Microsoft has revealed some details surrounding what it thinks caused the recent worldwide outage of Office 365 and some of its other platforms.
Users were left high and dry after Office 365 went down across the globe, with other services including Microsoft Teams, Office.com, Power Platform, and Dynamics365 also affected.
According to Microsoft, the outage was caused by a bug in the deployment of an Azure AD service update.
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Office outage
A preliminary report by the company found that the update was released too early, having not gone through the company's usual testing regime. This typically involved progressing through five "rings" before being released, allowing Microsoft to trial any changes or upgrades with a set group of controlled testers.
However this time, a bug in Microsoft's Safe Deployment Process (SDP) caused the update to be deployed to all rings rather than the proper first test ring.
"Azure AD is designed to be a geo-distributed service deployed in an active-active configuration with multiple partitions across multiple data centers around the world, built with isolation boundaries," Microsoft said in its preliminary post incident report.
"Normally, changes initially target a validation ring that contains no customer data, followed by an inner ring that contains Microsoft only users, and lastly our production environment. These changes are deployed in phases across five rings over several days."
"In this case, the SDP system failed to correctly target the validation test ring due to a latent defect that impacted the system’s ability to interpret deployment metadata. Consequently, all rings were targeted concurrently. The incorrect deployment caused service availability to degrade."
Following the unexpected release, Microsoft says it attempted to rollback "within minutes of impact" using its automated rollback systems which would normally have limited the duration and severity of impact.
"However, the latent defect in our SDP system had corrupted the deployment metadata, and we had to resort to manual rollback processes. This significantly extended the time to mitigate the issue," the company's report said, explaining why the issue affected users across the globe.
Users who were already logged in to Office 365 or any of the other services were unaffected.
Most Android users are walking around with smartphones rocking Android 10 or lower, but not you. No sir.
Instead, you’re one of the lucky ones with a handset that goes all the way up to 11 - and only some of the best Android phones allow that. That’s one louder than Android 10, according to our scribbled calculations, which means you’ll have a plethora of new features at your disposal.
We’re going to take a look at some of these fancy new features below, so you can ensure you’re making the most of Google’s latest and greatest mobile OS. If you’re not currently using an Android 11 smartphone but simply want to satiate your curiosity, that’s okay too.
From souped-up messaging to hidden Easter eggs, screen recording and more, there’s a lot to discover, so let’s jump straight in.
Our phones can become a convoluted mess of notifications ranging from direct messages, WhatsApp group updates, game notifications, breaking news and much, much more.
It’s easy to miss important messages among this barrage of information, which is the reason the new conversations tab in Android 11 is an absolute godsend for bringing some much needed organisation into your life.
Swiping down from the top in Android 11 now splits info into two groups: notifications and conversations. The former are general notifications from apps, while the latter are made up of all notifications from chat apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Twitter, allowing you to prioritize them.
2. A little less conversation
(Image credit: Google)
While it’s nice to keep in touch, we all have at least a few WhatsApp groups with keyboard-happy members that don’t quite know when to put their phones down to embrace some much-needed silence. Thankfully, Android 11 lets you prioritize important messages while silencing less important ones – think pixelated Facebook memes sent from your mum, for example.
Long-pressing a conversation in the dropdown will present three options: Priority, Alerting and Silent.
Priority conversations will always appear at the top, featuring a yellow highlight around their icon. You can also choose priority conversations to ignore the Do Not Disturb rule, which is handy if you’re expecting an important message.
Alerting treats notifications in the normal way, while Silent will keep particular threads from alerting your phone at all. They’ll still appear in your notifications, mind, but at the bottom of the list. Making use of all three options should help remove the headache associated with chatty WhatsApp groups, while still bringing important messages to your attention.
3. Blowing bubbles
While we’re on the subject of conversations, Android 11 also has built-in support for chat bubbles – a feature that will be familiar to Facebook Messenger users.
When you receive a new message, swipe down from the top, and check your chat notification. If the app supports bubbles, there will be a small circle in the bottom-right corner of the notification. Tap it, and you’ll create a chat bubble – a floating circular icon that stays on top of anything else you’re doing on the screen.
New messages will appear from the bubble without taking up your whole screen; tapping the message allows you to reply. It’s particularly useful if you want to keep a conversation whilst continuing with another task or watching a video. To dismiss a bubble, simply hold it down and drag it to the ‘X’ that appears at the bottom of the screen.
4. Screen recording is (finally) here
(Image credit: Google)
Built-in screen-recording functionality is something we’ve been waiting to see baked into Android for years, and while it’s been available in handsets such as OnePlus for a while, we’re happy to see it finally included as standard in this latest version of Android.
Simply pull down from the top to expand the notification bar’s quick settings, and tap the Screen Record icon. When you do, you’ll have the option to choose whether you want to record audio using the microphone or the device’s audio. Once that’s done, a three-second timer will appear, before everything is recorded.
While our main use case will be recording tech tutorials, it can be handy for people looking to show parents how to navigate through Android’s complicated settings, or for those wanting to record gameplay during a particularly hectic gaming session.
5. A second chance
We’ve all had the experience of swiping away at a notification the second it pops up. Sometimes, it's out of sheer instinct, honed by your primal, panther-like reflexes. At other times it might be as a result of spotting an email containing words such as ‘overdue’ or ‘Christmas plans’, which you swipe away in sheer panic.
