Wednesday, March 16, 2022

Latest Tech News

Samsung really aced it with its latest foldable phones, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3. They’re two of the best foldable phones we’ve ever seen, and they’re certainly the most popular.

But which Galaxy Z phone is the better buy? Is a straight comparison even valid, or are they completely different phones with completely different use-case scenarios?

Having spent quality time with both foldable flagships, that’s what we’re here to find out. Let’s break down where these bendy phones differ, where they’re similar, and which is the best for you.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3: price and availability

Both of these phones arrived in UK and US shops on August 27, 2021. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is by far the more expensive of the two, with prices starting from $1,799 / £1,599 / AU$2,499 for the 256GB model. If you want more storage, $1,899 / £1,699 / AU$2,649 will get you 512GB.

Pricing for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 starts from $999 / £949 / AU$1,499 for 128GB, while the 256GB model costs $1,049 / £999 / AU$1,599. This makes it the first truly accessible (though hardly cheap) foldable phone that Samsung has made.

As you can see, while these Samsung foldables are of the same broad class and vintage, there’s a huge difference in pricing. Before you even consider their relative merits, it’s worth considering your budget.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 review

A Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 (Image credit: Aakash Jhaveri)

Design

While both of these Galaxy Z foldables get the ‘Galaxy Z 3’ moniker, only the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is a genuine third-generation device. There was no Galaxy Z Flip 2, just a Galaxy Z Flip and an incrementally improved Galaxy Z Flip 5G.

Still, Samsung has taken what it’s learned from across the Galaxy Z range and produced two remarkably solid foldable phones. Both have very solid and smooth hinge mechanisms and IPX8 ratings, meaning they’re the first Samsung foldables to be properly water resistant.

Both phones use premium materials, with Gorilla Glass Victus to the exterior, tough plastic to the inner screens (that’s the price of a foldable screen), and tough aluminum frames.

Aside from the obvious fact that both phones fold in half, that’s about where the design similarities end. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is essentially a tablet that folds down into a full-sized phone, while the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is a full-sized phone that folds down into a compact pager of sorts.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3

A Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 (Image credit: Future)

To that end, the Z Fold 3 dwarfs the Z Flip 3. The larger phone is a massive (and rather square) 158.2 x 128.1 x 6.4mm when unfurled, while the smaller phone is a more traditional (but still very skinny) 166 x 72.2 x 6.9mm.

If that doesn’t paint a picture for you, consider how much both phones weigh. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is downright cumbersome at 271g, while the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 weighs about as much as your average non-foldable phone at 183g.

The difference is as stark as this: the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is arguably the most pocketable flagship phone on the market, while the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is arguably the least pocketable.

Another fundamental difference is how the two phones function when closed. Without wishing to step on the toes of the following section, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 works like a normal phone when closed, while the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is only really functional when open.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 review

A Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 (Image credit: Aakash Jhaveri)

Display

Both phones pack two displays: one large screen that covers almost the entirety of the inside surface, and another smaller display that sits on one external surface.

In the case of the Galaxy Z Fold 3, that external element is a huge 7.6-inch Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 1768 x 2208 resolution. With the Galaxy Z Flip 3, it’s a 6.7-inch Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 1080 x 2640 resolution.

Both screens can hit the heady heights of a 120Hz refresh rate, which makes them super-smooth to operate. Both can hit a peak brightness of 1200 nits, too.

Aside from size, the biggest difference here is one of aspect ratio. While the Galaxy Z Flip 3 folds out to a fairly typical 22:9, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 folds out to an atypical (for phones at least) 22.5:18. This makes the larger display almost square, resulting in a tablet-like canvas.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3

A Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 (Image credit: Future)

This is ideal for viewing web content and editing documents, but is perhaps a little sub-optimal for landscape video content. The picture will still be plenty large enough, but you’ll have to put up with large black borders.

In terms of the external displays, it’s the Galaxy Z Flip 3 that’s the weird one here. Its 1.9-inch AMOLED, with its 260 x 512 resolution, is rather weedy, and useful only for showing the time, date, brief notification previews, and a handful of widgets.

Conversely, the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s external display is a 6.2-inch 2268 x 832 Dynamic AMOLED 2X with a 25:9 aspect ratio and a 120Hz refresh rate. In other words, it’s a pretty normal smartphone display, and as such, is useful for all normal smartphone tasks.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 review

A Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 (Image credit: Aakash Jhaveri)

Camera

Let’s not beat around the bush here: cameras are not the strong suit of either of Samsung’s latest foldable phones. It’s where the clearest compromises have been made compared to their non-foldable stablemates.

We described the Fold 3’s cameras as “good, but not groundbreaking”, while we said that the Flip 3’s cameras represented “the phone’s biggest shortcoming”. Neither system is bad, per se, but you can do a lot better for the money if you’re willing to forego those flashy foldable designs.

That said, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 camera system is quite clearly the better of the two. It’s a triple–12MP set-up with wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto options, so it covers all of the key bases. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 has a dual–12MP camera set-up with wide and ultra-wide options. There is no telephoto.

What’s more, the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s main sensor is a 1/1.76“ unit, which is larger than the Galaxy Z Flip 3’s 1/2.55” equivalent. This means that it can hoover up more light, which is generally a good thing in mobile photography – especially when those ambient light levels start to drop.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3

A Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 (Image credit: Future)

Both cameras are capable of taking bright, punchy shots in most conditions, thanks largely to Samsung’s enthusiastic color science. But they’re nowhere near the level of their non-foldable $1000/£1000 competitors – including the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.

The Fold 3’s camera system does at least offer something slightly interesting in the shape of an under-display selfie camera. But the image quality from this humble 4MP sensor really isn’t up to much. Thankfully there’s a traditional 10MP selfie camera on the outside display, which is better.

Indeed, this seems to be the same 10MP selfie cam that’s on the inside of the Galaxy Z Flip 3.

In both cases, our recommendation would be to use the main camera and the external display as a viewfinder for a level of selfie shot that no ‘normal’ phone can match.

Specs and performance

Both phones pack Snapdragon 888 chipsets, with 12GB of RAM for the Fold 3 and 8GB for the Flip 3.

