At USD 230 from Gearbest (roughly GBP 190/AUD 380), the Ortur Laser Master 20w laser cutter offers a compact and affordable engraving and cutting solution.
The 20w machine is the flagship model in Ortur's Laser Master range, which also includes 7w and 15w versions. The additional power offered by the 20w model provides greater speed and accuracy, and can be used for both engraving and cutting.
A 32-bit STM32 chipset motherboard provides high precision 12.5um accuracy for the X-Axis, a default pixel accuracy of 300 pixels per inch and 0.81um pixel precision. This means lines, edges and the cuts will be smooth and fluid across the large 160x150mm engraving area.
The powerful Ortur Laser Master 20W also has broad material compatibility, allowing you to engrave designs into cardboard, wood, plastic and other materials.
Aluminium and acrylic provide the cutter with sturdy construction and it also boasts safety features such as Active Position Protection, Laser Beam Safety Guard and Exposure Limitation.
The laser cutter works with Windows-based software LaserGRBL, which is a free download. Using LaserGRBL, you'll be able to lay out your designs and control the power of the laser, swapping between engraving and cutting modes.
LaserGRBL translates designs from files created in popular imaging and CAD applications (such as Photoshop and Inkscape) and converts them into laser-ready cutting paths.
The application will recognise a range of file formats - including NC, DXF, BMP, JPG and PNG - which means you can also download designs from the internet.
The machine requires some assembly, which should only take between 5 and 10 minutes. Thankfully, the more complex modules all come pre-assembled, so don't worry if you're uncomfortable with flat-pack assembly.
Providing a balance between price, quality and features, the Ortur Laser Master 20w is a fantastic choice for crafters and hobbyists.
Check out our list of the best printers on the market
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/3bGOgvy
Slack users can now launch Microsoft Teams calls right from within the popular workplace chat app as the company has launched a new app to allow them to do so.
The Microsoft Teams Call beta app has arrived just a few days after Slack first revealed that it was working on the integration. However, Slack users will only be able to launch Teams calls from within the app as opposed to participating in them directly from within Slack.
Slack users will even be able to set Microsoft Teams Calls as their default calling provider and see who is in a call before joining a meeting. Additionally event reminders from the Outlook Slack app will support the ability to join Microsoft Teams calls directly from Slack.
Alongside its Microsoft Teams integration, Slack also announced that it is adding VoIP phone integration with Zoom, Cisco Jabber, RingCentral and Dialpad. Now Slack users will be able to use these VoIP services to call phone numbers directly from within the app's interface.
According to the company, over the past month its chat app has seen almost a 350 percent growth in calls made or received in its app. Slack also broke users records last month as demand surged for its chat app as many employees are now working from home due to the ongoing global crisis.
All of the new calling features in Slack are now available for users to try out for themselves and you can enable the new Microsoft Teams app in Slack on the company's website.
It follows on from a similar deal from Vodafone, who last month also cut the price of the handset by 50%. Unlike Vodafone though, Optus is offering the discount in either Just Black or Clearly White.
The deal is exclusive to the 64GB capacity version of the device and you’ll have the option of choosing either a 24-month or 36-month payment contract. Unfortunately the discount doesn’t apply if you want to pay it off over 12 months – you’ll have to hand over the full price of AU$1,048.32.
Repaying the device over 24 months will see you pay AU$21.84 each month, while opting for a 36 month plan will set you back just AU$14.56 per month. While Optus is offering the half-price Pixel 4 on a month-to-month plan, you’ll have to stick with them over the entirety of your contract to get it for 50% off. If you want to opt out early, expect to pay full price.
When you pick up the phone, there’s four different Optus plans to choose from, though for most people, the AU$49 Medium plan probably offers the best value for money. It comes with 60GB of data each month, unlimited talk and text in Australia and unlimited talk and text to selected countries. Optus will also throw in a six-month free trial of Apple Music to sweeten the deal.
Optus’ Medium plan on a 24-month contract will see you spend AU$70.84 each month in total, or if you’d rather pay it off over 36 months, that’s a repayment of AU$63.56 each time.
