We're very much looking forward to the grand unveiling of the Sonos Roam next week on March 9, and we've now got some more details on the features and functions to expect when the latest Sonos speaker arrives.
According to sources speaking to The Verge, the Sonos Roam is going to introduce a couple of new tricks. First up is Sound Swap, which will apparently let you pass off music from the Roam to another nearby speaker in your Sonos system.
We aren't given too many details about how this works, but a press and hold on the speaker's play button will then send whatever it is you're listening to across to whichever other Sonos speaker is nearest, perhaps using Bluetooth Low Energy.
We're presuming Sound Swap will come in handy for those times when you've been out at the park or the beach listening to your tunes, and then come home and want to keep the music playing on your standard, wired, Wi-Fi Sonos setup. The Verge has shared a new promotion image for the Move as well, which you can see below:
The Sonos Roam with the larger Sonos Move.(Image credit: The Verge / Sonos)
Another new feature tipped to be introduced with the Sonos Roam is the ability to play songs over an entire Sonos system via Bluetooth, as well as Wi-Fi – it means you could control the music on your Sonos speakers from any Bluetooth-enabled phone, tablet or computer, if you had a Sonos Roam nearby.
The Sonos Move, the first portable speaker that Sonos launched back in 2019, can use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi but only one at a time. It sounds as though the Roam will be able to use both together so it can pass instructions on to your non-portable Sonos speakers.
Like the Move, the Sonos Roam is said to come with an Auto Trueplay tuning feature that uses its built-in microphones to check the acoustics of its surrounding environment, and adjust the audio playback accordingly. Many of the portable speakers and smart speakers already on the market have something similar as well.
The latest report from The Verge also indicates that the Sonos Roam can't be used as a surround speaker for the Sonos Arc or Sonos Beam, but is IP67 rated for dust and water resistance. The price is rumored to be $169 (about (£120 / AU$220).
If you follow smartphone news, you probably know that rollable smartphones are the next big thing, stealing the thunder from foldable phones so to speak.
These devices let you extend the screen size, as part of the display is rolled up in the body of the phone, and can unravel when you want. It's a futuristic concept, and one no commercially available smartphone has right now, though we've seen Oppo, TCL and LG all show off their versions.
I got hands-on with the Oppo X 2021, Oppo's rollable smartphone, to see what the fuss is about this form factor, and see just how fun unrolling such a phone is. Right now this is just a concept device designed to test out the rolling parts, so its cameras, battery life and internals weren't the focus, but I did get to test out extending and retracting the device again, and again, and again.
While testing the Oppo X 2021 rolling smartphone, a few observations hit me about the phone, and about the form factor in general, and you can read them below - along with seeing loads of videos of the thing rolling and unrolling, of course.
What I like
The lack of a screen ridge
When you use a foldable smartphone, there's always a ridge in the middle of the screen - this is where the display folds, and there's usually some mechanisms that can't really be hidden. It's an annoying, but necessary, part of the foldable experience, no matter how hard manufacturers try to hide it.
Due to the nature of the beast, there's no such crease on the Oppo X 2021 - you can run your finger over the entirety of the display without finding a bump, line or mark. I also found the phone didn't feel at risk of snapping in two if I pressed it too hard, something I certainly can't say about Samsung's foldables.
I found myself much preferring the Oppo X 2021's screen to those on foldables I've tested thanks to these two factors, which is arguably the whole point of rollables.
The Oppo X 2021's screen isn't made of glass, but according to Oppo that'll likely change for future products, but the company adds that "it needs to improve in terms of texture and reliability" before that comes about.
Its easy one-hand size
With its screen rolled up the Oppo X 2021, with a 6.7-inch display, is just about hold-able with one hand - any bigger and it would be a two-hand device for sure. I quickly came to like this size, as it made for easy-enough navigation when the phone was rolled up.
The phone stays one-hand-holdable when the display extends, though - since the screen only moves out to one side, you don't even need to shift your digits when unrolling the display. The placement of the unroll button helps with that, but as I'll get into later, the button isn't perfect.
Also useful is the fact the phone's center of mass doesn't move too much when unrolling - when you unflip a foldable, the center of mass moves to the middle, but for the X 2021, it seemed to stay roughly on the side I'd been holding. This made it even easier to keep using the phone with one hand when it was extended.
Unrolling is seamless
Until using the Oppo X 2021, I didn't really mind the process of opening up a foldable phone - you just have to open it like a book, or an old flip-phone, and it doesn't take much time and effort.
It does take more effort than using a rollable phone though, as I quickly understood - thanks to the way the form factor works, in-built mechanisms open the phone up for you, so you can sit back and watch as the screen expands.
