Google has announced new family-oriented updates for Assistant and Fi, which can be potentially useful whether you’ve all been under the same roof for the duration of the pandemic or you’re making plans to visit for the holidays.
Assistant’s changes are primarily focused on smart displays like the Nest Hub Max, in which a number of old and new features will be collected in a new section called the “Family Tab.”
Family Notes “stick” to the main screen of your display.Image: Google
The first new addition is Family Notes, which lets you dictate sticky note-styled messages for to-dos and reminders. The notes “stick” to the main screen of your smart display so that they’re visible to whomever uses the display next.
Family Bell is receiving new sound effects.Image: Google
Continuing with the family organization theme, Assistant’s Family Bell feature, which uses chimes to set reminders for the at-home day, is also getting a slight update, with new sound effects and suggested bells. Google says it plans to add the ability to pause all bells for the day when you’re enjoying some hard-earned time off as well.
Interactive stories for smart displays.Image: Google
To fill that off time, Assistant is getting a couple of new education and entertainment options for families with younger children. Using the new voice command, “Hey Google, what can I learn with my family?” the updated smart display can provide learning activities from providers like ABCmouse for kids to complete.
If something entertaining is more your speed, Assistant’s “Hey Google, tell me a story” command can bring up new interactive stories for smart displays that allow you to flip through pages, read along word by word, and view custom animations.
“Hey Google, where’s my family?”Image: Google
Rounding off Assistant’s family features is a new command for getting updates on your family’s whereabouts. You can ask, “Hey Google, where’s my family?” or ask about a specific family member and Assistant can pull up their last known location on Google Maps. This feature requires a family account with Google, participating family members to be over the age of 13, and location sharing to be turned on in Google Maps or partnered apps like Life360.
Expanded parental controls on Fi
For Fi, the updates mainly expand parental controls on the cell service. Parents can block calls and texts from strangers, along with setting a data budget so kids don’t run up the bill downloading videos or games. Google also says it’s made it easier to set up its Family Link service on children’s Android phones, so parents can create content filters and limit screentime. Fi-specific features are available at no additional cost; Family Link is a free download on Google Play and the App Store.
Google says updates to Fi should arrive over the course of the next week. There’s no specific date for Assistant’s updates, but Google says the Family Tab should arrive by the end of the year and I’d expect the new features to do the same.
Soon, you’ll be able to see your friends while you play Fortnite together online. Epic is adding a new video chat feature to the battle royale game, where players can see livefeeds of their friends inside the game. It’s launching today, though initially, the feature will only be available on PC, PS4, and PS5.
The feature is powered by Houseparty, a chat app that Epic acquired last year. (Houseparty has powered Fortnite’s cross-platform voice chat since last September.) In order to utilize it, you’ll need to link your Epic and Houseparty accounts; after that’s done, you can enable a “Fortnite mode” in the app. When this happens, you can create a party of friends, and their livefeeds will be displayed on the left-hand side of the screen as you play the game. You can create a party of up to 10 people in the app, though only four will appear in Fortnite. (The most recently active will be displayed.)
This means you’ll need a few pieces of hardware to make things work. In addition to a PC or PlayStation for the game itself, you’ll also need to have Houseparty running on an iOS or Android device to serve as your camera. It may sound a bit clunky, but Epic says Houseparty users are already doing it, and this is simply an attempt to streamline the process.
In a nice touch, the Houseparty app will only display your face; the camera will automatically snap to your face (Epic says it uses face detection libraries from Apple and Google to power this) and replace everything else with a colorful background. If your face moves off camera, the feed won’t show anything but your background. This was done in part for safety reasons but also to keep things focused.
The update makes a lot of sense considering Fortnite’s steady shift from third-person shooter to full-on social space. Over the past year, Epic has expanded the game far beyond its battle royale origins with a violence-free social space called Party Royale and a steady stream of increasingly elaborate in-game concerts.
Epic isn’t saying whether the feature is coming to other games, nor when it’ll be available in Fortnite on other platforms.
An Ultra-impressive flagship phone from Samsung, but there is a worthy alternative
For
Big, colourful screen
Great camera and zoom
Smart design
Against
Beaten for audio performance
Rivals deliver more detailed video
If there’s one thing we know about the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, it’s that it is Samsung’s flagship phone for 2020. Further than that, the company’s phone line-up, in line with many other big brands, has become increasingly confusing – a sign of the difficulty (and desperation) in trying to find new niches in a crowded market.
The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is definitely the top dog, but further down the range, it gets a little confusing. The Note phones still feature the S Pen stylus, and there are still two phones in the range. But while it used to be a simple matter of screen size, the two Note phones are now quite different. The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has superior spec to the smaller Note 20, with a bigger, higher resolution screen, a glass back as opposed to plastic, a better camera, an SD card slot, more RAM and a larger storage option.
Then there are the S20 phones: the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20 Ultra. These non-Note models are traditionally a step below; offering almost flagship specs for a more affordable price. Yet this time, the specs on the Note 20 Ultra and the S20 Ultra are pretty similar. There’s a squared-off design and new Gorilla Glass 7 on the back, but otherwise, it’s the same screen resolution, same 120Hz refresh rate, same processor (in the UK) and even the same front cameras. What’s more, the S20 is more expensive. It’s all a little confusing.
Nevertheless, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is, without doubt, Samsung’s headline-grabber. So, should you be grabbing one? And can you even get your hands around it?
Price
The most affordable Galaxy Note 20 Ultra still costs a hefty £1179 ($1299, AU$1849), which gets you 256GB of storage in the UK and Australia, but only 128GB in the US. If you want 512GB of internal storage, you’re looking at a price of £1279 ($1449, AU$2199).
Features
(Image credit: Samsung)
Thanks to the barely-there bezels, the Note 20 Ultra has a 16.4 x 7.7 x 0.8cm chassis, which weighs just 208g. The (world first) Gorilla Glass 7 back and front helps give it a weighty, premium feel and ensures it’s pretty robust when it comes to scratches.
The back is frosted for a smart matt finish, which is far less prone to showing grubby finger smudges than the Note 10. The Note 20 Ultra is available in Mystic Bronze, Mystic Black and Mystic White. We like these new shades and the matt finish, with Mystic Bronze our pick of the bunch.
There’s a huge camera bump, too. The triple lens really sticks out and while it does look smarter than the Note 10 and S20, it makes for a sizeable dent in the design. This is most noticeable when placed ‘flat’ on a surface, it rocks on the lens. It also makes for an aggressive vibration sound as the phone wobbles on the lens.
Like many big smartphones on the market now, the Note 20 Ultra is almost impossible to use one-handed. More surprisingly, the curved edges of the display cause some issues. Reaching for the top of the phone, or simply holding it with one hand and navigating with another, it is too easy to unintentionally touch the screen. Nudging the phone halfway up the screen while you’re typing leads to all sorts of jumps and restarts. Are we just clumsy or is the phone a little too sensitive? Perhaps software updates will iron this out.
The Note range gets a processor upgrade, but it’s the same Exynos 990 chip as on the S20 in the UK and Asia. This will leave some disappointed, including those who see Samsung’s Exynos offering as inferior to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips. The twist in the tale is that Note 20 Ultra models in the US will get the Snapdragon 865+ chip, due to Samsung’s preference for diversifying when it comes to parts.
Of course, according to Samsung, there is no difference in performance between the Exynos and Snapdragon. Benchmarks may reveal some, but from our experience in day to day use, for the vast majority of people, it simply won’t be noticeable.
(Image credit: Samsung)
The S Pen has had an upgrade, however, proving faster and coming with some new Air Gesture features that allow you to do your best Yoda impression and control the phone without any physical contact with the screen. The clever functionality of the stylus remains a key feature for the Note range and for those who master its many functions, from writing to drawing to clicking and pointing, it can be a real game-changer.
The battery has been boosted to 4500mAh, which feels sufficient, though the large screen uses up a lot of power. The phone will last around a day of average use which, while pretty standard for flagship smartphones, isn’t extraordinary.