Unfortunately, though, these mis-swipes can prove a pain, especially if you rely on notifications as a form of to-do list. Thankfully, Android 11 includes an option that allows you to quickly bring up your notification history. Tap the History button at the bottom of the notification shade, and you’ll be treated to all your notifications from the past 24 hours, so you can easily see what you’ve missed.
6. Embrace the darkness
We’re huge fans of dark themes in apps, since they tend to be less harsh on the eyes, and can even help squeeze out a little extra battery life if you’re using a phone with an OLED display.
If you find yourself constantly swapping between dark and light themes, however, then Android 11 will make your life just that little bit easier by offering up the ability to automatically schedule dark themes.
You can choose to embrace the darkness from sunset to sunrise, sparing your eyes from exposure to harsh blue lights in the evening, or opt for a time of your choosing. Simply pull down the Quick Settings menu from the top of the screen, hit the Dark theme icon, and select the scheduling option of your choice.
7. Pin ‘n’ Share
One of the things we’ve always loved most about Android (yes, we have a list), is its robust sharing features, which were around long before iPhone users were treated to similar abilities.
The only downside is that selecting what app you want to share can be a messy process. If you have lots of apps, you might end up scrolling through a few pages of options before selecting the one you want to share to.
Android 11 makes this process easier by allowing you to pin your favorite/most-used sharing apps to the front of the pack, saving you precious seconds each time you share something. Simple, yet incredibly effective.
8. Revamped media controls
(Image credit: Google)
Android 11 arrives with improved media controls that are less intrusive than before. For starters, they now appear in the Quick Settings bar in the form of a mini-control setup that has the name of what’s playing, along with basic play/pause, previous and next track options.
The new positioning is great, since it makes the area below less cluttered, leaving more room for your notifications. Drag down further, and the media controls expand to the top of the screen, providing more options – such as the ability to ‘like’ a track.
If you have a podcast app, YouTube, and/or a music app such as Spotify open, you can also swipe across for individual controls for each app, which is excellent news for auditory multitaskers.
9. App suggestions (Pixel only)
(Image credit: Google)
Pixel owners have an opportunity to gloat here, since this feature is currently only compatible with Google’s Pixel phones.
If you’re currently wielding a Pixel device with Android 11, you can let Google’s AI smarts predict which app you’re likely to use next, based on past usage at different times of the day. For example, if you tend to wake up your brain with a cup of coffee and cat GIFs every morning, then you’ll find the Reddit app included in the dock.
Later on in the day, around lunch time, it might be replaced by the Twitter icon, because that’s when you’re likely to go off on a post-lunch rant about the state of the in-game economy in Destiny 2 (or whatever your routine happens to be).
You also have the option to remove certain apps from the selection pool or turn off the feature entirely, but it’s definitely worth trying out if you have a Pixel in your pocket.
10. Power button 2.0
(Image credit: Google)
Android 11 supercharges your Power button, allowing it to do more than simply turn off or restart your phone. Holding it down now launches a new screen, which adds extra options beyond the simple power ones.
These include a shortcut to using Google Pay, making it even easier to quickly buy lockdown lunch sandwiches from your local supermarket of choice. Beneath that, Android 11 will also pre-populate a new Home section with up to six of your connected smart devices, letting you quickly and easily control your lights, thermostat and more, in an instant. Of course, you can edit this list with your most-used devices, if you so wish.
Overall, this is one of our favorite additions to Android 11, since it lets you access useful features without having to fire up separate apps. Nicely done, Google.
11. Befriend a cat
Android has long been famous for its built-in Easter eggs, and version 11 is no exception. Follow the steps below, and you’ll soon be the proud companion to a host of virtual feline friends.
Fire up Settings, then go to ‘About Phone’
Tap ‘Android Version’
On this screen, repeatedly hit ‘Android Version’
Crank up the volume dial that appears all the way to 11
After three attempts, you should see the number 11 pop up, with a small cat emoji appearing at the bottom of the screen
Hold the power button
Select ‘Add controls’
Choose ‘See other apps’ at the bottom
Choose ‘Cat controls’
Select the water bubbler, food and toy
Return to the power menu screen
Select the down arrow next to ‘Home’ and select ‘Cat controls’
Swipe across the water bubble to fill it up, tap the food bowl, and tap the cat
Question what you’re doing with your life while waiting for a virtual numbered cat to be added to your collection
These are the very best Android phones you can buy right now
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/2Gr58fI
Because Android is such a popular smartphone operating system, this list has a lot in common with our list of the best smartphones. This is a rundown of the best Android phones or ones that aren't made by Apple.
If you want to work out what the best Android phone to buy is based on your budget and needs then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve fully tested and reviewed all ten phones on this list and judged their displays, cameras, battery life and more to decide which we think is best.
Compared to buying an iPhone, buying an Android phone can be a dizzying choice thanks to the huge array of different devices from different manufacturers. While there are mid-range and budget Android options, this list is our collection of the best Android phones overall, so they’re higher in price as they have the best current features like top cameras, displays and build quality.
