch games ever, and by the time Mario and Pokemon titles had arrived over the following years, the Switch had cemented itself as a truly different system to the established PlayStation and Xbox elites. It really stands out as one of those defining and different pieces of tech from this decade – with the legs to go beyond it, too.

Rik Henderson, senior editor of news & features - LG OLED65E6 TV

It was so hard to whittle down every great piece of tech from the last 10 years to just one - especially when gaming had its best decade yet - but I decided to plump for the device that has had the most impact on my life for the last few years: my 65-inch LG OLED TV.

One of the batch of the first 4K HDR TVs from the brand, the LG OLED65E6 sat below the Signature G6 so was (moderately) more affordable at the time but essentially featured the exact same picture processing and panel. And not only did it cause my jaw to drop when first spied in an electronic store's TV showcase area, it has done ever since I've turned it on too.

Yes, there are better OLED TVs around now - as is the way of such things - but OLED panel tech hasn't progressed that much and the deep, involving black levels and clever grasp on colour saturation holds up superbly well.

Having started to review TVs during the days of the superb Pioneer plasmas, I had been searching for the modern equivalent - one that didn't take an entire nuclear plant just to power. LG's OLED was, and still is, my Holy Grail.

Stuart Miles, founder - Apple Watch  

For most of the decade, I’ve worn a wearable of some nature. First the Nike+ SportWatch, then the Pebble, with a Nike+ Fuelband and various other smartwatches thrown in somewhere in the mix for good measure, before eventually settling on the Apple Watch. 

Now in 2019 it's hard to imagine a life without one. I use the Apple Watch to measure my activity, to pay for things, and to unlock my Mac. In a discreet way, the Apple Watch has become very much part of my life.  

And I suspect that the reasons to continue to wear it in the future will continue to grow whether that’s allowing me to open and lock my car, or eventually my house. While it’s not without its faults, not wearing one is now more of a hinderance than ever before. 

Polar updates Vantage V and M with FitSpark smart coaching, race pace and Strava Live Segments

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Polar has confirmed that there's an update to the Polar Vantage V and Vantage M coming down the pipeline.

The company's smarter sports watches will get an update that brings a range of new features. Leading the charge is a feature called FitSpark, an enhanced personalised training guide that takes into account your current status, looking at your recovery state and suggesting suitable workouts. 

The system relies on all the data that the Vantage models will collect, from your sleep and recovery through to recent activity levels and will make suggests across a range of different workout types, through cardio, strength training and performance training.

FitSpark was first introduced on the Polar Ignite, but now this wrist-based coach makes the jump to a wide range of devices.

That's not the only new feature coming to the watches. There's a clever new Race Pace feature that will calculate the ideal race pace for you, dynamically changing through the event. That means you can set your target time and the race pace will tell you how far ahead or behind you might be, so you can make adjustments accordingly. 

This should, in theory, help you to allow for things like hills on the route, letting you adjust your pace slightly during the event to make sure you stay on target.

Finally, the Polar Vantage V will also get support Strava Live Segments. This will let Strava users see where a segment starts and finishes and also how you compare to the expected time. That should mean that rather than getting back home and examining your data, you should be able to compete with the Strava community better when you're out on the road or tracks.

The new firmware update is available today.

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Xiaomi Mi 10: Release date, rumours and specs

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Xiaomi has been making waves over the past few years, with a more aggressive approach to international expansion and looking to get a real foothold in Europe.

The next flagship phone for 2020 will be the Mi 10, a phone that the company has confirmed. But what will it offer?

Release date and price 

  • Q1 2020 confirmed

Xiaomi often releases its phones in homeland China before holding a global event. Sometimes there are some variations - perhaps in naming - but in recent years we've seen some parity in these launches. 

There's currently no launch date, but Xiaomi confirmed that the Mi 10 would be launching in Q1 2020. We suspect there will be a launch in China followed by an unveiling at Mobile World Congress 2020 in late February. 

There's no word on price, but we'd expect it to come in at around £499.

Design

There's currently little to go on in terms of the design. We're expecting it to be an evolution of the Mi 9 models, but currently there's nothing to reveal the design.

Display 

There have been no leaks surrounding the display of the Mi 10, but we'd expect it to be around the same size as the Mi 9T Pro, so around 6.5-inches. We've also recently seen the Redmi K30 launch with a 120Hz display and that seems to be very much on trend, so we'd expect the Mi 10 to offer this faster refresh rate.

We also suspect that there will be a punch hole camera in the display.

Hardware specs

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 865

One of the confirmed details is that the Mi 10 will use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 platform. This was confirmed by Xiaomi itself at the launch of the new Qualcomm hardware - and Xiaomi also confirmed that it would be launching a range of 5G handsets, so we suspect this will be a 5G phone from launch, using the X55 modem. 

Few other details about the hardware loadout have been leaked, but there has been talk of a 4800mAh battery. 

Camera

On the camera front, Xiaomi packs in impressive performance for the price. We've recently seen some interesting camera moves from Xiaomi, using Sony's new IMX686 64-megapixel sensor in the Redmi K30 as well as launching a 108-megapixel system in the Mi Note 10 and we could see either of these flow through into the Mi 10 too. At the moment, there's no evidence either way.

As we mentioned, there could be a punch hole camera in the display, either in a single or double arrangement.

Xiaomi Mi 10 rumours: What's happened so far? 

There haven't been many, but here are all the rumours surrounding the Xiaomi Mi 10 so far.

28 December 2019: Xiaomi Mi 10 could have a 4500-4800mAh battery

A leak via Weibo has suggested a huge battery capacity for the forthcoming Xiaomi phone.

3 December 2019: Xiaomi Mi 10 will be one of the first Snapdragon 865 phones

Xiaomi confirms that it will be one of the first phones to launch use the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 platform in the Mi 10.


Apple AirPods tips and tricks: How to get the most out of Apple's wireless earphones

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Apple's AirPods are like Marmite: you'll either love the unconventional design or you'll hate it. Chances are if you're reading this feature, you sit in the former camp with us though. Yes, they look a little odd, but they are also great.

We want to help you get the most out of your Apple AirPods, whether you have the first generation, the second generation with Hey Siri support and the optional wireless charging case or the latest AirPod Pros.

Here are our top tips and tricks to ensure you master your Apple wireless earphones in no time.

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Apple AirPods and AirPods Pro pairing tips and tricks

How to connect AirPods to your iPhone or iPad

All generations of Apple AirPods have a special chip (the W1 or H1) in them which allows for very easy connection to your iPhone or iPad.

Open the lid on the AirPods case, press and hold the small button on the back and place the AirPods case next to your iPhone or iPad. The AirPods will appear at the bottom of your iPhone or iPad screen. Unlock your iPhone or iPad and press the Connect button. That's it for the first and second generation models.

For the AirPods Pro, there is an additional step in the Ear Tip Fit Test. The test takes around five seconds and will determine if you have a good fit. If not, the results might recommend you try one of the other silicone tips included. There's a choice of small, medium and large.

How to connect AirPods to your Apple Watch

The AirPods connect automatically to any iOS devices registered to your Apple ID once connected to your iPhone so you don't need to go through the pairing process more than once.

As soon as you take one AirPod out of its case, they will show as Connected in the Bluetooth settings of your Apple Watch.

How to connect AirPods to your MacBook

Any connected AirPods will already be visible in the Bluetooth menu of your MacBook. To connect, open the Bluetooth settings > Find your AirPods in the list > Press Connect.

How to connect AirPods to an Android device

Open the Bluetooth settings on your Android device> Select Pair a New Device > Open AirPods case to enable pairing > Confirm pairing.

If the Apple AirPods don't appear in the available devices list, push and hold the button on the rear of the AirPods case until the LED light between the AirPods flashes, placing the AirPods in pairing mode. You'll then need to select them from the list and confirm pairing.

How to connect AirPods to a PC

Open the Bluetooth settings on your PC > Press and hold the button the back of your AirPods case > Tap on the AirPods when they appear as an available device. They might appear under headphones, rather than AirPods.

Once you tap connect, the AirPods will be connected to your PC for audio.

How to connect two AirPods to an iPhone

You can connect two sets of AirPods to an iPhone so you could have the first and second generation paired, or the first generation and AirPods Pro, for example. To do this, follow the same pairing process for the second pair as you did the first.

When you connect another pair of AirPods, the name of the first pair will see a "1" added to it and the second pair you connect will have a "2" after its name. Both will appear on any other iOS devices linked to your Apple ID.

Apple AirPods and AirPods Pro battery tips and tricks

How to check battery on AirPods

Checking the battery of your AirPods is very simple on iPhone. Make sure your iPhone is next to your AirPods case and open the AirPods case.

The battery percentage of both your AirPods and the AirPods case will appear side-by-side on the bottom of your iPhone display. You can also ask Siri what your AirPods battery is like.

How to charge AirPods

To charge Apple AirPods, simply place them back in their case. They will charge while they are in the case, as long as the case has battery.

For the second generation of AirPods or the AirPods Pro, the charging case can deliver up to two hours of talk time and three hours of listening time in 15 minutes of charge.

How to charge the AirPods case

To charge the AirPods case, plug the Lightning connector into the bottom of the case, as you would your iPhone.

If you have the wireless charging case for the AirPods 2 or the AirPods Pro, you can also place it on a Qi-compatible wireless charging mat to top up the juice. It's also possible to use the Apple Watch charger to charge the AirPods wireless charging case - you just have to get the placement right.

Use one AirPod and switch to increase talk time

The first generation AirPods will offer around two hours of talk time. The second generation offer around three hours of talk time and five hours of listening time. The AirPods Pro offer around three-and-a-half hours of talk time and between four and five hours of listening time, depending on the mode you are in.

As you can wear one AirPod or two AirPods at any time, we sometimes wear just one AirPod if we have lots of phone calls that day, switching to the other AirPod when the five-minute warning beeps for low battery on the one we are wearing.

It offers that little bit of juice and one can charge while you're talking on the other.

Apple AirPods and AirPods Pro usage tips and tricks

How to rename AirPods

Any AirPods you connect to your iPhone will automatically take your first name and add AirPods afterwards, like Britta's AirPods/Britt'a AirPods Pro. If you want to change the name of your AirPods:

Open Bluetooth settings on your iPhone > Make sure your AirPods are connected > Click on the "i" symbol on the AirPods tab > Click on Name > Change the name of your AirPods > Tap Done.