There’s no doubt that TikTok and its format of short, music-backed video clips has been a runaway success, filling the void left behind by the likes of Vine years before it. Now, YouTube wants in.
According to sources speaking with The Information, the Google-owned video giant is planning a Shorts feature that will more or less mimic TikTok’s functionality from within the YouTube mobile app.
Just like the rivalling TikTok platform, YouTube’s Shorts is said to offer a feed of user-created short videos along with tools to make them yourself, including access to the video platform’s extensive catalog of licensed music to use for soundtracking purposes.
Obviously, gaining popularity isn’t as simple as offering the same set of features as an existing platform – YouTube has attempted a similar thing with its Instagram-esque Stories feature in the past.
At least some part of the formula that makes an app ‘take off’ is organic and uncontrollable, but it seems that some of TikTok’s appeal came from its encouragement of user-made, amateur videos rather than longer, more produced content.
Admittedly, we’re not positive whether this feature is indeed even being worked on at this stage, let alone when it will launch. That said, if we’re to believe the sources, we should be seeing Shorts land in the YouTube app by the end of the year.
If you’re after a smart speaker that will satisfy your audio needs and is able to give you a serious sound blast, then you'll want to take a look at the monster-sized Google Home Max.
The Home Max is the largest and most powerful out of Google’s family of smart speakers, weighing 5.3kg – at that level of heft, it could potentially double as a music-playing dumbbell! It also houses two 4.5-inch subwoofers for bass lovers and of course, has the popular Google Assistant built-in.
What sets this speaker apart from the rest is that it’ll adjust its music playback automatically depending on room-size and placement. This is super handy and an incredible advancement in home tech which makes it one of the smartest speakers around.
The microphone has also been improved and is more than capable of picking up your requests from the other side of the room – even with music blaring out at significant volume.
In summary, the Google Home Max is among the smartest speakers around, delivering amazingly large sound from a relatively small device with a clever design that lifts it above the competition. Currently available in charcoal through JB Hi-Fi for only AU$198 – that’s an incredible saving of AU$199!
Apple and Amazon seem to have made nice, with the Prime Video app on iOS, iPadOS and tvOS now supporting in-app purchases. Apple device users, be it an iPhone, iPad or Apple TV, will now be able to rent or purchase anything from the Prime Video library directly from the app.
Previously, to skirt around Apple's exorbitant 30% cut on in-app purchases, Amazon would direct customers away from the app – i.e. take them to a browser page – whenever they wanted to get something from the Prime Video content store.
Many app makers, like Spotify, offset that high fee by increasing the cost of subscriptions or purchases, although it seems Amazon hasn't raised the price of its Prime Video offerings. Instead, as per a statement issued by Apple, the e-commerce giant is taking advantage of "an established program for premium video subscription providers to offer a variety of consumer benefits".
Amazon, however, has not made any announcements, but the update has begun rolling out and Apple users logging into the Prime Video app can see a banner advertising the change on the homepage.
The updated Prime Video app now includes a new Store tab from where Apple users can either rent or purchase content, including in-cinema and early digital releases of movies like Pixar's Onward.
It appears that Apple has allowed Amazon to bill customers directly using the payment method that has been saved to an Amazon account.
The updated app doesn't seem to be available globally... at least not yet. TechRadar's Australian team were unable to see the changes, while TechCrunch has been told that the in-app purchases are currently available only in the US, UK and Germany. We're hoping the changes will be rolled out to other markets in the coming weeks.
Whether the deal the two companies have reached flows both ways is as yet uncertain, with the Apple TV app on Amazon's Fire TV platform still not supporting in-app purchases.
Xiaomi India MD Manu Kumar Jain has announced that the price of Xiaomi, Redmi, and Poco phones in India has gone up starting today as the new GST rates come into effect.
Virtual meeting app Zoom, which has seen its popularity skyrocket in the coronavirus pandemic, is in hot water after users complained to the FBI of being startled by porn during meetings.
WWE and Sony Pictures Networks India have renewed their partnership for another five years. That means WWE Raw, WWE SmackDown, WWE NXT, and WWE specials will stay on Sony’s bouquet of TV channels in the Indian subcontinent. The new deal grants SonyLIV rights access to WWE Network.