We’ve included all of the Android world’s big hitters like Samsung and Huawei to the increasingly-prevalent Chinese manufacturers like OnePlus and Oppo. There are loads of variations in screen size, processing power, camera capabilities and more, which does make finding the best Android phone for you pretty tough.
So here they are - the best Android phones money can buy today.
(Image credit: Samsung)
1. Samsung Galaxy S20 & S20 Plus
These are the very best Android phones
Release date: March 2020 | Weight: 163g/186g | Dimensions: 151.7 x 69.1 x 7.9mm/161.9 x 73.7 x 7.8mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.2-inch/6.7-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 3200 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 / Exynos 990 | RAM: 8GB/12GB | Storage: 128GB (S20) or 128GB/256GB/512GB (S20 Plus) | Battery: 4,000mAh/4500mAh | Rear camera: 12MP + 64MP + 12MP | Front camera: 10MP
The best screen around
Excellent cameras
High price
Iterative improvements
The Samsung Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20 Plus are – along with the Galaxy S20 Ultra – Samsung’s latest and greatest flagship phones, so it’s no wonder they top this list.
While the S20 Plus has a slight specs edge, thanks to a larger 6.7-inch screen, a bigger 4,500mAh battery, a fourth camera lens (for depth-sensing) and optionally more storage, they’re largely very similar phones, so they’re fit to share the top spot.
Both have a highly capable camera array, with 12MP standard, 12MP ultra-wide, and 64MP telephoto sensors, and both also have top-end power, thanks to a Snapdragon 865 or Exynos 990 chipset (depending on where in the world you are) and up to 12GB of RAM.
They also both have a stunning 1440 x 3200 display with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. At the time of writing this is arguably the best screen you’ll find on any smartphone.
The design is premium too, and they’re both packed full of features, like reverse wireless charging, 5G, an in-screen fingerprint scanner, and water resistance. They might not quite be the very best at everything, but they’re certainly the best Android phones overall.
The OnePlus 8 Pro is the latest and greatest OnePlus handset, and it comes very close to challenging the best Samsung phones.
Its screen can rival them in fact – with its 120Hz refresh rate and crisp resolution, the OnePlus 8 Pro has one of the best displays you’ll find on a smartphone.
It also has a top-end Snapdragon 865 chipset, more RAM than you’ll know what to do with, and most of the other flagship bells and whistles, such as water resistance and wireless charging.
Its cameras arguably can’t quite match those of the very best phones – but they come close, and the price is the highest yet for a OnePlus phone – but still lower than some top-end handsets. All in all though, this is a stunning effort.
Release date: August 2020 | Weight: 208g | Dimensions: 164.8 x 77.2 x 8.1mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.9-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 3088 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 Plus / Exynos 990 | RAM: 12GB | Storage: 128/256/512GB | Battery: 4,500mAh | Rear camera: 108MP, 12MP, 12MP | Front camera: 10MP
Useful S Pen features
Great-looking screen
Slow charging
Ultra-expensive
Samsung's latest super-premium smartphone is the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, with advanced features, a great-looking screen, and special features for the S Pen stylus which comes included in the phone, that give you added versatile ways to use your device.
Sure it's expensive, and pretty huge, and doesn't actually have all the bells and whistles of the Galaxy S20 Ultra. But those weaknesses are made up for with plenty of advantages.
This is a real top-end phone with top specs in every sector, so if your budget (and hand) can stretch for it, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra may really be one worth considering.
Release date: June 2020 | Weight: 200/217g | Dimensions: 165.2 x 74.4 x 8.8/9.5mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.7-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 3168 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 | RAM: 12GB | Storage: 256/512GB | Battery: 4,260mAh | Rear camera: 48MP, 13MP, 48MP | Front camera: 32MP
Beautiful display
Feels great to hold
Very pricey
Middling battery life
The Oppo Find X2 Pro is the most accomplished phone from the manufacturer so far. You'll find a top display, processor, camera and much more on the Oppo Find X2 Pro that justifies its high price tag. The battery life isn't fantastic, but otherwise this is one of the very best phones on sale right now.
The 6.7-inch display on this phone is one of the very best on the market right now. The resolution is fantastic, it's punchy and you'll enjoy using the screen on this device if you're after a large phone. There is some fantastic spec here making it one of the very best camera phones you can buy right now. The 60x zoom is particularly impressive on the Find X2 Pro.
Battery life is where the Oppo Find X2 Pro does fall down, and we found that it'll last a solid day with moderate usage but if you're planning to use your phone a lot you may need to look elsewhere. And finally, the phone isn't cheap by any standard. Expect to pay a pretty premium to own the Opposite Fid X2 Pro.
Release date: March 2019 | Weight: 165g | Dimensions: 149.1 x 71.4 x 7.6mm | OS: Android 9 | Screen size: 6.1-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2340 | CPU: Kirin 980 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 64/128/512GB | Battery: 3,650mAh | Rear camera: 40MP + 16MP + 8MP | Front camera: 32MP
Great camera
Powerful processor
No wireless charging
P30 Pro is superior
The Huawei P40 Pro is the best camera phone you can buy. it’s that simple. Recommending it does comes with its own set of caveats given the Huawei/Google situation though. That’s why despite its extensive list of stellar features, you definitely need to read our P40 Pro review before picking one up.