How to change the double-tap default for first and second generation AirPods

By default, double-tapping the side of each AirPod will launch Siri on your iPhone or iPad for the first generation AirPods. The second generation of AirPods have next track as the default for double tap.

You can change the default on both though, turn the feature off entirely and have one feature for the right AirPod and a different one for the left. To do this:

Open Bluetooth settings on your iPhone > Make sure your AirPods are connected > Click on the "i" symbol on the AirPods tab > Choose the feature you want for the left AirPod > Choose the feature you want for the right AirPod.

How to play and pause on the AirPods Pro

The AirPods Pro have a Force Touch sensor in their stem, moving control away from a tap and into a squeeze. To play or pause audio, squeeze the stem on your AirPods Pro once.

How to skip a track on the AirPods Pro

To skip a track on the AirPods Pro, you'll need to squeeze the Force Touch Sensor on the stem of your AirPods twice.

How to go back to the previous track on AirPods Pro

To go back to the previous track on AirPods Pro, squeeze the Force Touch sensor on the stem three times on your AirPods.

How to change between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency modes on AirPods Pro

To quickly change between Active Noise Cancellation mode and Transparency (where you can hear the environment you're in) mode, push and hold the Force Touch sensor on the stem of your AirPods. 

You can also swipe down from the top right of your iPhone's home screen to pull up the Control Centre. Depending on which iPhone you have, Haptic Touch or 3D Touch the volume bar when your AirPods Pro are connected and you'll see an option to switch between the two modes.

How to launch Siri on AirPods

To launch Siri on the first generation AirPods, you can double tap either the right or the left AirPod, unless you have changed the default as above. Siri will then launch on your iPhone or iPad.

To launch Siri on the second generation AirPods or AirPods Pro, simply say "Hey Siri". You'll need to make sure you are using the latest software for it to work though.

What can you ask Siri on AirPods?

Once you've launched Siri on your second generation AirPods or AirPods Pro, you can ask a number of things, including any of the examples below: 

  • "Play my Favourites playlist"
  • "Send a message to [contact name]"
  • "Turn up the volume"
  • "How do I get home from here?"
  • "Skip to the next song"
  • "Pause music"
  • "How is the battery on my AirPods?"

How to enable or disable Automatic Ear Detection

Automatic Ear Detection will automatically transfer the audio from connected devices to the AirPods when you put one or both in your ears. To turn on/off Automatic Ear Detection:

Open Bluetooth settings on your iPhone > Make sure your AirPods are connected > Click on the "i" symbol on the AirPods tab > Scroll down to Automatic Ear Detection > Toggle on or off.

How to change the active AirPod microphone

By default, the active microphone automatically switches between left and right AirPods, but you can change it so it is fixed to one side.

Open Bluetooth settings on your iPhone > Make sure your AirPods are connected > Click on the "i" symbol on the AirPods tab > Scroll down to Microphone > Select your preference.

How to turn the volume up on AirPods

There are no volume controls on the AirPods themselves. To turn the volume up or down, you'll need to use the device your AirPods are connected to.

For example, if you are using your AirPods with your iPhone, simply adjust the volume as you would if you were talking on your iPhone with the volume rocker on the left of your device.

How to find out who is calling without looking at your iPhone

You can set up your AirPods to announce who is calling you without having to get your iPhone out of your pocket or handbag by enabling the "Announce Calls" feature on iPhone.

Go to Settings > Phone > Announce calls > Select Headphones Only or Headphones & Car.

How to get Siri to read your messages without unlocking your iPhone

If you're running iOS 13.2, you can turn on Announce Messages. It will only work with the second generation AirPods and AirPods Pro, but when on, Siri will read out any incoming Messages. 

Our how to feature will guide you through the entire process, as well as what other headphones are compatible, but in a nutshell:

Go to Settings > Notifications > Announce Messages with Siri > Toggle on.

You'll also need to tap on Messages in the 'Announce Message From' section > Toggle on Announce Messages with Siri.

How to answer a call using your AirPods

It's possible to answer a call directly from your AirPods, though we recommend switching the Announce Calls feature on so you know who you're about to speak to.

To answer a call, just double tap one of your first or second generation AirPods when you hear the incoming call chime in your ear. For AirPods Pro, squeeze the Force Touch sensor.

How to end a call using AirPods

To end a call, double tap one of your AirPods (first or second generation). Be careful if adjusting AirPods whilst on a call as we have accidentally ended a call mid way through before.

For AirPods Pro, squeeze the Force Touch sensor on the stem to end a call.

How to switch your AirPods from iPhone to Mac

If you have the volume shortcut set up in the menu bar of your Mac, it's possible to select your AirPods from the drop down menu that appears when you click the volume icon. You'll then be able to play music on your AirPods when listening to music on your Mac.

To enable the volume shortcut on your Mac, head to System Preferences > Sound > Tick the "Show Volume in Menu Bar" option.

How to use AirPods

Once connected to your device, all you need to do is pop one or both AirPods in your ear(s) and they will play whatever audio is on your iOS device, whether a phone call, music, or video.

If you take an AirPod out of your ear, the audio will automatically pause. Place the AirPod back in your ear and the audio will play again.

Phone call audio automatically transfers back to your iPhone if you take the AirPods or AirPod out of your ear.

How to find lost AirPods

If you lose your AirPods, you can use the Find My app to locate them. If you lost your AirPods nearby, in your home for example:

Open Find My app on an iOS device or iCloud.com > Tap on the Devices tab at the bottom > Find your AirPods in the list > Tap Play Sound. If only one AirPod is missing, you can mute the sound from the AirPod you haven't lost.

If you don't know where you lost your AirPods:

Open Find My app on an iOS device or iCloud.com > Tap on the Devices tab at the bottom > Find your AirPods in the list. The last place they were connected to an iPhone over Bluetooth will be displayed. You can then tap Directions to get directions to the last known location.

 

Apple AirPods and AirPods Pro general tips and tricks

How to clean AirPods

It's by no means the official way to clean AirPods, but we find Blu-tak works brilliantly to get any dirt off the AirPods case.

We use baby wipes too, but dirt sticks to Blu-tak, pulling it off the lip where you open and close the AirPods case and around the pairing button on the rear of the case.

The official way to clean them is with a soft, lint-free cloth or a soft-bristled brush. The microphone and speaker meshes can be cleaned with a dry cotton swab and you can remove any debris from the meshes with a clean, dry, soft-bristled brush.

Are AirPods waterproof?

Neither the first or second generation of AirPods are waterproof so don't wear them swimming or in the shower. The AirPods Pro are water resistant - IPX4 - which means they can handle a splash but not submerging.

The first and second generation models aren't said to be sweat proof either, though they are tested for everyday use and a manner of activities. We wear them for a run and to the gym without an issue, but stay away from any waterfalls or swimming pools. The AirPods Pro are sweat resistant.

Do AirPods have noise cancelling?

The first and second generation AirPods do not offer noise cancelling.

The AirPods Pro have Active Noise Cancellation on board.

Which devices are compatible with AirPods?

Apple AirPods and AirPods Pro work with iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad and Macs. You'll need an iPhone 5 or later for the first or second generation models and an iPhone 6S or later for the AirPods Pro. The AirPods 2 need iOS 12.2 and WatchOS 5 to offer all their features and the AirPods Pro need iOS 13.2. 

AirPods also work with PCs and Android devices, including Samsung and Huawei, though both these companies have their own alternatives to AirPods.

You can read more about the features offered by AirPods on Android devices in our separate feature.

What colours do the AirPods come in?

Apple AirPods and AirPods Pro are only available in white. There were some rumours of black AirPods but they have yet to appear.

How much are AirPods?

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Apple only sells the second generation AirPods and AirPods Pro now. The first generation have been discontinued.

The AirPods 2 start at £159 for the standard charging case. The price increases to £199 for the AirPods with the wireless charging case.

It's also possible to buy the wireless charging case separately for £79. The wireless charging case is compatible with the first generation AirPods.

The AirPods Pro cost £249 and come with a wireless charging case as standard.

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The best Apple AirPods Pro and AirPods 2 deals 2020

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Apple's AirPods are rather super and sporadically there's money off them, usually whenever anybody is having a sale.

Various deals are available whether you're in the US or UK, so check out our dynamic widgets below for the latest prices - don't forget to check back at regular intervals for the latest pricing on each different version. 

The AirPods 2 offer quite decent sound quality, hands-free Siri, touch controls and seamless interaction with your iOS devices thanks to the built-in, Apple-designed H1 chip. They don't have the very best sound quality, but you won't be disappointed especially if you want an earphone to use when out and about. Here are the latest AirPods 2 deals: 

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Apple's second-generation AirPods also have a second version with a wireless charging case if you want the flexibility to place your AirPods on top of a wireless charger, just like your iPhone. Here are the latest deals for that version: 

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Want the latest and greatest? Well right now, there's also a bit of money off the brand new AirPods Pro, too. And, although it's hardly a big discount it is unusual to see money off such a new product that has, by all accounts, been rather popular so far. 

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The best electric toothbrush 2020

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Looking for a new electric toothbrush? You've come to the right place - we've gathered together all the best electric toothbrushes around to help you decide which is the best for you. 

When buying a toothbrush, you're probably looking for some basic - as well as some advanced features. Pretty much all electric toothbrushes now have a way to tell you that your two minutes is up, but it's always worth checking for that. Some will stop after the two minutes, but others will briefly stop the vibration to tell you. Some timers also split the two minutes into four 30 second parts which can be handy.

Many modern toothbrushes have pressure sensors as well to tell you when you're brushing too hard. Often this will just turn an LED red to warn you. 

A few toothbrushes - and we've covered a couple below - work alongside a phone app and connect to your phone with Bluetooth. An app can provide you with a bit of analysis on your brushing and even tell you where you missed! However, they're not a substitute for competent brushing! 

Our guide to the best electric toothbrush to buy today

Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Electric Toothbrush

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A great all-rounder, this toothbrush comes with five modes - clean, white, sensitive, gum care and deep clean. It's available in white as shown here, pink or black or black/rose gold. What's more, it also has 14 days of battery life so is great for travelling. And there's a two-year warranty, too. 

