It's hard to believe that we're halfway through 2018 already! So let's press 'pause' for a second and look back at the direction phone development took this year. We go to extraordinary lengths here at GSMArena to ensure that the data within our Phone Specifications pages are accurate and up-to-date. We've selected the most popular 140 phones to avoid outliers messing with the averages and trawled through this wealth of data we've accumulated to draw out stats and trends. Design & Build Size - In 2017, 'taller' displays with their aspect ratios of 18:9 and 19.5:9 resulted in the...
from GSMArena.com - Latest articles https://www.gsmarena.com/2018_half_year_report-news-31939.php
Remember Light's ludicrous L16 camera with 16 lenses on the back? Well, that tech is reportedly going to be used in a phone that will launch later this year. Thanks to Foxconn's big investment in the small firm, the tech is going in a smartphone with nine cameras. According to the Washington Post, the company already has a working prototype with anything between five and nine lenses that function together to deliver DSLR-like performance in low-light conditions and capturing whopping 64MP images. In addition, Light promises sophisticated depth effects and unmatched zoom capabilities,...
from GSMArena.com - Latest articles https://www.gsmarena.com/a_phone_with_lights_multilens_camera_tech_is_in_the_works-news-31988.php
It's no secret that Sony's Mobile division has been going through a rough patch, for quite some time now. After the fairly recent internal CEO shuffle, it seems that active steps have finally been taken to evaluate the state of the mobile branch, in hopes of bringing it up to speed with the Japanese giant's successful imaging and gaming divisions. Word of an ongoing internal investigation into the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa markets first came about through veteran leakster Evan Blass a few days ago. Bad news for Sony Mobile fans in the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa: I'm hearing...
from GSMArena.com - Latest articles https://www.gsmarena.com/sony_mobile_is_investigating_its_operations_in_africa_turkey_and_the_middle_east-news-31989.php
Apple is said to be working on a new version of its navigation app, Maps. The company has started from scratch and it uses not only the data gathered from its own fleet of cars, but also from iPhone users. But of course, Apple is doing so while respecting user privacy. The new Maps will first be introduced in San Francisco and the Bay Area with the next version of IOS 12 beta. It should cover Northern California towards the end of 2018. Since it now incorporates user travel data when they open the Maps app - just like Google Maps does - it should speed up the process quite a bit....
from GSMArena.com - Latest articles https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_is_rebuilding_its_maps_using_data_gathered_from_iphone_users-news-31986.php
Even old sleuths like Sherlock Holmes know that a fingerprint can identify a person. Today, fingerprints are read multiple times a day - it's routine - thanks to the readers on modern smartphones. But is that the best way for a device to know that it's being handled by its rightful owner? What about 3D face scanning? "Wanted" posters have been used for even longer than fingerprints and they work because your face is unique. Well, most of the time, unless you have a twin or a sibling or a kid that looks like you. Capacitive fingerprint readers are fairly simple devices, readily available...
from GSMArena.com - Latest articles https://www.gsmarena.com/weekly_poll_face_scanning_vs_fingerprint_readers-news-31969.php
T-Mobile has started pushing out a new update to LG G6 units on its network. Arriving as software version H87220a, the update brings along Android 8.0 Oreo. As per the official change-log, several other bug fixes and software improvements are also included. So with this, all Big Four carriers - including AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon - have rolled out the update to LG G6 units. Given the T-Mobile update - which weighs in at around 1.7GB - has just started rolling out, it may take time for the update notification to pop up on your screen, so be patient. Source 1 2
from GSMArena.com - Latest articles https://www.gsmarena.com/tmobile_lg_g6_starts_getting_oreo_update-news-31981.php
We've reached the quarter finals of our Smartphone World Cup after some high-profile departures in the round of 16. You have until Friday to support your favorites and you can vote once a day in each match. Nokia 7 plus vs. Samsung Galaxy S9+ These two come from different walks of life - the Galaxy S9+ is a flagship representing the best that Samsung has to offer. Its screen, camera and chipset are among the best and there's no shortage of perks - waterproofing, stereo speakers, HDR10 screen, fast wireless charging, you name it. Nokia 7 plus • Samsung Galaxy S9+ The Nokia 7...
from GSMArena.com - Latest articles https://www.gsmarena.com/smartphone_world_cup_quarter_finals-news-31941.php
Just 16 teams are left from the group stages of the World Cup 2018 and your chance to live stream the Spain vs Russia match for free has arrived.