The P40 Pro’s Leica-branded imaging system is spearheaded by a brand new 50MP sensor, which uses RYYB (red yellow yellow blue) sub-pixel formation, like the 40MP P30 Pro before it. Huawei claims this makes its cameras better able to handle dark scenes like a champion, and we can attest to the fact the P40 Pro absolutely can.
The rest of the phone’s hardware is top-tier, it looks a treat and has plenty of power, so if (and only if) you’re comfortable with the Google-free software experience, the P40 Pro packs plenty to love.
Motorola doesn't often have its smartphones hit our ranking of the best Android phones, since its devices tend to be more affordable handsets, but the Edge line changed that.
The Motorola Edge Plus has a great display with curved edges (hence the name), top-end specs from its processor to camera, and all the features that make Motorola unique like its Moto Actions.
The phone is pretty pricey which may put some off, and in some regards it doesn't reach other top-end phones, but overall it's a device that you should consider if you like style and top specs.
Are you looking for a new phone? 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.
This list may soon change ever further. There's rumors of the whole iPhone 12 range and OnePlus 8T that are expected to land before the end of the year.
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.
Then, perhaps most importantly, we consider the price too. Not everyone can afford (or even wants) a supercar-like handset in their pocket at all times, so we've ensured to give you a full ranking.
Both Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday are set to happen soon, so you should expect some of the best deals to land for mobile phones over the coming months that could make buying a new handset more affordable.
Want to know the best part for you? Our best phone list has never looked better. Let's get started on our list of the top handsets. You can see them quickly below, and then we're set to talk you through the very best phone in the world right now. What could it be?
Release date: March 2020 | Weight: 163g/186g | Dimensions: 151.7 x 69.1 x 7.9mm/161.9 x 73.7 x 7.8mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.2-inch/6.7-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 3200 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 / Exynos 990 | RAM: 8GB/12GB | Storage: 128GB (S20) or 128GB/256GB/512GB (S20 Plus) | Battery: 4,000mAh/4500mAh | Rear camera: 12MP + 64MP + 12MP | Front camera: 10MP
The best screen around
Excellent cameras
Ever-higher price
Iterative improvements
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.
Want something a bit more from your iPhone? You're in luck with the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, as they feature improved spec including a more high-end rear camera that can compete with the very best.
It'll cost more than the iPhone 11 (which is probably the best phone for the average iPhone user), but if you're after the very best iPhone, the Pro range is what you want.
Other than the obvious size, there's very little difference between the 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, which is why we grouped them together in our best phone roundup.
Screen: It's the biggest decision you'll have to make. Will you go for the 5.8-inch 11 Pro (which is easier to use one-handed) or the larger 6.5-inch 11 Pro Max (which is great for movies and gaming)? Either way, you get a great display which packs a colourful punch.
Battery life: The battery life on the 11 Pro series 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.
Release date: April 2020 | Weight: 199g | Dimensions: 165.3 x 74.35 x 8.5mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.78-inch | Resolution: 3168 x 1440 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 | RAM: 8/12GB | Storage: 128/256GB | Battery: 4,510mAh | Rear camera: 48MP+48MP+5MP+8MP | Front camera: 16MP
One of the best displays around
5G and plenty of power
Reverse & fast wireless charging
Most expensive OnePlus yet
Less storage base model vs 7T Pro
The OnePlus 8 Pro blew us away when we reviewed it, and the company is chasing Samsung and Apple on our best phones list for that very reason. While the OnePlus 8 is also an option, it's missing many of the features we like about the Pro, which we outline below.
Screen: This 6.78-inch has the ability to impress you more than an iPhone for one simple reason: the 'Fluid Display' that sets the refresh rate to 120Hz. Not only does it make game look better, but simply scrolling the web looks smoother. You'll also find nice upscaling and HDR10+ here, though false touches along the screen edges did give us trouble at times.
Battery life: If you need your phone battery to last all day long, the OnePlus 8 Pro achieves that, according to our tests. Its 4,510 battery capacity isn't the biggest next to what Samsung's phones are touting, but when setting the resolution to Full HD+, we did get by on a single charge very easily. We also took advantage of OnePlus (finally) adding wireless charging – in fact, it's the fastest wirelessly charging device we've ever tested.
Camera: OnePlus has always lagged behind when it came to its cameras, though the OnePlus 8 Pro closes the gap. Its quad-lens array on the back of the phone allows for fine 48MP photos and a 3x optical zoom along with a 30x digital zoom. We can't call it the best camera phone on the market, but it's among the best cameras on an Android in this price range.
Mini verdict: It's amazing that with Apple and Samsung's top phones out of the way, we have the at-one-time-little-known OnePlus doing so well that it's claimed a spot within the top 5 phones of 2020. While this version is more expensive than prior OnePlus phones, it doesn't cut corners. You're getting 5G, a 120Hz screen refresh rate, a great camera with 3x optical zoom, and super fast wireless charging. It's a bit tall and only comes in one size (with the smaller OnePlus 8 a very different experience), and, to be expected, the camera is good but not good enough to rival the phones ranked ahead of it.