Oral-B Genius 9000

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This four-mode toothbrush is relatively new on sale and is compatible with all existing Oral-B brush heads. It has a pressure sensor. There's also a 'Gum Guard Assistant' which works with the Oral-B app over Bluetooth and shows you the areas you are applying too much pressure on your gums. There's a travel case that can even charge your phone as well. Position Detection ensures you brush your entire mouth - just attach your phone to the bathroom mirror using the holder, tap the camera and away you go. 

Oral-B Genius X 20000

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Moving things up a gear, this is another app-enabled toothbrush. But there's more here than on the model above - specifically the ability to recognise how and where you're brushing. You can then see a graphical representation of your mouth in the app to show you which areas of your mouth you're missing. So you can actually get better when brushing - it works a treat. Like the 9000 above, this toothbrush also has six cleaning modes. 

Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100

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This premium toothbrush from Philips has three cleaning modes and three different intensities. It'll also tell you when you need to replace your brush head (potentially quite irritating we reckon) and boasts a solid two weeks of battery life. It's available in black, white and pink. 

 

Oral-B Genius 9900

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This stunning rechargeable toothbrush is one of the best around and features two handles to choose from in rose gold and black. There are also six brushing modes, four brush heads and the same charging travel case, too. Again you get the Gum Guard Assistant and Bluetooth connectivity to your phone. Oral-B also says the toothbrush lasts for at least two weeks between charges, too. 

Oral-B Pro 6000 SmartSeries

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Again with Bluetooth connectivity to your phone, SmartGuide gives you real-time feedback to improve your brushing habits and a pressure sensor lights up if you brush too hard, helping you to care for your teeth. There are five different cleaning modes: Daily Clean, Gum Care, Sensitive, Whitening, and Deep Clear and it also come with a timer to help you brush for the dentist-recommended regulation minutes.

Where has Find My Friends gone in iOS 13 and how do I track my friends?

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Apple's iOS 13 brought with it several new features but there is one change you may not have realised was going to happen until you couldn't find what you were looking for any longer: Find My Friends has gone.

If you use the Find My Friends app, you will have noticed the orange icon with the two people side-by-side has vanished from your home screen. 

Here's what's happened and what Find My Friends has been replaced with.

Where has Find My Friends gone in iOS 13?

The Find My Friends app and the Find My iPhone app were combined in the release of iOS 13. Both are now within a new app called 'Find My'.

The Find My app has a grey background with a green circle and the blue location circle in the centre. It won't automatically take the place of the Find My Friends app on your home screen, which is why you might have been wondering where it has got to. 

If you can't find the Find My app, swipe left to right from your home screen and use the search bar at the top of your screen. Or you can ask Siri to find open it for you.

How do I track my friends in iOS 13?

Any friends you already shared your location with, and vice versa, will still be available to track in iOS 13 through the Find My app.

Open the Find My app and you'll see three tabs at the bottom of your display. You'll see the two people that originally symbolised the Find My Friends app logo in the bottom left corner. Tap on this tab and you'll find the list of your friends and family that you have shared location data with.

You can also track a friends location - who you share location data with - through Messages. Open Messages > Tap on your the chat with the friend you want to track > Tap on the circular icon above their name at the top of your display > Tap on Info > A map of their location will appear at the top.

How to find a lost iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch or AirPods in iOS 13?

As the Find My app features the Find My iPhone app as well as Find My Friends, you'll need to open the Find My app to track a lost Apple device, whether that's your AirPods or your Apple Watch

We've gone into more detail on how to track a lost iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods or Mac in our separate feature, but in a nutshell, you'll need to head into the Devices tab at the bottom of the Find My app to see any Apple devices connected to your Apple ID.

Best Apple Watch apps: 44 apps to download that actually do something

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The Apple Watch has been kicking around for several years now and the apps available for it are plentiful to say the least - especially now it has its own App Store. Of course, not all the apps are great, useful or even suited to the Apple Watch but there are a few that are simply brilliant.

These are the best Apple Watch apps we've come across - the ones that hold their own on the smaller screen and deliver the information you need without you having to get your iPhone out.

There's everything from games to productivity apps, all of which make the Apple Watch useful, rather than just another gadget.

Best travel Apple Watch apps

British Airways

If you fly a lot with British Airways, having your flight details on your wrist when at the airport is very handy. The BA Apple Watch app will provide you with gate details, whether the plane is on time and what the status of the flight is. It even goes as far as telling you the weather at your destination.

Citymapper

Citymapper's approach to its Apple Watch app is to let you quickly see the status of nearby public transport at the press of a few buttons. It will also give you directions to your work address, or any saved addresses that you have preset using your iPhone using available public transport from your location. Quick and simple.

Uber

The Uber Apple Watch app is simple but effective. It doesn't offer as many features as your phone, such as fare estimates, but it will allow you to request and Uber from your wrist without touching your phone. It will tell you how long the wait is for an Uber, switching between the various car choices. 

Apple Maps

Apple Maps doesn't have the best reputation but this app works well on the Apple Watch. You can ask Siri to direct you to a location using your Watch and the Apple Maps app will open, find the location and give you the option to press start. It will then give you step-by-step instructions on your wrist, vibrating to alert you when the next turn is coming up. No iPhone necessary.

XE Currency

XE Currency is a handy little app for those that travel and want to know how much something is in a different currency. Australian Dollars, British Pounds, Canadian Dollars, Chinese Yuan, Euro, Japanese Yen and US Dollars are all available currencies, among others. Type in an amount into any of them on your wrist and it will convert it into all the others instantly.

Elk

Elk is another good currency converter app. It knows where you are and will automatically pick the right currency for you, along with a starting value. You can then swipe left to increase the values, swipe right to decrease them, or tap on a value for more accuracy. There is a free version, as well as a paid for version with access to all currencies.

iTranslate

Another for those that travel, or even for those just going on holiday. The iTranslate app will translate the words spoken into it when the microphone is pressed into the language you request at the bottom. There are numerous languages available and the translations are pretty accurate from our experience. It will allow you to order a beer or find out where the toilet is at least.  

Best productivity Apple Watch apps

PCalc

If you remember and loved Casio's calculator watch, PCalc is a must-have app for the Apple Watch. As you might guess, it is a calculator on your wrist. It's nice and simple, allowing you to add, subtract, divide and multiply, as well as calculate percentages directly from your wrist. There is a Lite version that is free, but the paid version includes a paper tape, engineering and scientific notation, making it more useful than Apple's own calculator for Apple Watch.

Evernote

The Evernote Apple Watch app allows you to record voice notes on your Apple Watch, which are then translated into text and synced to your Evernote account to make sure you don't forget any lightbulb moments. You can also see your previous notes but you can't edit them or the voice note translation text. This app is purely for barking instructions rather than editing that novel you are writing, and rightly so.

Noted

Noted is an audio recording and note taking app that allows you to record directly from your Apple Watch. You can start recording with one tap, pause recording and add a Time Tag. The Time Tag feature is brilliant for pin pointing the more exciting parts of a recording so you can access it quickly later on your iPhone.

Fantastical 2

Apple has its own calendar app of course but it doesn't currently allow you to add events. Fantastical 2 does however. It's a paid-for calendar and reminder app, and it offers features like natural language parsing, reminders and a lovely-looking week view. You can say lunch with Pocket-lint on Friday at 12PM and it will schedule it, or buy orange juice at 10AM and it will set a reminder in your calendar. 

Pacemaker

Pacemaker is a very basic DJ app that creates music mixes automatically from your iPhone and then allows you to add effects via four preset options on your watch. Effects include distorting the music, making it sound like it is under water, and smashing up the music. It's simple but fun and paired with a Bluetooth speaker makes things even more interesting.

Best information Apple Watch apps

 

Weather

There are numerous apps you can download for the Apple Watch when it comes to weather but we found the native Apple weather app was perfectly adequate at providing quick and easy information on our wrist. For each place you have set up on the iPhone, the Apple Watch weather app will show you the hourly expected outlook. It's easy to read and understand and it's quick to access.

Carrot Weather

If you fancy a more exciting take on the weather, the Carrot Weather Apple Watch app is fabulous. It offers access to current, hourly and daily forecasts but it delivers them with dialogue and characters, making things much more interesting. You can also disable the personality if it becomes too much.

Dark Sky

Another weather app, but this one is like magic. Dark Sky creates forecasts for your precise location, offering minute-by-minute predictions for the next hour and hour-by-hour forecasts for the next day and week. It will literally tell you to the minute if you're about to get rained on.

Find Near Me

The Find Near Me app allows you to find various amenities nearby where you are from your wrist. The list is pretty comprehensive with everything from ATMs and cafes to beauty salons and book stores. Tap on what you need to find and a list of results will appear on your arm, each of which you can then tap on for more information and even directions.

Shazam

If you've used Shazam you'll know how it works. You hear a track, fumble for your phone, and try to tap listen before the song finishes. With the Shazam Apple Watch app, you can simply slide up from a Glance, press the listen button and you're capturing the tune before you know it. The Apple Watch app then gives you the option to buy the track on iTunes using Apple's Handoff feature.

Night Sky

Night Sky is a great app for identifying stars, planets, constellations and satellites in the night sky. Ever wondered which one Orion's Belt is? Just point your Apple Watch at the sky and it will direct you to it, after which you can explore the object in AR on your iPhone.

Onefootball

An essential app for the football fans out there. Onefootball allows you to follow thousands of teams and hundreds of leagues and competitions worldwide. You can select your favourite players, clubs, national teams and leagues to get instant content and scores that matter to you when they happen.

ESPN

Another great app for the sports fan, the ESPN Apple Watch app gives you quick access to scores across football, cricket, F1, NBA, NFL, tennis, golf, MLB and more. Like Onefootball, you can personalise the app to get alerts for your favourite teams and leagues.

Yelp 

Yelp is a local guide to helps you find restaurants, bars, salons, coffee shops and plenty more near by. You'll be able to see reviews, price range, opening hours and the address directly from your wrist. Perfect for when you're in a new area.

