[Update: Monday 17 May @ 9:30am: It's your last chance to vote! Entries for the Gold Award close at 11:59pm tonight, soclick here to have your sayand the chance to win one of three prize packs!]
G'day and welcome to the 2021 Australian PC Awards!
As we've done for the past four years, Future Australia is putting together a special awards event in 2021 that seeks to recognise and celebrate the most important products, technologies and companies operating in the PC space over the last 12 (or so) months – January 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021 to be exact.
The APCAs have traditionally included a gala dinner for all the finalists (and some special guests!) but due to the current difficulties and safety considerations around hosting large events, this year we're doing something completely different, with the Awards rolling out in a series of live-streamed events at the end of June.
We'll be providing more information about the live streams (and where to watch them) over the coming weeks, but before then we're inviting Aussie readers of TechRadar, PC Gamer, GamesRadar+, APC, TechLife and PC PowerPlay to have their say in the Australian PC Awards' publicly voted category – the highly coveted Gold Award for Best PC Company.
For voting and answering a simple question about tech in 2020, you'll go in the running to win one of three nifty prize bundles, each valued at AU$277, which includes the following goodies:
(Image credit: Future)
12-issue subscription to APC magazine valued @ AU$79
12-issue subscription to TechLife magazine valued @ AU$79
1-year (7 issue) subscription to PC PowerPlay magazine valued @ AU$69
1 x exclusive PC PowerPlay T-shirt valued @ AU$25
1 x exclusive APC baseball cap valued @ AU$25
For more information on how to vote, head to our list of all APCA 2021 finalists, or simply click this big button right here to skip straight to the voting page:
Ducati's first one-two since 2018 and Jack Miller's first ever GP victory for the team keeps the championship battle thrillingly tight, with Yamaha now just six points ahead of Ducati in the constructors' standings, and Francesco Bagnaia two points clear of Fabio Quartararo, who'll be looking to get back on top with victory at his home race. Read on for full details on how to watch all the French Grand Prix action online - no matter where you are - with our MotoGP live stream guide.
MotoGP France live stream 2021
Date: Sunday, May 16
Race start time: 2pm CEST / 1pm BST / 8am ET / 5am PT / 10pm AEST / 12am NZST
Quartararo was on course to make it three wins in a row in Spain, but to everyone's bemusement fell from first to 13th within a few laps, allowing Miller to take the lead and the victory.
It later emerged that the Frenchman had been suffering with a compartment syndrome issue in his right arm, for which he's undergone surgery.
But it's going to take more than that to stop him from racing at the Circuit de la Sarthe, where he took pole position last year.
Fellow Frenchman Johann Zarco also made his mark here in 2020, taking the fastest lap. But he'll want more this time around, having faded in the past couple of races, following a blistering start to the season.
With everything so finely balanced at the top, you won't want to miss this. Follow our guide below as we explain how to watch the French Grand Prix and get a MotoGP live stream from anywhere.
If you find yourself abroad at all during the 2021 MotoGP season, you'll likely find you're unable to access your usual MotoGP coverage like you would at home. This isn't necessarily cause for alarm, but rather the result of geo-blocking – best understood as digital borders that restrict certain services and content to certain parts of the world.
Fortunately, there's a convenient way around this in the form of a VPN. This is a nifty bit of software that lets you whizz around these digital borders, thereby allowing you to globe-trot and still access your preferred MotoGP live stream. It's a completely legal workaround, very affordable, and super easy to use – allow us to explain more.
Use a VPN to watch a 2021 MotoGP live stream from anywhere
ExpressVPN - get the world's best VPN We've put all the major VPNs through their paces and we rate ExpressVPN as our top pick, thanks to its speed, ease of use and strong security features. It's also compatible with just about any streaming device out there, including Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox and PlayStation, as well as Android and Apple mobiles.
Sign up for an annual plan now and get an extra 3 months absolutely FREE. And if you change your mind within the first 30 days, let them know and they'll give you your money back without a quibble.