This productivity powerhouse is the best phone to get stuff done on
Release date: August 2020 | Weight: 208g | Dimensions: 164.8 x 77.2 x 8.1mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.9-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 3088 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 Plus / Exynos 990 | RAM: 12GB | Storage: 128/256/512GB | Battery: 4,500mAh | Rear camera: 108MP, 12MP, 12MP | Front camera: 10MP
Useful S Pen features
Great-looking screen
Slow charging
Ultra-expensive
Samsung's latest super-premium smartphone is the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, with advanced features, a great-looking screen, and special features for the S Pen stylus which comes included in the phone, that give you added versatile ways to use your device.
Sure it's expensive, and pretty huge, and doesn't actually have all the bells and whistles of the Galaxy S20 Ultra. But those weaknesses are made up for with plenty of advantages.
Screen: The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has one of the best display's on any smartphone, with a 120Hz refresh rate (at FullHD+ resolution) and the option of QHD+ resolution (at a 60Hz refresh rate) - plus at 6.9 inches there's plenty of space for movies, games and productivity apps.
Camera: The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra camera is... impressive. With 0.5x ultrawide, 1x regular, 5x optical and 50x digital zoom levels, you can get closer to subjects and still get stunning shots.
Battery life: If the Note 20 Ultra has a slight weak point, it's battery. In the most of the world (basically outside North America) the handset comes with Samsung's Exynos 990 chipset which isn't quite as power efficient - if you push the handset, you'll need to recharge before the day is out.
Mini verdict: This is a real top-end phone with top specs in every sector, so if your budget (and hand) can stretch for it, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is the power and productivity user's phone of choice.
Release date: June 2020 | Weight: 200/217g | Dimensions: 165.2 x 74.4 x 8.8/9.5mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.7-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 3168 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 | RAM: 12GB | Storage: 256/512GB | Battery: 4,260mAh | Rear camera: 48MP, 13MP, 48MP | Front camera: 32MP
Beautiful display
Feels great to hold
Very pricey
Middling battery life
This is the highest we've ever had Oppo rank on our best phone list, and that's because the Oppo Find X2 Pro is the most accomplished phone from the manufacturer so far.
You'll find a top display, processor, camera and much more on the Oppo Find X2 Pro that justifies its high price tag. The battery life isn't fantastic, but otherwise this is one of the very best phones on sale right now.
Screen: The 6.7-inch display on this phone is one of the very best on the market right now. The resolution is fantastic, it's punchy and you'll enjoy using the screen on this device if you're after a large phone.
Battery life: This is where the Oppo Find X2 Pro does fall down, and we found that it'll last a solid day with moderate usage but if you're planning to use your phone a lot you may need to look elsewhere.
Camera: There is some fantastic spec here making it one of the very best camera phones you can buy right now. The 60x zoom is particularly impressive on the Find X2 Pro.
Mini Verdict: This isn't the cheap handset you may expect from Oppo. It's a top-end phone that's capable of fighting against the big guns of Apple, Samsung and OnePlus that surround it. If you're after something different, be sure to read our review below.
There's a new hero for iPhone fans, with the iPhone 11 offering the best mix of features and price from Apple.
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 still makes it a top-buy 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.
Release date: March 2019 | Weight: 192g | Dimensions: 158 x 73.4 x 8.4mm | OS: Android 9 | Screen size: 6.47-inch | CPU: Kirin 980 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 128/256/512GB | Battery: 4,200mAh | Rear camera: 40MP + 20MP + 8MP + ToF | Front camera: 32MP
Fantastic cameras
Eye-catching design
No Google services
EMUI is getting better
The Huawei P40 Pro is Huawei's latest effort and from a hardware perspective, it easily matches or exceeds almost every flagship Android phone. It has the best camera on any phone and shines under low-light performance. What holds it back is the lack of Google Mobile Services (GMS)
Screen: The large 6.58-inch OLED screen on the P40 Pro is curved from all sides and and offers a 90Hz refresh rate for smooth operation.
Battery life: The 4,200mAh battery on the Huawei P40 Pro along with good battery management easily keeps the phone running all day with plenty of power left over at night.
Camera: There is no denying that the Huawei P40 Pro is currently the best camera phone. The 50 MP, f/1.9 primary sensor takes stunning shots in low light while the 5X optical zoom lens and ultra wide lens offer plenty of flexibility.
Software: What is likely to be a deal breaker for some is the lack of Google Mobile Services on the Huawei P40 Pro. Though Huawei is continuously building its own set of services, it could be a while before you can use all your favorite apps on new Huawei phones.
Mini Verdict: Were it not for the fact that the Huawei P40 Pro lacked Google Mobile Services, this phone would have placed a lot higher in our list of best phones- possibly even topping it. With a fantastic camera and a beautiful design, the phone has almost everything going for it.
The Motorola Edge Plus returns the brand to the big mobile leagues, offering up genuine flagship competition in an attractive package.
It's an impressive handset, with three rear cameras and a waterfall display, providing great snaps and a high-end design.
It's not widely available in the UK, nor is it cheap, but you can pick it up from Motorola's website for £1,049.99.
Screen: The Motorola Edge Plus has a 6.7-inch OLED display with a Full HD+ (2340 x 1080p) resolution, which actually looks sharper than the resolution may suggest. There's support for a 90Hz refresh rate, which makes scrolling much smoother.