Camera technology has become the key battleground for phones in recent years, with the number of lenses and megapixels rising at a rapid rate. The Note 20 Ultra continues the trend, with a 108MP wide lens (first seen on the S20 Ultra), as well as a 12MP telephoto, with 5x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultra-wide. There’s also a 10MP front camera with dual pixel autofocus.
The headline feature is the 5x optical zoom and up to 50x digital zoom. And it is something of a game-changer. It really does allow you to play secret agent and focus in closely on objects and indeed people far out of your natural eyesight. It’s easy to use and the quality holds up well, with anything up to 30x zoom remaining sharp, while even the maximum zoom is still functional.
Samsung has also introduced a whole host of swipes and gestures for easy access to the camera – a simple swipe to flip between front and back cameras makes a lot of sense. Small but well thought out upgrades such as this are welcome.
As for the results, photos look colourful, detailed, clean and sharp. The over-saturated colours of previous Samsung phones have gone and you’d be hard-pressed to pick these photos out of a line-up against the likes of the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max or Google Pixel 5. Zoom is no doubt a key strength here, while perhaps low-lit scenes and the selfie camera could be pipped by Apple’s optics, but it’s a close call.
While you can shoot in 8K, we’d recommend sticking to 4K or even Full HD for the best results, the lower resolutions delivering more stable and less storage-hungry videos. Again, a realistic delivery of colours means natural skin tones in front of faithful landscapes. Occasionally we sense a touch more colour in the green grass or deep blue skies than might be necessary, but overall the video quality is excellent.
Screen
(Image credit: Samsung)
You may be able to shoot in 4K or even 8K but, unlike the Sony Xperia 1 II, the Note 20 Ultra doesn’t feature a 4K resolution screen. The 6.9in AMOLED Edge screen sports a 3088 x 1440 resolution, “WQHD+” screen.
Aside from pixels, the Adaptive 120Hz feature means the phone will switch automatically between 60Hz and 120Hz to best suit the content, which is a neat feature, but not the variable refresh rate holy grail some superusers wanted to see.
The good news is the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra delivers bright, vivid video, with motion handled smoothly. Watching The Sinner on Netflix, dark scenes are well lit, revealing enough detail, while good contrast levels make for an engaging image. More colourful scenes, such as those served up by live sport, show the Note 20 Ultra sometimes errs on the side of over-saturation, but it’s likely just a matter of personal preference.
Compared to the class-leading Xperia 1 II you don’t get the level of precise detail and sharp edges that the 4K screen affords, nor does this Note manage the rich, filmic presentation. But up against any other Android phone, and in isolation, it more than holds its own, and the big display ensures there are times when this display will really steal the show.
Sound
(Image credit: Samsung)
When it comes to audio, there are a few design tweaks. Samsung has chosen to flip the volume and on/off buttons from the right side to the left, and has done the same with the speaker at the base of the phone.
AKG are on board once more to help with the audio tuning and the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra supports surround sound with Dolby Atmos technology (Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus included). That said, the lack of aptX HD Bluetooth support seems strange and disappointing. Of course there’s no 3.5mm headphone jack – Samsung would rather you connect its Galaxy Buds Live.
Nevertheless, the Galaxy Note S20 Ultra continues the fine sonic work of previous S phones, delivering good detail, solid bass and natural, open treble. Music is entertaining and dynamic, with a level of fidelity worthy of a flagship phone.
Switch to the latest iPhone or the Award-winning Sony Xperia 1 II, and you will hear more, however. Apple’s refinement remains impressive while the Sony handset delivers a clear step up in terms of resolution. If you want to be immersed in the music and not miss a breath, let alone a beat, the premium Xperia 1 II uncovers more detail at both ends of the sonic spectrum, making for a more musical delivery.
Verdict
The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra delivers on the Ultra promise. It’s big and rather expensive, but in return, you can enjoy a great screen, a feature-packed camera and good sound.
In an ultra-competitive market, with a huge choice of phones (simply from Samsung alone), it can be hard for every handset to stand apart. But thanks to the S Pen and ‘power user’ specs, the huge, colourful screen, and that crazy zoom on the camera, it’s clear to see that Samsung has managed that with the Note 20 Ultra.
That said, if you’re prepared to pay for best-in-class audio and video performance, it’s beaten by the Sony Xperia 1 II, making it a four-star phone in our book.
Beats today announced a glow-in-the-dark set of its Powerbeats neckband earbuds. Priced at $199.95 (a $50 upsell over the regular model), they’re a collaboration between Beats and design label Ambush, with the latter company’s logo printed on the buds.
The glowing Powerbeats could prove useful for runners out on the street in the dark. They’re the first glow-in-the-dark product that Beats has made. Yoon Ahn, Ambush’s co-founder and creative director, said she was inspired by Tokyo’s energetic nightlife when working on the project with Beats. “I live in the middle of Shibuya and I am always inspired by how the city just glows at night time,” she said. “I thought it would be really cool to design a product that could capture that same city energy when you’re outside late at night listening to music.”
As a refresher, the Powerbeats offer 15-hour battery life, IPX4 sweat resistance, Apple’s H1 chip for seamless pairing and hands-free “Hey Siri” voice commands, and a sound profile that’s basically the same as the Powerbeats Pro. (Unfortunately for people looking to snip the wire, there’s no sign of an Ambush version of those.)
Image: Beats
Check out my earlier review of the Powerbeats for all of the details. You’ll be able to pick up the glow-in-the-dark Powerbeats starting on November 18th “at Apple.com, Dover Street Market, select Nordstrom stores and Nordstrom.com.”
(Pocket-lint) – Which is the Sonos speaker for you? There are a few great entry-level Sonos options in the form of the excellent Sonos One, Sonos One SL and the now discontinued Sonos Play:1 and, while they’re very similar, there is one key difference between them.
The Sonos One brings integrated voice control with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, while the Sonos One SL and old Play:1 both avoid microphones and integrated smart assistants.
Want to look at the whole range? Then check out our guide to all the Sonos speakers
Here is how their features, designs and specifications compare to help you work out which one you should pick.
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Design
Same size and weight
Similar design, but Sonos One and Sonos One SL more refined
Sonos One and Sonos One SL have capacitive control panels, Play:1 has physical buttons
The Sonos Play:1 has a lovely design, offering an indented top, rounded edges, a tapered bottom and a metal grille that stretches almost 360-degrees around the speaker.
It measures 161.45 x 119.7 x 119.7mm, weighs 1.85g and it comes in white with a light metal grille or black with a graphite grille. On the top of the Play:1 there is a physical Play/Pause button, volume rocker and a status LED light, while the back has a stand mounting screw hole.
The Sonos One and Sonos One SL follow closely in the Play:1’s footsteps, offering a very similar design but with a few refinements. They too have rounded edges, tapered bottoms and grills surrounding it, but the top panels are flat with a capacitive control pad rather than indented with physical buttons.
The One and One SL speakers measure and weigh exactly the same as the Play:1 and they too come in white or black options, but the white option has a white matte grille and the black option has a black matte grille rather than the metal finishes of the Play:1. There is also no mounting hole for a stand on the Sonos One or the Sonos One SL.
Sonos Play:1 review | Sonos One review | Sonos One SL review
Features
Seamless multi-room functionality
Trueplay compatible
Sonos One has built-in voice control
Play:1 and Sonos One SL need Alexa or Google Assistant device for voice control
The Sonos Play:1, Sonos One and Sonos One SL will all work independently or as part of an existing Sonos system, offering multi-room audio.
The Play:1 can be paired with another Play:1 to create a stereo pair, while the Sonos One and Sonos One SL can be paired with another Sonos One or Sonos One SL for a stereo pair, and all three speakers can be grouped with a Sonos Playbar, Arc, Playbase or Beam for a 3.1 system, or with a Sonos SUB too for a 5.1 system.
The three speakers all offer Trueplay compatibility, allowing them to be tuned in accordance with their surroundings using the microphone within an iOS device and they are all compatible with over 100 music services, including Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music and Tidal.
Where these three devices differ is the Sonos One offers integrated voice control, allowing you to control it via the Sonos app, or by simply asking it to play a particular song, turn the volume up or down or skip a track.
