Canon fans have a lot to look forward to in April, with the camera maker announcing a major live stream event to be held on April 20 at 1pm EDT (that would be 6pm on the same date in the UK and April 21 at 3am AEST in Australia).
There's no mention of what the event is for exactly, except to say it's to "[introduce] new products and technologies". We're hoping that would include the highly anticipated EOS R5 full-frame mirrorless flagship and it's much-rumored entry-level EOS R6 sibling.
This announcement comes less than 24 hours after online publication Canon Rumors reported that the company was not planning on delaying the launch of both mirrorless cameras.
What makes it even more exciting is that the company has managed to work through these challenging times, despite reports that Canon would delay either the launch of the cameras or the their shipping date after the spread of the Covid-19 virus led to the temporary closure of some of Canon's Japanese factories.
However, Canon USA has listed the live stream event under the 'Professional Video Solutions' section of its website, which could imply the manufacturer might reveal new broadcast and cinema equipment – i.e. the products Canon would have announced at the canceled 2020 NAB Show in Las Vegas.
Don't take our word for it though – we're just speculating and eagerly awaiting the reveal on April 20, be it a new cinema shooter or the 8K marvel that is the EOS R5 that we got to ogle at recently.
As the looming threat of Covid-19 intensifies, many Australians have rightfully taken the government's advice onboard by practising self-isolation and social distancing in an effort to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Whether you're staying home under self-imposed lockdown or under a doctor-ordered state of quarantine, self-isolation can be quite boring – particularly if you're usually a very outgoing person.
Thankfully, technology has made it easier than ever to keep yourself entertained while stuck inside your home. With that in mind, we've taken the liberty of putting together a helpful guide on how to keep yourself entertained during self-isolation.
Read on to learn more about how you can stave off boredom via Australia's available streaming services during this especially trying time in our history.
Australian movie & TV streaming services
For most people, being stuck at home will be a less-than-ideal situation. That said, it does present the perfect opportunity to catch up on all the TV shows and movies you haven't gotten around to. In fact, you could even choose to re-watch the ones you loved.
Thankfully, Australia has a number of excellent streaming services on offer which will allow you to watch (almost) anything your heart desires without having to leave your couch.
Netflix
The most popular option is Netflix, which offers a never-ending supply of original shows and movies from around the world, along with constantly-changing licensed content. Pricing starts at AU$9.99 per month for the entry-level tier (one screen in standard definition), all the way up to $19.99 for the full Ultra HD package with four simultaneous streams. Unfortunately, Netflix no longer offers a free-trial period. That said, we can't imagine you'll have difficulty finding something to watch on the service. Here here to sign up to Netflix. Here's how to watch Netflix with friends while self isolating.
Stan
Similar to Netflix in its pricing tiers, Australia's first major streaming service Stan starts at AU$10 per month for its one SD stream, followed by AU$14 per month for two HD streams and AU$17 per month for four 4K streams. It too offers original content, along with a large selection of first-run international shows that aren't available to stream elsewhere – though not quite as many as Netflix. That said, it does have a vast back catalogue of classic shows like Friends, Seinfeld and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. If that sounds good, you can sign up for Stan's free 30-day trial from its website.
Disney Plus
The newest streaming service to hit the Australian scene, Disney Plus offers an incredible back catalogue of the Mouse House's TV shows and movies – we're talking everything from the Mickey Mouse's original appearance in Steamboat Willy, all the way to modern Marvel blockbusters like Avengers: Endgame. Disney Plus has already started showing original content, such as the much-loved Star Wars series The Mandalorian, and you can expect plenty more in the near future. For a flat fee of only AU$8.99 per month for everything it has to offer, we highly recommend you sign up to Disney Plus for a free 7-day trial.
Amazon Prime Video Included with every subscription to Amazon Prime, this streaming service offers a growing library of Amazon Original shows and movies, along with access to a countless number classic shows and movies. Of course, an Amazon Prime subscription much more than just another streaming service – for a flat fee of AU$6.99 per month, you'll get a number of additional bonuses for shopping on Amazon Australia. These include access to Prime Reading, Prime Music and Twitch Prime, free two-day delivery on domestic purchases, early access to discounts and deals, huge savings on Amazon Prime Day and more – all things that will come in handy during your home quarantine period. Here's where you can sign up for Amazon Prime in Australia.