MotoGP France live stream 2021: how to watch French Grand Prix in the UK
Once again, BT Sport is showing all the MotoGP action this year live on TV in the UK.
Coverage of MotoGP France gets underway at 12.30pm BST on BT Sport 2, ahead of a 1pm start.
Don't forget that BT now has a new £25 monthly sports pass, so you can get all that BT Sport goodness without a long-term commitment.
The BT Sport app will let subscribers watch MotoGP on any number of devices, including mobiles, tablets, consoles and smart TVs.
If you find yourself outside the UK and want to watch the MotoGP like you would at home, don't worry about geo-blocks on your account – simply grab a VPN and follow the instructions above to live stream the action.
FREE MotoGP France live stream: how to watch the French Grand Prix in Australia
Fans in Australia can tune in to MotoGP France at 10pm AEST on Sunday night, with coverage starting at 9.30pm.
You're spoilt for choice Down Under. You can watch the French Grand Prix on free-to-air 10 Bold, but if you're already a pay TV subscriber you can tune in on Fox Sports.
However, anyone who watches more than just MotoGP may want to consider a service that gets them not only motorcycle racing but a wide range of sports coverage...
Kayo Sports is a great-value streaming service that provides access to every MotoGP race, plus F1, AFL, NRL, Super Rugby AOT, cricket and way more. Handy if you don't want to go all out on Fox.
After that, the Kayo Sports Basic Package costs $25 per month and allows users to stream across two devices simultaneously. The service also offers a Kayo Sports Premium Package, which provides three concurrent streams for $35 per month.
Don't forget, you can take your coverage abroad with you as well. For those wanting to watch home coverage of sports from overseas, a good VPN is the solution.
How to watch MotoGP France in the US for the French Grand Prix
For MotoGP fans based in the US, it's NBC and NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) that are showing races this season, though only five GPs are being shown live, with the rest on a delayed broadcast.
Unfortunately, MotoGP France falls into the second of these groups. The French Grand Prix starts at 8am ET / 5am PT, but you can tune in to a delayed broadcast of the race on NBCSN from 5.30pm ET / 2.30pm PT on Sunday afternoon.
If you have cable, that means you're all set and will also be able to watch MotoGP online via the NBC Sports website - you'll just need to log-in with details of your TV provider.
If you don't have cable, you'll want an over-the-top streaming service - try a FREE FuboTV trial today as it includes the channel and can be cancelled no questions asked if it's not right for you.
Out of the US and want to watch your home coverage? No worries - just use a VPN as described above.
How to get a MotoGP France live stream in New Zealand
MotoGP fans based in New Zealand need to tune into Spark Sport for 2021 races, with MotoGP France set to start at midnight on Sunday night/Monday morning.
Spark Sport costs $19.99 per month but if you just want to catch one race for free, you're in luck, as there's a 7-day free trial.
Once that's expired, you'll get coverage for the reasonable price of $24.99 a month. As well as the MotoGP action, you also get a bevy of Black Caps and England cricket matches, NBA basketball action from the US, the F1 and EPL football.
If you're abroad and want to sign-in to watch your subscription you can, using one of our best VPN recommendations.
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I love cheap gadgets. I don't think you ever need to spend tons of cash on premium smartphones, smartwatches or fitness trackers – and now I'm ready to add running headphones to the list of gadgets you don't need to splash out on.
Where am I?
(Image credit: End to End)
Column number: 6
Date written: 12/05/21
Days in: 72
Current location: St Louis, MO
Distance traveled: 300.63 miles
Distance left: 1977.37 miles
Current tracker: Polar Vantage M2
When I started my Route 66 running challenge, in which I have to run nearly 2,300 miles over two years, I bought some new wireless running headphones to accompany me (I'd previously used wired ones, but since I test many smartphones without 3.5mm headphone jacks, I had to upgrade).
The JBL Endurance Sprint I picked up cost £30 in a sale – usually costing $50 / £45, AU$80. They were only meant to be gateway headphones, which lasted me until I could save up for a more expensive alternative. However after 300 miles and several months of workouts, I've realized I don't need to spend any more than I already have.