Battery life: The sizable 5,000mAh battery inside the Motorola Edge Plus easily gives you over a day of use from a single charge - which means you will be able to party into the early hours without the fear of your phone dying when it comes to getting a cab home.
Camera: The Edge Plus takes mobile photography to the next level for Motorola, with an array of rear cameras fit for its flagship asking price. The Edge Plus' suite of cameras perform well, and it's only when your compare them with with the likes of the Galaxy S20+, Note 20 Ultra and OnePlus 8 Pro where you see they don't quite hit all the high marks.
Mini verdict: The Edge Plus is Motorola's first genuine flagship in years, boasting top specs, a gorgeous display and a trio of rear cameras. With 5G connectivity as well, the phone checks all the boxes as a serious contender against heavyweights from Samsung, Apple, and OnePlus.
Release date: April 2020 | Weight: 148g | Dimensions: 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm | OS: iOS 13 | Screen size: 4.7-inch | Resolution: 1134 x 750 | CPU: A13 Bionic | RAM: 3GB | Storage: 64/128/256GB | Battery: 1,821mAh | Rear camera: 12MP | Front camera: 7MP
Low price for an iPhone
One-hand-friendly and light
Has the Touch ID home button
Battery life could be better
Old screen technology
The iPhone SE 2020 is the sequel to the one-hand-friendly iPhone from 2016, and it takes the power and specs we loved from the iPhone 11 series and crams them into the design of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8.
Screen: This new iPhone SE has a 4.7-inch screen borrowed from the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8, so it's bigger than the original iPhone SE, but remains one-hand-friendly. That's become important for people who have been demanding a smaller phone. This is the one to get, even if the resolution and bezel won't wow anyone.
Battery life: As long as you aren't a power user (who would likely opt for the iPhone 11 series anyway), then you'll be OK with what Apple offers in terms of battery life. It's not going to last you any longer than a day, though, with generally the same amount of power as we saw on the iPhone 8, which had a 1,821mAh battery capacity.
Camera: For the money, the iPhone SE 2020 takes perfectly fine photos in good light. You won't notice much of a difference outside of it occasionally failing to nail perfect exposure levels and depth of field outdoors during the daytime. Dim the lights, however, and you'll notice one glaring omission: the night mode that's on the more powerful iPhones. That requires an upgrade to at least the iPhone 11.
Mini verdict: This isn't Apple's most powerful iPhone, but it's the best value for people who want to stick with iOS 13 without paying through the nose. Its screen technology won't wow you like an iPhone 11 Pro, and there's just one camera on the back, but starting £419 means this is hard to be if you're on a budget and don't want to switch to Android.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus is one of the largest phones there is, but this stylus-toting handset is one of our 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.
Jeff Bakalar got a virtual demo of Nintendo's first-ever live action Mario Kart game for the Switch and is here to explain how the entire system works, what sounds promising and what might be some of the logistical hurdles for the game in general.
Hystou all-in-one workstation -$1,253.70 at AliExpress
(£1,002.71/AU$1,775.24) This all-in-one workstation from Hystou is up there with the best iMac Pro rivals on the market - and it costs only a fraction of the price. If you can abide a product from a lesser known vendor, check it out!View Deal
A flurry of new products have been launched in the last few weeks, based on the new Intel processors. One in particular caught our eye, because it almost seems too good to be true.
Hystou is selling an all-in-one gaming computer for circa $1,250 (£1,000/AU$1,775) via its AliExpress store. But frankly, we see it more as an Apple iMac Pro competitor, which is especially true once you've beefed it up.
What do you get for your money? An 8-core, 8-thread Intel Core i7-9700F processor with a dedicated graphics card (Nvidia Geforce GTX1650 with 4GB GDDR5 memory), 64GB DDR4 memory and a 1TB PCIe SSD.
All the components are housed behind a 27-inch full HD display, which is probably the most underwhelming part of the configuration.
Elsewhere, there’s a DVI-D port (great for legacy displays), four USB 3.0 connectors, two USB 2.0 ones, one GbE LAN port, a full size DisplayPort connector and two audio jacks - and you can add two other 2.5-inch SATA storage devices too.
Other notable features include a 200W power adaptor, 802.11n Wi-Fi, a keyboard and mouse, plus a pair of integrated 3W speakers.
There are a couple of issues though. Firstly, while there is a three-year warranty, any issues will mean sending the 17.5kg package back to China. We don’t like the fact that there’s no webcam or Bluetooth and the Wi-Fi could also have been better for the sake of a few dollars.
The nearest Apple iMac equivalent has the same amount of memory, but a 256GB SSD and a far inferior 6-core Intel Core i5 - and it retails for $2,799. Yes, it has a vastly superior build quality and that Retina 5K display, but is it worth the 120% premium?
If this product is shipped from mainland China, it will take a month to reach the UK or US (and potentially more). You may be levied an additional tax, either directly or through the courier.
If you've managed to get hold of a product with equivalent specifications, in stock and brand new, let us know and we'll tip our hat to you.
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Washington leaders are pressing to make a deal on a new relief package soon. Here's what we know about the possible size of a future direct payment and how the IRS could get it to you.
Researchers have identified a new malware distribution campaign that utilizes malicious macros concealed within Microsoft PowerPoint attachments.