Best health and fitness Apple Watch apps 

Runkeeper

If you are wearing the Apple Watch for fitness, Runkeeper is a good one to download. It allows you to start the app straight from your wrist, without even looking at your iPhone. Open the app, press "start running" and off you go. Once you've started running you can check a number of stats, including overall time, distance covered and pace.

Strava

Strava is an excellent app and the Apple Watch version is great. Like others, Strava allows you to start an activity from your wrist, such as an outdoor ride or run, or indoor run. It will then offer time, splits, distance and heart rate on your wrist during the workout. All data is transferred to the iPhone app following a workout so you can see more detail.

Streaks Workout

Streaks Workout app is excellent, offering 30 equipment-free exercises to choose from and four different workout lengths comprising six minutes, 12 minutes, 18 minutes or 30 minutes. The Apple Watch will display your heart rate on the display, alongside the exercise, time and your progress. Super simple to use, but expect some serious pain.

Gymaholic

The Gymaholic Workout Tracker uses AR to create an avatar, which you can then change to represent your gender, height and body fat percentage. After a workout, the avatar will show all the muscles you trained and it will also show which muscles are ready for training too. During a workout, you'll see various stats, including reps, weight, heart rate and calories, alongside your avatar. It's great.

MapMyRun

MapMyRun is another good Apple Watch app for those into fitness. It allows you to start a running, cycling or walking workout without touching your iPhone. During the workout, you will be able to see duration, distance and calories burned, as well as pause, finish, save or discard the workout. The information is then visible in the MapMyRun iPhone app.

Runtastic

Runtastic allows you to track various activities from running to biking, see a brief history of your previous workouts and monitor your stats from your wrist. The app will track workouts in real time with built-in GPS and during a workout, it will display time, distance, pace and heart rate. It is also possible to manage tracking settings directly from your Apple Watch.  

Withings Health Mate

For those that use the Withings ecosystem, the Withings Apple Watch app is good for providing quick stats in a simple format. If you have a Withings activity and sleep tracker, as well as one of its smart scales, the Apple Watch app will show you steps and distance, sleep recorded and weight recorded. You can also see your activity and weight history without opening the app on your phone.

Seven

Seven is another workout app and the Apple Watch version is lovely and simple. You can pretty much do everything on your wrist as you can on your phone. The Apple Watch app allows you to select which seven-minute workout you want to do, whether that's full body, upper body, core, lower body or random, depending on which workouts you've bought or unlocked, and then you can just hit start. A picture of the exercise you need to perform appears on the watch face, surrounded by a countdown circle.

Hole19

Hole19 is the Apple Watch app for golfers. You'll need to start a round on your iPhone after which the Watch will take the information and deliver it to you when you need it, such as distances and the par of the hole. The app also allows you to enter strokes and putts via your wrist, which it then puts into a score card so you can see how you're doing nice and easily. 

Autosleep

Autosleep does exactly what it says on the tin - it automatically tracks your sleep if you wear your Apple Watch to bed. You don't need to press a single button. Wear your Apple Watch to sleep and you'll get a notification in the morning detailing how well you've slept, including quality, average heart rate and deep sleep. The app will also show your seven-day average. 

One Drop

One Drop is a great app for those with diabetes. It enables you to log glucose, meds, food and activity directly from your wrist, as well as view daily goals progress and glucose in range. You can also schedule medication reminders and there is automatic carb counting too.

Best Apple Watch games

Trivia Crack

No list of apps would be complete without a couple of games and Trivia Crack is one of our favourites. It's a very basic version of Trivial Pursuit but if you're any good at general knowledge, it's a great app to try. You compete with an online opponent and choose from six categories of questions. Answers are multiple choice, which you select on your wrist and you don't even need to get your iPhone out to start a game.

Brainess

Brainess is all about stimulating your brain and it offers seven brain training games that you can play on your Apple Watch. The games include memorising and tapping dice, choosing the correct number to complete a maths equation and matching pairs of identical cards. The seven games are said to improve and exercise your memory, vision and compute skills. Whether they will or not is a different story altogether but worth a try right.

Rules

Rules is a puzzle game with super cute little animations. There are different levels, comprising beginner, expert or timeless and the game includes a daily brain workout mini-game for the Apple Watch. 

Lifeline 2

Lifeline 2 is the successor to the original Lifeline, offering a new story of a young woman called Arika who is on a deadly quest to avenge her parents and rescue her long-lost brother. You will have to make choices to keep her alive and help her succeed. 

 

Best finance Apple Watch apps  

Wallet

Wallet is one of Apple's own apps so you'd expect it to be good on the Apple Watch and it is. Like the iPhone version, it provides easy access to boarding passes, tickets and cards you've registered to Apple Pay. Having your boarding pass and tickets on your wrist means you don't have to mess about getting your phone out, which is always good when travelling and you can also pay using your wrist.

Pennies

There are plenty of apps trying to help you stay on top of your finances but we've taken a liking to the Pennies Apple Watch app, which lets you quickly tap in how much you've spent of a given budget target straight on your wrist. It means you can then track how much you've got left, whether that's keeping an eye on your weekly food bill, or as we would like to imagine, your champagne bar bill.

Best smart home Apple Watch apps

Philips Hue

The Philips Hue app is a simple remote control that lets you have a number of lighting presets that you can then control directly from your watch. You don't even need to pick up your iPhone to turn the lights on now, let alone move from the sofa.

 

IFTTT

IFTTT (If This Then That) is compatible with over 600 apps from Twitter and Instagram to Nest and Hive. The Apple Watch app doesn't allow you to create new Applets, such as turn the lights on at sunset, but download various Widgets through the main IFTTT iPhone app and you can activate any of them through the Apple Watch app. 

Neato

Got a Neato robot vacuum cleaner? The Neato Apple Watch app allows you to start and stop and clean. You can't get the Neato robot to return to the dock or anything from your wrist so it's basic functionality, but it's still a useful app to start that quick clean.

Hive

The Hive Apple Watch app not only allows you to control your Hive thermostat, but you can also control any Hive lights or plugs than you have. 

Best social media Apple Watch apps

Facebook Messenger

Facebook might not be available for Apple Watch but Messenger is so you can get access to all your Facebook Messenger chats. You'll be able to reply with stickers, or a voice recording or a pre-written message so you can stay in touch without having to get your phone out at all.

Chirp for Twitter

Chirp for Twitter is pretty much the only way you'll be using Twitter on your Apple Watch. The app allows you to browse your timeline, lists, like and retweet things. You can also see quotes, pictures, hashtags and mentions directly from your wrist.

10 best Lego sets 2020: Our favourite Star Wars, Technic, City, Frozen II sets and more

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Each year Lego unveils stacks of new sets that combine top name franchises, other brands and the best of traditional series such as Lego City and Lego Technic.

There are hundreds of new sets to choose from and, now that Lego appeals to huge numbers of adults as well as kids, the choice is almost endless and it's impossible to collect everything. 

But what do we think are the best Lego sets around? Here's our definitive top 10 at the moment. We've purposely chosen from several different ranges at different price points, too. 

Our pick of the best Lego sets to buy today 

Lego 76119 Batmobile

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This faithful recreation of the 1989 Batmobile has a whopping 3,300 pieces weighing over 3kg (yes, over three kilos of bricks!). It's an absolute stunner and we've heard from a little bird that Lego sold thousands of them as soon as they went on sale. 

Lego 21034 Architecture London Skyline

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Lego's Architecture series isn't cheap, but the sets make great gifts. There's a diverse range of places now available, with New York, Paris, Las Vegas and more all covered. There's also a more detailed London set of Trafalgar Square, too. 

Lego 41167 Disney Frozen II Arendelle Castle Village

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Lego is now famed for its tie-in products, especially with Disney who it has worked up on with numerous franchises including Cars and, of course, Star Wars. This three-level castle comes with Anna, Elsa and Kristoff mini dolls (a bit like minifigures) and is for ages 5 and up. 

Lego 42074 Technic Racing Yacht

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One of our favourite entry-level Technic sets, this set has some snazzy features including a mechanism for moving the sail and a rudder connected to the steering wheel. You can also rebuild the set into a catamaran, too.

Lego 42096 Technic Porsche 911 RSR

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Yes, we are going a bit wild for Technic, but it's hard not to - some of the sets around now are truly fantastic. This Porsche 911 RSR is one of the best Technic cars as it actually looks like the original and is available at comparatively low prices at the moment. 

Lego 60180 City Great Vehicles Monster Truck

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OK, we'll admit it - we've got a lot of time for City Lego and it's not all about the nostalgia. This Monster Truck is quite brilliant and any 5-7 year-old would love it. It's so good because the suspension is, basically, a little bit of Technic utilising a couple of elastic bands. As such, the truck is able to mount obstacles just like a real monster truck. 

Lego 60203 City Ski Resort

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At the other end of the City scale is this - a stunning alpine resort that'll be a top playset for young skiiers especially. Complete with shop, ski patrol, helicopter, skidoo and 4x4 with snowplough, there's plenty to occupy. There's even an apres-ski bar, too. 

Lego 70423 Hidden Side Paranormal Intercept Bus

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Hidden Side is Lego's latest theme that uses an AR app on your phone to bring the sets to life. While the series is a bit of a hotchpotch in terms of what it offers (and the app is, too), there are some great sets in the range. Our pick is this school bus, which is a pretty solid set in itself - long after the appeal of Hidden Side has waned, this set will be great as part of a Lego City setup. 

Lego 75243 Star Wars Slave I - 20th Anniversary Edition

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Another top Star Wars set is this - the Slave l which is part of Lego's 20th anniversary reissue of some key Star Wars sets (it's 20 years since Lego's first Star Wars set which coincided with The Phantom Menace). As well as Boba Fett, Han Solo, Zuckuss and 4-LOM, you also get a bonus 20th anniversary Princess Leia minifigure with display stand.

Lego 42110 Technic Land Rover Defender

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We so want this! Revealed at the same time as Land Rover showed off the real new Defender, the Lego recreation is an extremely detailed model with working steering wheel, forward-folding rear seats, 4-speed sequential gearbox, all-wheel-drive with three differentials, independent suspension and six-cylinder engine.

