Friday 31 March 2017
The best Australian Amazon Kindle deals in April 2017
This is TechRadar's dedicated page for Amazon Kindle deals. Here you'll find the cheapest Kindle deals for all of Amazon's e-readers. We crosscheck every model of Kindle with every retailer every day to pull in the best deals so that this page is always up to date with the cheapest prices.
You'll find the latest prices from a wide range of retailers for the latest Kindle e-readers. We've found the best prices on the basic yet impressive regular Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite and you'll also find the best deals on the more luxurious models of the Kindle Voyage and Kindle Oasis.
What makes a good Kindle deal?
If this is your first Kindle, you'll want to know how to tell a good Kindle deal when you see one. Luckily, there are so many good ones out there it's pretty easy!
The early Kindle e-readers don't have LCD screens or powerful internal components which means they're usually a lot cheaper than tablets and phones. The lack of a glass screen is fantastic for glare-free reading though and an immediate improvement over using the Kindle app on your phone or tablet.
The Kindle Voyage normally has a price of about US$220/£170/AU$299, so if you can get it for cheaper than that, you're onto a winner. After that, there isn't a huge difference in features, so it all depends how much you want to spend. If you can find the Kindle Paperwhite for under $120/£110/AU$169, you're getting a good price. With the new Kindle Oasis model arriving recently, we may see the older models' prices drop soon.
Here are the best Kindle deals currently available...
Kindle Oasis deals
The luxury e-reader you've been waiting for?
The new Kindle Oasis is out now and costs $290/£270/AU$449 for the basic Wi-Fi version. There's no avoiding the obvious, that's a lot of money for an e-reader. However, dedicated e-reader fans will appreciate the extra lightness and improved screen lighting. The considerably cheaper Voyage and Paperwhite models are excellent alternatives though. Have a look at our Kindle Oasis verdict for more information on why this is the future of Amazon's Kindle range.
Kindle Paperwhite deals
The best standard Kindle ever is a value-for-money winner
The 6th generation Kindle Paperwhite is the best standard Kindle yet, it's the most cost effective e-reader on the market and it easily beats the Kobo Aura on performance and design. Unlike the cheaper model, this one comes with screen lighting. Amazon has managed to create a fast e-ink tablet with inventive reading apps. You can lookup words in the dictionary without leaving your page, or even flick through any relevant Wikipedia entries for most words or terms. As far as value for money goes, this is the one to beat.
Amazon Kindle (2016) deals
The new 2016 Kindle, also known as the 'Kindle Touch', is the updated version of the entry level Kindle last released in 2014. If you want the cheapest option, this is the one you should go for as the 2014 version has been discontinued and any deals you see are probably for preowned or refurbished units. With prices starting around £60/US$80/AU$109, you're getting a bargain. The 2016 model is also available in white (the 2014 was black only), it's lighter, thinner, has double the RAM speed and double the storage capacity at 4GB. The lack of a lit screen is the only thing holding it back really.
Kindle Voyage deals
A worthy runner up to the Oasis
The Voyage used to be the most expensive Kindle around before the Oasis arrived, but at least we're seeing the price drop now. Amazon's Voyage is one of the best ebook readers available. It's more compact than other Kindles and the screen is sharper than the cheaper models. A flush display makes the device easier to keep clean and carry around, the screen's resolution is the highest it has ever been, and it even comes with an ace origami-style case (at additional cost).
We check our Kindle deals every day to make sure they're always up to date and available!
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The best Australian Chromecast deals in April 2017
The Google Chromecast is not only one of the most useful and innovative gadgets of the last few years, it's also dazzlingly cheap. And if you're looking to pick one up for the cheapest possible price, you've come to the right place!
Chromecast is a Wi-Fi HDMI dongle that you plug directly into your TV. From there you can use your smartphone or tablet to 'throw' video at your TV over Wi-Fi – whether it be Netflix movies, live football matches from the major broadcasters or simply just a funny YouTube video. On this page we'll find you the best prices for the Chromecast Ultra, Chromecast 2 (or just Chromecast now) and Chromecast Audio and explain how they differ.
What is a good Chromecast deal?
This one's easy. The standard price for a Chromecast 2 is $54. You should never, ever pay more than that because you can always find one for that price.