Foxtel Now While it's far more expensive than competing streaming services, particularly if you want to opt for every package on offer, Foxtel Now does offer many shows and movies that aren't available to stream anywhere else. For instance, the only place to stream HBO's extensive catalogue, including the likes of Game of Thrones and Westworld, is via Foxtel Now. Luckily, you can get started from only AU$25 per month (following a 10-day free trial) for mandatory Pop and Lifestyle packages, and if you're willing to spend more additional packages you can also access a huge selection of movies, sports and much more.
Apple TV Plus
While Apple's new subscription-based video streaming service is unable to compete with the likes of Netflix and Disney Plus when it comes to the size of its content library, it makes up for it by offering a very high quality shows from big-name talent across the board. At only AU$7.99 per month after 7-day trial, it's also fairly inexpensive, and if you happen to have bought a major Apple product recently, such as an iPhone or iPad, you will receive 12-months of Apple TV Plus for the fantastic price of 'free'.
Kayo Sports
Are you a sports nut? Well, you're going to love Kayo Sports – a streaming service dedicated to all things running, kicking, throwing, racing, jumping and... you get the idea. With Kayo, you get almost everything sports-related that's available on Foxtel for less than half the price. The Kayo Sports Basic Package provides two simultaneous streams for only AU$25 per month, while for AU$35 per month, you can sign up to the Kayo Sports Premium Package, which provides three simultaneous streams. Best of all, there are no lock-in contracts and you can try before you buy with a free 14-day trial.
10 All Access
The local Australian version of America's CBS All Access streaming service, 10 All Access offers a growing number of premium television shows (including originals) as soon as they're released. We're talking complete and up-to-date shows like The Bachelor, NCIS, Hawaii Five-0, Masterchef Australia, Survivor and Neighbours, along with exclusive originals like The Twilight Zone. You can even watch some before they've premiered on Network 10, and with the added bonus of absolutely no ads. Additionally, the services a live streaming 24/7 news service in the world-renowned CBSN, all for AU$9.99 per month. Join now and get your first month free.
Tubi
Trying to save money during these uncertain times? Tubi just might be the service for you. Relatively new to the Australian streaming landscape, the ad-supported Tubi is 100% free and offers an enormous number of C-grade movies and shows, cult classics and trashy gems, along with a selection of honest-to-goodness mainstream films from years gone by. All you need is a Facebook or Gmail account to login with and you're good-to-go. Of course, you will have to suffer the occasional pre-film 30-second advertisement, but you won't see any more ads for the remainder of the film or show you're watching. Check out Tubi for free right now.
Of course, there are also a large number of free streaming and catch-up services which offer ad-supported content. These include apps from all the major Australian networks, such as 7Plus, 9Now, SBS On Demand, ABC iview and 10play.
As for the rest of the paid streaming services we've covered, you'll find several comprehensive guides to the best shows and films they offer below.
2020 marks Mario's 35th anniversary and with it, multiple reports say Nintendo is planning on a celebration that will see remakes of 3D Mario games, as well as potential new entries for the Switch.
The Witcher season 2 is going to be one of the biggest things to happen to Netflix. We know that because, well, the first season took the platform by storm, and we only predict it to get bigger. It's one of the best Netflix shows around with its action-packed monster hunting, nuanced character relationships, and engrossing fantasy politics.
The multiple timelines that some found confusing are tied up; now we'll follow the exploits of Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer without jumping around so much. The Witcher season 2 also started shooting in early 2020, but like much of the entertainment world, work on the show has been disrupted by COVID-19.
Nevertheless, when the fantasy epic does return, we'll no doubt be treated to some of the excellent stories made famous in The Witcher books, but hopefully we'll have a few more original yarns thrown in there for good measure. So let's get into it: here's everything we know about The Witcher season 2's release date, cast, new characters, story and more.
The closest thing we have to a The Witcher season 2 release date is '2021'. This was reported by Variety but was also confirmed by writer Lauren S. Hissrich during a Reddit AMA. She said: "We don't yet have a target launch date for season 2, past 2021."