Our best smartphone list brings you the best phones available right now in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Middle East. If you already have your mobile OS alliance set you'll want to check out either our ranking of the best Android phone or best iPhone.
If what's on offer in our best smartphone list is a little too pricey for your taste, then don't fear, as we've also got a list of the best cheap phones available right now.
With the first quarter of 2020 behind us, we've already seen some impressive phone launches such as the Galaxy S20 series, the Oppo Find X2 Pro and the Huawei P40 series. While some of these phones are still being extensively tested by us, the Galaxy S20 series has found its place in our best phones roundup- though it might not be the one you expected.
We know that it's not all about the high-cost, super spec phones all the time so we've made you a handy list of all the top smartphones that you can get on the market right now, assessing what really matters to you.
We test these phones rigorously, making sure that we check every angle and feature - but most importantly, considering whether they've got a decent battery, great screen, strong design and a cracking camera.
On top of that, they can't be too exorbitant in price either - not everyone wants or can afford a supercar of a handset, so we've made sure there are plenty of options for you there.
So let's get started on our list of the top phones - you can see them quickly below, and then we're set to talk you through the very best phone in the Middle East right now.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 is the best smartphone available right now. That covers both the S20 and the larger Galaxy S20 Plus, as there's very little difference between the two handsets aside from size and a couple of specs.
They take the very best of what's on the smartphone market and put it together in a compelling package that we loved testing.
Screen: Both these devices have phone screens that are a cut above the rest, and each is capable of a 120Hz refresh rate that will allow for far smoother scrolling and gameplay on your phone's screen.
Battery life: The battery life on the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20 Plus isn't the best we've ever seen on a smartphone, but larger batteries than the S10 series allow these devices to last longer and it'll be enough for your day.
Both devices come with wireless charging, and there's also a Reverse Power Share feature that allows you to top up your friend's phone too.
Camera: Samsung has improved the camera suite on the Galaxy S20 devices compared to the Galaxy S10. It may not look far better on paper, but larger pixels and improved software adds to the flagship experience.
Mini verdict: The S20 and S20 Plus are packed full of the best Samsung has to offer, and it comes together to give you the best smartphone experience around right now. If we had to pick one, we'd go for the bigger screen, larger battery slightly improved rear camera of the Galaxy S20 Plus, but both phones deserve their best phone crown.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 is the best smartphone available right now. That covers both the S20 and the larger Galaxy S20 Plus, as there's very little difference between the two handsets aside from size and a couple of specs.
They take the very best of what's on the smartphone market and put it together in a compelling package that we loved testing.
Screen: Both these devices have phone screens that are a cut above the rest, and each is capable of a 120Hz refresh rate that will allow for far smoother scrolling and gameplay on your phone's screen.
Battery life: The battery life on the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20 Plus isn't the best we've ever seen on a smartphone, but larger batteries than the S10 series allow these devices to last longer and it'll be enough for your day.
Both devices come with wireless charging, and there's also a Reverse Power Share feature that allows you to top up your friend's phone too.
Camera: Samsung has improved the camera suite on the Galaxy S20 devices compared to the Galaxy S10. It may not look far better on paper, but larger pixels and improved software adds to the flagship experience.
Mini verdict: The S20 and S20 Plus are packed full of the best Samsung has to offer, and it comes together to give you the best smartphone experience around right now. If we had to pick one, we'd go for the bigger screen, larger battery slightly improved rear camera of the Galaxy S20 Plus, but both phones deserve their best phone crown.
There's a new hero for iPhone fans, with the iPhone 11 offering the best mix of features and price. In fact, the iPhone 11 is so good that it has risen close to the top of our best smartphones list and is the iPhone we recommend to anyone.
The specs here aren't as impressive as they are on the iPhone 11 Pro or iPhone 11 Pro Max, but the trade-off in a lower price for this device makes it a must-have for many Apple fans.
Screen: This isn't the best screen you'll find on an iPhone, but it's still a vibrant display that's large enough to watch video on.