This distinguishes them from other, non-foldable Samsung flagships, which tend to split their hardware between Qualcomm and home-brewed Exynos silicon. Given that Qualcomm’s chips are invariably better, this is a good thing.

Of course, even the Snapdragon 888 is no longer the fastest Android chip around, having been superseded by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. This is somewhat problematic, given that the Samsung Galaxy S22 is now out and powered by the latter chip, but for significantly less money than even the Galaxy Z Flip 3.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 review

A Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 (Image credit: Aakash Jhaveri)

Our advice would be to not pay too much attention to this performance difference. The truth is that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 doesn’t represent a huge advance, and the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Flip 3 both continue to handle like a dream.

In terms of storage, the Fold 3 gives you a choice of 256GB or 512GB, while the Flip 3 gives you 128GB or 256GB.

Only the Galaxy Z Fold 3 features S Pen compatibility, though you’ll have to buy one of two specific styluses specifically for the task. You can thank that soft plastic screen for this stipulation.

Once you do buy the S Pen, though, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 turns into a dream phone for artists, note takers, and habitual scribblers.

Battery

The Galaxy Z Fold 3’s battery is pretty small for its size. At a mere 4,400mAh, it falls well short of most flagship phones, which of course only tend to have a single, smaller display to drive.

It’s not the only Samsung foldable to have a slightly poky battery either. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 runs on a tiny 3,300mAh cell.

This drop in battery size has negative ramifications for the stamina of both phones. With the Galaxy Z Fold 3, we found that liberal use of taxing elements like 5G and the camera would leave us high and dry before the end of a full day of usage. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 was similar.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3

A Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 (Image credit: Future)

To be clear, they can both last a day of light to moderate usage, but no more.

In terms of recharging, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 only supports up to 25W wired charging, which isn’t too hot. It’s a lot better than the Galaxy Z Flip 3’s 15W, though, which is extremely slow for a flagship phone.

Neither phone impresses in the wireless charging stakes either. The Fold 3 supports 11W, while the Flip 3 supports a mere 10W.

Takeaway

Besides the obvious similarities, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Flip 3 are two very different phones with very different use cases. This makes this less of a straight comparison piece than it is an exercise in establishing which phone is right for you.

The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is for those looking for a full tablet-like, large-screen experience that can still be lugged around in a pocket. Its square fold-out 7.6-inch display makes it a great canvas for web browsing, document editing, multi-tasking, and other such power-user applications.

On the other hand, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is ideal for those who want the ultimate portability without sacrificing a ‘normal’ smartphone experience. You’re still getting a strong 6.7-inch display with all the bells and whistles, but it can be folded up into a tiny square when not in use.

We called the Galaxy Z Fold 3 “The best foldable phone so far”, but it’s also very expensive and rather unwieldy. Ultimately, the winner here comes down to the size of your pockets, in both senses of the term.



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Latest Tech News

Caviar can be relied on to make wild custom iPhone and iPad designs, and then actually put them on sale. We've seen it make phones with bits of dinosaurs, phones with parts of the original iPhone, phones with meteors in them. But these new iPhone 13 Pro and iPad Pro builds are the most gauche yet.

The brand now offers golden iPhone 13 Pro and iPad Pro models, engraved with quotes or signatures from famous people. You can check out the whole range here, and it's an odd assortment.

There are signatures from Elon Musk and Steve Jobs, two people who are beloved by the most annoying person you know, as well from Michael Jackson and Napoleon Bonaparte. Those are all on iPhones, but there's also an iPad Pro with a quote from Rasputin (who's a real person, not just from the Boney M song).

This isn't just some handwriting scrawled onto the back, either, but engraved into 24-carat gold on the back of the iPhone or iPad, usually with some extra designs to give the devices a distinct look.

Should you buy an autographed iPhone?

"Oh cool," you may be thinking, "I love Michael Jackson, I'll buy an iPhone with his signature on it," - well, there's a catch. That one costs $24,540 (around £18,700, AU$33,800)... and it's the cheapest one.

Elon Musk and Steve Jobs both cost you $26,790 (about £20,500, AU$36,900), which still seems cheap compared to Napoleon. Mr Bonaparte will set you back $75,090 (roughly £57,400, AU$103,400), and that Rasputin iPad is a princely $91,100 (wow - £69,600, AU$125,400). 

Why is Bonaparte so much pricier than the creator of the iPhone? Well that's because it contains the most gold of all - it looks like a gold bar from an old Western movie.

Oh, and those iPhone prices are for the 13 Pro. Buying an iPhone 13 Pro Max will cost you even more. Likewise, that's an iPad Pro 11, not a 12.9-inch version, and that bigger model will cost even more.

If you want, you can also submit your own quote, on a form at the bottom of that page we linked above. So you can put your favorite Morgan Freeman line or political speech - or, for an absolutely top-tier power play, add a quote you said yourself.

Caviar devices always cost a lot, because they custom rigs the devices with premium materials and top-end manufacturing. But those are some wild prices. You could probably conquer half of Europe for the price of that Napoleon phone.



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Latest Tech News

Another day, another irksome Wordle conundrum. Like puzzle #265 before it, today’s Wordle is proving a particularly tricky beast for players around the world to reckon with – but not for the same reasons as its predecessor. 

Once again, TechRadar spoke to Dr Matthew Voice, an Assistant Professor in Applied Linguistics at the UK’s University of Warwick, to find out the granular details behind puzzle #270. We also heard from Shaun Savage, Editor in Chief at Try Hard Games Guides, for more on today’s troublesome term.

Naturally, we’ll be divulging the solution to today’s puzzle below, so turn back now if you’re committed to weathering the latest Wordle alone. 

So, ladies and gents, today’s Wordle answer is CATER. Granted, that’s decidedly more obscure than WATCH (puzzle #265), but it’s not exactly a term that demands you dig out a dictionary. 

Dr Voice explained to us last week that WATCH was a prime example of an n-gram, i.e. a group of letters of a length (n) that commonly cluster together. Again, CATER is an n-gram with a length of four letters – a quadrigram – which presents similar problems, on top of some extra word-specific difficulty. 