It's not a great deal to go on, but it guarantees there'll be more than a year's wait between seasons. Our first guess was that we'd see it in early 2021, but COVID-19 could well push it back further than that. Ex-Game of Thrones actor Kristofer Hivju has tested positive for the coronavirus, so the set is being deep cleaned amid a two-week production suspension. While we don't know the specifics of how the release date is impacted, we'll keep you updated in case we hear anything.
The Witcher season 2 was announced on November 13, around six weeks before the first season aired. Since that moment we knew the show would be a hit. Season 2 started filming in February 2020, this time in London, Scotland and parts of Eastern Europe.
The Witcher season 2 cast: new characters confirmed for next year, including Vesemir
Henry Cavill (Geralt), Anya Chalotra (Yennefer) and Freya Allan (Ciri) are all set to return for The Witcher season 2. The full cast for the show has now been revealed by Netflix, in fact.
Two new witchers are apparently joining the cast: Lambert, played by Paul Bullion, and Coën, played by Yasen Atour (Netflix confirmed only the casting detail, and Redanian Intelligence reported they're witchers). This has added fuel to the fire that a lot of The Witcher season 2 will take us to Kaer Morhen, where witchers are trained. Could we see Ciri completing her training here, too?
Killing Eve's Kim Bodnia plays witcher trainer, Vesemir and Kristofer Hivju – better known as Game of Throne's crimson-bearded Tormund Giantsbane – will play Nivellen. Other new castings include Mecia Simson as Francesca, Thue Ersted Rasmussen as Eskel, Aisha Fabienne Ross as Lydia and Agnes Bjorn as Vereena. Deadline reports that Carmel Laniado has joined the cast as a secretly sadistic young girl called Violet for at least three episodes. But despite the rumors, Natalie Dormer has not been cast, her representatives confirmed to Screen Rant.
Returning characters from season one include – thank the heavens – Jaskier (Joey Batey) and Triss (Anna Shaffer). Eamon Farren will be back as Cahir, too. Other familiar faces from season one will include Tissaia (MyAnna Buring), Filavandrel (Tom Canton), Stregobor (Lars Mikkelson), Artorius (Terence Maynard), Sabrina (Therica Wilson Read), Murta (Lilly Cooper), Yarpen Zigrin (Jeremy Crawford) and Istredd (Royce Pierreson).
Also, it appears that the fiery Queen Meve of Lyria and Rivia is in for season 2. The gutsy monarch debuted in single-player card game spin-off, Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales, and it looks like an audition tape has surfaced with the Queen holding court with two other men: the transcript is available on Redanian Intellegience.
The Witcher season 2 story: what's confirmed, and what happens in the books
A big talking point of season 1 was how it told stories in multiple places and across a non-linear timeline (though the now-released official Witcher map and Witcher timelinereally help) resulting in a multi-tale anthology of sorts.
In an interview with Vulture, Hissrich said that while she believes she didn't give the audience too much credit – "the audience is incredibly smart" – she had "misunderstood what everyone was looking for in their entertainment". She said "I love to be challenged when I'm watching TV," but conceded that that wasn't the case for everyone.
However, season one's climax brought all the separate threads together nicely, priming The Witcher season 2 for a simpler plot. Hissrich has confirmed that Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer exist in the same timeline now.
"That’s where we ended season one. That’s absolutely where we will pick up in season two. The stories will be told in a much more linear fashion. They won’t all be one story. It’s not like all three are together and happy all the time. But, I do want to employ some different ways to look at time series-wide."
That doesn't mean we won't see any of the episodic Geralt monster-hunting adventures that we loved in season 1. Hissrich will be mining "different short stories" for season 2, and suggests the chance of flashback scenes.
Ciri will be "center stage" in season 2, apparently. In the books, Ciri's story makes up the central plot of 'the saga'. The saga covers five books, starting with Blood of Elves, and centers on Ciri, her importance as a magical royal with Elven heritage, her relationship with Geralt, her ongoing efforts to survive, and how all this shapes events on The Continent.
The setup for this has already begun, as the very start of Blood of Elves is covered in season 1 by the siege, the downfall of Cintra, and Ciri's subsequent escape. Elsewhere, expect to see more of life under Nilfgaardian rule in season 2, as tensions between humans and non-humans rise.