When I started using the JBL Endurance Sprint, I found them decidedly fine. The basic audio quality was fine. The build design was fine. The eight-hour battery life was fine. Everything was fine – and nothing more than that.
Pairing seemed complicated and didn't always work right, though it's an issue I don't have any more (or maybe I got used to it). As I said, I was coming from wired headphones, which by their nature don't have pairing problems. But my overall impression was of a compromise that I'd eventually want to upgrade from.
But all that changed when I hit the streets (metaphorically – though I did literally hit my head on the pavement once, and the headphones survived just fine). This might be a controversial opinion, but when running, I don't think music quality actually matters too much.
Just as, when I'm working, it's easy to tune out of the music in the background, I find that while I'm running I don't need to listen too hard to the music. It's there to inform my pace, keep the blood pumping, distract me from how slow time passes. I don't need great-sounding audio if I'm just going to ignore it.
I don't need great-sounding audio if I'm just going to ignore it.
(Image credit: Future)
Sure, I have a few running playlists, with up-beat songs that encourage me to keep my pace high; I've also got an emergency list of the best songs of this genre, for when I'm really flagging and need a pick-me-up. But I know these songs so well that they don't play to my ears, so much as my soul.
After all, music quality isn't what's going to help me hit my new personal best, or find the strength for that extra mile; music choice is. And I don't need $300 / £300 headphones to listen to Livin' La Vida Loca, as the song plays on my budget buds just fine.
If I pay more for pricier headphones, I'm not really going to reap the benefits of any audio improvements they bring, which begs the question – what's the point?
Some people likely buying expensive technology – fair enough. Some people can afford it, and I'm jealous of them. But even if I won the lottery tomorrow (and didn't blow all the cash on a private island), I don't think I'd upgrade my headphones.
In testing smartphones, watches and fitness trackers, I've noticed a common trait cheap tech has – it's always much, much more durable than pricey tech. If you drop your Samsung Galaxy phone it'll shatter like glass (probably because it literally is made of glass), but a Motorola phone will bounce back with nary a scratch.
As I said, I faceplanted on a run once, and the JBL Endurance Sprint lasted just fine; they've endured multiple drops, rainstorms and cataclysms of sweat, and borne those injuries like a champ. My fancy non-running headphones threaten to break when I so much as look at them funny.
Add to that what I wrote in the previous section – I don't think music quality is really important when running – and I really don't see the need to spend loads more money on different cans.
The Moto G8 Power Lite is one of the hardiest phones I tested, and I took it on loads of runs.(Image credit: Future)
What would spending more on headphones get me? I don't need better audio quality. The design is probably better because of the price. I'm not going to need longer battery life, if I remember to charge frequently. Bone conduction is just... well, I'm not fussed about it, but good for you if it enhances your experience.
I've found, though, that spending more money doesn't always get you a product that's proportionately better. A $1,200 smartphone is not twice as good as a $600 one, or four times better than a wonderfully cheap $300 handset.
There are usually diminishing returns the more you spend, and high-price products can often feel like an unnecessary rip off. I've tested many devices with high prices, and most of the time I don't feel these costs are justified – that's a common trait I've found among gadgets of all different types, not just phones or headphones.
Especially in these difficult times, it's crucial that technology remains affordable for those who can't justify high-end gadgets – and while loads of brands and tech websites try to push you to buying the newest super-price phone, games console, headphones, or otherwise, it's always worth remembering you can get fantastic gadgets without having to spend too much.
When it comes to cooking, there are plenty of gadgets that can help from the best Instant Pots, which can speed up cooking times when using cheaper, tougher cuts of meat, to the best blenders that can blitz vegetables into silky smooth soups.
There are some gadgets I can’t live without; for example my trusty KitchenAid stand mixer as I’m always whipping up cakes, bread and other tasty bakes for friends and family, while others get used just once and spend the rest of their time cluttering your countertops. So I’m surprised as you, when I admit an air fryer has become one of my must-have kitchen gadgets.
