Gamers rejoice! Dell has currently slashed the price on its G7 17 gaming laptop by a whopping 28% on its eBay store.
This 17-inch stunner offers excellent performance thanks to the combination of a i7 CPU paired with a robust Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 graphics card. Its 1080p screen runs at a gaming-grade refresh rate of 144Hz, while its RTX 2070 GPU has enough power to deliver silky smooth frame rates along with the ability to enable ray tracing effects.
Additionally, Dell’s G7 17 laptop is also great for casual everyday use as well as productivity, boasting 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD and a 10th-generation six-core Intel Core i7 processor.
Currently discounted by 28% on Dell’s eBay store, this is a very tempting deal on a fierce gaming laptop.
An impressively sleek and slim laptop with 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD and a 10th-generation six-core Intel Core i7 processor, Dell’s G7 17 Gaming Laptop also packs in Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 2070 graphics card for immersive 1080p gaming. It's only AU$2,499 when you purchase through Dell’s eBay store, saving you an impressive AU$1,000 at checkout. View Deal
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The best wireless charger to buy in 2020 is going to be one that uses the Qi standard that can wirelessly charge any modern iPhone, Samsung phones, Google Pixel 4, OnePlus 8 Pro and every major smartphone that supports wireless charging. That part is easy.
Much harder is deciding which is the best wireless charger for you. We’ve tested the top products on the market to find out the ups and downs of each, along with our personal recommendations, to give you final answers - and a variety of choices, too.
As anyone who’s bought a Qi-charging-capable phone can attest, you don’t just get a first-party charger in the box, so you have to go out and buy one separately. Aside from Samsung, none of the major phonemakers even produce their own.
Our list is full of trusted third-party brands like Belkin, Anker, Mophie, and other recognizable names - along with a couple you might not have. They won’t juice up your devices as fast as wired chargers, but they’re handy when you don’t want to keep plugging your phone in or want to get rid of messy cables.
We’ve tested these wire-free chargers with a variety of phones, smartwatches like the Apple Watch, and other rechargeable devices to see if they also charge those - not all do. We also note charging rates, in wattage, which might juice up some devices faster depending on their maximum wireless charging rating.
Lastly, make sure your phone can actually use wireless charging, as some older handsets - especially those with metal backs - likely don’t. Without further ado, here is our ever-growing list of the best wireless chargers we’ve seen.
The Belkin 10W is a step up in design and charging power - both of which are noticeable. That charging rate refilled 16% on our iPhone XS Max in 30 minutes.
The Belkin 10W has upstyled glossy plastic with matte rubber for the flat charging surface, as well as the ‘arms’ keeping your phone from sliding off the surface. It tangibly feels higher-quality, and in the solid black color, looks a bit more refined than cheaper chargers.
Whether you like pads or stands is more up to personal taste, but we enjoy the usefulness of keeping your device upright to check the time and scroll through notifications. It only charges phones, though - no smartwatches or tablets.
(Image credit: Anker)
2. Anker PowerWave 15 with Quick Charge 3.0
A classier pad-style charger
Wattage: 15W
Classy metal pad + braided cord
15W faster charging
Just one color
The Anker 15W is one of the faster chargers on our list for this low of price, though only some leading Android phones will be able to notice the difference. For instance, in our 30-minute test, an iPhone XS Max only regained 10% - respectable but not tuned for Apple’s phones. Which isn't a surprise, given the latest iPhones haven't been confirmed to charge above 10W.
The Anker 15W has a bit more of an industrial look than most of its peers, with a metal casing and rubber foot. It’s one of the few on our list that dispenses with plastic for refined material, which is a nicer aesthetic for your desktop.
Like other pads, you’ll need to leave your device flat to keep it charging, but the faster rate should ease the sting of leaving your phone in recharge time-out. And given the Anker PowerWave 15 is very inexpensive - $35 (£35, around AU$51) on Amazon - it beats out some pricier chargers with lower rates (perhaps by shirking the 'Qi' license, as its packaging materials claim it has "Fast-Charging via Leading Technology").
(Image credit: Aukey)
3. Aukey 10W wireless charger
Fast speeds with the right plug
Low key design
Capable of 10W charging
LED annoying at night
This affordable wireless charger can juice up compatible Samsung phones with its full 10W power when using the (not supplied) Quick Charge 2.0 or 3.0 wall charger brick. iPhones will have to settle for 7.5W, though that’s still faster than the 5W wired brick charger that still ships with every iPhone except the 11 Pro.