It's all in the morphology

“Looking back at Project Gutenberg's list of common n-grams,” Dr Voice tells us, “you can really see why getting some of today's letters in place isn't necessarily narrowing down the possibilities. ER is the fourth most common combination of any two letters in the whole of the English language, it seems, and TER the twelfth most common combination of three.”

“That said,” he adds, “I also think it's interesting to think about why 'cater' might not seem like an immediately obvious option to everyone who's got the point of finding _ATER. The answer to this might be to do with our expectations about morphology – the way we combine together different parts of language to make new words.”

Morphology. Right, we’re following. 

“ER is a very common bigram partly because '-er' is a highly productive suffix in English. It can be added to the end of most verbs in order to make a new noun, usually to describe someone or something doing the original verb. So 'report' becomes 'reporter' and 'play' becomes 'player', for example.”

“So we might associate an '-er' ending with nouns in particular. The data for the eleven options to fill the last slot in _ATER bears this out, too: nine of them are nouns, with one adjective ('later') and our solution, 'cater', being the only verb in the group. Players caught thinking of 'verb + -er' words might have overlooked this exception.”

So there you have it, Wordle-ers. CATER is tricking you with its sneaky bigram, which is subsequently encouraging the mind to think of 'verb + -er’ words (which, of course, does not account for the existence of ‘cater’). 

This is what we learned from Shaun Savage, Editor in Chief at Try Hard Games Guides, on the matter of puzzle #270’s internet infamy: “While we definitely see more traffic on days where people need help figuring out what possible words the answer could be – with _ATER, people have a few words that likely came to mind! – we have seen the answer post trend higher in these instances, same with 'watch' and 'dodge'.”

“This past week's words haven't been too offbeat,” Savage adds. “We have seen steady traffic, but no mega surges like we have for a few words (‘vivid’ comes to mind) that are harder to figure out. The situation with _ATER, though, is that there are lots of possibilities, and all of them fit without specifically trying to eliminate more consonants.”

Well then, that's two tricky terms in the space of five days. Come on, Wordle, give us and our broken streaks a break...



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Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Latest Tech News

The business password management company 1Password has launched a new set of features called Developer Tools in order to help developers better secure and share their secrets.

With Developer Tools, developers can securely generate, manage and access secrets within their development workflows beginning with Git. 1Password's new offering also helps simplify complex processes and improves security practices to ensure data is protected without slowing down the development pipeline. At the same time, Developer Tools provides developers with secure access to the secrets they need wherever they are and on any device they happen to be using.

Chief product officer and GM of emerging solutions at 1Password, Akshay Bhargava explained in a press release how Developer Tools can make security more convenient for developers, saying:

"Developers encounter a lot of complexity when building and deploying secure software, and it can often seem like security and convenience are irreconcilable. 1Password Developer Tools aims to make their lives easier by making complex security processes more convenient, and making doing the secure thing, the easy thing."

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Managing secrets

According to 1Password's recent Hiding in Plain Sight report, a quarter of employees at IT and DevOps companies have secrets in ten or more different locations and have shared them with colleagues using email, Slack and other insecure channels. Over half (61%) of projects are also delayed due to poor secret management and one in three (36%) developers have shared secrets over insecure channels to increase their productivity.

In addition to protecting personal passwords and information, Developer Tools can enhance productivity by enabling quick generation of SSH keys, seamless access to data via a command line interface (CLI) using biometric authentication and secure secrets management in one app.

Once SSH keys have been generated with just a few clicks, 1Password for the browser will autofill public keys into popular sites including GitHub, GitLab, BitBucket and Digital Ocean. Then by using Developer Tools' built-in SSH agent, developers can push code to GitHub and authenticate other SSH workflows in a terminal by simply scanning their fingerprint.

Developers can also use the new set of features to store secrets in encrypted vaults as one of several default item types including API credential, AWS account, database, server or SSH key to help prevent breaches caused by leaked secrets.

Organizations and developers interested in storing their secrets using 1Password can check out the company's Developer Documentation portal for more information on Developer Tools.



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Best Mattress Deals: Avocado, Casper, Purple and More - CNET

We've gathered the best sales on mattresses and accessories so you can rest easy and get back to sleeping like a baby in no time.

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Back at WWDC 2021, when Apple first unveiled macOS 12 Monterey, it showed off a feature that lets you use your Mac and iPad seamlessly. The feature, called Universal Control, was delayed until 2022. But now you can finally download it. 

As a part of the recently-released macOS 12.3, Universal Control is now enabled. It's a beta version of the software but is fully functional. In essence, this feature lets you use your iPad with your Mac, seamlessly letting you use your mouse and keyboard on the tablet. It will also allow you to wirelessly transfer files between the two devices, saving both time and space.

Users have technically been able to use the software since macOS 12.3 was in beta back in January 2022. But now that it's part of the public release of the operating system, you don't have to risk data loss just to use the cool feature. 

We haven't had a chance to use the feature as it exists for public users quite yet, so we're not sure how it performs (we were impressed with its Beta operation). But, given that Apple rarely releases new features that aren't thoroughly tested, it's likely that it will easily work. Even so, you should exercise some caution. The feature is still in its beta phase, even if it's part of the public release of macOS 12.3 - so you should be prepared to deal with some bugs here and there. 

We're not sure when Apple will release Universal Control in a non-beta capacity, but given that anyone can use it anyways - does it really matter? 

You can update your Mac by clicking the Apple logo in the top left corner of your screen and selecting "About This Mac...". From there, just click the "Software Update..." button and follow the prompts to download and install the new update. One piece of advice though: be sure to back up your Mac first.



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iPhone SE 2022 Has Some Perks That the 2020 Version Doesn't - CNET

A spec-by-spec comparison of Apple's 2022 and 2020 iPhone SE models.

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There are many ways to tackle insomnia but what works for one person, doesn’t always work for another. However, the 4 7 8 sleep method uses the one thing we all have – our breath –  and claims to deliver a simple solution to help you relax and drift off to sleep.