Chromecast 2 deals
The Chromecast 2, or 'new Chromecast' as it's also known, is very similar to the now discontinued 2013 Chromecast. Sure, it looks a little different. And it's got slightly faster network performance and a few other tweaks such as coming with a dangly cable instead of as a rigid stick. But essentially the same product in a different shape.
Chromecast Audio deals
While it doesn't offer true multi-room streaming at the moment (fingers crossed that comes soon), this easy-to-use and affordable device modernises any trusty set of wired speakers you already own with wireless capabilities. In doing so, it also opens them up to features that will grow and get even better over time. Got an old set of speakers or an ancient iPod dock? Turn it into a wireless speaker with Chromecast Audio!
Chromecast Ultra deals
The 4K Chromecast Ultra is the newest member of the Chromecast family. If you have a 4K TV or are planning on getting one, it's certainly worth picking one of these up. The Chromecast Ultra is a cheaper alternative to Amazon's Fire TV or the US-only Roku 4 for getting 4K content on your TV. Chromecast Ultra deals are usually around $88, so anything cheaper is an added bonus.
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How Stories Search makes Snapchat a real-time YouTube
Snapchat is shifting from a social network limited to content shared by people you follow to an ephemeral, real-time database of what’s going on now everywhere. Today Snapchat launched Search for Stories submitted to its public Our Stories. It makes Snapchat as deep as whatever the world is sharing, creating near-infinite rabbit holes to go down. That aligns exactly with Snap IPO… Read More
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Amazon quietly launches its own social media influencer program into beta
Social media influencers – like Instagram stars or YouTube celebs – often promote products they like, either as part of a brand relationship or as means of generating income through affiliate sales. Now, Amazon is looking to get in on this action as well. The company has quietly launched the “Amazon Influencer Program,” which is currently in beta testing as of a couple… Read More
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Stealthy gaming company Wonder is ready to tease its new mystery hardware
Wonder, the incredibly stealthy new gaming company, has quietly created a signup page for information and perks related to its plans for global domination of the gaming market from its Los Angeles headquarters. The company is calling its new campaign the “Alpha Program”, and folks that are interested can get updates on Wonder’s product, provide feedback, and get perks and… Read More
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Twitter is getting rid of the egg avatar because that will totally fix the abuse problem
Everyone knows that Twitter has a harassment problem. And while the service has tried things like banning abusive users (both on a temporary and permanent basis) it hasn’t really fixed the problem. But Twitter now thinks it has a real solution. Cracking the egg. In a long-winded post the service announced they are replacing the default egg with a unisex profile picture resembling a… Read More
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Snapchat now lets you search across over 1 million Stories
Snapchat has opened up search across over 1 million curated public Stories, with a new feature release that could be a very helpful tool not only for users, but for advertisers, too. The search feature allows users to find Stories relevant to their interest by keyword, from a large number shared publicly by users and brands. The Stories search is built on new tech behind the scenes that… Read More
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GV’s Tom Hulme on AI, life sciences, and the Alphabet VC’s future in Europe
GV — the VC owned by Google’s Alphabet and formerly known as Google Ventures — has had a few ups and downs in Europe since first setting up its stall here in London in 2014. It initially stormed into the market with $125 million to invest in its first year, along with four permanent partners (Tom Hulme, Avid Larizadeh Duggan, Eze Vidra and Peter Read) and one… Read More http://ift.tt/2ohDgjp
Dear @Jack, I don’t love Twitter anymore
Oh how innocent we were. How full of hope for the possibility of a 140-character microblogging service. For the joy it could bring, and the good we could do together. Now I look back and I just feel numb. Read More
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It’s World Backup Day: a reminder to be careful with your precious data
Today is World Backup Day, which serves as a handy reminder to us all that backing up your files is an absolute necessity, because you never know when disaster can strike – and the ensuing loss of data can be very painful if you’re not prepared.
The official slogan of the campaign – which is an independent initiative that started out on Reddit – is: “Don’t be an April fool. Be prepared. Back up your files on March 31.”
The website for the initiative highlights some key backup-related statistics, including the fact that 30% of people have never backed up, and one in 10 PCs are infected with a virus every month (potentially causing data loss).
Storage vendor Verbatim has some of its own statistics, and found that in a survey which questioned folks about how often they back up their home PC, 18% had never done so – and 7% said they didn’t know how to. The largest majority, 39%, said they backed up ‘whenever I remember’, which probably isn’t very often.
Only 18% performed monthly backups, 9% did weekly backups, and 4% backed up daily.