Sure, this might sound like a lazy person's delight, but I can also see it being useful in other settings too - perhaps you're on a turbulent subway train, holding onto a rail, and now you don't have to take that hand off the rail to unfold your phone, and risk a small bump catapulting you into the nearest person.
What's more, is that content remained on the screen and upscaled pretty well - when I was reading a TechRadar article, for instance (because why would you read anything else?), the article remained on the screen while the rollable segment moved out, and then seamlessly changed to fill the whole screen when appropriate.
With 'book-style' foldables (think the Galaxy Z Fold series) I've found there can sometimes be a delay when you're looking at an app on the outer screen, then switch over to the main one (and that's not including the delay of actually opening the thing). This way feels way more convenient.
Oppo's Air Charging
This is something I didn't actually get to test out, but it's such an interesting idea I thought I should mention it anyway.
As unveiled at Mobile World Congress Shanghai, the Oppo X 2021 supports the company's new FreeVOOC Air Charging - this is like wireless charging but you don't need to put the phone directly on the charger, with it reaching charging speeds of 7.5W if the device is within 10 meters of the charger.
This means you could put a charger under your sofa, and whenever you were sat on the couch, your phone would power up. Sounds perfect!
Hopefully we'll see this kind of technology used in other phones from the brand, and we already know Xiaomi and Motorola are working on similar concepts.
What I don't like
The fiddly way to make it extend
The Oppo X 2021 extends, or retracts, in two ways, both using a side-mounted power button (which isn't a fingerprint sensor, despite the visual similarities). Either you can swipe on the button, up to extend the phone and down to retract it, or double-tap that button for both tasks.
I found the button incredibly fiddly to swipe. Gestures weren't picked up all the time, and sometimes I was left desperately stroking the sensor in a way I usually reserve for cats, in a bid to get it to work.
The double-tap gesture worked more reliably, but the motion wasn't as convenient as the swipe - when the screen is extended, you don't have a great grip on it, so it's a risky move to tap it twice in case you knock it too hard and drop it.
I would have much preferred a different method of extending and retracting the screen. A software option seems a good shout, so you could swipe down for the quick settings and press an 'extend' button, but I can also see the convenience drawbacks to that.
Possibly a physical slider would work too, though if you (for whatever reason) opted to push the screen shut instead of using the slider, you'd end up with the toggle in the wrong position.
It doesn't get much bigger
There are some advantages to bigger screens - you get more real estate for viewing movies, dual-screening apps, and similar - but the Oppo X 2021's jump, from 6.7 inches to 7.4, didn't really seem like enough of a jump to justify the form factor.
At that size, it didn't feel like you'd be able to get two apps side-by-side for split-screening with either getting enough space, and watching videos isn't really any different when the screen is extended, as the aspect ratio is the main thing to change, so you're just ensuring more letterboxing.
I can see gaming being much better with the larger screen size, although it's something I didn't get to test out on the phone, and photography was slightly better too as I could see more of the options on-screen at once.
Overall though, I'd like to see a bigger change relative to the rolled-up size, whether that's a screen that extends further (which may or may not be possible - I'm not an engineer after all), or a device that's smaller, so an extension makes it seem larger by comparison.
If you’re an avid Fortnite player, then you probably want to know which Fortnite skins you’ll be getting your hands on in the near future. After all, who says you can’t be deadly and fashionable? Fortunately, Epic Games is constantly adding new skins to Fortnite Battle Royale, be it a collaboration with a pop-culture brand or one of its own characters.
The most recent Fortnite seasons - Season 4 and Season 5 of Chapter 2 - have been particularly hectic, with new cosmetics dropping nearly every week. It can be hard to keep up sometimes, but we’re here to help out.
We’ve rounded up every Fortnite skin we expect to land in the battle royale in March 2021, including both skins confirmed by Epic Games and those which are rumored - but don’t worry, we’ve clearly signposted which are which. So, read on for all the Fortnite skins we expect in the near future.
After being teased by an in-game Zero Point portal as well as a few cheeky pictures on the Epic Games Twitter account Ant-Man has been added to Fortnite. Given that Season 5 is nearly at a close he is likely to be this season's last bounty hunter summoned by Agent Jones and the last collaboration outfit for a bit.
The Marvel hero can be purchased from the item shop right now for 1,500 VBucks, or in a bundle for 1,800 VBucks with a pickaxe too.