The One offers a choice between the Amazon Alexa personal assistant and Google Assistant. Access to both means you’ll also be able to do most things Alexa and Assistant can do through your Sonos speaker, such as ask them to order an Uber, control compatible smart home devices, or find out what the weather is like. It’s worth noting you can’t use both at the same time – you have to choose, but you have the option to switch between the two.
The Play:1 and Sonos One SL meanwhile, don’t feature built-in voice control but voice control through Alexa to Google Assistant is possible if you have an Alexa or Google Assistant compatible device, like the Sonos One, Sonos Arc, Sonos Beam, Amazon Echo device or Google Home device.
Which Sonos speaker is right for you?
Hardware
All three have two amps, one tweeter and one mid-woofer
Sonos One has microphones
Custom drivers on Sonos One and Sonos One SL
AirPlay 2 support on Sonos One and Sonos One SL
The Sonos Play:1, Sonos One and Sonos One SL all feature two Class-D digital amplifiers, one tweeter for high frequency response and one mid-woofer for mid-range vocal frequencies and bass.
The Sonos One and Sonos One SL do offer custom drivers however, and the Sonos One has a six far-field microphone array that allows it to offer voice control. There is a microphone button on the capacitive control pad on the top of the Sonos One that you can tap on and off in order to choose whether the Sonos One is listening or not.
All three speakers require a Wi-Fi connection and the Sonos app, which is available for iOS and Android devices, as well as Mac and PC. Neither has Bluetooth support like the Sonos Move. The Sonos One and Sonos One SL are compatible with Apple AirPlay 2 however, while the Play:1 is not with Sonos saying it “doesn’t have the horsepower to support Air Play 2”.
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Conclusion
The Sonos Play:1, Sonos One SL and Sonos One are very similar in design and sound output, but the One and One SL are slightly more refined in finish, offer capacitive touch controls like all the other newer Sonos speakers, and the One features integrated voice control. The Play:1 will also be quite hard to get hold of now.
The three devices have many of the same features in terms of music service compatibility, multi-room audio and Trueplay compatibility but the Sonos One offers seamless voice control for your entire Sonos system, without the need for an extra device like the Echo Dot or Google Home Mini as the Play:1 and Sonos One SL require. In the same breath, the Sonos One SL offers all the same features as the Sonos One, including AirPlay 2, but it ditches the microphones for those not after a smart speaker.
With only a small price difference between the Sonos One and Play:1, the Sonos One is a great option for many looking to start their Sonos collection or add a small speaker to an existing one. Some may not want voice control, in which case the Sonos One SL is an excellent device that delivers a great sound from its small package, the same refined design as the One, all the latest features, while also saving you some money too.
The Play:1 is still a great speaker, and worth considering if you can get your hands on one, but we’d only recommend it over the Sonos One SL if you can find it significantly cheaper and you aren’t fussed about the future proof features like AirPlay 2 or the more seamless design.
Samsung has announced the two monitor series M5 and M7, which the manufacturer calls smart monitors, analogous to smart TVs. For this, Samsung has placed a small, economical ARM processor in the display and installed its own Tizen 5.5 operating system. This allows users to watch video-on-demand services such as Amazon Prime Video, Netflix or YouTube without a connected PC. Office 338 applications can also be started.
Three displays make the start: The 32 M 70 A is 32 inches tall and solves with 3840 × 2160 pixels (Ultra HD ) at 60 Hertz. The M5 series consists of one 27 – and 32 – Zöller with lower Full HD Resolution (1920 × 1080 pixels). Samsung relies on VA panels, the backlighting of which with 71 cd / m² is quite low fails. The response times are also rather slow at 8 ms (GtG).
The manufacturer provides the M7 and M5 monitors for the home office. During the day, users can connect their PC and work on it; Watch your favorite series in the evening without having to run your PC. This only makes sense if you don’t already have a smart TV.
Samsung 32 M 70 A (9 pictures) (Image: Samsung) Smart Hub or DeX surface The Smart Hub interface is known from Samsung’s Smart TVs. Alternatively, “DeX” represents a PC-like interface in which a Galaxy smartphone or tablet is wirelessly connected to the monitor and serves as a data center. Apple’s AirPlay 2 is also on board. Two 5-watt speakers reproduce stereo sound.
The Smart- Monitors via Wi-Fi 5 (WLAN 696. 11); Peripherals can also be connected via Bluetooth 4.2. The USB-C port is useful, which connects a notebook with up to 70 Charges watts, accepts a DisplayPort 1.2 signal and transmits data. Alternatively, the displays come with HDMI 2.0 – there are no separate DisplayPorts. A remote control including Bixby voice control is included.
Samsung wants the M7 and M5 monitors from the end of November 2020 deliver to countries outside of North America and China.
We all design documents with text or even a website. In order to achieve a successful result, one should know the basics of good typography.
Typography: Tips, tricks and rules for more beautiful font and typography What typography is Font basics Anatomy of the letters Font classes Unicode Font formats Font licenses Free fonts Microtypography Punctuation marks Numbers and numbers: Structure of numbers From whore children and cobbler boys What is to be considered in the digital Item in Mac & i 13 / 2020 read Do you know that? You want to write a letter, design a flyer or an invitation, have downloaded a template from the Internet, selected a nice font, used different sizes – and yet the result looks mediocre at best. Sometimes it’s just the little things: too little line spacing, holey justification or an unbalanced headline.
Thanks to the democratization of resources, everyone can now design everything themselves. Fonts cost little or nothing and inexpensive programs like Affinity Publisher can create professional layouts. But for this to succeed, you need basic typographical knowledge. What typography is Typography, which sounds so eccentric, means, in short, the use of type, which is omnipresent in our everyday lives. It informs us about the next motorway exit, at how many degrees we should wash the sweater and when the yogurt expires. Typography is not art, but laborious and thankless work. Because if you do everything right, hardly anyone will notice. Bad typography, on the other hand, may be difficult for laypeople to name, but it results in the printed matter being put aside and not read through. Or about the 2011, the late typographer Kurt Weidemann, the designer the Mercedes corporate typeface to say: “You don’t notice good typography any more than good air you breathe. You only notice bad ones when it stinks. ”
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The streaming platform Twitch has a copyright problem: For weeks, streamers have been showered with copyright advertisements. Countless stream recordings have to be deleted, some streamers are said to have even been banned due to repeated violations. Twitch cannot get the flood of copyright ads under control – and the mood among streamers is noticeably deteriorating.
Video games are primarily streamed on Twitch, some of which contain copyrighted music. Recently, some streamers reported that even sound effects from the game were labeled with copyright claims. The streamer “michalronin” shows a screenshot on Twitter, according to which the company Hollywood Edge is making copyright claims on wind effects from the online role-playing game “World of Warcraft”. Another streamer received a similar warning for police sirens from the game “Persona 5”. These ads do not come from the developers themselves, but from independent companies who apparently have licensed the sound effects to the developers.
Quiet streams as a silent protest The copyright claims on sound effects pose particular problems for the streamers: While the partly copyrighted soundtracks in many games can be muted without major damage, the sound effects are often an even more important aspect of the gaming experience. All the more frustrating is the helpless reaction of the Amazon subsidiary Twitch for many players: If in doubt, you simply have to turn off the entire game sound, the company wrote on Twitter.
Some players have expressed their displeasure with the situation done just that: They turned the sound off in games like Beat Saber and Resident Evil 2. The result are streams that are quite funny in their absurdity – but they are not a long-term solution.
Thousands of ads per week While the criticism of Twitch is getting louder, the streaming platform has apologized in a blog entry for the numerous copyright notices based on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA ) feet. In particular, the company regrets the fact that streamers have barely had any tools available to date to delete targeted stream recordings. In the absence of these tools, several streamers had to delete their entire library of recorded streams at once. According to Twitch, it is currently working on better tools for managing past streams.
The main problem for Twitch is the amount of copyright claims: Until May 2020 only 50 copyright claims on music were received by streamers per year. Then the music labels apparently discovered Twitch as a lucrative market: Twitch suddenly received thousands of DMCA inquiries per week. According to Twitch, these copyright advertisements mainly concern recorded streams and clips, some of which are several years old.