The 4 7 8 breathing method for sleep and stress reduction was devised by Dr Andrew Weil as a way to help people relax and promote healthy sleep, and, when practiced regularly, it is also said to lower blood pressure, aid digestion and help combat insomnia. 

As my sleep tracker often reminds me, I’m prone to the odd bout of insomnia, and to waking up for long periods in the night, despite having a quiet room to drift off in and a comfy mattress to snooze on. So I’ve been really curious about this viral sleep hack and whether it actually works. 

I put the 4 7 8 sleep method to the test over a period of five weeks to find out whether it really does work or if it’s just hype. But first, here’s the 101 on this breathing technique and how it works… 

What is the 4 7 8 sleep method?

Man in bed sleeping on his side

(Image credit: Getty/Tetra Images)

The 4 7 8 breathing technique is something anyone can do in order to fall asleep more easily. And the good news is it’s very simple and takes less than a minute or two a day to get up to speed. 

The 4 7 8 breathing method for sleep was devised by Dr Andrew Weil (the Director of the University of Arizona’s Center for Integrative Medicine and a Clinical Professor of Medicine and Professor of Public Health), as the “perfect, portable stress antidote.” 

This purposeful deep breathing takes the body from the shallow panicked breathing of the sympathetic nervous system, which is all about fight or flight, and helps you tune more into the body’s para-sympathetic nervous system, which is more restful and relaxing. 

It won’t take long for you to notice the effects of 4 7 8 breathing and you can soon start to use the technique to help you get on top of insomnia, anxiety and general stress, any time, anywhere, even in the moment.

How to use the 4 7 8 method to fall asleep

One of the most important things about using the 4 7 8 method to fall asleep is that you practice it regularly during the day. And the more you do it, the more effective it becomes. It is incredibly quick to do and can be done literally anywhere. First breathe out with a ‘whoosh’ through the mouth, and then follow these three easy steps, counting the seconds in your mind:

  1. Breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds. Inhale so that your belly expands out – lightly placing a hand on your stomach will help with this.
  2. Gently hold the breath for 7 seconds. Here, you should not be straining to hold your breath, instead softly holding it in.
  3. Breathe out through your mouth for 8 seconds. This should be done with a little force through pursed lips, so that it is audible.

And that’s it. Do these rounds four times, and repeat once or twice a day. You can eventually build up to eight rounds twice a day, but no more than this. And if you find yourself unable to sleep, try practicing the rounds, counting the seconds silently in your mind until you drift off.

In the following video, Dr Weil shows you exactly how to use the 4 7 8 breathing method for sleep and stress reduction:

Does the 4 7 8 sleep method work? My experience

As someone who suffers from occasional insomnia and more frequently, work stress (which manifests in shallow breathing), I decided to put Dr Weil’s 4 7 8 breathing method to the test for sleep as well as daily living. Here’s how I got on...

Week 1: Teething problems
For my very first attempt at 4 7 8 breathing technique, I have to admit I struggled a little with the first couple of rounds as my inhalations were still pretty shallow and higher up in my chest. But, placing a hand on my stomach really helped, and rounds three and four came easier, as I was able to breathe into my belly and feel it pushing out. 

Counting the seconds in my mind became quite rhythmic, and after only a couple of days I was genuinely surprised at how focused I felt while I was practicing the technique. 

I did these rounds just once a day, four times in the morning. It also took a little practice to hold my breath for seven seconds, but the key here is to do it really softly rather than strain to ‘hang onto’ the inhalation.

Woman asleep wrapped up in duvet

(Image credit: Getty/Flashpop)

Week 2: Taking the focus away from stress
For this week I decided to stick to four rounds, but upped it to twice a day – once in the morning, and again just before bedtime. After last week’s practice, this came fairly easily, and I was also able to test out the 4 7 8 sleep method when I was kept awake by a car alarm at 3am in the morning. Still, I had to reach for my sleep earplugs when the alarm just wouldn’t quit.

By focusing on the sensation of the breathing, and keeping count in my mind, this drew my attention away from stressing about the annoying noise from outside and, before I knew it, I was waking up the next morning, feeling pretty refreshed.

Week 3: It’s helping me to fall asleep faster
This week I was able to really put the technique to the test, as I pushed the rounds to six times, twice a day. I also had an incredibly hectic week with deadlines as well as late nights, so it was crucial that I was able to fall asleep easily.

As soon as I got comfy on my pillow, I practiced the 4 7 8 breathing method to help me drift off. I’m not sure I even got to two rounds for most nights before falling asleep.

I also noticed that it was sometimes easier to focus on my work during the day, especially when I became distracted by work emails. I was finding that my breathing was becoming deeper and the inhalations were directed into my belly, rather than feeling tight in my chest.

Week 4: It’s helping me get back to sleep quickly
I decided to stick with six rounds, twice a day for this week. Not only was this week less hectic than last week, but I wanted to really focus on the breathing technique with a less stressful work day ahead of me.

It might sound a little odd, but I was starting to find the whole notion of breathing properly really enjoyable! It was becoming easier to get straight into the breathing, plus my sleep was definitely deeper. I also found it easier to wake in the morning and jump straight out of bed.

I woke up in the night twice this week, but was able to get back to sleep pretty quickly; the first night I practiced two or three rounds of breathing before nodding off, but the second time just the simple act of thinking about my breathing meant I went back to sleep almost instantly.

Woman stretching as she wakes up

(Image credit: Getty/Tetra Images)

Week 5: I’m panicking less and remembering to breathe
I’m again sticking with six rounds twice a day for this week, and to be honest, I feel this is probably enough for me. Dr Weil advises no more than eight rounds twice a day, so I might increase it in the future, but, for now, six rounds is hitting the sweet spot.

I’ve had a couple of disruptive nights this week, including waking twice in one night. However, and somewhat crucially, I’ve noticed I’m feeling less stressed about the fact I’m waking in the night, knowing that the combination of breathing and counting will soon get me back to sleep.

I do genuinely feel calmer during the day too, and even when I’m put on the spot in work meetings for instance, I’m able to just take a second to focus on breathing into my belly, rather than default into panic mode. Because of the daily practice twice a day, it’s almost become second nature to remember to take a proper deep breath whenever a stressful situation arises.