Lazerbeam - Icon Series
(Image credit: Epic Games)
Following a reveal on his YouTube channel, more details about Australian Youtuber Lazerbeam’s Fortnite skin have been revealed. Inspired by his pre-influencer years as a builder, the set also includes many references to Lazerbeam’s online career - such as the ‘code lazar’ tattoo and overuse of yeet.
Epic announced the upcoming Switch Cup 3 taking place on March 9, 2021. The tournament will be exclusive to players on the Nintendo Switch and will take place over one 3-hour window where you’ll be able to earn points based on how well you play across ten matches.
Top-performing players will win the Cyprus Nell skin - who appears to be a male version of Reese from the Chapter 2 Season 5 Battle Pass. While this is not confirmed by Epic it is likely that Cyprus will be available in the Item Shop after the tournament.
Rebirth Harley Quinn - DC Series
(Image credit: Epic Games)
Continuing Epic Game’s collaboration with superhero comics, a Batman/Fortnite: Zero Point collaboration is on the way. This six-issue miniseries will not only expand on the Fortnite lore but will include codes for in-game items such as the Rebirth Harley Quinn skin.
You can snag these items for yourself by purchasing the comic books as they release from April 20 through to July 6 or by subscribing to DC Universe Infinite in the US.
Rumored Fortnite skins
Marigold - Female Midas
(Image credit: Epic Games / HypeX)
Potentially continuing the tradition of gender-swapped versions of pre-existing skins, we have the rumored arrival of Marigold - who will be a female version of Midas from Chapter 2 Season 2. She will apparently be part of the Golden Touch Challenge Pack which should include cosmetics and VBucks, so expect the pack to cost money and not the in-game credits.
Trinity Trooper - Not from the Matrix
(Image credit: Epic Games / iFireMonkey)
A rumored ‘Trinity’ skin has had its name updated to Trinity Trooper, sorry hopeful Matrix fans. With all of the film references cropping up in Chapter 2 Season 5, many people thought we’d see a Matrix crossover, with Neo and Agent Smith headed to the loop, but that hasn’t happened yet. Trinity Trooper will likely be available in the Item Shop for 800 VBucks like other uncommon skins.
The $1,400 stimulus check isn't a done deal yet, but it's getting close. Here's what we know so far about the third payment (and also the second, if you're still waiting).
Putting an end to robocalls isn't something that's going to happen overnight, but there are steps you can take to silence those annoying, and sometimes dangerous, calls.
The Race to the Sun sounds like something we could all get on board with right now, and the 79th edition of Paris–Nice has become something of a beacon of hope on the cycling calendar. Last year's race was the last on the UCI WorldTour schedule to go ahead before the rapidly worsening Covid situation forced a four and a half month break - and a year on it feels slightly surreal to be back. Read on as we explain how to get a 2021 Paris-Nice live stream today and watch UCI WorldTour cycling online wherever you are right now.
Free live stream:SBS (FREE in Australia) | RaiSport (FREE in Italy) | Sporza (FREE in Belgium) | France 3 (FREE in France) | Teledeporte (FREE in Spain)
Eight stages have tentatively been planned, though the possibility of a strict lockdown in France means that proceedings may have to end early again.
Max Schachmann won last year's abridged Paris-Nice, and he's back to defend his title with Bora-Hansgrohe. Last year's race was a belter, which saw the German seize the yellow jersey after a blustery opening stage and never let go.
The route will run a total of 1,235km, starting in Saint-Cyr-l’Ecole near Paris and snaking down through the heart of France towards Nice and the beautiful Côte d’Azur, which is where the views become almost as breathtaking as the hill climbs.
The race starts out with two flat stages that should expose the riders to potentially tumultuous crosswinds, before the Stage 3 individual time trial, followed by a motley mix of flat, lumpy and hilly stages, with the summit finish at La Colmiane on the Queen Stage set to be a potentially key climb.
Read on for everything you need to know to watch a Paris-Nice live stream from anywhere in the world.
Best of all, you can watch a FREE Paris-Nice live stream in loads of countries. In Australia, SBS Viceland is providing free coverage of the race.
Or you can dust off that Lonely Planet phrase book, because anyone in Italy can watch for free on RaiSport, cycling fans in Belgium can tune in for free on Sporza, those in France can get the race on France 3, and viewers in Spain can watch on Teledeporte - all without paying a penny.
If you're a resident of Australia, Italy, Belgium, France or Spain and you're abroad right now, don't worry about missing the action - all you need to do is download a VPN to re-connect to your home streaming coverage.
Our latest 2021 testing showed our recommended VPN working well on these platforms from abroad, and we'll be sure to confirm for this race as soon as it's underway.