The end of this frustrating situation for streamers is not in sight, writes Twitch in the blog entry: “We’re still getting a huge amount of ads and don’t expect it to decrease.”
Many IoT projects with the ESP 8266 do not need sophisticated programming. ESPEasy is easy to install and offers tons of customization options.
Tutorial for beginners: Easily implement IoT projects with ESPEasy firmware Preparation Installation sensors Regulate MQTT Article in c’t 24 / 2020 read The popular WLAN microcontroller ESP 8266 is in all of them d devices such as switch sockets and LED lamps, but it is also an inexpensive and easy-to-program candidate for self-constructed Internet of Things (IoT) projects. The firmware projects Tasmota and Espurna are particularly popular; they remove finished smart home actuators from the manufacturer cloud in just a few steps so that they can be integrated into local smart home management using protocols such as MQTT.
The projects support many devices out of the box with finished profiles so that you no longer have to worry about GPIOs and drivers. However, both are primarily designed to execute received commands, and less to control logic that runs directly on the ESP. That makes Tasmota and Espurna only of limited interest for their own projects or self-sufficient smart home devices.
But thanks to ESPEasy you don’t have to delve into the depths of C programming yourself: The open source firmware is just as easy to install as Tasmota and Espurna, but offers more flexibility in terms of the sensors and protocols used and even its own set of rules with which you can teach the ESP logic, for example to switch a switch socket using a soldered-on sensor depending on the room temperature. ESPEasy has a web interface through which all settings can be changed remotely. This saves valuable time that you would otherwise have to invest in programming and debugging.
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How many people really want a small smartphone? If you sort small phones in the Pricewatch from 2020 – maximum 15 x6,6cm for example – then you will only find two models: the iPhone SE 2020 and iPhone 12 mini, not coincidentally from the same manufacturer: Apple.
In the category of slightly larger phones, there is plenty of choice with, for example, the Google Pixel 4a and Samsung Galaxy S 20, but those phones are a lot bigger. A new phenomenon is not: phones have been getting bigger for years and Sony’s Compact series of small smartphones started way back in 2013.
With the arrival of the iPhone 12 mini, the question arises whether this step by Apple will find. In short: will we now see more smartphones with a really small housing?
Figures An average phone has become increasingly larger in recent years. This is evident from figures in our Pricewatch. If we look at the size of the average telephone, then every year a little bit is added, especially in length.
In figures you can also see this: the average goes from 14, 5x7cm in 2014 to 16 x7.5cm now. But what is striking: phones in 2014 weren’t really small either. For example, the iPhone 12 mini is 13, 1×6.4cm, a lot smaller than the 14, 5x7cm of the Moto G 2nd Gen which was average in 2014.
This shows a clear trend: phones are getting a lot longer and a little bit wider. That corresponds to screen proportions: where phones in 2014 to 2016 almost all have a 16: 9 screen, it now fluctuates between 19: 9 and 21: 9. This has resulted in screens appearing much larger – diagonals of 6.5 “are now quite normal – while screens are mainly longer.
The width has increased a bit, but even wider phones hold less hold tight and don’t fit so well in trouser pockets, which are some of the reasons why phones have gotten longer.
An iPhone 12 mini can be called small with 13, 1×6, 4cm The same goes for Sony’s Compact phones from a few years ago, the latest of which is the XZ2 Compact from 13, 5×6.5cm. As telephones are now longer, we have taken 14 x6,6cm as the limit for a small phone.
If you fill in that and look at how many phone models comply with it, then that will indeed become less and less. In 2014 these were 30 percent of all models, now less than 1 percent. Except d e iPhone 12 mini only satisfies the iPhone SE 2020 to that format
But maybe that is unfair and so we have used another calculation method. How many phones have appeared with no more than three-quarters of the surface – length times width – of an average phone of that year?
The percentages are lower, but the picture is the same: many phones have around the same area. Obviously, there is arguing about where you should set the boundary of ‘small’, but the picture is that the number of small telephones in absolute and relative terms has fallen to almost zero in recent years.
The why Would you buy a phone with a single camera, without 5G and with a battery life of half a day? If you think this does not sound like an attractive offer, you will immediately see why hardly anyone has a small phone in their range anymore.
Because the number of components that manufacturers want to put into phones is serious grown. Multiple cameras, some with large sensors, a high capacity battery and the antennas to receive 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, wifi, bluetooth, NFC and GPS all take up space.
Sony – the great example in the Android field that compact phones are possible – looked for the thickness with its Compact series. The XZ2 Compact from 2018 is therefore relatively small, but with 12, 1mm very thick; the average at the time was around 8.5mm. This allowed a 2870 mAh battery in it.
The battery capacity is also where iPhones sacrifice. The iPhone SE 2020 has a 1821 mAh battery, the iPhone 12 mini does it with a 2227 mAh battery and that’s about half the that of an average smartphone today. The housing thereof is 7.4 mm or thin again.
The fact that Apple can get away with that is partly due to the economy of iOS: Apple’s phones squeeze a relatively long battery life from their small batteries. . The iPhone SE scores about average on our battery tests, maybe slightly below.
That is also what top people of Xiaomi subsidiary brand Redmi have said. Smaller phones are possible, but then you lose battery life, Wang Cheng Tomas said on Weibo this summer. Other manufacturers don’t let on the record know anything, but the portfolio speaks volumes: Samsung has stopped smaller models such as the A3 phones and the S 10 e did not get a successor either. Xiaomi also did not give smaller models a successor and Sony stopped its Compact phones. Google is the only one to make the opposite step this year: the Pixel 4 XL didn’t get a successor, and the Pixel 4a and 5 are among the smallest phones released this year.
These are all technical reasons , but there are other considerations as well. The use of telephones is increasingly about video on, for example, TikTok, YouTube or Netflix. So many people want a bigger screen for that reason. A smaller screen is more suitable for users who mainly use phones as a means of communication, for example WhatsApp and e-mail.
Figures on this are difficult to find, but when it comes to smartphones with small screens you can do conclude the following: if they had been a big and resounding success, we would have seen more small telephones by now. Manufacturers such as Samsung and Sony would never stop with small phones if there was sufficient demand.
Outside the mainstream, some niche phones with a small housing have appeared. Among these are, for example, last year’s Palm Phone, although it only worked as a secondary telephone with the American provider Verizon Wireless. Another initiative is the Unihertz Jelly 2 from earlier this year, a 3 “screen phone that was available to order through Kickstarter. The campaign has been successful, so he’s coming to backers next month There are 5323, which sounds like a lot until you consider that more than a billion smartphones are sold annually.
Finally The release of the iPhone 12 mini will be followed with great interest in all boardrooms of smartphone makers. How do users respond? What is the battery life? Do people think this size is fine or is it too small? It is like a large-scale user test for the smartphone market.
If the iPhone 12 mini flies out of the stores and produces satisfied users, then it is obvious that there will also be Android models with smaller cases – if only to try and get a piece of the pie Each phone is a compromise but which compromises are the most acceptable? Could the battery be smaller? Can a camera be removed? Can there be a function? How fat can we make him?
Those are all questions that could arise. But with the disappearance of the XL versions of the Google Pixel phones and the appearance of the iPhone 12 mini in any case it is clear that the compact phone is not completely gone yet. The market segment still exists, but the question is whether it will grow in the coming period or whether it will remain small.
(Pocket-lint) – The smart speaker space is as competitive as ever. Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant-powered devices lead the way.
Apple’s been selling its Siri-powered HomePod on sound quality first and foremost and our HomePod review showed that it’s clearly better to listen to than the entry-level smart speakers such as Amazon’s basic Echo. But Amazon’s stepped its game up since then, with the Echo Studio showing remarkable value for money.
So if you want a smart speaker with premium sound, let’s check out the top smart speakers to buy today.
Our pick of the best premium smart speaker
Amazon
Amazon Echo Studio
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Amazon’s Echo speakers have been getting better and better in sound quality over the last couple of years, but with the brand-new Echo Studio it’s taken a real leap forward.
This is proper, high-fidelity sound performance, with 3D audio more than just a nickname for an overrated feature. If you pair the Studio with lossless music, you’ll hear just how well-tuned this speaker is.