Why I recommend the 4 7 8 sleep method

While I can’t promise the 4 7 8 breathing technique will work for everybody, it certainly made a difference to me, and I intend to continue with it. I hope to see some proper long-term effects too, such as a reduction in general anxiety levels and better digestion, as well as all the other good things that come with better quality sleep. I hope it works for you too.

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This article is part of TechRadar's Sleep Week 2022 celebration (running until Saturday 19 March), a week-long look at all things slumber. We'll be bringing you proven techniques and tips to help you sleep better, and have rounded-up all the top-rated tech to transform your sleep.



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Monday, March 14, 2022

Pfizer CEO Talks Life With COVID-19: 'I Think We Can Live With the Virus' - CNET

At SXSW, Albert Bourla discusses booster shots, treatment and working with the Trump and Biden administrations.

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Latest Tech News

Following significant investments into its infrastructure product portfolio over the past several years, Google Cloud has announced that it will be raising prices for some products and lowering prices for others.

The move is designed to align the company's capabilities and pricing with the varied workloads of its customers. As such, Google Cloud is giving customers more choice in how they pay for what they use along with new, flexible SKUs with new product options and capabilities. 

In a blog post, VP and GM of Google Cloud Infrastructure, Sachin Gupta explained that the company's planned price changes will allow it to better align its offerings with those of other leading cloud providers so that customers can more easily compare services between vendors.

Google Cloud's price changes will go into effect on October 1 of this year. However, the impact of these pricing changes will depend on how customers use its cloud services, so some could end up paying more while others end up paying less.

Price increases

Google Cloud plans to change prices for some of its storage, compute and networking products. In its announcement, the company highlights how customers will have new ways to optimize their spending based on workload type and size or data portability needs as a result.

First off, the price of cloud storage for data mobility including replication of data written to dual or multi-region storage buckets will increase along with inter-region data access.

At the same time, Google Cloud will introduce a new lower-cost archive snapshot option for Persistent Disk (PD) so that those using the service for compliance or archiving will be charged less that those doing compute-intensive DevOps workloads. 

In terms of pricing, customers will soon pay ($0.019/GB for regional, $0.024/GB for multi-region) and this also applies when creating the initial snapshot. Going forward, standard regional snapshots will cost $0.05GB/month and multi-regional snapshots will cost $0.065 GB/month which is an increase from $0.026 per GB per month.

The company is also adding new outbound data processing pricing for Cloud Load Balancing with the aim of being in line with other leading cloud providers like AWS and Microsoft Azure.

Finally, Network Topology, which was introduced for free last year, will now be a paid product and customers will need to pay $0.0011 per resource hour used. However, Google Cloud plans to soften the blow with the addition of Performance Dashboard within its Network Intelligence Center at no additional charge.

As we still have some time before these price increases go into effect, Google could make some changes. Until then though, Google Cloud customers can check out the company's pricing page for all of the latest information on what the search giant charges for its storage, compute and networking products.

Via The Register



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Latest Tech News

Samsung only recently unveiled the Samsung Galaxy S22 range and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 range, but it’s not done yet as the company has another announcement planned, with this one set for March 17.

While Samsung hasn’t said exactly what’s coming, it has revealed a teaser that lists this as a Galaxy A event – so expect new models in this mid-range line.

As for which ones exactly, well we can take a very good guess at that, with the three phones below being the most likely candidates for announcement.

Samsung Galaxy A53

A leaked image of the Samsung Galaxy A53 from the front and back

An early store listing image of the Samsung Galaxy A53 (Image credit: kupujemprodajem.com)

We know the Samsung Galaxy A53 is coming and soon, as the phone has already actually gone on sale in a few countries, despite not having been announced yet.

It’s not clear how widely it’s available within these places, but the fact that it’s being sold at all shows that it’s a finished phone that’s been shipped to retailers, so the official launch must be imminent, making March 17 a good bet.

Not only that, but its predecessor – the Samsung Galaxy A52 – was unveiled on March 17 last year, so we’d be very surprised if this doesn’t show up.

It has a 6.52-inch screen, an Exynos 1200 chipset, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, a 4,500mAh battery, 5G, and a quad-lens camera, with a 64MP main sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide, a 5MP depth sensor and a 5MP macro shooter.

Expect a mid-range price – in Kenya it’s selling for KSH 45,500 (around $400 / £300 / AU$550).

Samsung Galaxy A73

A leaked, annotated image of the Samsung Galaxy A73

A leaked image of the Samsung Galaxy A73 (Image credit: 91Mobiles)

The Samsung Galaxy A73 is also very likely to make an appearance on March 17 - not least because the Galaxy A72 was unveiled on that date last year.

There are also signs that this upcoming phone will launch imminently. For example, press shots of the handset have been leaked.

From leaks we know that it’s likely to have a quad-lens camera with a 64MP main shooter, a 12MP ultra-wide one, a 5MP macro one and a 5MP depth sensor. It might also have a 32MP front-facing camera and a mid-range Snapdragon 778G chipset.

Pricing is so far unknown, but for reference the Samsung Galaxy A72 started at £419 / AU$749 (around $580) when it launched, so expect a similar price here.

Samsung Galaxy A33

A leaked image of the Samsung Galaxy A33 5G in white, from the front and back

A leaked image of the Samsung Galaxy A33 5G in white (Image credit: WinFuture)

Rounding out this possible trio of phones we might get the Samsung Galaxy A33 on March 17, though we’re slightly less sure about this one.

It’s probably coming soon, as it’s been extensively leaked and rumored, but its predecessor (the Samsung Galaxy A32) landed in January of 2021, so the March 17 event date doesn’t line up quite as neatly as with the two phones above.

Still if anything that means the Galaxy A33 is overdue, so there’s a good chance Samsung will unveil it here.

Based on leaks, it might have a 6.4-inch 1080 x 2400 OLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate, an Exynos 1200 chipset, at least 6GB of RAM, at least 128GB of storage, a 5,000mAh battery, and a quad-lens rear camera.