The grand location of Kaer Morhen should appear prominently in The Witcher season 2 as well. This is the ancestral home and stronghold of the witchers, and Geralt is required to take Ciri to the fortress for protection and training. Here, he takes closer guardianship of Ciri, becoming a father figure. With the appearance of a mysterious, powerful wizard - also pursuing Ciri – some more war, prophecies, dark magic and, of course, monster hunting, in mind, season 2 begins to sound promising.
In terms of story specifics, Redania Intelligence claims that another short story from The Last Wish will appear. This short story, A Grain of Truth, features Geralt meeting the cursed man, Nivellen (who we now know is played by Hivju), who has been turned into a beast.
Asked by Pure Fandom for a teaser on season 2, Hissrich had this to say: "Without spoilers, I will say that there’s a crop of new monsters, a new cost to magic, and new and unexpected pairings of our favorite characters."
Expect to see more from magical villainess Fringilla, too. When asked by Vulture, Hissrich confirmed that "you will absolutely get more Fringillla [...] we're digging deeper into her past and how she ended up at Nilfgaard, who she is as a person, and how she and Yennefer ended up on such different paths." In other words, expect more metal mind-control earworms. Ugh.
The Witcher season 2 will be accompanied by a Witcher animated movie
In addition to The Witcher season 2, an anime-style Witcher movie has been announced for Netflix called The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf. No release date has been set for that one yet.
It'll be written by Beau DeMayo (who scripted episode 3 of season one), and it focuses on Vesemir, Geralt's mentor. He'll be familiar to anyone who knows the games and the books. It'll be animated by Studio Mir, which was behind the acclaimed Legend of Korra series. The story will take us "back to a new threat facing the Continent."
Now we know Kim Bodnia is playing Vesemir in season 2, it's likely he'll voice him here too.
An official synopsis was added to Netflix for Nightmare of the Wolf, which was later pulled. "Long before mentoring Geralt, Vesemir begins his own journey as a witcher after the mysterious Delgan claims him through the Law of Surprise."
The Witcher season 2: other rumors and details
The wrinkly Nilfgaardian armor, which some fans on the internet didn't like, will be changed in season 2. Hissrich told Flickering Myth's Writer Experience podcast that, "the Nilfgaard armor will be totally different. You have that opportunity [in season two] to go back and course correct if you want to."
The Witcher could run for seven seasons on Netflix
The Witcher could run on Netflix for a long time. Hissrich claims to have thought out ideas for a massive seven seasons. And we're pretty certain there's enough source material left for that to be viable.
We've got the entirety of Geralt, Ciri and Yennefer's stories to play out. It takes them across The Continent to a rich variety of locations, and introduces us to some of the best fantasy characters around. Ciri's development is a great basis for future tales in The Witcher universe that combine themes of family and love, and mystery and magic.
The Witcher feels like it's here to stay on Netflix
The first season of The Witcher shrugged off the idea that it was just here to replace Game of Thrones. It confidently told stories in its own way and presented a fantasy world that has already captures people's imaginations. And, while we are unlikely to see much spillover from the games - they are not really canon according to Sapkowski but rather a "free adaptation containing elements of [his] work" - we know fans will enjoy various subtle references to the series, as they did in season 1.
Hissrich and company aren't in the business of rushing this out. Hissrich said that the series would need time: "We don't want to rush the product. That doesn't benefit anyone." If it's as good as season 1, it'll be worth the wait.
If it'll help pass the time until season 2, you can finally listen to the official version of 'Toss a Coin to your Witcher' on Spotify.
OnePlus has assured users that it will be bringing Always-On display as a feature for its devices in future software updates. It could also be seen on the OnePlus 8 series of devices, expected to launch in the coming weeks.
This is a tough time for everybody, but for freelancers, sole traders and small business owners it’s particularly hard. The plans businesses might have had for the year ahead have had to rapidly change in the past few weeks. Instead, processes that might have taken months or years to implement have had to take days and weeks.
The UK government is, of course, doing a lot to try and help freelancers, sole traders and SMEs through this difficult time. This is especially important as 99% of businesses in the UK are identified as SMEs and need to find a way to keep the lights on. But with so much information flying around, it can be difficult to find what is needed.
Below are five tips to help manage your finances through this crisis. The piece looks at chasing invoices, moving online, and trying to plan for the businesses’ future, with some added advice from the government.