It comes at a bit of a price, but still undercuts the HomePod by a major margin, and frankly knocks it out of the park. Added to that, you get the relative competence of Alexa, compared to the often hamstrung Siri.
With five speakers housed within the unit, you get balanced sound from all angles, bass with some actual oomph and an all-round great experience. The Echo Studio will take some beating.
Amazon Echo Studio review: Taking the fight to Apple and Sonos
Pocket-lint
Google Home Max
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The Google Home Max isn’t exactly a budget option given its price, and with such a large footprint it’s a entirely different prospect to the easy-to-place Home and Home Mini.
It’s clearly a speaker for those who are married to Google and its ecosystem – who want Google Assistant, not Amazon Alexa – and need premium sound. That latter point offers a clear reason to plump for it rather than an Echo device.
But can Google really demand Sonos-level pricing on its first large-scale outing? It sounds good, sure, but we think would need to undercut on the price front to be a true rush-out-and-buy-it-now speaker – the good news is that, a couple of years after its release, you can often find the speaker for decent discounts.
Google Home Max review: Cranking smart speaker audio to the max
Pocket-lint
Sonos One
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Sonos entered the Alexa-enabled speaker market with the excellent Sonos One. As you’d expect, it sounds fantastic and looks just as good too. And it’s another on this list with a price point significantly lower than that of the Apple HomePod.
It has the same design as the Play:1 except for on the top, where there is a new control panel in place of the volume button on the Play:1.
If you want one of the best sounding speakers around, with multi-room capability and Alexa built-in, look no further. For music fans seeking a smart speaker that delivers excellent sound quality for its size, the One is in a class of its own.
Sonos One review: Superb sound with added bonus of Alexa and Google Assistant
Pocket-lint
Apple HomePod
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If we were grading the HomePod on its sound performance alone it would be a slam dunk. Apple has produced a small speaker that produces a sound way above its stature, in a way that is enjoyable to listen to whatever music you’re in to. It is a natural sound that’s nicely balanced rather than one that is too tinny or too bass-heavy, and the more we listen to it, the more we realise just how good it sounds given its size. But the Siri integration isn’t that powerful and the lack of support for services like Spotify really detract.
Apple HomePod review: The smart-sounding speaker that’s just not smart enough
Libratone
Libratone Zipp 2
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The Libratone Zipp 2 is a fantastic-sounding portable speaker with interchangeable jackets, a design that simply stands out from the competition.
The physical size lends well to stomping bass and audio output considering its price point. 360-degree sound is fired out all around and the overall profile can be adjusted using the companion app.
The new version supports Alexa and Google Assistant too, meaning you can speak to it, whether it be to change the music that’s playing, or turn your kitchen lights off. The fact it’s portable also means you can take Alexa with you wherever you go with the use of a nice handle.
Libratone Zipp 2 review: A sensational-sounding smart speaker
Sonos
Sonos Move
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Sonos has stepped up its game in the last few months, launching new products left, right and centre. Perhaps its new jewel in the crown is the superb Move, a speaker that blends the best of home smart speaker setups with full portability and booming sound.
The Move has a charging cradle to sit on when in everyday, indoor use, but whenever you need to you can simply lift it off and take it away for up to 10 hours of Bluetooth playback. It’s got Alexa and Google Assistant support, and sounds sublime, with automatically adapting sound profiles based on its surroundings.
For only a little more than Apple’s HomePod, the Move does a heck of a lot more, and can do it on the go. That’s a persuasive package.
Sonos Move review: Finally, a portable Sonos with Bluetooth connectivity
Pocket-lint
UE Boom 2
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The UE Boom 2 is one of our all-time best-loved Bluetooth speakers. It offers a sound that belies its size, which just so happens to be perfect for taking with you wherever you go. It’s fully waterproof and you can pair it with another UE speaker to create a stereo pair.
The addition of Amazon Alexa makes it even more desirable, although you do have to press the Bluetooth button each time, rather than it being in an always on mode.
It’s worth noting that you can only adjust music playback settings such as volume and track playing. It can’t control your smart home products and it’s only supported by Android devices. Sorry iPhone users.
Ultimate Ears UE Boom 2 review: Booming back for the sequel
Pocket-lint
UE Megablast
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After gifting the UE Boom and Megaboom Alexa capabilities at the press of the Bluetooth button, UE has returned with the Megablast (and smaller Blast). The Megablast takes things one step further by having always-on Alexa voice-control, that’s always listening out for your voice. The only caveat is that you naturally need a Wi-Fi connection for Alexa, so it can only be used at home.
Being a dedicated speaker first and foremost, the UE Megablast sounds fantastic. We already had high expectations of it after hearing the Megaboom, but the Megablast can go even louder and remain distortion-free while doing so.
Ultimate Ears Megablast review: Mr Boombastic, say me fantastic
Writing by Dan Grabham. Editing by Max Freeman-Mills.
(Pocket-lint) – Don’t tell Spotify, but radio is far from dead. Even though people are flocking to streaming music and podcast platforms in their multitudes, millions of people each day still tune into radio shows to get their fix of news, music or chat shows.
Best Bluetooth speakers: Top portable speakers to buy today
The fact is, the radio still holds us captivated sometimes, and having a nice speaker that can access it – preferably through the DAB standard without needing an elaborate antenna setup – is a real home comfort for many people.
DAB stands for Digital Audio Broadcasting and is a near-global standard for broadcasting digital radio, although it’s not used in North America. Here are our favourite DAB radios for your listening pleasure.
Our pick of the best DAB radios to buy today
Roberts
Roberts Stream 94i
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Roberts is best known for its retro-look radios, but we’re actually most impressed by its more modern devices, in particular the Stream 94i, which takes our top spot. It’s a great radio that boasts both Bluetooth and Spotify Connect to make it borderline a smart speaker with radio built-in.
Those two front drivers are augmented by a subwoofer on its back, making for excellent sound, while the carrying handle makes it a doddle to move around with, especially if you add an optional battery pack to make it portable. For the combination of functions it offers, and its clean design, we think this is the best radio you can buy right now.
Pure
Pure Evoke H3
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Pure has a big range of digital radios of all sizes, and we’ve got another more sizeable one down below, but our top pick from the brand is the Evoke H3.
We think it’s the best combination of feature-rich and appropriate sizing. You’re most likely not looking for a radio that can fill an entire house with booming audio, so a diminutive but rich-sounding little unit is a great option.
As with a few on this list, the wood construction gives the H3 a timeless quality, as do its big dial controls and low-key information display. It’s the sort of radio that will work for you but also for your Grandma, and that’s saying something. It helps that it sounds great for its size.
Ruark
Ruark R1 Mk4
View offer on Ruarkaudio.com
Of a similar size to the Evoke H2 we picked earlier, Ruark’s R1 Mk4 is another really impressive small radio. Unlike that other model, it has Bluetooth to bring to the party, too. That makes it a great adaptable speaker. With its control unit mounted on the top of the speaker, it’s also one of the very simplest to use on this list.
It isn’t exactly cheap for its size, but it’s also really nice to look at and boasts really impressive sound.
Sony
Sony XDR-S41D
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If you’re looking for something a bit more reminiscent of a portable radio from the 70s or 80s, Sony has a really interesting and impressive little radio that fits the bill with some obvious updates to the 21st Century’s standards. Light enough to be really portable, and available in a range of jazzy colours outside the black pictured above, it’s battery-powered.
That means you can move it around with you or throw it in a bag for when you need it. It won’t exactly blow you away on the sound front, but if you’re looking for a simple radio that can be used in a variety of settings, Sony’s made just that in the XDR-S41D.
Roberts
Roberts Radio Revival Mini
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As we said above, Roberts’ modern sets are super impressive, but we couldn’t completely ignore its delightful retro efforts. We think the Revival Mini is the best radio for most, given that even this smaller model is pricey for what you get.
Its looks are just gorgeous, though, particularly in this lovely blue version, and the sound is really classic and well-balanced. It’s easy to use and likely to satisfy both new users and those with more old-fashioned tastes.
(Pocket-lint) – It’s increasingly clear that there are few, if any downsides to getting your kids into coding sooner rather than later. Being able to navigate the world of programming is a hugely valuable skill as they grow up, one which can help them academically and eventually professionally.