Its three coil design means you don’t have to fuss about how to place your phone down, with a charge picked up consistently. Your glass phone won’t slide around either thanks to the pleasant soft TPU coating.
The low profile black rubber look will blend in nicely on a desk, kitchen top or night stand though like with many wireless chargers there is a small LED to signal when it’s on which you might not like if it’s right by your bedside.
(Image credit: Anker)
4. Anker 10W Wireless Charging Stand
Simple, inexpensive, vertical
Wattage: 10W
Low price
Can see your phone as it charges
Could charge faster
Wireless charging doesn’t have to be complicated or pricey - and the Anker 10W charger stand is an inexpensive, no-frills model to start you off.
Over a 30-minute test, the Anker 10W recharged an iPhone XS Max 15% - not impressive, but given the XS Max’s 3,174mAh battery, would likely charge the smaller battery iPhone 8 far faster. Android phones with high wireless charging ratings will fare better: a Samsung Galaxy Note 10 charged 28% in the same time period.
The Anker 10W won’t speedily charge your phone - it’s best deskside if you repeatedly pick up and put down your phone, or bedside overnight. An affordable entry to see if wireless charging works for you.
(Image credit: Mophie)
5. Mophie Powerstation Hub
Wireless charging on the go
Wattage: 5W
Charges up to four devices at once
Very pricey
Unimpressive capacity
The Mophie Powerstation Hub is a unique charger in that it’s mainly not a charger - it’s a battery pack. While it’s limited by its capacity, the capability to wirelessly charge on the go makes this a versatile (if pricey) solution.
The Powerstation Hub wirelessly charges up to 5W, which isn’t terribly fast - but you can do it while the battery simultaneously charges up to 3 other devices, which is cool. The other ports include one each of USB 1.0, USB 3.0, and USB-C slots.
The charger plugs directly into a wall socket to recharge, though the wireless charging won’t work while it is - a regrettable feature, but perhaps safer for the device, given how the extra weight might put pressure on the power prongs.
While the Powerstation isn’t as large and ungainly as higher-capacity power banks, it won't fit in your pocket either, leaving it mostly convenient for anyone packing a purse or small bag.
But with versatility comes cost, and the Powerstation Hub is by far the most expensive charger on this list. With a retail price of $99 (around £81, AU$146), this isn’t affordable for most folks - and more a niche solution for those with the cash to throw around.
(Image credit: Belkin)
6. Belkin Wireless Charging Dock
A combo dock for iPhone and Apple Watch owners
Wattage: 7.5W (phone)
Nice design
Handy option for Apple Watch owners
Expensive
The Belkin Wireless Charging Dock is a rarity in the wireless charging world: it can juice up both your phone and your Apple Watch at the same time. Most chargers can't service Apple's smartwatch, and this product throws in a standard phone/device charger, too.
The stand is a classy off-white, like most of Belkin's charger range. The pill-shaped base has a matte finish, and the rounded, upright phone stand on the left side has a divoted lip for your device to rest in. The circular watch nub looks much like the charger that comes with the Apple Watch, including the magnet that clips the smartwatch in place.
While the Apple Watch portion charges at 5W/1A, the rate of the official Apple charger, the phone portion only recharges at 7.5W. While that's certainly a lower rate than other units on this list, it may be enough for iPhones: given Apple's reluctance to disclose its specs, it's unclear if its latest phones in the iPhone XS generation improved on the iPhone X's alleged 7.5W charge, per 9to5Mac.
Which means you might want to look elsewhere for a faster charger if you own an Android phone with a higher confirmed wireless charging rate. But if you have an Apple Watch, chances are you're all-in on Apple's ecosystem anyway.
(Image credit: Google)
7. Google Pixel Stand
Decent extra features at a high price
Wattage: 10W
Quality rubber
Extra Pixel features
Very expensive for its charging rate
The Pixel Stand was released alongside the Google Pixel 3 and has specific features that only activate when Pixel phones are slotted into it.
True, it functions like any other 10W charger, and will refill any Qi-compatible phone's battery. It's a stand-style charger, with an angled pill-shaped back, ridged foot for traction, and circular base, all covered in a white rubber material.
Slide a Pixel phone into the stand, however, and you can set it to show a gallery of photos, activate Google Assistant, and link your Nest Hello video doorbell to automatically display when someone rings it.