Group B winners Spain will face Group A runners-up and host nation Russia. The Russian side - ranked the lowest from all the teams at the World Cup - have exceeded all expectations to get this far. Spain also faced a challenge with a tough group following that incredible 3-3 draw against Portugal in the opening game and another draw against Morocco in the final clash. Russia smashed Saudi Arabia 5-0 and beat Egypt 3-1. So expect a high scoring game, potentially. You can watch it all live from anywhere in the world using this handy guide.
Don't miss out on any of the action by reading the World Cup watching guide which will help you not only get excited for the build up but catch every game no matter where you are.
Use a VPN to watch the World Cup 2018 from anywhere for FREE
You don't have to miss a single minute of World Cup soccer - even if the country where you are isn't broadcasting certain games. Because every second of action is being shown somewhere (the UK, for example, is televising every game for free - see below), you can simply use a VPN to login to a region that is broadcasting the game. And it's really easy to do:
How to stream Spain vs Russia live in the UK
How to watch Spain vs Russia: US live stream
How to watch Russia vs Spain: Canada live stream
How to watch Spain vs Russia: Australia live stream
How to watch Russia vs Spain: New Zealand live stream
Exclusive World Cup competition with VyprVPN
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news http://www.techradar.com/news/how-to-watch-spain-vs-russia-live-stream-world-cup-football-free-from-anywhere
As we approach Motorola's August 2 Chicago event, device leaks have naturally been pouring in. As per the rumor mill, we have the proper Moto Z3 flagship to look forward to at the venue, as well as a new Motorola One family of handsets. Hot on the heels of a major render leak, for the Moto One and One Power, today brings a couple of new blurry photos of a mysterious new Moto smartphone. Leaked photos It clearly features a glass sandwich design, so our first guess would be it's either the Moto One or the One Power. However, there are a few problems with that theory. As per...
from GSMArena.com - Latest articles https://www.gsmarena.com/another_mysterious_glassback_moto_gets_spotted_in_the_wild-news-31985.php
The so-called "Andromeda" project has been popping up in the news since last year but information is rather scarce. Now, a leaked email along with some new APIs found in Windows 10's latest preview gives us a bit more to speculate about. The Andromeda Surface Phone isn't going to be just a "phone." It's going to be a "pocketable device" following the steps of Microsoft's successful Surface line of laptops with flexible hinges. It aims to be in a class of its own due to its unique form factor and yes, we are talking about a foldable handset. The API allows applications to adjust...
from GSMArena.com - Latest articles https://www.gsmarena.com/microsoft_working_on_a_foldable_surface_phone_lg_to_supply_the_displays-news-31984.php
The last 16 teams have been whittled down from the group stages of the World Cup 2018 and now's your chance to live stream the Uruguay vs Portugal match for free.
Uruguay came through the group stages with maximum points, having won every game including a 3-0 win over host nation Russia. Portugal was in a much harder group with the likes of Spain which meant a thrilling 3-3 draw in that opening Iberian game but with wins from there onward.
Both sides like to play defensively but with Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez going head- to-head there should be some very exciting attacking and (hopefully) goals to look forward to. You can watch it all live from anywhere in the world using this handy guide.
Don't miss out on any of the action by reading the World Cup watching guide which will help you not only get excited for the build up but catch every game no matter where you are.