10 best Lego sets: Our favourite Star Wars, Technic, City, Frozen II sets and more
It follows that there are a wide range of toys and robots designed for kids to get to grips with coding, although they vary widely in their approaches. Some focus on teaching the importance of sequencing while others allow you to dabble in AI. One major lesson from them? Your child is never too young to start learning to code, and now’s probably the perfect time to get some useful coding toys for your home.
This list comprises some of the best coding toys and robots out there, offering a number of options to suit a range of ages and budgets. Some will require you to supply a smartphone or a tablet to work, while others focus on just having fun.
Sphero
Sphero Mini
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Sphero Mini is a miniaturised version of the original app-enabled robot toy. The size of ping pong ball, you can control it with different modes in the Sphero Mini app, or you can just use your face thanks to a new feature called Face Drive. As you might expect, this uses your facial expressions to steer the ball.
Sphero Mini sports a little gyroscope, accelerometer and LED lights, as well as colourful, interchangeable shells.
It uses Micro USB charging and gives you about one-hour of play after an hour of full charging. It also comes with three mini traffic cones and six mini bowling pins for different games.
Kano
Kano Harry Potter Coding Kit
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This magical kit from Kano lets you build your own wand before you begin to start learning how to code. The kit, which is well put together, includes easy to follow instructions, colour coded parts, and that all-important wand.
To keep the costs down you’ll still need to provide your own device to pair it with (like an iPad or smartphone), but you’re pretty unlikely to be missing one of those, right? Young kids will struggle without some parental help, but this kit is a great way to explain some of the magic of coding.
Pocket-lint
Fisher Price Code-a-Pillar
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Aimed at really young children (3+), the Code-a-Pillar is about learning the value of sequencing. The caterpillar can be broken into nine segments which control whether the caterpillar goes left, right, forwards, or wiggles, among other instructions with the aim of the game to reach targets you place on the floor.
This is really entry level stuff, but it’s great fun and helps start those value building blocks of placing commands in order to get an outcome. Certainly one for pre-schoolers.
Pocket-lint
Mind Designer Robot
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Aimed at 6-10 year old children who want to code, the Mind Designer Robot from Italian company Clementoni is great in that, although you can enhance it with an app, you don’t need a smartphone or tablet to use it.
Instead, you can either program it via pressing a series of buttons on the back or, better still, just talk to it thanks to voice recognition. You can also load the bug-looking robot with a colouring pen to help you draw a picture.
Botley
Botley 2.0 – the coding robot
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Ditching the need for a smartphone or tablet all together, Botley 2.0 is a fun friendly coding robot that’s suitable for young children. In the box you’ll get a stack of activity accessories to play with and the all-important remote control to be able to code up to 150 instruction steps.
It might sound basic, but Botley features object detection, loop commands, black line following, night vision light sensor, and multi-colour light up eyes among other features little ones can control. For those worried about screen time, this is perfect.
Pocket-lint
BinaryBots Plastic2Code Crab
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BinaryBots is a smart toy robotics manufacturer that uses the BBC micro:bit pocket-sized codeable computer inside the toy (that is sold separately, though, it’s key to note). Featuring a mechanical meccano-like approach to play, kids have to build the robot before they can code and control it.
There are three kits to start with: Totem Crab, Totem Tortoise, and Totem Spider, and these can all be merged and expanded on. One for older kids looking to experiment further.
Pocket-lint
Logiblocks
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Logiblocks is an electronic coding toy that lets you physically snap “commands” together to build an electronic system. The blocks which are battery powered and sealed to allow for non-supervised play, can be arranged in a number of ways to create everything from rain detectors to a Morse code machine.
There’s a range of sets available with a range of different projects to complete. Everything is interchangeable, so you can expand as you go. The company is also planning on introducing a Bluetooth bolt on to allow Scratch programs to control the Logibloc circuits and vice versa.
(Pocket-lint) – The Apple Watch has been kicking around for several years now and the apps available for it are plentiful to say the least – especially now it has its own App Store. Of course, not all the apps are great, useful or even suited to the Apple Watch but there are a few that are simply brilliant.
These are the best Apple Watch apps we’ve come across – the ones that hold their own on the smaller screen and deliver the information you need without you having to get your iPhone out.
There’s everything from games to productivity apps, all of which make the Apple Watch useful, rather than just another gadget.
Which Apple Watch is right for you?
Pocket-lint
Best travel Apple Watch apps
British Airways
If you fly a lot with British Airways, having your flight details on your wrist when at the airport is very handy. The BA Apple Watch app will provide you with gate details, whether the plane is on time and what the status of the flight is. It even goes as far as telling you the weather at your destination.
Citymapper
Citymapper’s approach to its Apple Watch app is to let you quickly see the status of nearby public transport at the press of a few buttons. It will also give you directions to your work address, or any saved addresses that you have preset using your iPhone using available public transport from your location and you can see real-time departures too. Quick and simple.
Uber
The Uber Apple Watch app is simple but effective. It doesn’t offer as many features as your phone, such as fare estimates, but it will allow you to request and Uber from your wrist without touching your phone. It will tell you how long the wait is for an Uber, switching between the various car choices.
Apple Maps
Apple Maps doesn’t have the best reputation but this app works well on the Apple Watch. You can ask Siri to direct you to a location using your Watch and the Apple Maps app will open, find the location and give you the option to press start. It will then give you step-by-step instructions on your wrist, vibrating to alert you when the next turn is coming up. No iPhone necessary.
XE Currency
XE Currency is a handy little app for those that travel and want to know how much something is in a different currency. Australian Dollars, British Pounds, Canadian Dollars, Chinese Yuan, Euro, Japanese Yen and US Dollars are all available currencies, among others. Type in an amount into any of them on your wrist and it will convert it into all the others instantly.
Elk
Elk is another good currency converter app. It knows where you are and will automatically pick the right currency for you, along with a starting value. You can then swipe left to increase the values, swipe right to decrease them, or tap on a value for more accuracy. There is a free version, as well as a paid for version with access to all currencies.
iTranslate
Another for those that travel, or even for those just going on holiday. The iTranslate app will translate the words spoken into it when the microphone is pressed into the language you request at the bottom. There are numerous languages available and the translations are pretty accurate from our experience. It will allow you to order a beer or find out where the toilet is at least.
Pocket-lint
Best productivity Apple Watch apps
PCalc
If you remember and loved Casio’s calculator watch, PCalc is a must-have app for the Apple Watch. As you might guess, it is a calculator on your wrist. It’s nice and simple, allowing you to add, subtract, divide and multiply, as well as calculate percentages directly from your wrist. There is a Lite version that is free, but the paid version includes a paper tape, engineering and scientific notation, making it more useful than Apple’s own calculator for Apple Watch.
Evernote
The Evernote Apple Watch app allows you to record voice notes on your Apple Watch, which are then translated into text and synced to your Evernote account to make sure you don’t forget any lightbulb moments. You can also see your previous notes but you can’t edit them or the voice note translation text. This app is purely for barking instructions rather than editing that novel you are writing, and rightly so.
Noted
Noted is an audio recording and note taking app that allows you to record directly from your Apple Watch. You can start recording with one tap, pause recording and add a Time Tag. The Time Tag feature is brilliant for pin pointing the more exciting parts of a recording so you can access it quickly later on your iPhone.
Things 3
Things 3 is a paid-for organiser and reminder app with a lovely design. You can add new To-Dos directly from your wrist and tick off the ones you’ve done. The app follows the Apple Ring look, showing you how close you are to completing your To-Dos for that day. It’s a great one for those that love to be organised.
Pacemaker
Pacemaker is a very basic DJ app that creates music mixes automatically from your iPhone and then allows you to add effects via four preset options on your watch. Effects include distorting the music, making it sound like it is under water, and smashing up the music. It’s simple but fun and paired with a Bluetooth speaker makes things even more interesting.
Pocket-lint
Best information Apple Watch apps
Weather
There are numerous apps you can download for the Apple Watch when it comes to weather but we found the native Apple weather app was perfectly adequate at providing quick and easy information on our wrist. For each place you have set up on the iPhone, the Apple Watch weather app will show you the hourly expected outlook. It’s easy to read and understand and it’s quick to access.