As for the most prevalent reason people fail to duplicate their data – 25% admitted that they were simply ‘too lazy’ to perform regular backups.
Hardware hazards
Verbatim’s statistics also explored the reasons why data loss happens, with the most popular cause being hardware failure at 52% of all incidents. 13% of data loss incidents were caused by software corruption, 7% by accidental damage, and 3% by malware.
As Verbatim notes, it’s a sensible idea to create at least two backup copies of your original data, one of which can be stored locally (say on an external drive), but the other should be stored off-site (for example in the cloud) just in case of a really terrible disaster like a fire which hits your home or office.
Of course, here at TechRadar, we’ve also got plenty of advice on keeping on top of backups – such as our roundup of 10 essential tools for backing up and protecting your PC.
Don’t want to pay to back up your PC? Then check out our feature on the best free backup software of 2017. And if you’re heading cloud-wards, here’s our piece on the 10 best online backup services.
PCs aside, we also discuss how to back up your iPhone and iPad, and we have the same advice for Android devices.
However you back up, just make sure you do it – and on a regular schedule, not just as and when you feel like it.
- It’s also a good idea to run with the best antivirus software
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Travauxlib takes care of your home renovation for you
French startup Travauxlib matches you with construction companies so that they can take care of your home. The company raised $1.9 million (€1.8 million) from Xavier Niel, Breega Capital and Bpifrance. Travauxlib usually works on complete home renovation, kitchen remodeling, bathroom work and home extensions. In other words, if you want to change something about your home and it costs… Read More http://ift.tt/2nCQYdT
Matternet cleared to fly blood samples in delivery drones over Swiss cities
The Swiss Federal Office for Civil Aviation (FOCA) has granted Matternet a certification allowing their delivery drones to fly autonomously over cities at any time of day or night. Clearing this regulatory hurdle means that by early next year, Matternet partner Swiss Post plans to use the drones to deliver blood samples and other small parcels between hospitals in Lugano, a smaller city with… Read More http://ift.tt/2nRFncS
Thursday 30 March 2017
Sony's 55-inch 2016 HDR TV is super cheap this week
Ah, spring, a time for renewal. While the birds and bees are emerging from their respective respites, TV manufacturers are hard at work pumping out the best screens of 2017.
In case you haven't been paying attention to the fusillade of HDR TVs flying back and forth, LG is leading the pack with its gorgeous (and outrageously expensive) W7 OLED, and Sony’s fired back with its flagship the XE93/X930E.
This war of screens is good news for TV buyers, obviously. Not only do we have a great new 2017 4K TV to feast our eye sockets on but, perhaps more importantly, that means Sony’s 2016 screens – the ones we couldn’t afford last year – are finally dropping into our price range.
Take, for example, the Sony Bravia XBR-55X930D (US) / KD-55XD9305 (UK) / KD55X9300D (AU).
When it launched last year, it had the recommended retail price of $2,200 /£1,650 / AU$3,299. That price has dipped slightly since launch, but this week it has one of the best price we’ve seen: $1,128 / £1,099 / AU$2,496.
Our reviewer, Steve May, said that Sony's flagship set was "a triumph of design and image ingenuity," and "gorgeous-looking 4K screen, with advanced functionality and high level of picture performance."
The US price dropped about $1,000 since launch, and chances are it won’t go much lower without it being harder to find in stores.
All that said, if you’re looking to snag Sony’s 2016 flagship for yourself, head on over to Amazon (or Amazon.co.uk) to grab one before they’re gone.
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You can directly download the Windows 10 Creators Update starting April 5
Microsoft will allow savvy fans to download the Windows 10 Creators Update early – officially this time. Starting April 5, Microsoft will officially make the major update available through its previously-leaked Update Assistant tool.
The firm made the announcement through its Windows Blog along with details on how Microsoft will handle the rollout for everyone else that starts April 11th.
You will be able to download the Update Assistant tool officially from this link, but not until April 5. Of course, Microsoft says the Update Assistant will only work on licensed copies of the operating system.
So, what about that rollout?
The operative word in Microsoft’s plans for releasing the Creators Update is “rollout”. With that in mind, on April 11, the update will first make it to the general Windows Update tool within newer PCs, “especially those we tested together with our OEM hardware partners,” Microsoft’s John Cable writes.