Use a VPN to watch the World Cup 2018 from anywhere for FREE
You don't have to miss a single minute of World Cup soccer - even if the country where you are isn't broadcasting certain games. Because every second of action is being shown somewhere (the UK, for example, is televising every game for free - see below), you can simply use a VPN to login to a region that is broadcasting the game. And it's really easy to do:
How to stream Uruguay vs Portugal live in the UK
How to watch Uruguay vs Portugal: US live stream
How to watch Portugal vs Uruguay: Canada live stream
How to watch Uruguay vs Portugal: Australia live stream
How to watch Uruguay vs Portugal: New Zealand live stream
Exclusive World Cup competition with VyprVPN
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news http://www.techradar.com/news/uruguay-vs-portugal-live-stream-how-to-watch-todays-world-cup-football-online
The latest update for Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+ and Galaxy Note8 included a cool new feature that remain largely unnoticed. The functionality in question allows you to set a video as your lock screen wallpaper. Here's the feature in action on a Galaxy Note8: The functionality - which debuted on the Galaxy S9 series - arrived on the S8 series and Note8 with the update that also brought along the June security patch to these devices. To access video lock screen wallpapers, head to the Backgrounds tab of Samsung themes. In case you want to use one of your own videos as lock screen...
from GSMArena.com - Latest articles https://www.gsmarena.com/video_lock_screen_from_samsung_galaxy_s9_now_available_on_galaxy_s8_and_note8-news-31983.php
The countdown continues to the iPhone XI, or the iPhone 9, or whatever Apple is calling this year's devices, and the latest rumor to reach us involves the technical configuration of one or more of the new handsets: specifically, that a dual-SIM might be involved.
That's according to sources speaking to the 21st Century Business Herald in China. Apparently models for some countries will use a standard dual-SIM tray, while others will incorporate a standard SIM and the bespoke Apple SIM you can already find in some iPad Pro models. At this point it's not clear which of the three 2018 iPhones will get the tech.
The Herald doesn't have any previous form in predicting Apple's hardware moves, so take this report with several grains of salt. That said, respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has previously hinted that dual-SIM technology could arrive in this year's iPhones.
One SIM good, two SIMs better
Being able to manage two numbers from one phone is a feature a lot of users in developing nations rely on – and that's part of the reason why the iPhone lags behind Android outside the US. The global appeal of the iPhone would certainly get a boost.
At the same time, we know that Western carriers aren't keen on dual-SIM technology, because of the money they make on international plans. With recent changes in roaming charges, there might be some flexibility on that front now, though we'd still be surprised if dual-SIM models arrived in the US and UK.
In September, we should find out for sure – in the meantime, file this in the "possible" column. You can also expect the usual speed bumps in terms of performance, an iPhone X-esque notch design across all the models, and of course iOS 12.
Lego has long been regarded as among the most creative of children’s toys, encouraging the nurture of design skills, and letting young hands make their first steps towards architectural greatness. Likewise, the more advanced Lego Technic line has fostered an interest in mechanics and engineering, with its motorised components and remote controlled models requiring a little more expertise to assemble.
But thanks to an ongoing partnership between Lego Technic and Volvo, the two companies are looking to an even more exciting future – autonomous vehicles. And they’ve enlisted the next generation of engineers – Technic obsessed children – to help in the design.
The Zeux is the latest entry into the Lego Technic line, a 1,167-piece wheel loader that comes with articulated four-wheel steering, a working boom and bucket and an active counterweight that raises and lowers the chassis.
It’s the impressive result of a collaboration between the two companies, which now stretches back to 2016, and is inspiring Volvo’s autonomous vehicle ambitions, with elements of the Zeux concept now patented with the intention of introducing them into full size, industrial-working models.
“One of the coolest things about this is that it was a true collaboration, a mixture of Volvo designers and engineers and Lego Technics designers, capturing that knowledge of how real machines should work, how it could be more efficient and effective, and letting the designers go crazy,” said Andrew Woodman, Senior Design Manager for the Lego Group.