How to watch Paris-Nice 2021 from outside your country
If you're desperate to watch every stage of the Paris-Nice but you're away from home and the coverage is geo-blocked, then you could always use a VPN to access it (assuming you're not breaching any broadcaster T&Cs, of course). You may be surprised how simple it is to do.
Use a VPN to get a Paris-Nice live stream from anywhere
ExpressVPN is the world's top VPN right now We've tested dozens of VPNs and think ExpressVPN is quite simply the best. Quick, secure, and intuitive to use, Express will have you streaming the latest blockbuster movies and binge-worthy TV in no time. Plus, its supported by dozens of devices, including Smart TVs, Fire TV Stick, PC, Mac, iPhone, Android phone, iPads, tablets, and many more.
You can try it for free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Better yet, if you decide to subscribe to ExpressVPN and opt for their annual plan, you'll get 49% off the usual price as well as 3-months extra FREE – pretty amazing value really.
2021 Paris-Nice live stream: how to watch online in the UK
For UK residents, Eurosport Player has you covered for live Paris-Nice coverage.
The streaming service is affordable, at just £6.99 a month or £39.99 for the year, and it's compatible with a wide array of devices and platforms.
Another option is the GCN+ Race Pass, which also costs £39.99 for a year, but the caveat is that it's mobile-only.
And remember, to watch your home coverage from abroad, you can always use a VPN, log back in to a server in your country and watch as if you were there.
How to live stream Paris-Nice 2021 in Australia for FREE
Aussie cycling fans are amongst the luckiest in the world, as you can get a free Paris-Nice live stream Down Under thanks to SBS and its Viceland channel.
Don't worry if you're out of the country and want to catch that SBS broadcast - just grab a VPN and you can watch the race as if you were back at home on your laptop, mobile or other TV streaming device.
That really is all there is to it!
How to watch Paris-Nice cycling 2021: live stream the race in the US
Paris-Nice 2021 is once again being aired by NBC Sports Gold in the US. This means it can only be streamed online, not watched on linear TV, so if you have the app then you can enjoy it anywhere.
For the most extensive coverage NBC has to offer, you can subscribe to NBC Sports Gold, which is offering a Cycling Pass for $24.99, which runs until May 31 - it will then be absorbed into Peacock Premium.
And don't forget, if you're out of the US but still want to tune in - all you need is the services of a quality VPN.
How to watch the 2021 Paris-Nice: live stream cycling in Canada
Canadians can tune into the Paris-Nice live on FloBikes.
A monthly subscription will cost you $30 while a yearly account will set you back $150 ($12.50 per month), which will give you access to coverage of major cycling events throughout the year.
Not in Canada to catch that Flobikes stream? Well you know the answer by now... using a VPN is the way to make sure you don't miss a moment.
Paris-Nice 2021: schedule and times
Stage 1 - Sunday, March 7, 1pm CET / 12pm GMT
Stage 2 - Monday, March 8, 11.25pm CET / 10.25am GMT
Stage 3 - Tuesday, March 9, 1.05pm CET / 12.05pm GMT
Stage 4 - Wednesday, March 10, 11.10am CET / 10.10am GMT
Stage 5 - Thursday, March 11, 11am CET / 10am GMT
Stage 6 - Friday, March 12, 10.55am CET / 9.55am GMT
Stage 7 - Saturday, March 13, 10am CET / 9am GMT
Stage 8 - Sunday, March 14, 1.50pm CET / 12.50pm GMT
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/3kScGrK
The iPhone 12 range was released in late 2020, so the next Apple phones we’re looking forward to are the iPhone 13 handsets – but all the rumors suggest a lot of small improvements. That means we might have to wait until Apple’s 2022 phones, the supposed iPhone 14 range, for the big changes that could bring iPhones into the future.
Some of these big changes are advances that might be coming, but not in time for the iPhone 13. Ergo, we expect things like finally losing the notch to happen in the iPhone 14 – in which case, we’d expect a punch-hole to house the selfie camera, but it’s always possible Apple puts it under the display – which would make sense given all its Face ID-enabling sensors.
We’re over a year out from the iPhone 14 release, and plenty of things can change before then. Chief among the uncertainties is the name: some rumors suggest Apple could return to its ‘S’ nomenclature and make the 2021 phones the ‘iPhone 12S,’ meaning the 2022 Apple handsets could be the iPhone 13 – but before we confuse you any more, let’s just refer to this upcoming generation as the iPhone 14 we expect to come out next year until we hear differently.
Given we haven’t heard much about the iPhone 14 range, we’ll share what we have and expound on what we’d like to see come in Apple’s phones, including features we’ve already seen debut in Android phones and advanced perks we’ve seen sketched out on Apple patents. Here’s everything we know – and what we want – in the iPhone 14.