We all find ourselves in a rapidly evolving situation. It is hard for businesses to try to plan for the long term. Rather, each day brings a new twist to a difficult situation. But there is help to be had. The government has put some packages in place to help SMEs get through this period.
These include:
● Small business grant funding of £10,000 for all business in receipt of small business rate relief or rural rate relief
● Grant funding of £25,000 for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses with property with a rateable value between £15,001 and £51,000
● The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme offering loans of up to £5 million for SMEs through the British Business Bank, which are guaranteed by the Government
● A new lending facility from the Bank of England to help support liquidity among larger firms, helping them bridge coronavirus disruption to their cash flows through loans
● The HMRC Time To Pay Scheme, which is delaying tax payments
It’s important to check the government's Covid-19 SME support page to find out how to apply for these various grants and relief packages.
Chasing invoices
Staying on top of your invoices is going to be crucial. With the uncertainty from COVID-19, cash flow is more important than ever. But with so many suppliers also experiencing sudden shortages of work they might be struggling to pay invoices on time.
If your customers or suppliers are in industries heavily affected by the coronavirus, you should contact them as soon as possible to not only remind them of their outstanding invoices, but to also discuss payment plans and when they would be able to pay. This will help you understand what your incoming finances are going to look like, and how many late payments you need to account for.
Don’t be afraid to remind customers of any upcoming payments. This could be done by:
● Sending an email a week before the invoice is due, and then again 24 hours before. This also gives them a chance to let you know if they are going to miss the payment at all, so you can work on a plan of mitigating those losses
● If you’re using accounting tools, you can set up automatic invoice reminders to send to these customers
Remember though that we are all going through a difficult time and the personal touch can go a long way. If there has been a missed payment, give them a call as soon as possible to see what can be done.
Using the spare time to plan your business' future
This might seem like an impossible task right now. But there will come a time when we find ourselves on the other side of this crisis and can go back to normal. As you plan for your future, remember there are government schemes in place to help get over this difficult period.
Even in a crisis, ongoing business planning means that you can monitor and adjust your business goals accordingly. This can then be used as a tool to identify where the business is now and what direction you want to take it in; as well as how you get it there.
Try to adapt a continuous and regular business planning cycle that keeps the plan up-to-date. This should include regular business planning meetings which involve key people from the business.
If your business needs short term cash flow support, make sure to look at the government’s Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan to help you in the short-term. IPSE - the association for independent professionals and self employed - also has some great information on how to grow your business.
Moving your business online
When it comes to moving a business online there are some golden rules you need to have in place. Firstly, you need to have an up to date website. Customers want to be able to visit your page and know what you have on offer and what changes they can expect to the regular service.
With that in mind, you also need to develop a plan for maintenance. Prices and descriptions will need to be added and updated, old information removed and new information put in its place. Make sure to set up regular intervals for website checks and maintenance.
Social media is also a great way to get your business online and reach your target audience! But not every platform will be right for your business. A starting point would be to look at what platforms your competitors are on, and how they are marketing to their audience. Make sure to read up about each platform and its capabilities before you spend any money.
Celebrating the small wins
It’s important to always celebrate the small wins. And never more so than during a crisis. As a business, make sure you touch base with your employees, help them to feel secure, and find the small victories in the everyday to celebrate. Though, to make sure that all the small wins can keep on being celebrated, the government has pledged to help employees as much as possible.
There are two schemes that can help here: the Job Retention scheme and Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan. You will need to:
● Designate affected employees as ‘furloughed workers,’ and notify your employees of this change. To be noted that changing the status of employees remains subject to existing employment law and may be subject to negotiation
● Submit information to HMRC about the employees that have been furloughed and their earnings through a new online portal. HMRC will reimburse 80% of furloughed workers wage costs, up to a cap of £2,500 per month
It is not easy to do, but keeping morale up and making sure that all the positive occurrences are applauded can go a long way. But don’t forget about your customers. Many will have had to drastically change their daily routines, and understanding that you are there for them during the crisis can build brand loyalty long after this is over.
This is a tough time for everyone, but there are schemes in place to help SMEs weather the storm. The government backed packages are there to help you, along with handy tips on how to manage your finances and plan for your businesses future growth.