Battery life: The easiest way to describe battery life on the iPhone 11 is good, but not great. You'll get around a day of usage from the iPhone 11, but it's not as good as the Pro Max.
Camera: Expect a similar experience from the camera on the iPhone 11 as on the iPhone XR. If you want the best camera on an iPhone, you'll want the Pro, but it's still an impressive shooter on the rear of the standard 11.
Mini verdict: The iPhone 11 offers some of the best features from Apple in a more affordable package. Many will be happy with what the iPhone 11 can do, but others will want to look toward the high-spec iPhone 11 Pro or Pro Max to get the very best.
The Huawei P30 Pro is so close to being the best smartphone right now, and for some it will take top spot in their minds.
It's the best phone we've used when it comes to photography with 5x and 10x zoom capabilities and fantastic low-light performance.
Screen: The large 6.47-inch screen on the P30 Pro may 'only' have a Full HD+ resolution, but it's bright, clear and colorful providing an excellent canvas for your apps and games.
Battery life: There's no worry when it comes to the P30 Pro potentially running out of juice, the battery life here is excellent. We regularly got to the end of the day with 30% or more left in the tank.
Camera: The cameras are the P30 Pro's real party piece, providing staggeringly good 5x and 10x zoom, and a digital 50x zoom with gets you insanely close to objects far off in the distance. Its low-light capabilities are also top-notch.
Mini Verdict: The P30 Pro not only sets a new standard for Huawei, it sets a new standard for the entire mobile industry. Its cameras are quite simply astonishing, the design is eye-catching and the power plentiful. It’s a true flagship smartphone.
Want something a bit more from your iPhone? You're in luck with the iPhone 11 Pro as it features some improved spec including a more high-end rear camera that can compete with the very best.
It'll cost more than the iPhone 11 did on the page before, but if you're after one of the top iPhones this is the best option with a smaller display than the iPhone 11 Pro Max.
Screen: It's not the largest screen on the market, but it looks great compared to the iPhone 11 and will suit you if you're looking for an iPhone with a smaller display.
Battery life: The battery life is slightly longer than the last few generations of the iPhone, but don't expect anything game changing here when it comes to the length your phone will last for.
Camera: Apple has put most of its focus into the rear cameras on this device, and while the design of the rear of the phone has been controversial these cameras can create some truly stunning photography that competes with the very best camera phones.
Mini verdict: You'll have to spend a bit extra to get the iPhone 11 Pro, but it's well worth it if you want a phone that sports iOS 13 but comes with top-end features.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus is one of the largest phones there is, but this stylus-toting handset is our second favorite phone you can buy right now.
It's expensive, but it features some of the best specs you'll get on a smartphone in 2019.
Screen: The screen on this phone is huge and the Infinity-O cutout means there's little interruption to the display here, allowing for an immersive experience.
Battery life: We found the battery life on the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus to easily last the whole day, plus the fast charging tech means you're able to pump it up quickly when you're nearing 0%.
Camera: The camera setup on the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus isn't the best on the market, but it's impressive and offers a lot of fun features that you may want to play around with.
Mini Verdict: Samsung's Galaxy Note 10 Plus is a remarkable device, but it's only for those who want a large phone and don't mind spending that bit extra on a device. The S10 Plus will be more suitable for most, but the Note 10 Plus is a great phone too.
The iPhone 11 Pro Max is the biggest phone Apple has created, and it's also the most high-spec'd phone from the company.
It's expensive even by iPhone standards, but it features an all-screen, notch-toting, almost bezel-free design with masses of power under the hood. The big upgrades compared to the iPhone XS Max are the improved cameras and boosted power.
Screen: The 6.5-inch OLED screen on the iPhone 11 Pro Max really grabbed our attention - it's fantastic for video streaming and gaming.
Battery life: This is some of the best battery life we've ever experienced on an iPhone, with further optimizations within iOS and a larger cell inside the phone itself. It's still not game-changing, but it's better than other Apple handsets.
Camera: The triple camera setup on the iPhone 11 Pro Max is fantastic. This is the first time Apple has implemented three rear cameras, and it offers a great experience. Plus, it can be fun to use.