One rumor suggests that the iPhone 14 will finally ditch the notch – and given it comes from noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, we’d give it more consideration than other predictions this far out.
Other Android phones lost their notches years ago, but Apple has kept the notch to hide the front-facing sensors (dot projector, infrared camera, and flood illuminator) that enable Face ID. But the rumor notes the iPhone 14 may ditch the notch and just have a punch-hole for the selfie camera – though it’s unclear where those sensors would go.
It’s possible the sensors would get a smaller notch, or they’d be minimized – perhaps combined into fewer units – and placed alongside the selfie camera for an elongated punch-hole.
Or Apple could just leap ahead of most Android phones and hide its sensors under the display, like the ZTE Axon 20 5G. We’ll have to see how Apple rearranges its sensors (or replaces them with photo-dedicated sensors entirely), but ultimately, everyone will like seeing the punch-hole go.
(Image credit: Apple)
iPhone 14...glasses?
This one’s a bit more pie-in-the-sky, but one patent suggests that the much-rumored Apple Glasses will simply be frame-holders to slip an iPhone into, a la Google Cardboard. And given we haven’t heard about the iPhone 13 working this way, then the iPhone 14 could be the Apple device that enables this functionality.
Of course, we haven’t heard much else about Apple Glasses that use an iPhone’s display in place of bespoke binocular lenses – recent rumors point to a primarily VR headset coming in 2022 that precedes a primarily AR unit following in 2023, but we’ll wait and see if Apple ends up offering a cheaper ‘device’ that slots in an iPhone.
(Image credit: US Patent and Trademark Office)
iPhone 14 MagSafe main charger
The iPhone 12 debuted the MagSafe system, which allowed wireless charging through chargers magnetically clamping to the back of the phones. But the ‘MagSafe’ moniker was first used in the MacBook laptops as a type of breakaway charger, and according to another patent, this concept could be used for future Apple phones – potentially the iPhone 14.
As such, this charger would operate like the MacBooks’ MagSafe charger did: magnetically clipping to the bottom of the iPhone 14 and breaking away easily. That means the iPhone 14, should it implement this charging method, would finally lose the Lightning cable, which has been a fixture of Apple’s phones since the iPhone 5. It would be the right time, at long last, to ditch the mainstay charging solution for Apple phones for a faster-charging cable – though it would sure be a curveball if the iPhones didn’t switch to USB-C.
(Image credit: Future)
2022’s iPhone range becoming all 5G
The same Kuo rumor suggests that every phone in Apple’s lineup is going to get 5G by 2022. The iPhone 12 range established 5G in all Apple’s flagship phones – leaving the lower-cost handsets to get upgraded to the next-gen connectivity by then.
That just leaves a likely 5G refresh of the iPhone SE in early 2022 and whatever replaces the iPhone 11. It’s possible that the standard iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 will simply take its place, but it’s always possible there’ll be another iPhone 14 model that fills this gap.
(Image credit: Apple)
What else do we expect from the iPhone 14
Given we still don’t know how much the iPhone 13 range will cost, we’ll be relying on similar speculation for the iPhone 14 prices. We’ll mainly use the pricetags on the iPhone 12 to guide our estimates.
The least expensive iPhone 14 mini may be the most affordable model, and could start at $699 / £699 / AU$1,199 (the pricetag of the iPhone 12 mini). Similarly, the standard iPhone 14 may cost $799 / £799 / AU$1,349 if it stays in line with the iPhone 12’s cost.
The iPhone 14 Pro price could start at $999 / £999 / AU$1,699, which is where the iPhone 12 Pro’s cost starts. The iPhone 14 Pro Max might then begin at $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,849, like the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Naturally, these expected prices could all change if Apple finds a reason to charge more – they’re roughly in line with their iPhone 11 predecessors, but there could be new must-have features that justify a price hike.
The iPhone 14 release date is also a mystery: Apple tends to launch its phones in Q3, and we’d expect the phones to be officially revealed in September 2022 before hitting the market in October 2022. But given the pandemic’s delays to the iPhone 12 releases in 2020, there’s a bit of uncertainty regarding whether Apple could diverge from precedent and launch the phones on a different schedule.
iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 13S vs. iPhone 13: what will the future iPhone be called?
There’s some uncertainty about whether the iPhone 14 will be called that – and the numbering depends a lot on what happens with the next phone to come. The 2021 lineup could be called the iPhone 13, or it could be numbered the iPhone 12S. In that case, the 2022 phones could be called the iPhone 13 range.