But that's a handful of features for a steep price - officially $79 (£69, AU$119) on Google's store, though discounted a bit elsewhere - for an upmarketed 10W charger.
So, does your Apple Watch really need a screen protector? If yours is stainless steel, the answer is probably no: its sapphire crystal glass is incredibly tough and very scratch-resistant.
For aluminum Apple Watch models, things aren’t so clear-cut: the Ion-X glass is pretty tough, but we found our watch soon accumulated a lot of little scratches. They weren’t enough to annoy us in everyday usage, but they did affect the resale value.
Scratches aren’t covered by your warranty, because they’re everyday wear and tear. Smashes are, though. If you really damage your screen and you’ve got AppleCare, Apple will replace the screen two times for a fee of $69/£49/AU$99 each time.
The out-of-warranty fees are much higher, starting at just under $200/£200/AU$300 and reaching the heady heights of $800/£749/$1,199 if you have the ceramic Apple Watch 5.
Even if you do have AppleCare, it’s better not to have to pay the fee: protecting your watch from damage is cheaper than fixing it after damage has occurred. Even the most expensive option here is a fraction of the price of an Apple Watch screen repair.
Repairing an Apple Watch is expensive, so it's best to protect it. Image Credit: TechRadar
If you want to keep your watch pristine and protected, there are three main options. There are plastic screen protectors, very similar to smartphone ones, where you peel off the backing, stick them to the screen and push out the bubbles.
These are by far the cheapest screen protectors you can buy, and while they can be a little bit fiddly to fit – getting them onto your watch without leaving any bubbles requires patience and a bit of skill – they do a decent job of standing up to everyday scrapes and bumps.
If you’d rather add something a bit tougher, a tempered glass protector is be a better option. These are much harder to fit as they’re not as flexible or as forgiving as plastic.
Also consider that the cheaper aluminium Apple Watch is actually a lot less prone to obvious scratches than the fancier stainless steel version in terms of body (if not screen, as noted above).
While you might assume the steel is harder and tougher, it's actually softer than the aluminium used in the entry-level model. Then there's the finish to consider. Like the rear casing of iPods Classics, the steel Apple Watch has a super-shiny chrome finish that shows off scratches very readily. It almost seems like the little guy is proud of the things.
Finally, if you're thinking about protection, there are cases that surround the whole watch. Inevitably, they add bulk - and some models are hideous. But if you’re likely to be in an environment where your watch faces various hazards, a case may be a worthwhile investment unless that environment is hot and humid, or wet.
Most protective cases aren’t waterproof or airtight, so they’ll often get steamy in the gym or will let in water when you swim. That doesn’t affect your watch but does make it hard to see the display.
These are products that we haven't had in our test labs, but based on our experts' opinion and knowledge of the most reputable brands around, we think these are worth looking at.
Our selections, ranked from cheapest to most expensive, take into account online reviews, brand reputation, product capability or unique features to help you pick through the maze of choices available to you.
1. IQ Shield LiquidSkin Full Body Skin Screen Protector
Full body coverage for your entire watch
Easy application
Very affordable
Full coverage seems unnecessary
Fiddlier than screen-only options
Most screen protectors just cover the screen. Not this one: it’s a full body protector with sections to cover the entire Apple Watch body, although we’re not entirely sure why you might want to do that. At the time of writing the full coverage model is available for the Apple Watch 3 but not the Apple Watch 4.
It’s a 'liquid skin' film that you apply while wet, although some reviewers have found that the little sections for the sides of the Apple Watch are very, very fiddly to apply. The main screen bit is a doddle, though.
(Image credit: PZOZ)
2. PZOZ Apple Watch Series 5/Series 4 Screen Protector
Affordable shock protection
Great price
Access to both buttons
Not the best fit
Not waterproof
This is one of the most affordable screen protectors going with the bonus of full casing protection for your Apple Watch 4 or 5.
It gives you easy access to both the digital crown and the side button while protecting the Watch from dings and everyday wear.
One thing to note is that there’s a slight gap between the screen cover and the screen as this isn’t an adhesive protector, so you’ll have to remove it when you go swimming otherwise water will get under the protector. This also means you’ll have to take off your Watch when showering.
Image Credit: Misxi
3. Misxi Case for Apple Watch
Full coverage, but you’ll want to drop it when it’s hot
Full protection
Easy to fit
Can trap moisture
Some delivery issues
If you want to protect your Apple Watch with a case, this is one of the thinnest, least obtrusive ones around. It’s made of the same TPU as rugged watch cases, so it’s tough and scratch-resistant, and it’s easy to fit.