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If you're looking for cheap TV deals, then you've come to the right place. We've scoured all the best retailers in the UK to bring you the hottest TV sales on everything from cheap TVs to more premium displays. That means you can relax with your favourite show in style, and your wallet can breathe a sigh of relief as well. 

We've done all the searching, so you can simply browse the TV sales below for a size and price that suits you. That means no more obscure model numbers to look up and no more wondering if you've really got the best TV deal around. We've done all that legwork and brought all the need-to-know information right here. 

We've organised all the latest cheap TV sales by size here, but it's worth checking out the prices throughout because you might be surprised how large a display you can get for your cash these days. We've also picked out a TV deal of the week, which represents the best outright value for most people.

That means all of these top brands are competing to offer the best tech for the money, so even if you're on a budget, you can still bag yourself some top-shelf features in a cheap TV. Between their powerful upscaling processors, full smart home integration, and, in some cases, Dolby Atmos support, all these 4K TV deals are fantastic value.

The best cheap smart TV deals in this week's roundup all offer awe-inspiring HDR and streamlined 4K upscaling to make everything shine. If you're looking to push the budget, you can also take a look at the best OLED TV prices and deals available right now.

The best TV deal of the week

TCL C72 55-inch 4K HDR QLED TV: £799 £495 at Amazon
Save £304
– The main advantage of choosing a QLED screen is that they offer wider viewing angles and superior brightness, so if your TV is going into a big room that receives a lot of light you will be able to get a much clearer picture. Today's deal is the lowest price we've ever seen and a fantastic price for a mid-size QLED display.

The best cheap TV sales available now

cheap tv deals sales 4K TV price

(Image credit: Toshiba)

32-49 inch cheap 4K TV deals

JVC 32-inch HD LED Fire TV: £249 £199 at Amazon
Save £50 -
This week's cheapest TV deal is this 32-inch HD TV from JVC that's on sale for just £199. This budget set includes the Fire operating system, which allows you to seamlessly stream your favorite movies and TV shows from the home screen of your TV.

JVC 40-inch Smart Full HD Android TV: £319.99 £229.99 at Currys
Save £90 -
If you're looking for a 40-inch budget set, this JVC HD TV is a fantastic option, and it's on sale for just £229 - £20 less than last week's price. The HD TV comes with smart capabilities and the Google Assistant built in so you can use your voice to control your TV.

Toshiba 43-inch 4K HDR Smart TV: £379 £249 at Very
Save £130
– This Toshiba is excellent value for money if you need a small screen on a budget. Support for 4K resolution and HDR ensures a crisp and clear picture, while access to Freeview Play and all the major streaming apps means you won't lack films and TV to watch.

65-inch version: £599 £469 at Very

Samsung 43-inch TU7020 Smart 4K UHD TV: £369 £329 at Argos
Save £40 -
Argos has this Samsung 43-inch 4K TV on sale for a record-low price of £329 - $20 less than last week's deal. The 43-inch set from Samsung delivers a bright, bold picture with life-like images thanks to the Crystal processor and 4K HD resolution.

Sony 32-inch HDR TV: £449 £379 at John Lewis
Save £70 - This 32-inch HDR TV from Sony is well worth a look, especially with this £70 saving. It makes do with 720p resolution, Freeview Play, a capable Android TV platform, and support for HDR – despite the lack of 4K Ultra HD. A great buy for budget shoppers.

best cheap tv deals sales prices

(Image credit: Samsung)

50-59 inch 4K TV deals

Hisense 55-inch R55A Roku 4K TV: £499 £399 at Argos
Save £100 - You can snag a £100 discount on this 55-inch Hisense TV which brings the price down to a new record-low. As far as budget 4K TVs go, Hisense still manages to create affordable sets without compromising too far on picture and audio quality – as we found in our review. It's definitely not going to compete with the high-end OLED and QLED TVs, but it'll offer a satisfactory viewing experience when streaming films, watching TV shows, and more.

Hisense 58-inch 4K UHD Smart TV: £549 £449 at Very
Save £100 -
Very has this Hisense set on sale for just £449 which is the lowest price we've seen and a fantastic deal for a feature-rich 58-inch 4K TV. You're getting 4K HD resolution, DTS Studio Sound, Freeview Play, and Amazon Alexa built in for hands-free control.

Samsung TU7020 50-inch 4K Crystal UHD Smart TV: £549 £389 at Very
Save £160 -
This stunning Samsung 50-inch 4K TV is on sale for just £389 at Very. That's the best price you'll find for the 4K set that delivers bright, bold colors thanks to the powerful Dynamic Crystal technology and works with Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant for hands-free control.

LG 55-inch 4K UHD HDR Smart LED TV: £459 £429 at Amazon
Save £30 -
Amazon has this 2021 LG 55-inch 4K smart TV on sale for £429 at Amazon. You're getting 4K Ultra HD resolution, AI Sound, smart capabilities for seamless streaming, and voice control with Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant. 

Philips 50-inch 4K UHD Smart TV: £749 £559 at Amazon
Save £190 -
You can snag this 50-inch 4K smart TV from Philips on sale for £559 at Amazon. This Android TV packs smart capabilities with Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant built-in, plus HDR 10+, Dolby Vision, and Atmos Sound.

TCL C72 55-inch 4K HDR QLED TV: £799 £495 at Amazon
Save £304
– The main advantage of choosing a QLED screen is that they offer wider viewing angles and superior brightness, so if your TV is going into a big room that receives a lot of light you will be able to get a much clearer picture. Today's deal is the lowest price we've ever seen and a fantastic price for a mid-size QLED display.

LG NanoCell 816PA 50-inch Smart 4K UHD TV: £649 £549 at Currys
Save £100 -
Currys has this LG 50-inch 4K smart TV on sale for just £549 at today's sale. LG's NanoCell display delivers bold, bright colours thanks to the quad-Core 4K processor, and the ThinQ AI technology allows your TV to become a smart home hub.