According to security firm Trustwave, the rigged PowerPoint files are being distributed en masse via email and, once downloaded, set in motion a chain of events that ultimately lead to a LokiBot malware infection.
This mechanism in itself is not unusual, but the manner in which this particular scam evades detection caught the company’s eye. Namely, the way URLs are manipulated to conceal the final payload.
According to Trustwave, the series of domains used in this campaign to infect the target user were actually already known to host malicious content.
However, the hackers have leveraged URL manipulation techniques to conceal the dangerous domains, hoodwinking both the victim and any security filters that might be in place.
Specifically, the campaign abuses standard uniform resource identifier (URI) syntax to bamboozle antivirus services coded to guard against only URLs that follow a particular format.
Opening and closing the infected PowerPoint file activates the malicious macro, launching a URL via the Windows binary “mshta.exe.”, which itself redirects to a VBScript hosted on Pastebin, an online service for storing plain text.
This script contains a second URL, which writes a PowerShell downloader into the registry, triggering the download and execution of two further URLs - also from Pastebin.
One loads up a DLL injector, which is then used to infect the machine with a sample of LokiBot malware concealed within the final URL.
This process might appear excessively convoluted, but the layers of concealment and misdirection - coupled with URL-related sleight of hand - are what allows the attack to proceed unchecked.
To mitigate against this kind of threat, Trustwave has advised users to put in place a sophisticated anti-malware solution designed specifically to combat email-based threats and to interrogate all URLs for irregularities that might betray a scam.
TechRadar Pro has sought further clarification as to what users can do to identify dangerous URLs that have been manipulated as described above.
Here's our list of the best antivirus services right now
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The DJI Mavic 2 Pro and DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 may have both arrived in 2018, but they feel like they're from very different eras. In fact, after the incredible success of the DJI Mavic series, it feels like its Phantom line has taken something of a backseat.
But that's not necessarily the case. In fact, the re-release of the DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 in January 2020, after the drone was pulled from sale, has shown that both DJI and its fans are still invested in the Phantom series. And with good reason.
The popularity of DJI's Mavic line is understandable because the series' lightweight and foldable design makes those drones hugely portable. Both the Phantom 4 Pro and Mavic 2 Pro feature a 20MP 1-inch sensor, extremely similar flight times, speeds and battery life, so the question is: why on earth would you buy a larger, heavier and more expensive drone like the Phantom 4 Pro V2.0?
When you first look at these two drones the answer appears to be fairly obvious – you’d be mad to buy the Phantom. The Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 costs $1,729 / £1,589 / AU$2,399 for the basic kit, while the Mavic 2 Pro comes in at a much more palatable $1,599 / £1,349, although it's a slightly pricier $2,499 in Australia.
Add the Mavic 2 Pro's Fly More bundle, which includes two additional batteries, a carry case, a charging hub, spare propellors and a few other things, and the price is pretty comparable to the Phantom's basic kit.
But it's only once you start looking more closely at what both drones have to offer in the camera department that the continued relevance of the Phantom series quickly becomes plain to see.
The Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 is larger and heavier than the Mavic 2 Pro
The Mavic 2 Pro is a highly portable thanks to its foldable design
The Mavic's controller is foldable, the Phantom's can take a 10-inch tablet
In terms of design, the Mavic 2 Pro and Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 couldn’t be more different.
The Phantom follows what you might call DJI’s traditional drone design, which hasn’t changed a great deal from the first Phantom drone models.
(Image credit: Future)
From above, the Phantom is an X-shape with propellors at the end of each arm – these need to be attached for flight and taken off for transportation. The drone sits on two tall feet that double up as antennas, with the gimbal and camera hanging between them.
The Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 measures 251×398.78×172.72mm and weighs 1,375g with a battery and propellers attached, so in comparison to the Mavic 2 Pro it’s a pretty large and heavy drone.
(Image credit: Future)
By comparison, the Mavic 2 Pro is just 214×91×84mm when folded and weighs 907g with a battery and propellers installed.
With the Mavic, the propellers can be left attached during transportation because they rotate, so one half sits over the other.
The DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0's controller (left) compared to the DJI Mavic 2 Pro's smaller, foldable design (right).(Image credit: Future)
In keeping with these dramatic differences of the drones themselves, the controllers are also profoundly different, despite providing extremely similar controls.
The Phantom 4 Pro V2.0's controller is large and white with a phone and tablet holder on the front that will accommodate smartphones or tablets up to 10-inches in landscape format.
By contrast, the Mavic 2 Pro's controller is much smaller and lighter, with folding wings that hold a smartphone at the bottom of the controller. There are a few more direct access controls and a handy LCD screen that provides useful drone and flight information, which the Phantom controller lacks.
The Mavic 2 Pro has a bigger range of automated flight modes
The Mavic also lets you shoot sky-based timelapses and hyperlapses
Moving beyond the design differences between the two drones, which will be one of major factors in your decision between them, it's surprising to find that the features and functionality of the Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 and Mavic 2 Pro are pretty similar.
In many ways, you could say they’re almost the same drone but in different bodies. But it's when we look at the cameras that important differences come to light.
Both drones feature a variety of flight modes for making the drone behave in different ways and intelligent flight modes that make it possible to achieve a number of advanced video effects at the touch of a button.