The main downside to this kind of case is that it can trap moisture between the case and the screen, so for example it’s not one to wear to the gym or when you go for a swim. Make sure you get what you order, though: some customers say they paid for a two-pack but only got one.
Image Credit: Spigen
4. Spigen Rugged Armor Apple Watch Case
When the going gets tough, the tough get Spigen
It’s really tough
It won’t mist up
It’s very big
Rugged, plasticky look
Spigen makes a whole bunch of Apple Watch cases with differing levels of protection: this, the Rugged Armor version, is one of the cheaper options. It’s a solid TPU case that protects your watch from impacts, though it’s bulky in a Casio G-Shock kind of way.
This case doesn’t include any direct screen protection – the raised lip around the screen should be enough – and that means it won’t suffer from the misting or water ingress that can affect some full-coverage cases.
Image Credit: LK
5. LK Liquid Skin Screen Protector for Apple Watch
Very cheap and pretty cheerful too
Fairly easy to apply
Very cheap
Plastic film won’t last forever
Cheaper rivals, especially in the US
This is Amazon’s choice for the Apple Watch 4, and it’s also available for all generations of the Apple Watch.
The protectors are made of laser-cut liquid skin film that can be washed and reapplied; unlike some film protectors the LK ones are designed to be applied while wet, which makes it easier to get rid of the dreaded bubbles.
There’s also a lifetime warranty, although we’re not sure why you’d bother invoking it when a six-pack of these protectors is so cheap: it’s much quicker to just chuck on another protector than to write an angry email to the manufacturer.
Image Credit: Dalinch
6. Tempered Glass Screen Protector, various brands
When you want a protector made of something tougher
Tougher than film
Less prone to bubbles
Fiddlier to apply
Glass can smash
There are lots of brands offering very similar tempered glass screen protectors with very similar photography, which makes us think they’re coming from the same factories.
That means the buying decision here is largely down to price and reviews: look for ones featuring customer images rather than just endless “Best protector EVER!” hyperbole.
Tempered glass is tougher than film and less prone to air bubbles but there are three minor downsides: it’s slightly fiddlier to apply, it costs more, and film doesn’t smash if something hard hits it. That means even fairly minor knocks can mean it’s new-protector time.
UPDATE (July 13):Amazon hasrebranded its Twitch game streaming platform to Prime Gaming, bringing it in line with its other services like Prime Reading and Prime Video. Other than the name, the gaming-focused service remains pretty much the same, and will continue to offer freebies as before. It also remains a perk of a Prime membership. We've updated our article below to reflect the new branding.
That's not all you'll get with a Prime subscription. To find out more, continue reading about what other perks are on offer with a Prime membership for a low monthly fee.
Amazon Prime was already a very well-established, hugely successful service for the online marketplace in many countries when it finally arrived on Aussie shores in 2018. In the last two years, the platform has managed to set up a very strong base in Australia as well, offering Aussie shoppers a range of savings and benefits for a flat monthly fee of AU$6.99.
That fee opens up a whole world of perks for members, all of which are Amazon-specific. So what’s included? In a nutshell, if you sign up for Amazon Prime in Australia, you’ll get:
Free two-day delivery on domestic purchases
Free standard delivery on orders over AU$49 made from the ‘global’ section (i.e. international purchases shipped from the US)
Access to Prime Video, Prime Reading, Prime Music and Prime Gaming
Early access to discounts and deals
Big savings on Amazon Prime Day
What is Amazon Prime?
The main appeal for Amazon’s Prime service is that it offers members fast and free delivery on many purchases, plus access to some of the company’s streaming services.
Prime members also get exclusive early access to select deals and offers, and get to participate in a members-only annual sale called Prime Day (more on this later).
In the US, Amazon Prime offers free shipping on millions of items, same-day delivery (or even two-hour delivery in some cases) and access to its video and music streaming services, unlimited ebooks and audiobooks, and unlimited photo storage. However, to get all the goods and services Amazon promises in its Prime package across the Pacific, American customers pay US$12.99 a month (US$119 a year).
In Australia, unfortunately, there are some caveats to what Prime members get, but it also costs us less – half of what the US pays, to be precise.
How much does the Prime service cost in Australia?
