If you’re hoping to get one of the new 12.9-inch iPad Pros with a Mini LED display, you may be waiting a while — the delivery times for even the base model have slipped to late June or early July (via Bloomberg). Leading up to the device’s announcement, there were rumors that the display tech could be a production bottleneck for Apple, and that appears to be the case — Apple’s site says the 11-inch iPad Pro, announced alongside the 12.9-inch, would be delivered in late May.
The Mini LED display that could be to blame for the short supply of iPads is a new tech for Apple, but it promises to bring a ton of improvements compared to normal LED displays. However, they’re trickier to produce — Apple says that the previous iPad Pro’s display had 72 LEDs, while the Mini LED version boasts over 10,000. For a more in-depth look at the tech, we have an explainer here.
For the most part, the rest of the devices Apple announced in its April 20th event seem to be doing okay stock-wise: Apple’s site says the purple iPhone 12 and 12 Mini would arrive in early May, and the Apple TV is shown as shipping by mid- to late May. The lower-end iMac will arrive in late May, though the higher-end versions won’t get to you until early June — the same as the new Siri Remote.
Interestingly, while a single AirTag seems readily available, the four-pack is a bit harder to come by — Apple’s site has them delivering in June, while Amazon has the pack listed as out of stock.
Since its launch in 2015, Apple Music garnered 72 million subscribers by the end of 2020 and even more impressively (depending on who you ask) racked up a five-star review from us.
Five iOS updates and a couple of hefty interface refreshes later, the arrival of the splendid HomePod Mini (despite the discontinuation of the original HomePod) means there’s no better time to get fully acquainted with the ins and outs of Apple’s music streaming service. You won’t get far with Apple’s little smart speaker if you don’t, at any rate – and there’s so much to enjoy.
Whether you’re on the free three-month trial or already a subscriber and regular user, we’ve pulled together some key tips, tricks and features to make sure you get the utmost from Apple Music.
Read our Apple Music review
Set-up
1. How to unsubscribe
Sure, this is something of a negative note to start on – but if you’re signing up for the three-month Apple Music free trial and don’t want to commit to paying for the service afterwards, you can opt out straight away.
To do this, click on your profile icon in the top right corner of the screen in the For You tab, hit View Account, then View Apple ID and sign in to your iTunes account.
Next, tap Subscriptions halfway down the page. Here you can ‘cancel’ your free trial so it won’t automatically renew – don’t worry, you can still use it free for the three months. This is also how to select your subscription choice in future. Savvy.
2. Bulk unfollow artists
When you sign up to the Apple Music service, Apple will take the liberty of ‘following’ any artist already in your library as part of its Connect feature. This means your Connect section (now relegated to the Made For You tab) will be full of new and seemingly never-ending content from these artists. This may not be what you’re after, especially if you once bought Baby Shark (for a kid’s party or something. We don’t judge).
It’s on by default, but you can switch it off by tapping the profile icon, then clicking on ‘Notifications’ (to see the artists you supposedly ‘like’) and then sliding the ‘New Music’ and ‘Show in Library’ buttons to ‘off’. Now you can make sure you only hear from the artists you really like.
3. Sign in to iCloud Music for extra features…
You might want to enable iCloud Music Library to get the most from Apple Music if you’re using an iPhone or iPad. A number of features are only available with iCloud Music activated – most notably offline listening. In your iPhone/iPad, go to Settings > Music and toggle iCloud Music Library on.
4. Or don’t…
This can present some problems to users with a big existing library, especially if you have your own playlists. Apple will match these with its own tracks so you can listen offline – but it may not always get the right version. So if you’re precious about your existing downloads (and rightly so), you may want to turn off iCloud. To do this, simply toggle the iCloud Music Library option off.
5. Or have iCloud Music on mobile only
If you have a big existing music library and you’re not sure about Apple matching it for access on your mobile, you can turn this feature off on your computer but leave it on for your mobile. This way your existing library is left alone but you can still have offline tracks on the Apple Music mobile app. Turn off iCloud Music Library on your Mac by going to Preferences > General, then unchecking iCloud Music Library.