(Image credit: Future)
Without simply listing everything both drones have, it’s safe to say that the Mavic 2 Pro is much more fully-featured drone in this area and provides many more automated options for creating both stills and video.
While the majority of professional videographers and photographers will perform the same tasks manually to maintain full control, one standout feature that the Mavic 2 Pro possesses over the Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 is the ability to shoot aerial time-lapse/hyperlapse videos.
These dynamic videos, which can be recorded alongside individual stills, can produce incredible results from an aerial position, so it’s a shame that this isn’t possible with the Phantom, despite the two drones using the same DJI Go 4 app for smartphones and tablets.
You can expect at least 30 minutes of flight time on both drones
The Mavic 2 Pro features more obstacle avoidance sensors
In terms of flight speed, wind resistance and battery life, the Mavic 2 Pro and Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 are practically identical.
Any differences are so small that they’re negligible. Battery life is advertised as being 30 minutes for the Phantom and 31 minutes for the Mavic, although it’s rare to achieve these flight times because it’s always best to land a drone before the battery gets too low. Both drones can fly at up to 72kph/45mph in Sport mode.
The DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0's controller.(Image credit: Future)
Despite these near-identical specs, the Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 is much more responsive than the Mavic 2 Pro in terms of its controller.
That’s not to say that the Mavic 2 Pro isn’t responsive – it certainly is and flight is extremely smooth. But the Phantom is much more sensitive, so for smooth flight you must use the thumb and index finger ‘pinch’ method when using the control sticks, because this approach provides much more control and counteracts the sensitivity of the controls.
The DJI Mavic 2 Pro's controller.(Image credit: Future)
The Mavic 2 Pro is arguably slightly easier to fly than the Phantom 4 Pro V2.0, although the latter is still a great performer.
In terms of obstacle avoidance, the Mavic Pro 2 has a clear advantage with omnidirectional obstacle sensing in six directions. The Phantom offers obstacle sensing five directions with the side sensors being infrared rather than visual. This, of course, makes the Mavic better in this area, but in real-world situations the Phantom performs perfectly well. This certainly shouldn't be a dealbreaker, or maker, one way or the other.
The Mavic shoots 4K/30p video, the Phantom 4K/60p (both at 100Mbps)
The Phantom has a mechanical shutter that helps it avoid rolling shutter
Both drones offer an adjustable f/2.8-f/11 aperture and raw stills
The quality of stills and video from both drones is extremely similar. In short, they’re both excellent performers thanks to the 20MP 1-inch sensors they both have on board.
The Mavic 2 Pro's camera is a Hasselblad with a full-frame equivalent focal length of 28mm, while the Phantom is slightly wider at 24mm.
The Mavic 2 Pro produces what appear to be slightly sharper images than the Phantom 4 Pro V2.0, which means it'll particularly appeal to stills photographers looking for a drone for aerial photography.
Both drones also offer an adjustable aperture of f/2.8-f/11, the option of shooting raw stills in DNG format, and the ability to capture 4K video in flat profiles for color grading.
This is essential when shooting aerial footage that needs to be color- and style-matched to standard footage in professional workflows. But both drones also capture video with profiles attached, so the footage is effectively ready for use straight out of camera, making them ideal for amateur use, too.
In terms of video, the Phantom has the edge and for videographers this could be the deciding factor. The larger size of the Phantom translates into a larger camera; one that features a mechanical shutter, which is much better for capturing scenes naturally than digital shutters.
The difference between the two is that a digital shutter scans the scene to create an image, while a mechanical shutter opens and closes to capture the scene in one go. The result is that mechanical shutters don’t suffer from rolling shutter – a problem where objects can appear to bend or where moving elements appear fragmented in video footage.
The Phantom is also capable of shooting video up to 4K/60p at 100Mbps in the D-Log color profile, while the Mavic is able to capture a slightly more modest 4K/30p at 100Mbps in the Dlog-M profile.
The color profiles are different but essentially offer the same result. Still, it’s the Phantom's faster frame-rate that’s most significant here, particularly in a professional context. One video area where the Mavic does win, though, is that it can capture HDR video.
DJI Mavic 2 Pro vs Phantom 4 Pro V2.0: the verdict
When you first see the DJI Mavic 2 Pro and Phantom 4 Pro V2.0, it’s safe to say that the Mavic appears to be the most attractive option, simply due to its size, weight, near-identical flight performance and, of course, the fact that both drones feature a 20MP 1-inch sensor.
Opting for the Mavic 2 Pro seems like a no-brainer, but then you discover that the Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 features a mechanical shutter and a faster frame-rate when shooting 4K video.
(Image credit: Future)
So it’s here where you have to make a trade-off. Can you live with the larger and heavier drone that produces more impressive video, which fits into more professional video workflows? Or do you go for the option that’s smaller, lighter and can still produce excellent 4K video, albeit at 30fps rather than 60fps, and with the potential for rolling shutter?
In reality, it’s likely that working professionals will own both drones and will use the best option when the job calls for it. Hobbyist shooters will most likely be more than happy with the smaller, lighter and more portable DJI Mavic 2 Pro. And photographers not worried about video specs can enjoy slightly better image quality for stills, too.
Ultimately, both drones are very impressive, and the deciding factor between the two is mainly down to a trade-off between camera and video features, versus size and weight.