Or, if the 2021 lineup is numbered iPhone 13, the 2022 Apple handsets could be called the iPhone 13S. Nothing is certain until the company gives their official name to the phones, which typically happens well after WWDC in the middle of every year.
Which iPhone 14 handsets to expect
We largely expect Apple to follow tradition and release an iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Whether there will be an iPhone 14 mini remains to be seen – we’ll have to see if another small-format phone comes out in the 2021 lineup before we start considering it a permanent fixture of the flagship iPhone range.
The iPhone 12 is Apple’s smartphone standard bearer for 2021, and the phone that will tick the most boxes for the most people. But it’s not for everyone.
As we noted in our review, the iPhone 12 is more expensive than its predecessor the iPhone 11, which was hardly cheap itself. There are some, too, who will lament Apple’s continued move towards ever larger displays.
For those who are operating on a strict budget, or who simply prefer the compact iPhone designs of yesteryear, there’s the iPhone SE (2020). Having launched in the same year as the iPhone 12, it’s scarcely any older, and it’s still being offered as new.
Here’s how this odd smartphone couple match up.
iPhone 12 vs iPhone SE (2020) price and availability
The iPhone 12 landed in shops on October 23, 2020. Prices kicked off at $799 / £799 / AU$1,349 for the 64GB model, and progressed up to $849 / £849 / AU$1,429 for 128GB and $949 / £949 / AU$1,599 for 256GB.
The 64GB iPhone SE 2020 launched on April 24, 2020 for $399 / £419 / AU$749. That price increases to $449 / £469 / AU$829 for 128GB and $549 / £569 / AU$999 for 256GB.
It’s still available as new from Apple, with the only change being a slightly reduced £399 / £449 / £549 price tag for UK customers.
Design
If you were unfamiliar with Apple’s work, you would never guess that these two phones were released in the same year and by the same company. That’s because their designs are from completely different eras.
The iPhone SE (2020) is externally nigh-on identical to the 2017 iPhone 8, which makes it seem dated. When you consider that the basic blueprint for the shape, size and lay-out of this phone was laid down with the 2014 iPhone 6, it seems positively ancient.
Not that the SE feels anything but classy in the hand. With glass to the front and rear and a rounded aluminum chassis, and with Apple’s peerless premium finish, it feels better than any other $399 / £399 smartphone on the market.
The biggest appeal of this design is its compact dimensions. At 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm and 148g, the iPhone SE can be wielded in one hand, and it sits comfortably in even small pockets when not in use.
Image 1 of 2
iPhone 12(Image credit: TechRadar)
Image 2 of 2
iPhone SE(Image credit: Future)
The iPhone 12 is an entirely different kettle of fish. At 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4mm and 164g it’s bigger than the iPhone SE in every way. It’s proportionally taller, too, and its flat-edged industrial design comes from a completely different school of though. It’s more iPhone 5 than iPhone 6, but with a more modern twist.
Around front, the iPhone 12’s all-screen design pushes back the chunky bezels of the iPhone SE, with an 86% screen-to-body ratio compared to the SE’s 65.4%. This has necessitated the dropping of the iconic Touch ID-imbued Home button, with a Face ID notch eating into the top of the screen by way of a replacement.
Both biometric systems present fast, secure and reliable ways to unlock your phone and authenticate payments. But Touch ID feels freshly relevant in a mask-wearing world, where Face ID has come to struggle.
The iPhone 12 is the hardier phone of the two, with a toughened nano-crystalline Ceramic Shield up front for four times the screen protection. It also benefits from an IP68 rating, compared to the iPhone SE’s IP67 rating, which means it can be immersed in far deeper water without issue.
In a nutshell, the iPhone 12 design is much fresher than the tired old iPhone SE, but the latter phone is more comfortable to hold and to lug around. The old ones aren’t always the best, but they’re often more comfortable.
Display
Image 1 of 2
iPhone 12(Image credit: TechRadar)
Image 2 of 2
iPhone SE (2020)(Image credit: Future)
The reason the iPhone 12 is both bigger and proportionally longer than the iPhone SE (2020) is simple: its display is bigger and proportionally longer.
At 6.1-inches and 19.5:9, the iPhone 12’s display is way better suited to widescreen landscape content (i.e. videos and games) than the 4.7-inch 16:9 iPhone SE. You could make a case against the iPhone 12 for its intrusive notch, but it’s still giving you way more space to play with.
It’s not just a size thing either. The iPhone 12 screen is better than the iPhone SE’s in every way, with a higher 1170 x 2532 resolution (versus 750 x 1334) for a sharper 460 ppi pixel density (versus 326 ppi).