Sony Bravia X85JU 55-inch 4K UHD Smart TV: £799 £749 at Currys
Save £50 -
You can score a £50 price cut on Sony's Bravia 65-inch 4K TV at Currys' latest sale. That's the lowest price we've seen for this 2021 set that features Sony's powerful X1 processor and Dolby Atmos for a cinema-like picture experience. You're also getting smart capabilities with the Google Assistant built-in for hands-free control.

best cheap TVs 4K TV deals sales

(Image credit: LG)

60-85 inch 4K TV deals

JVC 65-inch 4K Ultra HD Fire TV: £599.99 £449 at Currys
Save £150 -
If you're looking for a big-screen budget display in today's TV deals, Currys has this 65-inch 4K TV on sale for just £449. The 4K Ultra HD TV comes with the Fire operating system for seamless streaming and works with Amazon Alexa for hands-free control.

Philips 58-inch Smart 4K UHD HDR TV: £599 at Argos
An incredible price for a big-screen 4K TV, Argos has this Philips 58-inch 4K smart TV on sale for just £599 - the lowest price we've seen. You're getting 4K Ultra HD resolution, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and smart capabilities with Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant for hands-free control.

LG UP75 65-inch 4K UHD Smart TV: £749 £529 at Amazon
Save £210 -
Amazon has this 65-inch 4K smart TV from LG on sale for £529. That's the lowest price we've ever seen and an incredible deal for a big-screen 4K TV. The 65-inch display features 4K HD resolution and smart capabilities and works with Amazon Alex and the Google Assistant for hands-free control.

Hisense 65-inch QLED TV: £999 £679 at Very
Save £325
– Hisense has established itself as a maker of quality TVs for budget prices - and that also extends to its range of high-end QLED sets. This TV tech delivers bright and pristine picture quality that is better suited to lighter rooms in the house. This latest discount may be £25 off the record low, but it's up to £1000 less than TVs of a similar size and power from the likes of LG and Samsung, so the saving is considerable.

Samsung 65-inch Q80A QLED 4K Smart TV: £1,399 £1,080.96 at Amazon
Save £319 -
If you're looking for a premium display, you can get this stunning Samsung 65-inch QLED TV on sale for £1,080, thanks to today's massive £319 discount at Amazon. You're getting a premium viewing experience thanks to the QLED display coupled with the Object Tracking Sound for an immersive audio experience.

LG AI OLED 65-inch 4K UHD HDR Smart TV: £2,199 £1,198 at Amazon
Save £1,000 -
If you're looking for a premium display, Amazon has a massive £1,000 discount on the LG A1 OLED TV. That's the best price we've seen for the 4K OLED TV that packs an α7 Gen4 AI processor 4K, Dolby Vision IQ and Dolby Atmos, and the Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa for hands-free control.

Sony Bravia A84J 65-inch Smart 4K UHD OLED TV: £1,899.99 £1,799 at Currys
Save £100
- Sony's brilliant Bravia XR OLED TV is now on sale for £1,799 at Currys. That's the lowest price we've found for the Sony set that packs a 65-inch OLED panel, Dolby Vision, HDR10 and works with the Google Assistant for hands-free control.

More cheap TV sales from your favourite retailers

Not found the right cheap TV today? Or maybe you'd prefer to directly browse the offers at your favourite retailers instead of our highlights of the best smart TV deals? We're updating this page on a regular basis, so you may have better luck another day. If you want to take a look for yourself now though, here are the direct links to a the full collection of TV sales at multiple stores. 

  • John Lewis - offers excellent warranty guarantees 
  • Very - perfect for 43 - 65-inch TV deals
  • Currys - offers both cheaper and more premium brands
  • Amazon - a massive range of cheap smart TVs on offer
  • ebuyer - big savings available on more expensive models
  • AO.com - mid-range TV deals available frequently
  • Argos - the best place for cheap TVs but regionalised stock

Large screen smart TV deals

If you're after larger smart TV deals, we should warn you, they don't come cheap. However, if you're after 65 to 85-inch TVs- we'd recommend heading over to John Lewis, Currys and Amazon as they seem to stock more models than most UK retailers.

If you'd like a headstart on some of the very finest TVs money can buy, be sure to take a look at our guides for the best 55-inch TV or if you're going large we've got the best 65-inch TV models covered too.

How to tell if cheap TVs are worth it

Cheap TVs can often wow with price tags but disappoint once they're at home and plugged in, however there are ways to find 4K TV deals that bring premium experiences down to lower price ranges. Sacrificing a few features you won't use to prioritise the ones you will is an easy way to get started, but finding that perfect mix might prove difficult. 

On the other hand, even displays costing between £300 and £400 are often considered to be cheap TVs, so you'll want to make sure you're getting your money's worth with your new setup. That's where these TV deals come in handy - you can easily get features well above your price range included in your new cheap smart TV if you know when and where to deal hunt. 

Nowadays, you'll want to be picking up a 4K TV if you're looking to spend within this price range. Straight HD and HD-ready TV deals are still kicking around some retailers and, for the price you're paying for the previous wave of technology, you could well be picking up a 4K display instead. As the price scale rises, you'll be picking up higher pixel density, better colour differentiation, deeper dynamic range, and better upscaling from pricier units. It's worth checking out the various display specifications to make sure your cheap TV matches up to what others are offering at that particular price point. 

Or, you could let us do all of that for you with the 4K TV deals listed here. 

cheap TVs deals sales

(Image credit: Hisense)

Are 4K TV deals getting cheaper?

As the technology progresses, and even leaps into the world of 8K, 4K TV deals are getting cheaper and cheaper, meaning more households than ever are able to afford premium displays like the ones highlighted here. Not only does that show just how cheap these 4K TV deals have become in recent years, but it also means there's more content being made to be displayed on these 4K TVs available as well. So, not only are these sets getting cheaper, but there's also plenty more to watch on them as well. 

How to find the best TV deals

We've found that the best TV deals usually come from a few retailers in particular - Very regularly discounts their cheaper models, Currys holds excellent prices on Philips Ambilight displays, and John Lewis can offer up invaluable peace of mind with their extensive warranty guarantees. 