As is customary with all of Amazon’s subscription services, there’s a 30-day free trial on offer. If you aren’t happy with the Prime service, you’ll need to manually cancel your membership before the 30-day trial ends or you will be charged the full monthly fee the following month.
What do Australian Prime members get?
Amazon has brought the promise of free delivery for its Aussie Prime members, but it’s limited to domestic purchases only. If you buy something marked as "Prime eligible" from either Amazon Australia or from an Australian third-party merchant selling goods on the e-commerce platform, you won’t be charged for delivery, no matter how little or much your final order costs.
Keep in mind that the caveat here is that the product needs to carry the "Prime Eligible" label. If that’s not visible, speedy and/or free delivery is not an option even if you are a Prime member. However, if the order is over $39, it automatically qualifies for Amazon’s free standard delivery policy, irrespective of whether the product(s) you buy is Prime eligible or not.
Also worth noting is that, in Australia, Prime’s free delivery service isn’t the 'same day' one that's offered in the US. Locally, it’s a two-day delivery promise – something that's most likely due to Amazon having only two Australian fulfilment centres – one located in Melbourne, with the other in Sydney. Despite that, even the Australian East Coast doesn't qualify for same-day delivery, but we're hoping that might change to when Amazon expands is network of warehouses locally.
Unfortunately, though, while Aussies were stuck at home during the global coronavirus crisis, Amazon's shipping infrastructure was overwhelmed with a steep increase in online orders. Amazon was struggling to keep up with its two-day Prime delivery guarantee and was, understandably, delaying shipping accordingly. However, the situation in Australia has improved and Amazon is slowly and steadily getting back on track with its delivery promises, although there are some delays still.
On international items bought from the 'global' area of the store (which lists products shipped and sold by Amazon US), only purchases over $49 will be eligible for free delivery, but again, it needs to carry the "Prime Eligible" label to qualify. Again, with the spread of the coronavirus, delivery of items from the US have also been affected.
Prime members also get exclusive early access to Lightning Deals (Amazon’s limited-time deals that vanish within hours of going live).
Access to Amazon’s Prime Video streaming service comes as part of the package. If you’re a Prime Member you can watch some excellent TV shows like American Gods and The Man in the High Castle, or enjoy blockbuster movies or settle down for some classic cinema.
This service gives Prime members access to over a thousand books, comics and graphic novels spanning every genre possible for all age groups in digital form. You don’t even need a Kindle device to access those ebook titles – you can just download the Kindle app available for iOS and Android and read on your preferred handheld device.
It was previously called Twitch but has now been rebranded to Prime Gaming, bringing it in line with the other default services in the Amazon Prime package. There's no change to platform itself – it's still a video site dedicated to watching live-streaming games and still offers members free game content, savings on games, and free games each month. For gamers, having a dedicated platform that doesn't cost extra is a great boon.
This wasn't available as part of the Prime package at launch, but is now. Amazon's music streaming is now included in the AU$6.99 monthly fee, with up to 40 hours of music available to stream for free each month with no ad interruptions, and no limits on skips or repeats.
Prime Photos | Free
Prime Photos is Amazon’s free online photo storage service that comes included in the Prime package for Aussie members. All you need to do is download the Prime Photos app for iOS or Android, or use a desktop web browser, and you can upload up to 5GB of images and videos. Admittedly that's not a lot, particularly when the US gets access to unlimited storage with Prime Photos, but we're also not paying as much as them.
It is also important to note that, unlike other markets, in Australia you cannot sign up for any of the aforementioned services as a standalone. For example, you cannot sign up for just Prime Video. If you do, it will still cost you AU$6.99 per month and get you all the Prime perks there are.
Other Amazon services in Australia
While Prime members in the US get additional perks – like access to free grocery and restaurant deliveries, and a free subscription to the Washington Post (which Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos also owns) – the Australian Prime service is limited to just the aforementioned options.
However, Amazon’s repertoire in Australia still extends beyond those Prime offerings. There’s a smattering of other services that the company runs locally, although you’ll need to sign up for them individually, paying either a monthly or annual fee for each.
Here’s what those locally-available Amazon subscription services entail:
If you’re an avid reader, a Kindle Unlimited membership provides a lot of bang for buck. You can read to your heart’s content with over a million titles to choose from, and you can read on Amazon’s Kindle ereaders, or any iOS or Android device via the dedicated Kindle app. Kindle Unlimited also gives you access to Audible narrations of the titles you’re reading, so you can continue enjoying the book even if you need to put the physical pages aside. It’s AU$13.99 a month for Kindle Unlimited, with a 30-day free trial before you'll need to pay for the service.