Next up will be, well, up to Microsoft – based on the feedback the company receives from this first phase of rollout to those shiny, new devices. Then, Cable writes that the firm will “iterate this process over a period of several months” until every last of the 400-odd million Windows 10 devices download the Creators Update.
Yes, you read that correctly: “several months.” That shouldn’t be a huge surprise, though, considering the Anniversary Update rollout period lasted about as long.
In other words, if you’re just dying to get your hands on the Creators Update, your best bet is to familiarize yourself with the Update Assistant tool on April 5. We know we’ll be doing the same.
- These are the best laptops of 2017 so far
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Facebook now lets you hold fundraisers with your friends
They say it takes a village to raise a child, but a well-knit community can also come in a pinch for financial emergencies, such as an unexpected medical expense, disaster relief, or college tuition.
To help enable more peer-to-peer giving, Facebook is expanding its charitable giving tools to allow users to set up GoFundMe-style fundraisers for themselves, a nonprofit organization, or another individual.
The feature currently lets a user set up a page to help address one of six specified monetary needs: education, medicine, pet medicine, crisis relief, personal emergencies, and funerals.
From there, the fundraiser undergoes a 24-hour-long review process before going live for your Facebook friends to share, comment on, and donate to. You can also track which of your friends contributed to your cause, or invite others to join in.
For existing nonprofit pages, Facebook is also adding donation buttons that go up alongside Facebook Live broadcasts — perfect for chipping in a little without interrupting your digital-era telethon or charity livestream.
Facebook's fundraiser feature rolls out in beta starting this week for users in the US. As a side note, the social media giant has also made it clear that you must be 18 or older to set up a crowdfunding page.
- How to master Facebook Live
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Senate intelligence hearing details Russian social media disinformation strategy
The first half of Thursday’s Senate Select Intelligence Committee’s hearing on Russian disinformation campaigns wasn’t quite as fun as watching James Comey squirm his way around classified intel in the House, but it did provide some valuable context on Russian cyber methods and social media campaigns. Read More
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Twitter stops counting @ Replies towards its 140 characters on web and mobile
Nearly a year ago, Twitter announced it would begin distancing itself from the requirement that all tweets could only contain 140 characters by no longer counting some things – like media attachments or @ replies towards the character count. However, it didn’t begin testing the change with @ replies until last fall. Today, Twitter says this change to replies is rolling out to all… Read More
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UK wants tech firms to build tools to block terrorist content
UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd is holding talks with several major Internet companies today to urge them to be more proactive about tackling the spread of extremist content online. Companies in attendance include Google, Microsoft, Twitter and Facebook, along with some smaller Internet companies. Read More
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UK wants tech firms to build tools to block terrorist content
UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd is holding talks with several major Internet companies today to urge them to be more proactive about tackling the spread of extremist content online. Companies in attendance include Google, Microsoft, Twitter and Facebook, along with some smaller Internet companies. Read More http://ift.tt/2olnFwb
Ledger grabs $7 million for its cryptocurrency hardware wallets
Things are going incredibly well for Ledger these days. People find bitcoins, ethers and other cryptocurrencies exciting again. And the French startup just raised a $7 million Series A round to make hardware security devices ubiquitous. XAnge, Wicklow Capital, GDTRE, Libertus Capital, Digital Currency Group, The Whittemore Collection, Kima Ventures, BHB Network and Nicolas Pinto participated… Read More http://ift.tt/2ocwDhX
Facebook introduces personal fundraising tools, donate buttons in Facebook Live for Pages
Facebook today announced it’s expanding its set of online fundraising tools to include its own GoFundMe competitor, with the added support for personal online fundraisers, starting first in the U.S. The new tool will allow Facebook users to raise money for personal crises and other campaigns – like school or medical expenses, emergency situations, funerals, and more. In addition,… Read More
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Disney just launched the new mobile-only version of Club Penguin
Club Penguin Island, the mobile-only replacement for the original Club Penguin (which shut down last night) has launched. Started in 2005, Club Penguin was one of the first successful virtual worlds for children and, as they grew up, teens and adults. At its peak the platform had 200M users, and a few months ago was still seeing upwards of 5M visitors to the Club Penguin website each month.… Read More
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VPNs are a hot topic following controversial US privacy vote
As you might expect, after the US Congress voted to cast aside ISP privacy rules – following the Senate’s lead in overturning regulations that prevent ISPs from sharing users’ browser data – there has been a major surge of interest in VPN services over in the States, with Google searches showing a marked uptick for the term.