Mini verdict: If your hands are as big as your bank balance, the iPhone 11 Pro Max takes Apple's smartphone to a whole new level with an improved camera and more.
Yeah, that's right - Samsung now offers two versions of its S Pen-toting Note range, and this one comes with a lower spec than the one you've read about earlier in this list.
The Galaxy Note 10 is better for those with smaller hands, thanks to its much smaller display and smaller dimensions, but the battery life suffers a little for that.
Screen: This may be a Samsung Galaxy Note handset, but the display isn't anywhere near as big as you'd expect. It's a 6.3-inch display with an Infinity-O cutout for the selfie camera.
Battery life: The battery is where the Galaxy Note 10 begins to suffer a little as we found it regularly ran out before the end of a full day, but it's enough for average usage.
Camera: The rear camera of the Galaxy Note 10 is similar to all other flagship Samsung phones released in 2019, and it's good but not the best we've seen on a smartphone.
Mini verdict: The Galaxy Note 10 isn't as high-spec as the Galaxy Note 10 Plus, but if you want a stylus on a smaller phone than the gargantuan Plus then you may want to opt for this.
The Oppo Reno 10x Zoom boasts an attractive pop-up selfie camera, cutting-edge chipset and competitive camera lineup, making it one of the best phones available right now.
Odd name aside, there's a lot to like with the Reno 10x Zoom, and if you're looking for something a little different for you next phone this could be just the ticket.
Screen: Thanks to the pop-up selfie camera, there's no notch intruding on the display and with almost zero bezel you're treated to an eye-popping 93.1% screen-to-body ratio. It just looks great.
Battery life: The battery on the Reno 10x Zoom lasts for about a day of medium-to-heavy use, and a day and a half if you use it a little less. That's what we expect from a modern smartphone, so no issues here.
Camera: Despite what its name may suggest, this phone actually offers up a whopping 60x zoom, which gets you alarmingly close to objects far in the distance. It's a digital zoom, so quality degrades a little, but even the 5x optical zoom is impressive.
Mini verdict: The Oppo Reno 10x Zoom is a stylish phone – between its sleek look, asymmetrical pop-up and delicate back colours, it looks great – and, surprisingly for a Chinese smartphone with its own UI, the software is good to look at too.
If you're looking for an affordable flagship phone which doesn't have any major compromises on features or functionality, stop looking and check out the OnePlus 7T.
Screen: One of the highlights of the 7T is its large 90Hz display. It can compete with most top-end handsets and offers great colour accuracy and response.
Battery life: The OnePlus 7T battery provides all-day use from a single charge. It's unlikely to go much further than a day, but it's what we've come to expect these days.
Camera: The OnePlus 7T camera feels like a significant improvement over the OnePlus 7, with some impressive software wizardry on tap to optimize your images.
Mini verdict: The OnePlus 7T is the best 'T' upgrade to any OnePlus phone to date and an attractive proposition for those who find the OnePlus 7T Pro too bulky.
Like the look of the new S10 and S10 Plus, but not a fan of their lofty price tags? Well fear not, as Samsung has catered for you with the Galaxy S10e.
The Galaxy S10e has many of the flagship features of its pricier siblings, while offering a more palm-friendly size and a few compromises to help keep the cost down.
Screen: You don't get a QHD resolution here, instead you'll have to accept a Full HD+ 5.8-inch screen - but the Super AMOLED display provides plenty of colour and pop.
Battery life: We found battery life lasted a day on a single charge - which is what we've come to expect from phones - plus its wireless charging and Wireless PowerShare making topping it up, and you other devices, even easier.
Camera: The dual camera setup on the S10e isn't quite as good as the triple cameras on the S10 and S10 Plus, but they're still highly capable snappers producing quality photos with ease.
Mini verdict: It’s hard not to recommend the S10e to anyone who prefers a smaller phone. Size queens, look elsewhere - this smartphone is for folks who want to text and browse apps one-handed without compromising performance.
You're at the end of our best smartphone guide, but that doesn't mean we can't help you still - if you're stuck on which model is for you, we've got a tool that can compare all the phones together and you can decide which one suits you best based on the cost.
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/2Ey2q5e