Beyond that, the iPhone 12 sees Apple switching to the OLED display panel technology that had previously been reserved for the more expensive iPhone X and Pro models. This yields much richer colors and deeper contrast than the iPhone SE’s dated IPS LCD technology. Although the latter does feature wide color gamut support, with the iPhone 12’s OLED display blacks are truly black, whereas LCD panels are invariably a dark shade of gray.
Just as with their respective designs, the iPhone SE display simply belongs to a different era to the iPhone 12’s. There really is no contest - unless, that is, the ability to use a screen with the thumb of your holding hand is a priority. But even then, you should probably consider the iPhone 12 mini, which is essentially the iPhone 12 shrunk down to a sub-iPhone SE size.
Let’s not get too carried away with the iPhone 12 display love-in though. It’s still only 60Hz, just the same as the iPhone SE (2020), whereas virtually every non-Apple phone at this price has moved on to 90Hz and 120Hz refresh rates.
Camera
iPhone 12(Image credit: TechRadar)
When it comes to smartphone photography, you typically get what you pay for. It’s no surprise, then, to learn that the iPhone 12’s camera is significantly superior to the iPhone SE’s.
That’s not to say that snaps taken with the iPhone SE (2020) underwhelm in any way. Short of the Google Pixel 4a, it’s just about the best photographic experience you’re likely to get for less than $400.
You can extend the iPhone SE’s iPhone 8 debit to include its camera hardware. You’re getting the exact same single 12-megapixel sensor and f/1.8 lens set-up.
That’s fine, though, because Apple’s major skill when it comes to photography has increasingly become its image processing technology. And on that front, the iPhone SE (2020) benefits from packing a relatively modern A13 Bionic SoC.
We’ll talk about the A13’s performance in due course, but in camera terms this chip enables the iPhone SE to take pictures that are way better than its modest hardware would suggest is possible. In good light, images are routinely crisp and balanced, while colors are nice and accurate. You’ll rarely whiff a shot with the iPhone SE.
Even so, the iPhone 12 camera is a notch or two above. It packs a dual-camera setup, with a 12-megapixel wide sensor allied to a fast f/1.6 lens. That’s backed by a 12-megapixel f/2.4 ultrawide, which simply enables you to take the kind of 120-degree ultrawide shots that the iPhone SE can’t even hope to emulate.
This dual sensor approach also fuels Apple’s famous Portrait mode, enabling you to make your subject really pop from the background. Props to the iPhone SE, though, for enabling this feature without a second sensor - again a tribute to Apple’s computational photography chops.
While the iPhone SE benefits from the A13 Bionic chip, the iPhone 12 features the even newer and more capable A14 Bionic. With its new image signal processor (ISP) powering such features as Smart HDR 3, it can pick out and render scenes with even richer colors and superior dynamic range.
But where the iPhone 12 really hammers its affordable bro is when the lights drop. Apple’s Night Mode is one of the best in the business, and here on the iPhone 12 it facilitates spookily bright and natural-looking shots in challenging lighting conditions. The iPhone SE can’t even get close, with the complete lack of a Night Mode to call its own putting paid to the phone as a viable low light companion.
Apple’s phones have been the best at capturing video for years, and both of these phones are impressive operators on this front. While both can shoot 4K/60fps video, however, only the iPhone 12 can shoot in Dolby Vision HDR, which makes footage look brighter and better exposed.
Specs and performance
iPhone SE 2020(Image credit: TechRadar)
As we’ve just touched upon, the iPhone 12 runs on a newer, more up to date processor in the A14 Bionic. While the iPhone SE (2020)’s A13 Bionic is no slouch, it comes in second to the newer chip in every way.
Going by Apple’s claims and numerous benchmarks, the newer chip enjoys a roughly 20% boost across its CPU and GPU. The iPhone 12 also packs in 4GB of RAM as opposed to 3GB for the iPhone SE (2020).
What does this mean for the day to day performance of using these two phones? Not a lot, if we’re being honest. Apple’s phones are always superbly optimized, and they remain feeling fast for several years after release.
This means that the iPhone SE still feels snappy today, and you won’t experience a noticeable drop in performance in moving from one to the other. High-end games will run nigh-on flawlessly on both, with perhaps only the odd missing lighting effect or dropped frame in the latest and most demanding titles.
What the newer chip of the iPhone 12 really gains you - besides those additional camera tricks we mentioned above - is more time at the top. The iPhone 12 will feel faster for longer than the iPhone SE.
The A14 also features a new 16-core Neural Engine, which provides a considerable 80% boost to AI performance compared to its predecessor.