“Not having restrictions, but having the ability to put things together in a whole new way was something really interesting. The mixture of the teams, and the energy that created, was beneficial to both groups.”
From Wall-E to a child’s possible reality
The final rendered model, intended as a blueprint for future AI-driven vehicles, appears far more personable than most of the relatively-faceless autonomous vehicles we see in development at the moment. There’s a hint of Pixar’s Wall-E to the Zeux – and that’s in large part thanks to suggestions offered by children involved in the design process.
“For Lego, children are the heart of what we do,” continued Woodman.
“So whenever we’re making new products we always involve them in the process. We give them products to look at, we give them products to build with, we let them play with stuff and basically let us direct our design involvement, right down to the features and functions that you see in the final model.
“This project was no different. This time we collected the three favourite directions that we had from the different concepts at the time, we benchmarked it against the very first product we did together with Volvo, with the intention of focussing in on the wheel loader aspect of it.”
With the Zeux intended to be a conceptual showcase for construction products of the future, it proved particularly insightful into the expectations of which children have for the world around them as they grew up. And, with the design resulting in numerous patents being awarded and elements being worked on for real-world application, in this project the children also had the chance to influence an element of the future they’d perhaps eventually grow to be a part of.
“By putting it in front of the kids, letting them play with them and come with their own stories, that’s when we see things really come alive. When we’re testing stuff, it’s not just a case of ‘oh I like this, oh I don’t like this.’ It’s when they tell stories about how they’d play with it and use it, and how it’d be used in the real world, that’s when we really start discovering what the right functions are and features to use.
The small mapping drone that’s present with the models was one key feature that the children in the testing groups insisted upon, and points to the level of familiarity and easiness with which youngsters are already approaching concepts around autonomous creations.
“[The children] don’t even see or think about the driver, the machine would be controlled through the drone. That for them was instant – that’s just the way it should be, the way it is. They don’t even think there’s something missing, which is really cool.”
Likewise, the “personable” camera eye, conceptually rendered to be expressively moving around on an articulating arm – letting you be aware of the autonomous vehicles point of focus, and giving it its Wall-E like personality – was a design consideration reinforced by the influence of the children involved.
“[The camera is something] we’re really proud of, as it’s letting you connect as a person with an autonomous vehicle,” said Woodman.
“An autonomous vehicle, with all of its sensors, and all of its features, knows exactly where it is. But how do you know that it knows where it is? And how do you know that the vehicle has seen you?
“When you walk in front of a car parked at a junction you instinctively make eye contact with the driver. You then make a series of decisions in order to know it’s safe to cross, based on that eye contact. If you have a vehicle with no way of communicating with you, even if it could never run into you, or move with you around – but you don’t know that. So the kids stories helped with the camera to personalise the autonomy.”
While the Technics model measures 18cm, any realised full size Zeux would weigh more than 13,000kg, and measure just over 6 meters long, running fully autonomously off an electric battery.
“It’s kind of unique, the result,” says Roland Schling, Chief Designer at Volvo CE.
“There’s a little bit of a blank spot on the map with autonomous products. You have the cars already, planes, drones. You’ve seen those before. But what is this? It’s not a people transporting product. It’s more like something you work with – a co-worker almost.
“The closest relative would be maybe Wall-E from the Disney movie, or maybe even a Transformer or something like that. We’re very excited about this.”
The Lego Technic Zeux concept wheel loader will be in shops this August, with prices for each market to be determined. As for the real thing? That’ll be some time further into the future, one that will have been, in part, designed by the children of today.