Carrot Weather
If you fancy a more exciting take on the weather, the Carrot Weather Apple Watch app is fabulous. It offers access to current, hourly and daily forecasts but it delivers them with dialogue and characters, making things much more interesting. You can also disable the personality if it becomes too much.
Dark Sky
Another weather app, but this one is like magic. Dark Sky creates forecasts for your precise location, offering minute-by-minute predictions for the next hour and hour-by-hour forecasts for the next day and week. It will literally tell you to the minute if you’re about to get rained on.
Find Near Me
The Find Near Me app allows you to find various amenities nearby where you are from your wrist. The list is pretty comprehensive with everything from ATMs and cafes to beauty salons and book stores. Tap on what you need to find and a list of results will appear on your arm, each of which you can then tap on for more information and even directions.
Shazam
If you’ve used Shazam you’ll know how it works. You hear a track, fumble for your phone, and try to tap listen before the song finishes. With the Shazam Apple Watch app, you can simply slide up from a Glance, press the listen button and you’re capturing the tune before you know it. The Apple Watch app then gives you the option to buy the track on iTunes using Apple’s Handoff feature.
Night Sky
Night Sky is a great app for identifying stars, planets, constellations and satellites in the night sky. Ever wondered which one Orion’s Belt is? Just point your Apple Watch at the sky and it will direct you to it, after which you can explore the object in AR on your iPhone.
Onefootball
An essential app for the football fans out there. Onefootball allows you to follow thousands of teams and hundreds of leagues and competitions worldwide. You can select your favourite players, clubs, national teams and leagues to get instant content and scores that matter to you when they happen.
ESPN
Another great app for the sports fan, the ESPN Apple Watch app gives you quick access to scores across football, cricket, F1, NBA, NFL, tennis, golf, MLB and more. Like Onefootball, you can personalise the app to get alerts for your favourite teams and leagues.
Yelp
Yelp is a local guide to helps you find restaurants, bars, salons, coffee shops and plenty more near by. You’ll be able to see reviews, price range, opening hours and the address directly from your wrist. Perfect for when you’re in a new area.
Pocket-lint
Best health and fitness Apple Watch apps
FiiT
FiiT lets you stream hundreds of workouts, with options including HIIT, strength training, kettlebell, dumbbell, yoga, postnatal recovery and more. Signing up to a membership (£20/month) gives you unlimited access to 10, 25 and 40 minutes classes with personal trainers, whenever you want. Start a workout on your iPhone and you’ll see your heart rate come up on your Apple Watch, along with a leaderboard on the next screen.
Runkeeper
If you are wearing the Apple Watch for fitness, Runkeeper is a good one to download. It allows you to start the app straight from your wrist, without even looking at your iPhone. Open the app, press “start running” and off you go. Once you’ve started running you can check a number of stats, including overall time, distance covered and pace.
Strava
Strava is an excellent app and the Apple Watch version is great. Like others, Strava allows you to start an activity from your wrist, such as an outdoor ride or run, or indoor run. It will then offer time, splits, distance and heart rate on your wrist during the workout. All data is transferred to the iPhone app following a workout so you can see more detail.
Streaks Workout
Streaks Workout app is excellent, offering 30 equipment-free exercises to choose from and four different workout lengths comprising six minutes, 12 minutes, 18 minutes or 30 minutes. The Apple Watch will display your heart rate on the display, alongside the exercise, time and your progress. Super simple to use, but expect some serious pain.
Gymaholic
The Gymaholic Workout Tracker uses AR to create an avatar, which you can then change to represent your gender, height and body fat percentage. After a workout, the avatar will show all the muscles you trained and it will also show which muscles are ready for training too. During a workout, you’ll see various stats, including reps, weight, heart rate and calories, alongside your avatar. It’s great.
MapMyRun
MapMyRun is another good Apple Watch app for those into fitness. It allows you to start a running, cycling or walking workout without touching your iPhone. During the workout, you will be able to see duration, distance and calories burned, as well as pause, finish, save or discard the workout. The information is then visible in the MapMyRun iPhone app.
Runtastic
Runtastic allows you to track various activities from running to biking, see a brief history of your previous workouts and monitor your stats from your wrist. The app will track workouts in real time with built-in GPS and during a workout, it will display time, distance, pace and heart rate. It is also possible to manage tracking settings directly from your Apple Watch.
Withings Health Mate
For those that use the Withings ecosystem, the Withings Apple Watch app is good for providing quick stats in a simple format. If you have a Withings activity and sleep tracker, as well as one of its smart scales, the Apple Watch app will show you steps and distance, sleep recorded and weight recorded. You can also see your activity and weight history without opening the app on your phone.
Seven
Seven is another workout app and the Apple Watch version is lovely and simple. You can pretty much do everything on your wrist as you can on your phone. The Apple Watch app allows you to select which seven-minute workout you want to do, whether that’s full body, upper body, core, lower body or random, depending on which workouts you’ve bought or unlocked, and then you can just hit start. A picture of the exercise you need to perform appears on the watch face, surrounded by a countdown circle.
Hole19
Hole19 is the Apple Watch app for golfers. You’ll need to start a round on your iPhone after which the Watch will take the information and deliver it to you when you need it, such as distances and the par of the hole. The app also allows you to enter strokes and putts via your wrist, which it then puts into a score card so you can see how you’re doing nice and easily.
Autosleep
Autosleep does exactly what it says on the tin – it automatically tracks your sleep if you wear your Apple Watch to bed. You don’t need to press a single button. Wear your Apple Watch to sleep and you’ll get a notification in the morning detailing how well you’ve slept, including quality, average heart rate and deep sleep. The app will also show your seven-day average.
One Drop
One Drop is a great app for those with diabetes. It enables you to log glucose, meds, food and activity directly from your wrist, as well as view daily goals progress and glucose in range. You can also schedule medication reminders and there is automatic carb counting too.
Pocket-lint
Best Apple Watch games
Trivia Crack
No list of apps would be complete without a couple of games and Trivia Crack is one of our favourites. It’s a very basic version of Trivial Pursuit but if you’re any good at general knowledge, it’s a great app to try. You compete with an online opponent and choose from six categories of questions. Answers are multiple choice, which you select on your wrist and you don’t even need to get your iPhone out to start a game.
Brainess
Brainess is all about stimulating your brain and it offers seven brain training games that you can play on your Apple Watch. The games include memorising and tapping dice, choosing the correct number to complete a maths equation and matching pairs of identical cards. The seven games are said to improve and exercise your memory, vision and compute skills. Whether they will or not is a different story altogether but worth a try right.
Rules
Rules is a puzzle game with super cute little animations. There are different levels, comprising beginner, expert or timeless and the game includes a daily brain workout mini-game for the Apple Watch.
Lifeline 2
Lifeline 2 is the successor to the original Lifeline, offering a new story of a young woman called Arika who is on a deadly quest to avenge her parents and rescue her long-lost brother. You will have to make choices to keep her alive and help her succeed.
Pocket-lint
Best finance Apple Watch apps
Wallet
Wallet is one of Apple’s own apps so you’d expect it to be good on the Apple Watch and it is. Like the iPhone version, it provides easy access to boarding passes, tickets and cards you’ve registered to Apple Pay. Having your boarding pass and tickets on your wrist means you don’t have to mess about getting your phone out, which is always good when travelling and you can also pay using your wrist.
Pennies
There are plenty of apps trying to help you stay on top of your finances but we’ve taken a liking to the Pennies Apple Watch app, which lets you quickly tap in how much you’ve spent of a given budget target straight on your wrist. It means you can then track how much you’ve got left, whether that’s keeping an eye on your weekly food bill, or as we would like to imagine, your champagne bar bill.
Pocket-lint
Best smart home Apple Watch apps
Philips Hue
The Philips Hue app is a simple remote control that lets you have a number of lighting presets that you can then control directly from your watch. You don’t even need to pick up your iPhone to turn the lights on now, let alone move from the sofa.