Best Google Assistant speakers 2020: Top Google Home alternatives

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Google Assistant is an excellent voice assistant. It not only brings the power of Google search to the table, but it's conversational too. Like Amazon's Alexa, Google's Assistant can set alarms, read news briefings, tell you what the weather is like, control compatible smart home devices and play music, among plenty of other features.

Google offers its own Google Assistant-enabled speakers in the form of the Google Home and Nest devices, but there are plenty of Google Home alternatives too. 

From Harmon Kardon and Sony to Panasonic and Sonos, here are the best Google Assistant speakers available right now. 

 

Sonos One

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Sonos One is the smallest speaker available in the Sonos portfolio and it offers Google Assistant support in the US, UK and some other countries, allowing it to do pretty much everything the Google Home can. The Sonos One delivers superb sound quality, coupled with a great design and seamless multi-room audio with other Sonos speakers.

For those after an excellent smart speaker, the Sonos One is certainly one to consider. Unlike other smart speakers, Sonos offers support for both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, rather than just one or the other. You can't have both running at the same time, but if you want to try out Google Assistant, whilst still having the option to go back to Alexa, the Sonos One is a perfect way to do that.

Google Nest Mini

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Google is really starting to up its game when it comes to first-party hardware. For a long time, Amazon's Echo speakers put Alexa out in front as an assistant with good hardware support. The newest Nest Mini goes a long way to fight that assumption — it's Google's answer to the Echo Dot.

The good news is that it's just as impressive as that puck speaker. In a tiny, classy package you get really impressive sound (given the size), and easy access to the Google Assistant with all its wisdom. It's also one of, if not the cheapest entry point to getting Google Assistant in place around your home. 

Sonos Move

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The Sonos One is a brilliant speaker, but it lacks one thing that Sonos has finally brought to the table with the Sonos Move— portability. This is the first ever hybrid speaker from Sonos, bringing the best of both worlds to the table. When it's docked on its cradle in your home, the Move is an exemplary smart speaker very much in the mold of the Sonos One.

That means it's got Google Assistant on board for your smart home control needs, and stunning sound. If you want, though, you can pick the speaker up and take it out and about for hours of playback through Bluetooth. You won't be able to use the Assistant unless it's on your home WiFi, of course, but that won't slow you down much. 

Panasonic GA10

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The Panasonic GA10 features a retro design, which might not be to everyone's taste, but some will prefer it to Google Home's air freshner-style look. The GA10 doesn't offer calling functionality like Google Home but it delivers great sound quality, versatile audio input selection and it is just as smart as Google Home, meaning plenty of smart home integrations.

The GA10 is an excellent Google Home alternative for those after decent audio. It is as much a living room speaker as it is a smart assistant and while it it costs more than Google Home, it's a lot cheaper than a Google Home Max and it delivers in the sound department.

Google Nest Hub Max

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This may or may not suit the definition of a smart speaker, depending on your perspective — there is an obvious screen element to it. Nonetheless, the Nest Hub Max is a pretty all-encompassing device, and obviously includes Google Assistant as standard. 

The smart display gives you a deeper degree of interaction with the Assistant, since it can surface visual information or photos to answer your requests. Beyond that, you get surprisingly impressive sound and a really useful smart home hub, all in one package. Plus, the Nest Hub Max's camera (which the smaller Nest Hub doesn't include) lets you make video calls with ease. 

Sony LF-S50G

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Sony's LF-S50G is a lovely speaker, featuring a solid, premium build that will blend in with any home decor. It looks similar to Apple's HomePod, offering 360-degree sound and it comes in three colour options. LED lights indicate the time and when Google Assistant is activated, four further lights appear above the digital clock beneath the material cover.

Aside from voice control, the Sony LF-S50G speaker has gesture control so you can wave over the top of the device to skip a track or adjust the volume. Inside, the LF-S50G has a full range speaker driver for mid-range vocals and high trebles, while a separate subwoofer handles the low-end bass.

Polk Assist

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American audio company Polk Audio offers the Google Assistant-enabled Polk Assist speaker. The speaker features a great design and build quality with black and white colour options and quick access buttons for launching Google Assistant if the music is too loud for the 'Hey Google' or 'Ok Google' wake words to be heard.

The Polk Assist comes with all the capabilities of Google's own Home speakers and while it doesn't offer 360-degree sound like some others on this list, it does come with a 1-inch tweeter and 3.5-inch mid-woofer inside. It's a little more expensive than a Google Home, though.

LG ThinQ WK7

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The LG WK7 speaker features a cylindrical form with front firing speakers and it brings a serious look. There are a number of touch controls on the top including volume, a function button to switch input modes and play/pause, while a mute button is present on the rear to turn off Google Assistant and LEDs are on the front indicate when Google Assistant is listening.

The WK7 speaker features Meridian Audio tuning, which extends to bass and vocal management, and LG also includes Hi-Res music support in this Google Assistant-enabled speaker, coupled with upsampling and upscaling for lower quality sources.

Harman Kardon Citation Series

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Harman Kardon doesn't just offer one Google Assistant-enabled speaker, the Samsung-owned company has an entire range. The Citation Series is comprised of the One, 100, 300 and 500 speakers, with the One being the smallest and the 500 being the largest. There is a sound bar, sub, surround speakers and tower speakers in the series too though.

All the speakers in the Harman Kardon Citation Series have Google Assistant on board, except the sub and surround speakers. Only the One, 100 and 300 are available to buy at the moment but the other Citation speakers are coming soon. We've heard them briefly and we were impressed by their sound capability so they are worth looking into.

Sonos Beam

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Like the Sonos One and Move further up this list, the Sonos Beam is both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant enabled. The Beam is significantly more expensive than the Google Home but it offers some serious sound for its compact size.

Aside from once again offering a choice of voice assistants, the Beam isn't just a speaker. It has seamless multi-room audio like the Sonos One but the Beam also offers TV sound so you get a smart speaker and sound bar in one.

Cambridge Audio Yoyo L

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The Cambridge Audio Yoyo comes in three size options, with S, M and L after the name standing for small, medium and large. The woollen-clad box is a savvy sound-bar alternative, whilst also delivering good bass and powerful sound. 

Slightly different from others on this list, the Cambridge Audio Yoyo features Chromecast built-in so it can be recognised and controlled through the Google Home app, but for voice control, you'll need to add a Google Home mini or another Google Assistant speaker.


CES 2020: What to expect from the world's largest consumer technology show

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The biggest consumer tech event in the calendar, CES, rolls around each and every January, bringing heaps of news announcements and product launches.

It's the show to reveal the defining products and technologies for the year ahead. Here we summarise by brand what's known, what's rumoured, and what the next big things are likely to be.

We'll be updating this feature throughout the show's lifespan, so with that in mind what can we expect from CES 2020?

When and where is CES 2020?

  • Location: Las Vegas Convention Center
  • Dates: Tuesday 7 to Friday 10 January 2020
  • Press day: Monday 6 January 2020

CES always takes place in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, primarily due to the vast availability of hotel rooms and exhibit space in the city. The show takes place at the Las Vegas Convention Center – but a huge number of exhibitors also take space in other hotels and suites, such as The Venetian and Wynn. 

CES 2019 itself starts on Tuesday 7 January and lasts until Friday 10 January. We'll be there from Saturday 4 January as some companies start previews and press conferences across the weekend. The main press day is Monday 6 January, which is when the majority of the announcements occur.

Who attends CES? 

CES is an industry event so, unlike IFA in Berlin, the public can't attend. But anyone connected to the consumer electronics industry can apply for a pass. In 2019 over 182,000 people attended, which is the show's capacity. That includes 69,000 exhibitors (across more than 4,000 represented companies) and almost 7,000 members of the media.

What themes are we expecting from CES 2020?

In 2019 the message was 5G, it was artificial intelligence, it was smart device connectivity. And we expect CES 2020 will follow a similar path, with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant integrated products at the fore.

It will be a little different though. With Ultra-HD 4K and HDR now better established, manufacturers will no doubt be looking to push into the next phase, so expect 8K tellies to be featured in abundance – ones that actually might be small enough and affordable enough to make it into your home!

As much as we'd like foldables to be the big thing, we suspect that Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2020 will be the place for that, in February 2020.

Acer at CES 2020

Each year the Taiwanese brand is in attendance to reveal its latest laptops and goodies. The company has already officially revealed it has won a CES 2020 Innovation Award for its updated Swift 5, so that's the key laptop that'll be on the table at this year's event.

We have a behind-closed-doors meeting with the company on the day of its reveal, so expect to see product news and previews appearing from the Sunday 5 January.

Apple at CES 2020

  • Chief Privacy Officer Roundtable: What Do Consumers Want? Tuesday 7 January, 13:00 - 14:00 (PST)

Apple isn't known for doing CES, but 2020 is different. The company's Senior Director of Global Privacy, Jane Horvath, is going to be in attendance as part of a round-table event. So, no, Apple isn't exhibiting, but it's the first time the company has engaged with CES – other than trolling with large building-side advert reveals – in the last 28 years.

Asus at CES 2020

Similar to Acer, Asus has also received a bunch of CES Innovation Awards for the 2020 show. But, as highlighted in the company's Edge Up blog, none of these are brand new – we've seen the majority of them throughout 2019.

That said, we would expect Asus to bring the latest laptop updates from its ROG gaming line and consumer-grade laptops, including more dual-screen devices.

Dell at CES 2020

Dell is an interesting one, as it doesn't occupy space on the CES show floor. Instead, it'll operate a take-over of a restaurant space in The Venetian, showing off its latest wares.

Which, if we'd have to guess, will most likely be an update to the XPS series, which swings around every year.

Google at CES 2020

Another non-exhibitor at CES itself, Google utilises guerilla marketing to take over swathes of advertising space in Las Vegas. Given the prominence of smart home devices and the presence of Google Assistant, that's no surprise, and we expect more of the same.

There's a rumour that the Pixel 4a might also appear – but we believe that will be later in the year, again to coincide with MWC 2020 or before.

Hisense at CES 2020

  • Hisense Media Days News Conference. Monday 6 January, 11:00 - 11:45 (PST)

In addition to Samsung (further down the page), we suspect Hisense will announce its 8K TV charge.