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news http://www.techradar.com/news/building-a-real-life-wall-e-how-kids-helped-lego-technic-and-volvo-design-the-autonomous-zeux-wheel-loader
Carrier-specific version of headsets are a pretty common occurrence these days. Besides a new confusing branding, these devices typically come with minor tweaks, compared to the generic model. The new Samsung Galaxy J3 V 3rd Gen - a new Verizon exclusive, however, offers quite a significant improvement over the regular Galaxy J3 (2018). The Exynos 7570 Quad, Quad-core 1.4 GHz Cortex-A53 chipset of the original, has been swapped for an octa-core Exynos 7884A. Frankly, this is the first time we are hearing of this particular silicon, but, with an eight core A73 (Dual/1.35GHz) + A53...
from GSMArena.com - Latest articles https://www.gsmarena.com/verizon_just_released_an_eightcore_samsung_galaxy_j3_v-news-31987.php
In the midst of the omnipresent football fest unfolding in Russia right now, sports fans would be forgiven for letting the 2018 British Athletics Championships slip their mind. But the all-important track-and-field event is upon us and there's plenty to compete for, so make sure you catch all the action by following one of the free live stream options we've outlined below.
Upping the stakes in Birmingham this year is the fact that spots in Team GB for the European Championships are up for grabs as well as the national titles themselves, so expect a full-blooded showing from those competing at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham.
Among them will be Zharnel Hughes going head-to-head with defending champion Reece Prescod in the men's 100m, while the women's 800m looks particularly intriguing with Shelayna Oskan-Clarke defending her title against in-form Alex Bell, former European champion Lynsey Sharp and British Indoor champion Adelle Tracey.
That's just the tip of the iceberg and you can live stream the key action of the British Athletics Championships for free, wherever you are in the world, via one of the options below.
How to live stream the British Athletics Championships in the UK for free
In the UK, the British Athletics Championships will be shown live on BBC Two, the BBC Red Button and BBC Sport online. That means you can watch for free when the coverage kicks of at 2.45pm on Saturday, June 30 (Red Button and online only), and from 1pm on Sunday, July 1 (BBC Two until 5pm, Red Button and online only from 5-6pm).
Alternatively you can live stream the action via the BBC iPlayer platform or through a third-party online streaming TV service such as TVPlayer.com. This means you can catch the athletics on TV, computer, tablet and smartphone for free if you're in the UK.
Not in the UK this weekend? No worries - just download and install a VPN and use a UK location to watch as if you were back in blighty. Full instructions below.
How to live stream the British Athletics Championships for free anywhere else in the world
If you're outside the UK and try to start streaming the athletics on the BBC, you'll soon discover that it is location restricted. But there's a way you can watch for free anyway. By downloading and installing a VPN, you can effectively trick your computer into thinking that it's in the UK. That way you can enjoy the free coverage without having to pay your local broadcaster or find an illegal stream.
It's really easy to get started with a VPN - here's how to do it:
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news http://www.techradar.com/news/how-to-watch-the-british-championships-live-stream-athletics-online-from-anywhere
Amazon Prime Day deals are coming your way in July and we want to help you find the best deals in what is usually the sales event of the summer.
Thanks to a leak we exclusively uncovered last week, it looks like Amazon PrimeDay is probably going to start at midday on July 16th and carry on until midnight the following day on the 17th. That's one hell of a long 'day' Amazon. The date has not been confirmed officially yet but we've got all our money firmly placed on those days.
We love a good deal here at TechRadar and we've been bringing you highlights of the best prices for years now around Prime Day, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Boxing Day, Memorial Day, bank holiday sales and every day in between too. And yes, we've got you covered for this weekend's 4th of July sales too. So if you want to see the best deals rounded up by seasoned pros instead of seasonal enthusiasts, we'd very much like to see you right here on July 16th.
For now though, take a look at our top tips on how to get the most from the best Amazon Prime Day deals so you can get ready in advance to have a stress free shopping experience on the day. And you don't even have to leave the house. Remember those days, when you had to go out to buy things? What an awful time.