Music aficionados will likely enjoy Amazon’s unlimited music streaming service, which gives subscribers access to over 50 million songs. You can listen anytime, anywhere and, like other music streaming services, there are individual and family plans, plus an Echo plan which lets you play your fave tunes on your Echo device. An individual plan costs AU$11.99 a month, while the family plans will set you back AU$17.99 per month, giving you the ability to set up to six separate music accounts. The Echo plan is just AU$4.99 a month.
Music Unlimited also usually comes with a 30-day free trial, but Amazon has extended that to a whopping three months to help us get through having to stay indoors for the most part.
Audible is for those who love their stories but don’t always have the time (or patience) to sit down with a book. You can listen to your favourite books via the Audible app anywhere, even while driving or doing chores, with many books narrated by some great performers. Audible costs AU$16.45 each month after a free 30-day trial of the service.
How to cancel your Amazon Prime membership
If your Amazon subscription has past its prime, whether it be during your 30-day free trial or later, you can cancel at any time.
Cancelling Amazon Prime free trial
If you're still within the 30-day free trial, hover over the 'Your Account' button in the top right corner of your browser, and select 'Your Prime Membership' from the dropdown menu. Then click on 'Cancel Free Trial' or 'Do Not Continue' on the left-hand side of your browser window.
Our suggestion would be to go with 'Do Not Continue' as you’ll be able to keep using Amazon Prime until the end of your free trial period, after which your membership will end. The payment card that you provided details for when starting you trial won’t be charged in this case.
Cancelling a paid Amazon Prime membership
In the case of a paid membership, head to 'Your Prime Membership' as described above and, this time, click 'End Membership' on the left hand side of the page. If you haven’t used your Amazon Prime benefits like free delivery or Prime Video (this might be the case if you accidentally let your free trial overrun), then you will be eligible for a full refund.
Even if you’ve used some of Amazon Prime’s features, but not all, you may still be eligible for a partial refund based on your use.
Can you keep Prime Video?
In Australia, you can't turn your existing Prime subscription to just a Prime Video one. It's part of the full package and, if you cancel your Prime account, you lose access to Prime Video as well.
What is Amazon Prime Day
The simple answer is it's Amazon's take on Black Friday, held each year to celebrate the company's anniversary. It has typically been a 24-hour shopping spree exclusively for Prime members, but the duration of Prime Day has been increasing and, in 2019, lasted for an epic 65 hours. It began on schedule on July 15 for us, then continued on till it ended in the US.
We're expecting Prime Day to take place again this year, but the dire situation with the spread of the Covid-19 virus worldwide has made things very fluid. Amazon has confirmed to TechRadar that the Prime Day 2020 will take place "later this year", but hasn't yet revealed a date.
It has, however, been confirmed that India is kicking things off on Aug 6-7 but there's no clear indication as to when the other major Amazon markets will be able to enjoy some big deals. That said, third party retailers were sent an email by the e-commerce giant to mark October 5 in their calendars, so perhaps we'll have to wait until then to see the avalanche of deals.
In the meantime, Amazon Australia continues to offer its daily deals online but we will have to wait for official word on Prime Day 2020.
While Amazon Prime has its perks, you don't have to be a member to avail low prices on products being sold on the online marketplace.
If you want to save on cool gadgets and gizmos, we handpick some excellent bargains to be had on tech in our dedicated and continually updated Best Amazon Deals and Sales page.
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New research from Positive Technologies has shed light on how easy it is for hackers to breach organizations' local networks by exploiting known software vulnerabilities.
To compile its new Penetration Testing of Corporate Information Systems report, the firm's experts performed external pentests on organizations in the finance, IT, fuel and energy, government, hospitality, entertainment and telecommunications industries.
In its tests, Positive Technologies was able to access the local network at 93 percent of tested organizations with the maximum number of penetration vectors detected at a single company being 13. Furthermore, in one out of every six tested companies, it found traces of previous attacks such as web shells on the network perimeter, malicious links on official sites or valid credentials in public data dumps, indicating that the infrastructure may have already been infiltrated by hackers.
The firm's experts also found that penetration of a local network usually takes between 30 minutes and 10 days. However, in most cases, attack complexity was low which means that the attack was well within the capabilities of even a hacker with just basic skills.