Intel at CES 2020

  • Intel Corporation Media Days News Conference. Monday 6 January, 16:00 - 16:45 (PST)

Intel's conference falls later in the day on the Monday, but it's an important one as it usually spells the unveiling of its latest processors. That said, Comet Lake hasn't arrived yet and those details are known, so we suspect the company will be detailing the presence of this 10th Gen technology in various laptops – devices that we'll likely be seeing from Acer, Asus, Lenovo, etc, within the same time-frame.

Whether there will be any mention of Apple's acquisition of Intel's mobile modem business, however, we doubt. CES 2020 won't be the place to find out about the 5G iPhone.

Lenovo at CES 2020

The biggest Chinese maker out there, Lenovo will be using CES 2020 to showcase its wide range of new kit. That ranges from consumer laptops to gaming laptops, all-in-ones, monitors, and often smart products in collaboration with Google.

There's no official press conference, though, so expect to see news and product first impressions appear late on Monday 6 January.

And let's not forget: in mid 2019 the company showed off a folding-screen laptop, so perhaps CES 2020 will be the launch ground for that device in proper form?

LG at CES 2020

  • LG Electronics Media Days News Conference. Monday 6 January, 08:00 - 09:00 (PST)

LG is always the one to kick off the official CES press programme, with the first conference at 8am on the Monday 6.

For 2020 that's no different, the stage set for the company to talk updated TVs, home appliances and, as we had confirmed in late 2019, more Gram laptops with Intel Ice Lake processors and some soundbars, too.

OnePlus at CES 2020

After a very busy 2019, OnePlus is continuing the mass output of its phones, with CES the launch ground for OnePlus' first 'Concept Phone', called Concept One, as part of the company's 6th anniversary celebration.

There's also rumour that it'll be the launch ground for the OnePlus 8 Lite and OnePlus TV for the US market, too, but with the Concept One seeming like such a big point of focus, those additions might just become a distraction.

Panasonic at CES 2020

  • Panasonic Media Days News Conference. Monday 6 January, 10:00 - 10:45 (PST)

Panasonic is most likely to announce another TV, a follow-up to the GZ2000 with its Dolby Atmos integrated speakers.

Otherwise, well, we don't know. It's typical for Panasonic to show off its Technics products, too, but with CES now serving as a more B2B environment for the Japanese maker, don't expect stacks of gear.

Qualcomm at CES 2020

  • Qualcomm Technologies Inc. Media Days News Conference. Monday 6 January, 11:00 - 11:45 (PST)

Following its late 2019 Snapdragon Summit, Qualcomm will use CES 2020 to showcase its latest 865 platform, due in mobile devices from mid-2020. But that's not all, expect more talk of automotive future and 5G integration, too.

Royole at CES 2020

  • Royole Corporation Media Days Power Session. Monday 6 January, 10:00 - 10:45 (PST)

The company released a 'Welcome to Flexible Planet' invitation, so we suspect the 2020 show will be the place to see the company's follow-up to the FlexPai foldable phone. A pre-face of what's to come for MWC 2020, too, perhaps?

Samsung at CES 2020

The Korean giant used its 2019 show to present The Wall TV, a modular Micro LED format. While we suspect there will be an announcement of availability for that at the 2020 show, its likely high price point will keep it away from being the main focus.

Instead, we suspect Samsung will be the brand to use CES 2020 as the platform to talk-up 8K TVs. It's going to be all-in on the extra-resolute technology, in addition to showing off a variety of 4K updates.

There's also rumour that CES will be the place for the Note 10 Lite to appear, adding a more affordable model to the stylus-donning phone series.

Sony at CES 2020

  • Sony Electronics Inc. Media Days News Conference. Monday 6 January, 17:00 - 17:45 (PST)

The Japanese brand always uses its show floor stand at LVCC to cap off the end of the press day, usually bringing celebrities and giant video walls into the mix to make for a more engrossing audio-visual experience. That's what the company's products are all about, after all.

Much like its Samsung rival, Sony is also expected to push its existing 8K TV range forward, suggesting it as the next big thing for the consumer market.

There's also a rumour that CES 2020 will be where Sony unveils its WH-1000XM4 fourth-gen over-ear noise-cancelling headphones. Otherwise, it's very much watch this space, as Sony always brings heaps of new tech into the limelight at this show.

TCL at CES 2020

  • TCL Corporation Media Days News Conference. Monday 6 January, 12:00 - 12:45 (PST)

Having used the 2019 show to announce its 8K Roku TV, we believe CES 2020 will bring more of that vision into form. And having finally launched Roku TV in the UK, this should be a more internationally applicable announcement.

Google Chromecast tips and tricks: 14 ways to enhance your streaming experience

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You're probably reading this because you own a Chromecast but don't know what to do with it beyond casting YouTube or Netflix videos from your device to a TV. Well, Pocket-lint is here to help.

You can use Chromecast to magically turn on your TV, play motion-controlled games, stream locally stored video to your TV, mirror websites, and more. If you'd like to learn more about these features, we've detailed several tips that will immediately enhance your Chromecast streaming experience.

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Turn on your TV and Chromecast without a remote

You can simultaneously turn on your TV and Chromecast and even change to the correct HDMI input without ever touching your TV remote. This is possible because Chromecast supports a common technology called HDMI-CEC. Although most HDTVs offer HDMI-CEC, you might have to enable the feature under TV settings.

Once CEC is enabled on your TV, you will be able to cast anything from your computer and mobile device. Your TV will automatically turn on, then switch to the correct HDMI input for Chromecast, and begin streaming your content.

Magic, right?

Stream local video using a keyboard shortcut

You could use apps like RealCloud Player, Plex, Beamer, or Videostream to cast video saved on your computer to your TV. You can use a keyboard shortcut, too. First, download the latest version of the Chrome browser. Then, open the browser and simply press Control+O (Chromebook and Windows) or Command+O (Mac).

Use the pop-up to select your video. Keep in mind you can select files from your local drive, connected external drive, and even network locations. After picking your file, it should load in your browser. You'll want to go to the Cast icon in the browser bar and select your Chromecast to instantly begin streaming.

Stream local video stored on Android devices

We've already discussed how you can stream local video stored on your computer, but this tip is slightly different: You can send photos, music, and videos stored on your mobile device to your TV. All you need to do is download an app on your Android smartphone or tablet that'll let you do that, such as AllCast.

You can also mirror your Android phone or tablet to the TV, meaning you can stream whatever is on your mobile screen to the big screen, such as apps or photos. To do this, open the Google Home app > Choose the device you want to cast your screen to >Tap Cast My Screen > Cast Screen.

Mirror your entire screen or tab

This one should be well-known among Chromecast users, but it is still worth mentioning to all the newbies reading: You can beam whatever you're looking at in the Chrome browser to your TV. You must first download the latest version of the Chrome browser and then click on the drop down menu in the top right with the three vertical dots before selecting Cast from the list of options.

A small menu will appear, with a Sources box in the bottom left-hand corner. Click on the arrow to reveal options for casting your browser tab, your entire screen, or choose a file from your computer. The tab option will obviously only mirror what's visible in your browser tab, while the entire screen option will mirror your entire computer screen. Once you've made your choice, click on your Chromecast device name to start mirroring.

This is a really handy feature for presentations.

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Cast full-screen content in the background

It is fun to cast from your computer. But you must keep video and different things in full screen mode within the Chrome browser at all times in order for it to display in full screen on your TV. That's not so fun, because it makes playing with your computer while watching TV impossible.

Luckily, there is a workaround. When casting from your Chrome browser, press Alt+Tab to switch tasks. This will still stream your content in full screen... but in the background, enabling you to use your computer freely.

Add Emoji or symbols to your Chromecast name

This is a silly one that doesn't enhance your streaming experience, but it does make you feel cooler. You can use Emoji and character symbols to change your Chromecast name into something more imaginative. Just open the Google Home app and scroll down to your Chromecast device. 

Tap on the settings cog in the top right corner, then select Name. Tap on the name box and you'll be able to enter the new name. Type what you want, and when done, tap "OK".

You can add emoji by simply copying and pasting them into the device name field.

Play motion-controlled games

You can play motion-controlled games using your smartphone and Chromecast. Don't expect to play Halo or something like that, because these are Chrome Experiments. Many games do support multi-player functionality however. One example title is Google's Super Sync Sports.

Go to Super Sync Sports in your Chrome browser, then cast the page from your computer to your TV, and sync your Android device to your computer. From there, follow the game's on-screen instructions. You'll be able to wave, flick, and swing your smartphone to control the game.

Cast Facebook Live broadcasts

Facebook Live offers support for Google's Cast tech. That means you can send a Facebook Live broadcast to a TV. Just make sure your mobile device and the TV with Chromecast are on the same Wi-Fi network.

Then, simply open a Facebook Live broadcast and hit the Cast icon that appears on the screen. It's like casting any other content from your phone, such as a YouTube video, only it's a Facebook live stream.

Link your Chromecast to Google Home speakers

With a little know-how you can turn your Google Home or Nest speakers into a voice activated controller.

Google's voice-activated speakers will recognise when you ask them to play Netflix shows and with the proper setup, you can control your TV with your voice. You'll be able to ask its assistant to skip episodes, pause and resume playback, switch on captions, and even rewind what you're watching.

To get started, you'll need one of the Google Home devices and the latest version of the Google Home app. You'll also need a Chromecast device plugged into your TV. You'll then need a Netflix account to link to your Google Home. In the Home app, go to the "+" icon in the top left corner > Videos and photos. From there, link your Netflix account to your Google account.

Keep in mind you can also do all this with YouTube videos. All you have to do is sign into your YouTube account through the Google Home app. Once you're all set, you can start controlling Netflix or YouTube using your Google Home. You can say things like "OK Google, play House of Cards from Netflix on my TV" or "OK Google, pause Stranger Things on my TV" or "Play John Oliver videos from YouTube on my TV".

Get an Ethernet adapter

Chromecast requires a strong Wi-Fi connection. Google has an $15 Ethernet adapter for Chromecast which might be worth considering if you have a weak Wi-Fi signal. The adapter looks like the Chromecast power cord, but the plug end has a small Ethernet port to connect an Ethernet cable.

Just make sure that the Ethernet cable is connected to your modem as well, and then plug the USB end of the adapter into the Chromecast, and attach the Chromecast to the HDMI port on your TV.