Another thing the iPhone 12’s A14 gains you is 5G connectivity. Apple made a lot of its latest phones being able to access 5G mobile networks, and if you live in an area that’s received the necessary infrastructure upgrade, you’ll be able to attain download and upload speeds well in excess of your average broadband connection.
One specification that’s disappointingly similar across these two phones is internal storage. Both base models provide a scant 64GB, while you can move up to 128GB and 256GB if you’re willing to pay the price. We can let that slide in the iPhone SE, but the newer and more expensive iPhone 12 should really be starting from 128GB.
Battery life
We wouldn’t pick either phone if we were after stamina as a matter of priority. But the iPhone 12 clearly has a big advantage when it comes to battery life. The newer phone packs in a 2815 mAh battery, which is considerably larger than the iPhone SE’s 1821 mAh equivalent.
As a result of this simple capacity advantage, as well as its more efficient A14 processor, the iPhone 12 will comfortably get through a day of moderate to heavy usage without having to plug into a wall socket. Under similar circumstances, the iPhone SE will be left gasping.
Light to moderate usage is where the iPhone SE is most comfortable. But even then, you won’t find yourself going to bed with half a tank of juice, which is quite possible with the iPhone 12 under a relatively light load.
Of course, the iPhone 12 isn’t perfect in this regard. Its own Achilles heel is network connectivity, where flicking between 4G and 5G is destined to bring that percentage down at a slightly concerning rate.
Both phones enable you to charge wirelessly, and in the case of the iPhone 12 that includes Apple’s new MagSafe standard. In practical terms this is a simple (if cool) magnetized take on wireless charging, similar to how the Apple Watch regains power.
The iPhone 12 also supports slightly faster 20W charging, whereas the iPhone SE is limited to 18W. You’ll have to buy those faster methods separately in both cases, however.
Takeaway
Image 1 of 2
iPhone 12(Image credit: TechRadar)
Image 2 of 2
iPhone SE(Image credit: TechRadar)
The iPhone SE remains the most affordable entry point to Apple’s esteemed smartphone line, and it continues to provide a premium-ish experience for not a lot of money. It’s fast and well built, and it sports features that are still uncommon for a phone under $400, such as a consistent camera and wireless charging.
On the other hand we have the iPhone 12, which is double the price and also superior in every way. Its design is fresher, its display sharper and more vibrant, and it takes better pictures - especially in low light.
We don’t think it’s as simple as saying you’re getting double the phone for double your money, though. Despite its parts bin approach, the iPhone SE remains excellent value, giving you an authentic Apple experience that doesn’t feel particularly compromised.
It’s also the preferable choice for those who prefer smaller phones - though if that’s the deciding factor for you, the iPhone 12 mini is a more appropriate comparison.
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/3kQhaiN
Using Microsoft Edge across different Windows 10 devices might have just got an added advantage over the likes of Google Chrome.
A new feature should soon allow Microsoft Edge users to transfer links that they have copied or shared from a browser on one Windows 10 devices onto another.
The new Shared Links feature looks to help those users who may need to send and receive a large number of links every day, but have trouble keeping track of exactly which link was which, and when they'll be needed again.
"We send and receive a large number of links throughout our work weeks. However, when we actually need to use them, we may not remember what the link was called, where we last saw it, or whether we opened it at all," Microsoft noted in a blog post outlining the feature.
"The current processes that users have to re-find their links can be difficult and time-consuming. Users spend time and energy trying to find links that have been shared with them and sometimes shared by themselves, looking in various apps, checking their email and chat messages, and sometimes by asking someone else to find or re-send the link to them."
The company notes that the goal of the new feature is to, "Help users save time and effort by making links shared with/by user searchable in the history page of Edge Browser."
Microsoft does already offer the Windows Cloud Clipboard tool to provide a similar service, but many users remain unaware of the functionality, so the company wants to build it directly into Edge.
Now, users will be able to view and access the links they've shared, or had shared with them, on the History page in Microsoft Edge 0 - which will now get a new "Shared Links" tab. As it is part of the History section, users can go through their links using the search function, then quickly copy the links they need.
Shared Links is still being tested, but Microsoft says users can trial it as a beta extension now.
NFT or Non-fungible tokens are cryptocurrency assets that represent a wide range of unique items, both physical and digital. They can be traced back to the original issuer and thus cannot be faked.
Android 12 vs. Android 11: Here are the major differences between Google's new OS and the prior version, including security updates and new notifications.
A third stimulus check for $1,400 cleared another major milestone on Saturday when the Senate passed a new version of the bill. Here's the situation today.