How to get the best Amazon Prime Day deals:
1. Come back to TechRadar.com for the best deals
We'll be pointing you towards the best Amazon Prime Day deals throughout the event here at TechRadar with our dedicated 20-strong team of deal hunters tracking down the best bargains.
We're looking for deals all year round, not just Prime Day and Black Friday, so we're pretty handy at spotting the genuine bargains over the fake discounts that aren't worth your time. So feel free to bookmark us if you want to stay up to date with the finest deals.
2. Get Amazon Prime membership beforehand
To get the best Prime Day deals from Amazon you'll have to be a member of Amazon Prime. Signing up doesn't take long at all, but considering some of the deals can potentially sell out in minutes, it's a step you really don't want to be doing on the day.
Pro tip? If you've never signed up before, you can actually sign up for a free 30-day trial right now, which will last right through the sale in mid-July. You can enjoy all the membership benefits straight away too like fast delivery and the excellent Prime Video streaming service. We've actually written extensively about the benefits Amazon Prime offers. Here are some links to the free trial in the following countries: US, UK, Canada, India and Australia.
3. Compare previous prices with CamelCamelCamel
An odd site name for sure, but CamelCamelCamel.com is a fantastic resource for checking just how good a deal is. Simply copy/paste in the Amazon URL on the site of an item you're thinking of buying and you'll see an extensive price history for it on Amazon stretching back over a year. This way you can see if that day's deal is really the best ever price, or how often it gets a similar discount and how likely it is you'll see a similar price in a few months' time.
4. Remember, you don't have to buy it
With so much hype around Prime Day deals it's easy to get swept away by the huge amount of deals and supposed big discounts. So yes, use CamelCamelCamel like we mentioned above, but even if it is the lowest price yet, that doesn't mean it's the right deal for you.
If you've set aside a budget and you know it's important to not overspend, try and stick to your guns. Prime Day is not the final sale of the year, hell it's not even the final sale of the summer, there will be plenty of other fantastic deals and it's our job to find you the best ones all year round in our Deals section. So while that exact TV might not be available at that price again for a while, you can be sure some nigh-on identical ones will be before the kids go back to school.
5. But don't wait too long to buy
The best Lightning Deals on Amazon Prime Day could be gone in matter of minutes, so be sure to check how many have been sold with the information provided on Amazon's site. Deals of the Day will have an expiry date, but some will sell out long before they reach that time. Game consoles and 4K TVs are especially popular on Prime Day, so if you see a price you like on your lunch break, you're risking it being gone by the time you get home from work.
6. Use the desktop version of Amazon if you can
While the Amazon app and mobile sites are pretty reliable most of the time, Prime Day last year saw quite a few buyers struggle to complete purchases with adding items to the basket being as issue.
We're confident Amazon will be better equipped to deal the huge numbers of traffic this year, but all the same, we'd recommend browsing the deals on a laptop or PC if you can as the desktop version of the site might be a bit more stable.
7. Make sure delivery date promises are kept
In the UK many items will be eligible for free next day delivery or two business days in the US and Australia. Now as a Prime member, you're paying for that delivery promise, well unless you're on the free trial, then it's free.
But if your delivery doesn't turn up on the day it's supposed to, then you need to put in a complaint to Amazon. This has happened to us a small number of times over the years and Amazon is keen to make it right. We've had an extra month added to our Prime membership for free as an apology and even had the whole cost of some cheap items refunded in full without having to return it. Naturally, if you're not home when Amazon try to deliver on the original date that's on you. You'll find a nice orange slip informing you what to do next though.
8. Don't forget about the other retailers
While Amazon will be the main focus of course, last year we saw a wide range of rival retailers cash-in by having a sale of their own too. So it's certainly worth checking to see if they've price-matched Amazon or have maybe gone even lower.
And unlike Amazon Prime Day deals, you won't have to be a 'member' at other stores to get the deals. Or if you have a points-card elsewhere, it might be a good opportunity to bag a decent haul. We'll be keeping an eye on other retailers for you to give you as many options as possible on the day.