Switch up those Chromecast photos

You can use your own photos - or you can choose from Google's selection images - to switch up your Chromecast background. In the Google Home app, select the Chromecast you want to customise, and tap the settings menu in the top right corner. From there, select Backdrop Settings. You can pick a photo from Google Photos, Facebook albums, or Flickr, or opt to display news, satellite images, etc.

Enable guest mode

You can let guests use Chromecast without giving them access to your Wi-Fi. Just turn your Chromecast to Guest Mode in the device settings, and anyone with the Cast-enabled app can cast once the option shows up on their device (if they're within 25 feet of the Chromecast).

Factory reset Chromecast

You may never need to use this tip, but it's handy to know nonetheless: in case your Chromecast develops an issue where it doesn't work or function properly, you can revert the device to factory settings.

Just access the Settings menu in the Chromecast app on your PC, Mac, or mobile device, and then open the drop down menu on the top right and select Factory Reset. Simple. You can also restore the factory settings by holding down the Chromecast's button for 25 seconds.

Join the Chromecast Preview Program

If you join the Chromecast Preview Program, you will get the latest Chromecast features before they're released to the public. Google said the program is not a beta. It's a preview of stable features. To sign up, open the Google Cast app on Android or iOS, then tap Devices, and select the one that you want to use for the program. From there, select Device Settings, then Preview Program.

Use the slider to select if you want to receive email notifications of updates as they are pushed to your Chromecast device. When you're done, select Join Program and tap Okay.

And that's it. Let us know in the comments if we missed any nifty tips.

Best Nintendo Switch accessories 2020: Protect and personalise your Switch

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If you just bought a Nintendo Switch for either yourself or a loved one, your next step should be to look at accessories.

Nintendo's portable console comes with a few goodies inside the box, but there's a whole ecosystem of first- and third-party add-ons available that'll provide the Switch with added protection, more juice for playtime, and expanded functionality. From cases to adaptors, here are the must-have accessories for your Switch. Most of them are super cheap, and all of them have exceptional reviews.

Best Nintendo Switch accessories

amFilm Tempered Glass Screen Protector

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Many people love glass screen protectors. If you're one of them, consider getting this protector for your Switch. It is clear, bubble-free, and scratch-resistant. Two protectors come in the box, however, just in case you need a spare.

128GB Samsung Evo Select

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If you own a Switch, you need a microSD card for storage. This one has super fast random-read speeds, and it's not crazy expensive.

Nintendo Switch Pro Controller

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The Switch Pro Controller is a lot like the Xbox One controller in terms of shape, and it supports motion controls and Amiibo scanning. It's perfect if you're a gamer who tends to use the Switch for long sessions.

Portable dock 

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You might find, like us, that as portable as the Switch is you don't want to bring the docking station with you on the off chance you find a TV. This diminutive little docking system allows you to hook up to displays without the full dock, and is a great way to save space if you're travelling.

PowerA Joy-Con Comfort Grip

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The PowerA Comfort Grip converts your Joy-Cons into a typical controller. It's large, ergonomic, and easier to grip than the Switch's own one.

SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless

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These cans not only sound great, but are pretty much the best choice when it comes to Switch audio, for one simple reason. They come with a wireless dongle that slots into your Switch's USB-C slot to let you game wire-free. That's worth the price of entry.  

Nintendo Joy-Con Wheel

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If you want to steer with tilt controls while racing, consider the official Nintendo Joy-Con Wheel. It makes the Joy-Cons easier to hold for wheel-based fun.

Gulikit Route Air Bluetooth Adapter

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The SteelSeries headset we showcased is great, but a cheaper route is to pick up this Bluetooth adapter, which lets you pair any Bluetooth headset or earbuds with your Switch. That's true freedom. 

FastSnail Joy-Con Grips

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The FastSnail grips are pretty basic. They are for those of you who want something more comfortable to hold than the Joy-Cons themselves.

PowerA Joy-Con Charging Dock

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This dock keeps your controllers charged. It supports two Joy-Con sets and plugs directly into your Switch dock.

Hori Compact Playstand for Nintendo Switch

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Hori's Playstand is exactly what you think it is: a portable stand that securely holds and props up the Switch and is very lightweight.

Tryone Gooseneck Stand

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If you want to use your Switch in handheld mode but don’t actually want to hold it, you need a table-side stand like this gooseneck model.

Tomtoc Nintendo Switch Slim Case

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Cases are the worst. We like slim, sleek ones for our phones and for our Switch. We rather enjoy this option that offers pretty great protection.

ButterFox Nintendo Switch Hard Carrying Case

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This case can store your Switch, plus a few accessories and cards. It has good construction and is available in black, red, or blue trim.

 

RLSOCO Nintendo Switch Deluxe Carrying Case

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Looking for a larger case with room for the dock? This option features places for each component of the Switch system and up to 28 cards.

 

Avantree USB Bluetooth Audio Adapter

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Avantree's USB dongle plugs into your Switch dock in order to let you use wireless headphones with the system.

Mumba Nintendo Switch Case

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The Mumba Nintendo Switch case is a sturdy, rubber case with good grips and a bumper made of shock-resistant thermoplastic polyurethane.

Antank Portable Switch Battery Case

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The Antank Portable Switch Battery Case offers 6,500mAh of juice, doubling your portable playtime while adding some extra protection.

 

Switch Case and Protection Kit

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This AmazonBasics kit is the ultimate starter pack. It includes a carry case, two Joy-Con grips, a screen protector, and a screen cloth.

 

Orzly Switch Screen Cover Stand

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This Switch Cover Stand isn't perfect, but it protects your screen and doubles as a kickstand if you want to play with your Switch on a table.

Orzly Comfort Grip Case

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Those of you who mostly use the Switch in handheld mode will want to get a cheap case that adds durability and extra grip, such as this one.

 

RAVPower Portable USB-C Battery

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This can charge your Switch while you play it. It offers 30W via USB Power Delivery and has other ports for charging additional devices.

 

Hori GameCube Controller

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Yes, you can get a GameCube third-party controller for the Switch. Why not? It's a popular controller, and it adds a bit of nostalgia.

 

GameCube Controller Adapter

If you already own the classic controller, get a adapter to make it work with the Switch. Or, if you have a Wii U adapter, that'll work, too.


• View Karges offer on Amazon US | Amazon UK


8Bitdo SN30 Pro Controller

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This controller has every button on a Pro controller, but it brings the classic look and feel of the SNES pad with motion control.

 

Switch Car Charger

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This AmazonBasics USB-C car charger offers a year warranty and is six feet long, so you should be able to charge from the backseat, too.

 

Nintendo Labo Cardboard Kits

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These DIY cardboard gadgets expand what you can do with the Switch. They range in price and do a variety of different things. 

Joy-Con Charging Grip

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The Joy-Con Grip in the box doesn't charge your controllers. For that, you need this Charging Grip directly from Nintendo.

 

Nintendo Joy-Con Controller Strap

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Your Switch comes with a black controller strap, but Nintendo sells different coloured ones for added personalisation. 

Nintendo Switch AC Adaptor

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The Nintendo Switch only comes with one of these adapters. It's a good idea to get a spare if you have some extra cash.

Hori Nintendo Switch LAN Adaptor

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If you want a fast internet connection, or if your wireless is useless, this adaptor will solve your woes (but only when your Switch is docked).

 

Best Bang & Olufsen speaker 2020: Which B&O speaker is right for you?

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Bang & Olufsen makes some of the best looking and best-sounding speakers on the market, Bluetooth and otherwise. There are a couple of ranges within B&O Play's lineup: BeoPlay and BeoLit, with the BeoLit name dating all the way back to 1939. Quite the heritage. 

We've broken down each of the B&O Play speakers currently available to tell you all about each in turn, so that you can best decide which one you think fits your lifestyle, home or plans. Read on to find out more about the full range. 

B&O Play BeoPlay A1

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The BeoPlay A1 has been pretty much unchanged since its release a few years ago. That's for the best - it's a superb little speaker. It's a disc-shaped speaker that, like most of B&O's other products, makes use of a lot of aluminium. The entire front grille is made of the metal, while the base is made from a double-moulded polymer that adds a layer of durability.

Underneath the grille is a 9cm woofer and a 20mm tweeter, each of which receives 30W of Class D amplification. That's a lot for a speaker of this size and goes some way to explaining how it's able to pump out some serious volume. 

The 2,200mAh rechargeable battery lasts up to 24 hours and is topped up quickly thanks to USB Type-C port. You can also wirelessly connect two together to create a stereo pair. The best thing about the BeoPlay A1 is just how good it sounds considering its size. Its sound is well-balanced and can easily compete with some speakers that are much larger.

If you're looking for a great-looking, portable Bluetooth speaker that's robust and delivers a sound that belies its size, the BeoPlay A1 is for you.

Read the full B&O Play BeoPlay A1 review

B&O Play BeoPlay P2

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One of the newer speakers in the BeoPlay 2 range, the P2 effectively replaces the older A2 speaker, which you'll read more about below. It's the result of some good iteration, shrinking the form-factor of the speakers without compromising on sound quality, and smoothing away some of the rough edges.

That iconic all-metal grille is still very much present and correct, along with a built-in loop for carrying, but the P2 could genuinely fit in a roomy pocket or handbag, rather than being slightly too big to carry around super easily, and as such is a real star for usability. It has a 10-hour battery to keep you going all day, and you can also use Siri from your iPhone straight through the speaker when you need to.  

B&O Play BeoPlay P6

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Another one of B&O's newer speakers is the BeoPlay P6. This uniquely designed speaker has a fairly science fiction-style look to it, and again prominently displays the metal grille that marks out a B&O portable. With an all-over design, the sound coverage is 360-degrees and helps the P6 to be a genuine room-filler from a volume and quality standpoint. 

A raft of buttons on the speaker's top let you control it as needed, although the companion app also lets you handle all of that from your smartphone if preferred. The P6 also has a battery that should last you for 16 full hours of playback, which is a really impressive life, and made even better by the fact that it'll fully charge in just 3 hours. 