As you can see in the Google Trends graph below, searches for ‘VPN’ (virtual private network) have witnessed a major spike following these votes, and indeed since earlier in the month when the controversy was merely brewing.
As of the week ending March 11, the Trends graph for the US showed the VPN search term at a rating of 79, with it then quickly accelerating up to 100, where it currently resides.
That means there are now roughly a quarter more searches being made by people curious about a VPN, likely having heard mention of the term in connection with the US legislation.
Curiouser and curiouser
Of course, curious is the key word here – this doesn’t necessarily mean tons of people who previously didn’t bother are going to start using a VPN. It just shows that there’s a lot of interest in VPNs, although exactly how that will translate to increased usage is anyone’s guess.
That said, it’s a fair indication that more people are going to be signing up to VPN providers, or considering other methods of keeping their browsing history secret from their ISP (like the Tor browser, for instance).
Be aware that if you are considering a VPN, you need to choose a quality provider – remember that while using a virtual private network may cover your surfing history from your ISP, it won’t hide it from the VPN firm itself. So the company needs to be one you can trust (i.e. an outfit with a transparent and watertight privacy policy for starters).
Reviews are always helpful, too, and we’ve got some recommendations on the best VPNs to use right here.
Meanwhile, the VPN providers themselves are certainly not being shy of taking advantage of this recent privacy storm, with Private Internet Access even paying for a full-page advert in the New York Times highlighting the 50 Senators who ‘voted to monitor your internet activity for financial gain’.
Via: Torrent Freak
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Wednesday 29 March 2017
Do a 360! Facebook Live now supports virtual reality-ready livestreams
Facebook Live is adding a whole new way to stream events and daily goings-on as the streaming platform opens up 360-degree video to all its users.
So long as you've got the equipment handy, you can now broadcast 360-degree video live on Facebook almost exactly the same way as a normal airing, including the option to choose what audiences and regions your stream reaches, as well as see comments and reactions.
The news comes to us courtesy of Insta360, which develops its own line of 360-degree cameras for Android and Apple devices.
In the video below, the company shows how to get started with 360-degree streaming on Facebook Live, using its own Insta360 Nano and accompanying app to create a fully functioning livestream in just a few short steps.
In addition to the usual Facebook Live settings, you can change the connection quality up to (or even above) the recommended dose of 4Mbps to help customize a nice balance of good picture and smooth performance.
To use 360-degree video on Facebook Live, you'll need to have a make sure your compatible camera has had its firmware updated to support Facebook Live or set it up manually via the social media site.
Top Image Credit: Insta360 (via YouTube)
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Facebook will launch group chatbots at F8
Facebook will reveal at its F8 conference a new class of group bots that work inside Messenger group chats. These group bots can keep users informed about real-time news such as a sports game’s progress, ecommerce deliveries, and more, according to three sources familiar with the development of the feature. Facebook is already working with top chatbot makers to prepare for the launch. Read More
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Facebook’s CrowdTangle lets publishers compare performance on social apps
Heavy with fake news guilt, Facebook is rolling out new social channel benchmarking for publishers in the CrowdTangle tool it acquired and made free last year. Read More
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This year’s Tribeca Film Festival will include a video game festival, too
New York City’s Tribeca Film Festival is getting a sister event — this year, it will see kickoff of the very first Tribeca Games Festival. The event is being launched in partnership with gaming publication Kill Screen and will take place on April 28 and 29 (during the film festival). There will be keynote interviews with Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima, BioShock director Ken Levine… Read More
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Aiden closes $750,000 seed round in its quest to amplify marketers
Aiden, a London-based startup building a machine learning-powered personal assistant to save mobile marketers time and money, closed a $750,000 seed round today from Kima Ventures and a number of angels including Nicolas Pinto, Pierre Valade and Jonathan Wolf. The team first demoed the capabilities of its service on the stage of TechCrunch Disrupt as a Battlefield finalist. In recent… Read More
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Twitter’s live streaming app Periscope gets an analytics dashboard
Trying to figure out this whole live video broadcasting thing? Good news! Periscope, the Twitter-owned live-broadcasting app, picked up a new trick this morning: a shiny new analytics dashboard. It’s not the most groundbreaking thing in the world, but it makes sense. Making a successful live video on the internet — particularly one that doesn’t involve video games or naked… Read More
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