I’ve tested air fryers in the past, and felt very disappointed with them. What’s the point if all they can offer is soggy fries and anemic-looking chicken? However, when I reviewed the Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer, I was blown away by the results.
It’s taken the top-spot in the best air fryers and now I’m considering changing the way I cook fries forever. Here’s why I think an air fryer is the best way to make fries, and more.
Don’t get me wrong, I love fries as much as the next person but I also try to eat as healthily as possible, so I’ve never been one to deep fry chips, or anything else for that matter. Instead, when I felt like indulging in some tasty treats, I’d make my own oven-baked fries.
It’s a time-consuming process though, once I’d peeled and chopped potatoes, par-boiled them for five minutes, and then coated them in low-calorie spray oil, while the oven was pre-heating. Then they’d cook for 15 minutes, then I’d remove the tray and painstakingly turn each fry before letting them cook for 15 minutes again. A quick process it certainly wasn’t.
However, the air fryer can shave 10-15 minutes of the overall cooking time, as fries take just 20 minutes.
Once the potatoes are peeled and chopped, they do need to be soaked in water for at least 10 minutes and then thoroughly dried (to ensure a crisp exterior and so they don’t stick together), but in a bid to stick to my healthy eating regime plan meals in advance and usually do some of the prep in the morning or at lunchtime.
This includes peeling and chopping potatoes and then leaving them in a bowl of water so they don’t go brown, meaning there are no extra steps involved here.
There’s also no need to carefully turn each chip halfway through, as the frying basket allows hot air to circulate. Instead, the food just needs a quick shake halfway through cooking, and the Instant Vortex Plus even offers up an audible alert when I need to do this.
Even more benefits to air fryers…
It's not just fries that can be cooked in an air fryer, I also cooked-up some delicious chicken wings with similar crisp crunchy skin, and succulent tender meat, meaning it’s so much more than a one-it wonder.
It’s not just the time aspect either. The Instant Vortex Plus has a wipe clean frying basket with a dishwasher-safe crisper tray that’s less than half the overall footprint of the oven tray I use to cook fries in the oven.
I usually find there’s not enough room in the dishwasher when I’ve cooked a full meal to include the oven tray, so I have to wait until one cycle has ended and then put the dishwasher on again to ensure the tray can be cleaned too. However the air fyer’s crisper tray takes up the same amount of space in the dishwasher as an extra dinner plate, so I have no problems fitting it in the dishwasher load after I’ve eaten.
The air fryer uses less energy than my oven, too (full disclosure I have a freestanding electric cooker that has an induction hob on top so uses more energy than many standard electric built-in ovens).
To cook fries, my oven needs to be in use for 40 minutes (10 minutes preheating and 30 minutes cooking), which uses 0.63kwh while the air fryer uses 0.5kwh in the 20 minutes it takes to cook fries. `
There are downsides though - the Instant Vortex Plus is a bulky appliance and does take up a fair amount of countertop space (sadly, I don’t have a cupboard I can stash it away in when it’s not in use) and it doesn’t come cheap at $119.95 / £119.99 / AU$269
However for me, at least, these downsides pale into insignificance when I put that crisp, fluffy fry into my mouth - that’s heaven and makes the air fryer worth the cost and countertop space. I certainly won’t be making fries any other way from now on.
Major design changes probably won't happen for the iPhone 13, but people are getting pretty riled up about rumored tweaks to the notch, camera bump and a potential bubblegum pink color.
If you’re looking to buy an iPhone this might not be a very good year for it, because based on rumors it looks a lot like the iPhone 13 will be a minor update over the iPhone 12. If so then it could struggle to stand out in the face of some of the other phones we’re seeing this year – most notably the Google Pixel 6.