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news http://www.techradar.com/news/best-amazon-prime-day-deals
Here we go. The knock-out stages of the 2018 FIFA World Cup are here and they kick off with a bang, with France and Argentina locking horns in Kazan at Russia 2018.
Despite the wealth of talent in both squads, it hasn't been an easy ride for either side so far in Russia. France laboured through their group and will need the likes of Giroud, Griezmann and Mbappe to up the tempo and increase the threat in the final third if they are to go all the way. Given Argentina's flaky defensive showing so far, it could well be these attacking outlets that prove decisive for the French in this one.
Argentina's group stage journey was traumatic, including a draw with Iceland, a heavy defeat against Croatia and fall-outs between coach Jorge Sampaoli and the players. But with Messi off the mark and Ever Banega orchestrating a much-improved performance against Nigeria in their triumphant final group match, the Albiceleste may finally have some momentum.
This is one not to be missed, so that's why we're showing you how to live stream France vs Argentina from the 2018 World Cup for free, wherever you are in the world.
Use a VPN to watch the World Cup 2018 from anywhere for FREE
You don't have to miss a single minute of World Cup soccer - even if the country where you are isn't broadcasting certain games. Because every second of action is being shown somewhere (the UK, for example, is televising every game for free - see below), you can simply use a VPN to login to a region that is broadcasting the game. And it's really easy to do:
How to stream France vs Argentina live in the UK
How to watch Argentina vs France: US live stream
How to watch France vs Argentina: Canada live stream
How to watch France vs Argentina: Australia live stream
How to watch Argentina vs France: New Zealand live stream
Exclusive World Cup competition with VyprVPN
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news http://www.techradar.com/news/france-vs-argentina-live-stream-how-to-watch-todays-world-cup-football-online
So far, HMD has confirmed multiple times that all its Nokia branded smartphones will get the Android P update. In fact, the company recently launched a Beta program in China for the owners of Nokia 6.1, Nokia 7, Nokia 7 plus and Nokia 8 Sirocco. However, there has been no information on the availability of the update. Well, that changes now, as users are being told the roll out will begin anytime after July. As you can see, the information comes courtesy of Nokia Mobile Care. In an email sent out to a user, the support staff gave August as the time frame when Android P will start...
from GSMArena.com - Latest articles https://www.gsmarena.com/android_p_roll_out_for_nokia_phones_may_start_in_august-news-31982.php
Late last year, developer Panic Button worked wonders by transplanting id Software's hellish FPS DOOM to the Nintendo Switch. Visual downgrades aside, it was an incredibly accurate conversion of relatively recent AAA shooter, and proof that Nintendo's system – despite its relative lack of grunt when compared to Sony and Microsoft's home consoles – was capable of handling visually intense multi-format releases. Unsurprisingly, it established Panic Button as one of the Switch's most exciting developers.
Fast-forward to the present, and publisher Bethesda has once again entrusted Panic Button with porting duties for a second high-profile shooter: MachineGames' Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus. The result is yet another impressive entry on Panic Button's burgeoning CV, even if some of the concessions that have been made render it slightly less appealing than its home console iterations, which launched in October last year.
The New Colossus follows on directly from the events of the 2014 title Wolfenstein: The New Order, which – if you're a seasoned Nintendo veteran – you may not have had the chance to play, as it was only available on Xbox One, PS4 and PC. The New Colossus does a commendable job of summarizing the events of that game in its introduction sequence – it even allows you to relive a distressing (but important) choice which impacts the narrative of the sequel you're about to play – but it's a real shame that Switch owners have to jump into this one totally cold, as you're missing out on vital character development that gave The New Colossus some of its most emotional (and shocking) moments.