An on-board microphone also makes the P6 useful for taking calls or ordering about Siri or the Google Assistant to take care of tasks. Sound-wise, a 4-inch woofer and two 1.5-inch full-range drivers take care of pinpoint reproduction. 

Read the full B&O BeoPlay P6 review

B&O Play BeoPlay M3

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The BeoPlay range may have a range of portable speakers, and also a fair amount of unconventional design, the M3 is B&O Play's potential answer to the traditional bookshelf speaker, and, as such, is a little more standard itself. 

This is a gorgeous stationary speaker, mains-powered, with a small form-factor that doesn't stop it putting out quality sound. It's bigger sibling the M5 can be found further down this guide, but this smaller version is a powerful option. B&O says it's designed to fill a "medium-sized" room, and the design means that it should melt into the background visually. 

With a 3.75-inch woofer and 0.75-inch tweeter, the balance is great and really comes into its own if you pair it with one or more other speakers (whether M3s or another type). The M3 is a great choice if you're looking for a subtle, but exquisitely designed multi-room speaker that could work in a variety of home settings.  

B&O Play BeoPlay A2

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The BeoPlay A2 was the first Bluetooth speaker to be released under the B&O Play name and still does the business today. There's a 3-inch full-range driver and a 3/4-inch tweeter on each side of the speaker, designed to give it 360-degree sound. The connection is via Bluetooth, and the higher-quality aptX variety is supported for compatible devices.

It can connect to more than one Bluetooth device at a time, so one phone could be streaming music to it, but if you get a phone call on a second phone, that audio will takeover. Like the BeoPlay A1, the BeoPlay A2 promises a battery life of up to 24 hours and also like its smaller sibling, you can pair multiple A2s together (up to eight), to really improve the sound. It's able to withstand the odd splash of water, but don't take it into a swimming pool. 

B&O Play BeoPlay A2 Active

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The BeoPlay A2 Active is identical to the BeoPlay A2 behind the grille, but it has undergone a few cosmetic changes including new colour finishes and a dust-proof coating. B&O Play has ditched the leather carry strap too, replacing it with a NATO-inspired fabric strap instead. 

B&O Play has also replaced the DC power unit from the original A2 with a USB Type-C port to enable much faster charging. The battery still promises 24 hours of life. The BeoPlay A2 Active can be used with the Beoplay companion app for Android and iOS, which can be used to adjust the sound settings to your personal preference.

There's isn't much discernible difference between the A2 and the A2 Active, but considering the latter is the same price as the former, the Active would be the model we recommend.

B&O Play BeoPlay A9

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The B&O Play BeoPlay A9 is very much an iconic B&O product and is now in its fourth generation of internal specs. It looks just as much like a piece of furniture than it does a speaker. In fact, at first glance, you might not know it's a speaker at all. Behind its round exterior, you'll find an 8-inch bass woofer, two 3-inch midrange drivers, two 1.5-inch full-range drivers, and two 0.75-inch, 80-watt tweeters. 

The BeoPlay A9 has some cool tricks up its sleeve too. To turn the volume up or down you simply swipe your hand across the top of the speaker, or you can rest your hand on top for a few seconds to mute what's playing. A tap of the right-hand side will skip the track forward, while a tap on the left will skip it back. Finally, a short tap on the centre of the speaker will resume the last music source played. 

With some modern upgrades, the A9 also now works with Google Assistant to provide smart assistant benefits, as well as packing AirPlay 2 for your connection needs. If you're looking for a statement speaker that produces some delicious Danish sound - and have the money to back it up - the BeoPlay A9 is the speaker for you. 

B&O Play BeoLit 15

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The B&O Play BeoLit 15 has been discontinued now, but you can still pick one up from Amazon. It's a square-shaped speaker that's been designed for portable use. It often receives comparisons to a picnic hamper, which is fitting since it's more than happy to go outdoors.

It will make any picnic sing too, thanks to a 5.5-inch full-range driver, two 4-inch passive bass radiators and three 1.5-inch tweeters. Total peak output power is rated at 240-watts, so it's pretty powerful and it will keep on playing for up to 24 hours before the built-in battery needs a recharge. The BeoLit 15 can also be used with the Beoplay app to customise the sound to your personal tastes.

One of the biggest drawbacks to the BeoLit 15 though, is the lack of weather-proofing, which is strange considering its penchant for wanting to go outside. Nevertheless, it's still a terrific speaker that's capable of delivering some superb sound.

Read the full Bang & Olufsen Beolit 15 review

B&O Play BeoLit 17

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The BeoLit 17 is the 15's successor and delivers an enhanced sound thanks to a redesign of the power supply. The BeoLit 15 relies on DC charging, whereas the BeoLit 17 uses USB Type-C instead. This frees up space inside the cabinet to create a larger sound and also means the speaker can be recharged much quicker.

Once again, the picnic hamper speaker is coated in aluminium, and there's a rubberised tray on top to put your smartphone without it scratching the surface. 

You can use the Beoplay app to configure the one-touch command button on top to carry out one of four different functions: Alarm, Connect, ToneTouch or Remote. Two BeoLit 17 speakers can be connected together to create a stereo pair and the battery once again provides up to 24 hours of playback. 

Unfortunately, there's still no shield against the weather, but the BeoLit 17 is ideal for pumping out tunes at parties, and is more powerful than the A1 or A2.

Read the full B&O Play BeoLit 17 review

B&O Play BeoPlay M5

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The BeoPlay M5 is a cylindrical speaker that fires sound out through a full 360-degrees. Inside it has a 5-inch woofer, a 1.5-inch midrange driver and three 0.75-inch tweeters, with each driver being given its own Class D amplification. 

It can either be used on its own, where it is more than capable of filling a room with sound, or be used as part of a multi-room music system with other B&O speakers. You can connect them together via Google Cast or BeoLink Multiroom and there's no limit to the number of speakers you can join together. 

The top aluminium disc is used to control the source and volume levels and you can use the Beoplay app to calibrate the sound depending on where the speaker is positioned. This is a seriously nice-looking speaker, and it's noteworthy that B&O were on the "all-fabric" look years before it went mainstream through the likes of Amazon. 

B&O Play BeoPlay A6

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The BeoPlay A6 is a mains-powered speaker so needs to be left in at home, but that's no bad thing because it's capable of delivering serious room-filling sound. It has a rather funky, unusual design, and considering its slim dimensions, B&O Play has managed to pack in two 60-watt 5.5-inch woofers, two 30-watt 0.75-inch tweeters and a 60-watt 1.5-inch full-range driver. 

The A6 can be used as part of a multi-room music system with other B&O Play and Bang & Olufsen speakers via the BeoLink platform, and music can be started instantly with the touch of a button on top. The speaker can be wall-mounted and a wide range of Kvadrat woollen covers are available to change its look.

The BeoPlay A6 is a very versatile speaker that works with a large number of streaming services, and DLNA integration means you can wirelessly stream any music files you have stored on a server or your computer. If you really enjoy your music and have it stored in a number of different libraries, the BeoPlay A6 would be an ideal speaker for your home - that said, it's getting a little hard to find nowadays. 

Best Ring deals 2020: Which Ring doorbell or camera should you buy?

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Ring offers a versatile system that lets you easily add a connected doorbell or security light to your home. Compatible with smart platforms like Google Home and Amazon Alexa, Ring has grown into one of the must-have devices of the smart home revolution.

Now owned by Amazon, Ring devices get great discounts in Amazon's sales so there are always some bargains to be had.

Ring Video Doorbell 2

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The Ring Video Doorbell is the most popular device from Ring: it's battery-powered, connecting to your Wi-Fi network and then giving you alerts on your phone, smart speaker or computer so you know someone is at the door. It will allow a two-way conversation with callers, give you video of how is at your door and also detect motion - with night vision for the hours of darkness. It offers 1080p video capture.

Ring Video Doorbell

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The original Ring Video Doorbell isn't quite as slick as the updated version, but it is often available for a lot less money. It doesn't have a removable battery, instead you have to dismount the unit to get it to charge. It offers 720p video capture.

Ring Video Doorbell Pro

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The Ring Video Doorbell Pro is a wired version of the Ring video doorbell, so it has no battery - instead you'll have to connect it to existing wiring. This means it can be a lot slimmer so it looks better on your door. It offers 1080p video capture.

Ring Peephole/Door View Cam

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The Peephole Cam (or Door View Cam in the UK) is a little more niche than Ring's other devices, as it integrates a peephole into it - which is also how you mount the device on your door. This means you can remove your peephole/spyhole and attach the Ring camera on the door going through this hole. As such, it's a clean install and might be better for those in rented apartments. It offers 1080p capture.

Ring Floodlight Cam

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Taking security to the outside of your house, the Ring Floodlight Cam pairs Ring's camera with a pair of floodlights. It needs to be hardwired to give it the power, but it means you can also keep an eye on the outside of your house, while providing security lighting too. It offers 1080p capture.

Ring Spotlight Cam

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The Ring Spotlight Cam comes in various flavours to suit your requirements - battery powered, hardwired and solar. It pairs a Ring camera with a spotlight in the body, so provides security for smaller spaces, without the illumination power of the Ring Floodlight Cam, but with all the connected features. It offers 1080p capture.

Ring Stick Up Cam

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The Ring Stick Up Cam is a simple camera without any lights that is designed to give you video capture and motion detection anywhere you want to put it. It's waterproofed for use outdoors and comes in the range of different models - battery, wired or solar - so you can choose the version that best suits your needs. The all-new Stick Up Cam offers 1080p video. Amazon is offering a free Echo Dot with the Stick Up Cam Battery in the US and the UK.

Ring Stick Up Cam Elite

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The Stick Up Cam Elite is similar to the Stick Up Cam, suitable for indoor or outdoor use, but offers a wired connection both to power and the internet (if you want). It also has a wider-angle lens on it to fit more in the captured view.

Ring Indoor Cam

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Exactly as the name suggests, the Indoor Cam is a camera designed for indoor use. It's wired, so you just plug it in and point it at whatever you want to keep an eye on. It offers 1080p video capture. It's about as simple as it gets.

Ring Replacement Battery

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If you've got a selection of Ring devices, then you'll be wise to grab yourself some spare batteries too. While the battery devices come with a battery, having at least a spare charged battery means you can quickly switch it out when you get that low battery message.

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