So, you know where to shop but if you're not seeing any particularly enticing offers -you might be searching at the wrong time. The best TV deals are usually between November and January, when Black Friday and holiday sales are discounting premium displays left and right. However, you'll also find the summer sales fruitful as well. 

What to look for in smart TV deals

The vast majority of TV deals on offer right now will offer Smart TV functionality. It's now become the norm for your TV to offer at least a limited selection of streaming and on demand apps, but the quality of this experience will vary between models. Cheap smart TVs will typically send you home with preset apps like Netflix, YouTube, BBC iPlayer, All 4, and UK TV Play among other everyday streamers. 

However, if you spend a little more you'll start finding Alexa compatibility, more niche app options like Disney Plus, CrunchyRoll, and NowTV, and a faster, slicker operating system. You'll find more options for connecting extra services on more premium smart TV deals. 

Need something to watch on your new 4K TV? Check out the latest Amazon Fire Stick prices and deals, or shop the cheapest Roku prices and sales available now. 



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Sunday, March 13, 2022

Latest Tech News

The Apple Mac Mini (2022) is one of our most anticipated devices here at TechRadar so we were pretty surprised that it didn't make an appearance at the Apple Peek Performance event on March 8. 

As seen in our Apple March Event live blog, we did see something else for fans of the Apple desktop line in the Mac Studio, though this features the new M1 Ultra SoC (system-on-a-chip), and is designed with creative professionals in mind.

It's been almost two years since Apple released the Mac Mini (M1), powered by the Apple M1 chip alongside the Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020) and 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro (M1, 2020), so a new model – possibly powered by the same M2 chip that could also appear in the rumored MacBook Air (2022) – is definitely due.

The mini-PC impressed us when we reviewed it in 2020, and the M1 chip powering it showed itself to be a pretty competent performer overall. Still, a home PC is a pretty big piece of kit, so can a Mac Mini win over converts beyond the device's fanbase?

One of the major advantages of the Mac Mini is its size, which is perfect for those who need a home PC but don't want a large PC case or an all-in-one computer like the latest iMac. Others might be worried though that a mini-PC won't be powerful enough for their needs. 

The anticipated announcement of a new processor, the Apple M2, might put those concerns to rest, and it could help the Mac Mini (2022) make a much bigger splash this year. Make sure you follow our  to ensure you don't miss any breaking news from today's event.

Apple Mac Mini (2022): cut to the chase

  • What is it? Apple's next-generation mini-PC
  • When is it out? Expected late 2022 or 2023
  • What will it cost? Unknown, but likely similar to current pricing (starting at $699 / £699 / AU$1,099)

Apple Mac Mini (2022): release date and price

Mac mini

(Image credit: Future)

The Apple Mac Mini (2022) hasn't even been announced yet, so there's no official release date that we can confirm. The last Mac Mini (M1) was released in late 2020, so going off Apple's typical 18 to 24 product release cadence, we expected it to be announced at the March 2022 event, but sadly this wasn't the case. It's still likely we could see it announced before the end of the year though if Apple does have plans to release an M2 SoC.

The 2020 models of both products were announced at the same time, and both feature the M1 chip. There are also a lot of rumors that the 13-inch MacBook Pro won't see a major redesign, which might be reserved for a new MacBook Air reveal later this year. 

If that is true, then it may make sense for the Mac Mini with M2 to be announced alongside the 13-inch MacBook Pro since there's much less excitement around a Mac Mini redesign than there is for a MacBook. 

After all, announcing two new M2-powered devices that don't feature major redesigns is better than announcing just the one, and if the Mini were to only get internal improvements, swapping out the M1 for the M2 would make mass production significantly simpler.

More recent rumors from well-placed sources suggest that Apple might have decided to push back the Mac Mini 2022 to 2023 – and if that turns out to be the case, we're going to have to stop referring to it as the Mac Mini 2022.

Apple Mac Mini (2022): design

Apple Mac mini (M1, 2020)

(Image credit: Future)

There has been a lot of talk about the potential redesign of Apple's MacBook Air (2022) as well as the lack of redesign for the 13-inch MacBook Pro, so which side of things do we expect the Mac Mini to come down on?

It's a hard question to answer, unfortunately: since there is less interest in seeing a Mac Mini redesign, there's less incentive for Apple to redesign the Mac Mini. However, one of the reasons why the lack of a redesign for the 13-inch MacBook Pro makes a lot of sense is that the 13-inch MacBook Pro might be discontinued after this year in favor of the 14-inch MacBook Pro (2021).

If you're going to continue to release a product, and we don't expect the Mac Mini to be discontinued any time soon, then it's almost certain that it will have to get a redesign (albeit, nothing major) to fit in with other Mac products that do, namely the iMac, and presumably the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 14-inch and MacBook Pro 16-inch.

The rumor mill has gone both ways on this, but earlier leaks hinting that a change in form factor was on the cards have since been shot down by other sources. We'll have to wait and see what the Mac Mini 2022 looks like.

Apple Mac Mini (2022): specs and performance

There's not much we can say specifically about the Mac Mini's specs without knowing the Apple chip that runs it, but we do expect that it will have the same 8GB/16GB Unified Memory configuration options, with anywhere from a 256GB SSD up to a 2TB SSD.

We also expect the number and types of ports to stay more or less the same, but we're hoping for an upgrade to USB-C Thunderbolt 4 from the existing Thunderbolt 3. Same goes for upgrades in the way of HDMI 2.1 and a DisplayPort 1.4 output, but with Thunderbolt 4, those ports might not be necessary anyway, so they might get the axe with a new Mac Mini.

That might shift around our list of best monitors for the Mac Mini, but something tells us this isn't much of a concern for Apple.

As for the chips powering the new device, that's where things can get interesting.

There is some buzz that we won't just see an M2-powered Mac Mini, but we might also see an M1 Pro and even an outside chance of an M1 Max-powered Mac Mini. 

These latter two might be more for professionals rather than home PCs, but the possibility could give the Mac Mini much broader appeal, especially since it might allow consumers of all stripes to access the performance of an M1 Pro and M1 Max at a more accessible price point than you'd get with a MacBook Pro.



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