Reich here, Reich now
Stepping into the boots of William Joseph 'B.J.' Blazkowicz, you find yourself crippled and wheelchair-bound aboard the stolen Nazi U-boat Eva's Hammer. You've been in a coma for months following the catastrophic conclusion of The New Order, but your respite is cruelly cut short by an attack by the unhinged Frau Engel, a key protagonist from the first game who has good reason to want your head on a stick.
It's a brave move to place the player in the role of a character who has limited movement from the off, but it sets into motion a breakneck pace that doesn't let up, even as you hijack Nazi flying fortresses, plan a revolution in the ruins of Manhattan and stalk through the slums of New Orleans.
The storyline veers from utterly shocking to hilariously silly in the blink of an eye, but it's a mix that somehow holds together – thanks in no small part to some excellent scripting and stellar voice acting, especially on the part of the gruff-voiced Brian Bloom, who turns the previously one-dimensional Blazkowicz (lest we forget, his tour of duty began way back on 1992 in Wolfenstein 3D) into a relatable hero. It's also impossible to deny the satisfaction one can gain from taking down hordes of nasty Nazis, and the game never shirks from giving you an opportunity to enact revenge on members of the hated Reich.
Speak softly and carry a big stick
While your path through the carnage is largely a linear one, the environments are usually big and maze-like enough to encourage you to consider a different strategy to the tried-and-tested 'all guns blazing' approach. Nazi officers will signal for help when alerted to your presence, which means that silent takedown kills – executed by pushing the 'R' stick down when in range of an enemy – are preferable, especially when you're low on health and ammo.
Of course, there are moments when stealth simply isn't an option, and it's here that the game's superbly-crafted gun-play becomes apparent. All of the weapons – from the smallest pistol to the largest laser-spewing rifle – have a lovely heft to them, and projectile-filled battles with streams of Nazi soldiers – all of who will try to use cover intelligently and outflank you – are never anything less than thrilling. The opportunity to dual-wield certain weapons adds to your destructive power.
DOOM on Switch was vastly improved by the addition of motion controls, and thankfully The New Colossus is blessed with these from the very start. Nintendo fans who lived through the Wii U era will already know what a difference motion-aided aiming can make; it almost feels like having a third analog stick with which you can fine-tune your shots. We honestly don't know if we can go back to standard single-stick aiming after playing this; it's that good.
AAA gaming on the go
What's truly remarkable about Panic Room's Switch port is that despite a blindly obvious downgrade in visual fidelity, the action is faithful to that seen in the other versions of the game. The developer has wisely decided to sacrifice detail for responsiveness and speed, and as a result The New Colossus on Switch runs at around 30fps at all times. Lighting effects and motion blur help mask the much-reduced pixel count, and it would seem that Panic Room has employed dynamic resolution scaling to help Nintendo's console cope with packed scenes.
During slower moments, though, the cutbacks are plain to see – textures are muddy and everything lacks detail thanks to the lower resolution. In both docked and handheld mode, it often seems like you're playing The New Colossus through a thick film of vaseline, and if you've played the game elsewhere then the downgrade might be off-putting.
On the plus side, the Switch's 720p screen does a good job of hiding these shortcomings, and being able to play such a recent AAA console game on the move is nothing short of a miracle; the main thing is that Panic Button has transferred the essence of what makes The New Colossus great to Switch successfully.
There's sadly no multiplayer to speak of (there wasn't any in the original release, either) which means that once the end credits have rolled there's little reason to return, unless you fancy taking on one of the harder difficulty levels.
Verdict: Play it now
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is an incredible ride while it lasts, and proof positive that Nintendo's hybrid console is more than capable of hosting faithful ports of big-name third-party releases – even if some of the visual spectacle has to be dialed back in the process.
The concessions made by developer Panic Button make sense in the grand scheme of things, and being able to blast away Nazis in portable mode is something of a game-changer – even if you've already experienced this adventure on PS4 or Xbox One.
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news http://www.techradar.com/news/wolfenstein-ii-the-new-colossus-nintendo-switch-review