Of course, this is an iPhone we’re talking about, so it’s sure to be a massive success regardless. Apple could upgrade the chipset and call it a day, and the iPhone 13 would still sell by the millions. But unless you’re desperate for a new iPhone it might be worth either holding out for another year or looking towards the world of Android for your next phone.
iPhone 13? More like iPhone 12S
It’s still early days for iPhone 13 rumors, but from what we’ve heard so far this could be the iPhone 12S in all but name (or perhaps even in name too).
Leaks point to an iterative update with the same selection of handsets as last year (meaning you can expect an iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max too), the same screen sizes, and the same resolutions.
The design of the iPhone 13 range is also likely to be similar to that of the iPhone 12 range if rumors are anything to go by. We’re expecting slight tweaks to the dimensions, but not much more than that.
The iPhone 13 will probably look a lot like the iPhone 12(Image credit: Future)
The cameras could be improved a little more, but still not by much from what we’ve heard so far. Expect changed apertures and slight improvements to the hardware, but no drastic upgrades.
Even the chipset, which can usually be relied upon to get a big boost in each new model, might be a fairly modest upgrade, with reports suggesting it’s the same size as the iPhone 12’s chipset, which is likely to mean it won’t be a huge improvement.
So far the only big upgrade that’s looking likely on the iPhone 13 range is a move to 120Hz refresh rate screens, but this is so far only rumored for the Pro models, and is something Android has offered for years – with a number of Android phones sporting even higher refresh rates.
Pick up a Pixel 6
Speaking of Android phones, while Apple appears to be treading water with the iPhone 13, Google seems like it might finally have broken out of its slumber and built an exciting handset.
We don’t want to be down on past Pixels – they’re slick, sleek smartphones with great software, great cameras, and usually reasonable prices. But they’re not exactly the most ambitious or inspiring of devices in general, though the Google Pixel 6 might be.
We say ‘might’ because nothing is confirmed just yet, but a leak has revealed the possible design, and it’s very different not just from past Pixels, but from pretty much any other handset too. A black camera block runs from one edge to the other and is framed by orange above and white or peach below for a striking appearance.
This could be our first look at the Pixel 6(Image credit: Jon Prosser / @RendersbyIan)
Yes, it looks a bit like Geordie La Forge in phone form, and it’s bound to be divisive, but it’s a long way from being boring or bland.
Coupled with the Pixel 6’s rumored Google-made chipset, the phone could be a lot more than just a solid way to get stock Android – it could be a real rival to the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S21, and it could make the iPhone 13 look boring.
But while the Pixel 6 comparison won’t do the iPhone 13 any favors (especially with them both likely landing at the tail end of the year), it won’t be the only exciting handset to have landed – or be landing – in 2021.
From the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra with its enormous camera block and rear display, to the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra with its S-Pen support and endless cameras, and the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Fold 3 and Huawei P50 (which looks to have a mad camera design of its own and will likely run HarmonyOS), there’s a lot of exciting stuff happening in Android land and beyond, both in terms of design and features.
The future’s bright(er)
That’s not to say there’s nothing to get excited about on Apple’s phones, it’s just you might have to wait until 2022 or later for that excitement to pay off.
For one thing, we’ve heard rumors that the iPhone 14 might have a 48MP main camera (up from just 12MP on the iPhone 12 range). This camera would also apparently be capable of 8K video recording (up from 4K on current models).
The iPhone 15 meanwhile could get a periscope camera. This would potentially allow for 5x or even 10x optical zoom.
There’s also talk of Apple finally ditching the notch on its phones, and while some reports suggest that could happen this year, it looks more likely that we’ll be waiting until at least 2022.
The notch's days are numbered(Image credit: Future)
Getting rid of the notch would allow for an all-screen design and a fundamentally different look, and hopefully Apple would use the opportunity to redesign the rest of the phone too, as visually there haven’t been too many changes since the iPhone X first introduced the notch to Apple’s range.
At some point in the next two to three years we might even see the foldable iPhone Flip launch.
So there are likely big changes planned in the iPhone’s future, just not its immediate future, and in the face of the competition above that means the iPhone 13 might be one of the most forgettable iPhones yet.