Penetration testing
Positive Technologies' research also found that brute force attacks were an effective way to crack credentials when launching attacks on web applications at 68 percent of the companies its team performed external pentests on.
If an attacker is able to successfully brute force the password for at least one domain account, they can discover identifiers for other users by downloading the offline address book which contains all of the email addresses for a company's employees. In fact, at one of the tested organizations, the firm's pentesters obtained over 9,000 email addresses using this method.
Head of research and analytics at Positive Technologies, Ekaterina Kilyusheva provided further insight on how organizations can perform their own penetration tests in a press release, saying:
"Web applications are the most vulnerable component on the network perimeter. In 77 percent of cases, penetration vectors involved insufficient protection of web applications. To ensure protection, businesses need to perform security assessments of web applications regularly. Penetration testing is performed as a "black box" analysis without access to source code, which means businesses can leave blind spots to some issues which might not be detected using this method. Therefore, companies should use a more thorough testing method as source code analysis (white box). For proactive security, we recommend using a web application firewall to prevent exploitation of vulnerabilities, even ones that have not been detected yet."
LG Gram 17 laptop -$1,249.99/£1,089.99 from Costco Thanks to a recent price-drop, this beautiful piece of technology from LG is now a little more affordable. It's nice to look at, lightweight and powerful - so what's not to like? Grab it while you can.View Deal
The LG Gram 17 is an absolutely exquisite piece of tech. Our review of the laptop earlier this year carried a strapline that tells it all: "this laptop can’t actually be real".
Right now, the LG Gram 17 is available from Costco for just under $1,250/£1,090, although this price excludes shipping ($10) and Costco membership ($120/£67.50).
The machine weighs only 1.35kg (just under three pounds), which is less than a few 13.3-inch laptops we've tested in the past. Its screen diagonal (17-inch) and resolution (2560 x 1600 pixels/16:10 aspect ratio) are also exceptional for its size.
At its heart is an Intel Core i7-1065G7 with Iris Plus graphics, 16GB DDR4 dual channel memory, 512GB NVMe M2 SSD and a staggering 80WHr battery (which can power the laptop for up to 17 hours).
Add in an MIL-STD-810G certification, dedicated numeric keypad, fingerprint reader, backlit keyboard, Wi-Fi 6 and seven ports (including a Gigabit Ethernet connector) and you have a near-perfect product.
The sub-par speakers, average processor performance and the then-expensive price tag were listed as the main disadvantages, but Costco has taken care of the latter concern.
With a Costco membership, you get a two-year warranty, $25 cash back, free technical support and a 90-day return policy. You also get one-year subscription to McAfee Multi Access, which will protect your laptop from viruses, spam, malware and identity thieves.
Update(August 12): The Realme C11 will go on sale in India today.
The Realme C11 will go on sale for the first time in India today. It is Realme’s latest affordable phone which was unveiled in India last week along with 30W Dart charge power bank.
The Realme C11 will be available in Flipkart starting 12 noon today on Flipkart. It is priced at Rs 7,499 and will be available in two colour options: Rich Green and Rich Grey.
The handset comes in only one configuration - 2GB of RAM with 32GB internal storage along with a dedicated microSD card slot(up to 256GB). On to the optics, the Realme C11 comes with 13MP f/2.2 primary shooter with 2MP f/2.4 portrait lens and over at the front, you get a 5MP selfie camera with f/2.4 aperture. The camera functionalities include HDR, Chroma Boost modes, and super nightscape mode. The Realme C11 misses out on the fingerprint scanner and instead gets only the face unlock.
It is backed by a big 5,000mAh battery with 10W charging support via micro USB slot. It is running on Realme UI based on Android 10. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, and Dual SIM slot. On the sensors front, you get Magnetic induction sensor, light sensor, proximity sensor, and acceleration sensor. The device weighs around 196 grams and is thick at 9.1mm. The device is also splash resistant.
Realme will be announcing yet another smartphone in India this week dubbed Realme 6i. It is said to be a rebranded version of Realme 6s which was launched in Europe recently. It is very similar to Realme 6 the only major difference is the rear camera. The Realme 6i is expected to come with a 48MP setup instead of a 64MP quad-camera array. The device will be launched in India on July 24.
Realme C11 is set to go on sale in India today. The new Realme phone that was unveiled last month will be available for purchase through Flipkart and the Realme India website.