IFTTT
IFTTT (If This Then That) is compatible with over 600 apps from Twitter and Instagram to Nest and Hive. The Apple Watch app doesn’t allow you to create new Applets, such as turn the lights on at sunset, but download various Widgets through the main IFTTT iPhone app and you can activate any of them through the Apple Watch app.
Neato
Got a Neato robot vacuum cleaner? The Neato Apple Watch app allows you to start and stop and clean. You can’t get the Neato robot to return to the dock or anything from your wrist so it’s basic functionality, but it’s still a useful app to start that quick clean.
Hive
The Hive Apple Watch app not only allows you to control your Hive thermostat, but you can also control any Hive lights or plugs than you have.
Pocket-lint
Best social media Apple Watch apps
Facebook Messenger
Facebook might not be available for Apple Watch but Messenger is so you can get access to all your Facebook Messenger chats. You’ll be able to reply with stickers, or a voice recording or a pre-written message so you can stay in touch without having to get your phone out at all.
Chirp for Twitter
Chirp for Twitter is pretty much the only way you’ll be using Twitter on your Apple Watch. The app allows you to browse your timeline, lists, like and retweet things. You can also see quotes, pictures, hashtags and mentions directly from your wrist.
Writing by Britta O’Boyle. Editing by Max Freeman-Mills.
(Pocket-lint) – When it comes to choosing a camera to watch over your home remotely, you’re spoilt for choice nowadays. In fact, there are increasingly two big categories to choose between – after all, many home security cameras are naturally indoor cameras. If you’re looking for an outdoors camera, though, with the hardiness to stand up to adverse weather, there are numerous options too.
If you’re wanting to keep an eye on the area in front of your home, perhaps to check up on an alleyway or similar, or have a camera focusing on your garden and your back door, you’re in luck. Here’s our guide to the best outdoor cameras around.
Pocket-lint
Nest Cam IQ Outdoor
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The Nest Cam IQ Outdoor is for outdoor use only, sitting alongside the Nest Cam IQ which is designed for indoor use. There is also the older Nest Cam Outdoor to consider if you want a cheaper alternative from Nest for outdoor use. The Nest Cam IQ Outdoor is IP66 rated and capable of resisting temperatures from -40°C to 45°C. This is a wired camera that needs power from inside your home, but it offers secure wiring options directly through the backplate to avoid exposing the wires.
It records continuously at 1080p resolution day or night and will send notifications if it detects movement, sound, someone talking or people. A large and powerful two-way communication system allows you to talk to visitors or scare off intruders, and there is a Supersight zoom feature that will track and follow people as they approach your home.
Without a Nest Aware subscription, you’ll be able to see activity from the last three hours and get alerts for motion and person detection. With the subscription, you’ll get up to 30 days footage, as well as other benefits including the ability to download important footage, more intelligent alerts, familiar face detection and other features such as activity zones and clips.
Nest Cam IQ Outdoor review: Outside security camera gets smarter
Pocket-lint
Ring Floodlight Cam
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Ring is perhaps best known for its video doorbells but the company also offers an outdoor smart camera that includes powerful floodlights, a loud alarm and an ultrawide angle motion detection system.
The Ring Floodlight Cam is capable of differentiating between objects and people with a passive infrared sensor system that’s clever enough to detect objects, cars and animals within the vicinity. It also allows you to adjust these settings to your own needs. Like other cameras on this list, the Ring Floodlight Cam also includes intelligent motion zone settings and the ability to record 1080p video day and night.
Access to recorded footage requires a monthly subscription at a small additional cost but with floodlights, an alarm system and two-way audio, this camera is a brilliant option for those looking for a deterrent based smart home camera.
Ring Floodlight Cam review: The best protection for your home?
Pocket-lint
Ring Spotlight Cam Battery
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Also available in a corded version, the 1080p Ring Spotlight Cam Battery is really very easy to install with a mounting base and included tools. Like Ring’s series of doorbells, it’ll give you customisable motion zones, two-way communication and there’s a siren, too. One concern is that removing the battery is easily done – therefore disabling the camera.
As with all Ring devices, you need the Ring Protect plan to get the most from it, which isn’t too bad if you only have one device, but gets quite expensive when you have more than one Ring protecting your home.
Ring Spotlight Cam review: Battery-powered security
Pocket-lint
Netatmo Smart Outdoor Camera with Siren
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The Netatmo Smart Outdoor Camera with Siren is a security camera and light in the same device, recording 1080p video day and night and capable of detecting people, cars and animals up to a good distance.
The LED floodlight can be switched on manually or set to switch on when it detects a person, animal, car or all three.
This camera also sports some nifty features like a built-in 105dB siren designed to scare off unwanted guests., The lack of monthly subscription costs may appeal to many, with local storage or direct uploads to your FTP or Dropbox account available if you need them.
Netatmo Smart Outdoor Camera with Siren review: Floodlight, camera, action!
Pocket-lint
Arlo Pro
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The Arlo Pro slots in above the standard Arlo cam, but below the Pro 2. All it’s missing from the Pro 2 is 1080p video capture – instead, you get 720p like the original Arlo cam, but otherwise it’s very similar to the Pro 2 and uses the same hub. Yes, there’s an included base station that connects to your router, offering a siren as well as the option to use local storage.
However, it does offer motion and audio detection, (two-way audio) as well as having black-and-white night vision. The big boon over the standard Arlo Cam is that it uses rechargeable batteries – it can also be connected to mains power should you wish.
As with any Arlo device, you will need to subscribe to one of the plans to get the most out of it – especially if you’ll be away for more than a week at a time.
Arlo Pro review: A great home security system
Arlo
Arlo Ultra
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The Arlo Ultra sits at the top of the Arlo range and it’s a pricey bit of kit, especially as it requires a specific SmartHub rather than working with the same hub other Arlo cameras work with. That said, the Arlo Ultra offers 4K HDR video recording and a 180-degree field of view, making the video the other Arlo cameras capture look poor in terms of comparison.
Along with 4K HDR video capture, the Arlo Ultra has colored/coloured night vision, a microphone and speaker and a built-in light that can act as a security light. It also offers all the same features as other Arlo cameras in terms of Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility and it has person detection, package detection (in beta) and it offers automatic zoom and tracking – which Nest Cam IQ also does.
The Arlo Ultra comes with one year of the Arlo Premier Smart Plan included, after which you will need to sign up to one of the plans to get the most out of your Ultra camera. If you can justify the cost, the Arlo Ultra will really deliver in terms of the quality of footage you will be able to capture outside your home.
Arlo Ultra review: First-class security camera brings 4K HDR
Canary
Canary Flex
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The Canary Flex is weatherproof and it can be used indoors or outdoors, recording 1080p video day or night. It can be plugged into the mains, or used wire-free and recharged.
The Flex features a 360-degree magnetic swivel base that is mounted to a flat surface, while the camera snaps into place on the base and can twist in any direction you want. Like others on this list, there are a range of other accessories available too.
There is no extra hub to connect to your router, it features a built-in speaker and microphone and it comes in black and white options. Canary offers 24 hours of video viewing without a subscription after which you pay a flat rate a month or year for 30 days history.
Canary Flex review: The affordable all-weather home Wi-Fi camera
Logitech
Logitech Circle 2
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The Logitech Circle 2 is available in wired and wire-free models, both of which are weatherproof and both of which can be installed inside or outside of your home. It will film in 1080p day or night, like many of the others on this list, but it has a slightly wider field of view at 180-degrees.
Logitech claims the Circle 2 can be set up in minutes, it doesn’t require an additional base station attached to your router and the wire-free, battery-operated model is claimed to last up to three months before it needs recharging. Like the Netgear Arlo further down this list, there are a number of extras that can be bought for the Circle 2, including a backup battery and weatherproof extension cable.
You’ll be able to see 24 hours of recorded video without a subscription, but if you want to go back further, you’ll need to sign up to one of the Circle Safe plans. The Circle Safe Premium plan adds person detection, motion zones, and advanced event and alert filters on top of the features that come with the Free plan and Basic plans.
Logitech Circle 2 review: The best home security camera?
Writing by Britta O’Boyle. Editing by Max Freeman-Mills.
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