6. Multiple devices
The Apple Music Individual Membership plan, yours for £9.99 per month, can be associated with up to ten devices, five of which can be computers. You can only stream on one device at a time, as is the case on Spotify, Tidal and other services.
7. Multiple devices at once
If you want to listen to multiple devices at the same time then you’ll need a Family Membership. This gives simultaneous streaming access for up to six different people for £14.99 per month.
Interface
8. View album information for now-playing track
One slightly hidden feature is viewing the album of the track that’s currently playing. You can do this in two ways. The easiest way is to tap on the artist and album name at the top of the now-playing window. A pop-up will appear asking if you want to ‘Go to Album’ or ‘Go to Artist’. Click on the Album option.
The second, slightly longer method is to tap the three-button icon in the bottom corner of the screen, then tap ‘Show Album’ on the pop-up menu. That’ll take you there.
9. View artist page
Same as above, but select ‘Go to Artist’.
Or, if you’ve used the longer method: once you’re transported to the album page, click the artist’s name (highlighted in that pinky-red text). For both methods, you’ll be taken to the artist’s landing page where you can see all their music and related content (such as new releases, playlists they’re featured in, bio, and similar artists).
10. Explicit tracks
If you were wondering what that little ‘E’ was next to certain tracks, it doesn’t stand for exclusive, it’s for explicit. So prepare your ears (or your child’s).
Organising your music
11. Optimise your storage
This one is a no-brainer. Because why fill up your phone’s storage space with music you’re not listening to? The Optimise Storage feature in Apple Music will automatically delete downloaded songs if storage is running low and you haven’t listened to them in a fair while.
It’s a neat, simple feature that keeps your phone free of music you don’t need. And once you’ve toggled a button, you’re all set. It works when you’re low on storage. To set it up, open the Settings menu on your iPhone, scroll to Music, then Optimise Storage. Boom.
12. Offline music
You can save tracks, albums and playlists to your phone for offline playback (when you don’t have an internet connection) if iCloud Music is enabled (see point 3).
You can only download music that’s been added to your library. If there’s a ‘+’ icon next to a song, that means it isn’t added to your library. Tap it to add. It’ll then transform into a cloud icon, meaning it’s not been downloaded yet. Tap the cloud to download.
You can identify the songs downloaded on your device as they won’t have any icon next to them.
13. Viewing offline music
No mobile or network coverage? Simply select the Downloaded Music category in the Library tab to only see the music stored on your phone for offline listening.
Remember: this is both downloaded songs and playlists from Apple Music, as well as your own music files physically stored on the phone.
14. Sort songs alphabetically by artist (or however you’d prefer)
Want to sort your music library alphabetically by title instead of by artists (the default setting)? In the Library tab, select Songs and tap ‘Sort’ in the top right corner. Then select Title, Recently Added or Artist in the pop-up menu. Hey presto.
15. Shuffle and repeat
Wondering where the shuffle and repeat icons have gone? On the Now Playing screen, you’ll see them right underneath the track and artist, next to ‘Playing Next’.
Music curation
16. Love tracks (or don’t)
Much of Apple Music’s draw is centred on the For You tab, where you’ll find recommended albums and artists based on the music you like. To give Apple’s algorithms a steer, you need to tap the Love (heart) icon on the pop-up menu for every song (or album) you like.
There’s now also a Dislike option right next to it (with a thumbs-down icon) to tell Apple songs you don’t want it to recommend. You can do this for whole playlists, too.
17. Adjust the EQ
You can use Apple Music to change the way music sounds on iPhone with EQ settings, volume limit options and Sound Check. Simply go to Settings > Music > EQ to choose from an exhaustive list of presets. To normalise the volume level of your audio: go to Settings > Music, and toggle on Sound Check.
18. New music
Need to find new music? Click on the Browse tab and you’ll find a section called New Music dedicated to the latest releases, albums, playlists, music videos and more.
In Browse’s Playlists section, you’ll find curated playlists from the likes of Pitchfork, NME and Sonos, as well as playlists for your every mood and activity.
19. Browse new music by genre
Tailor to your musical tastes even further by going to the Genres section and filtering music by, you guessed it, genre.
You can filter playlists by genre, too, in the Playlists section.
20. Use built-in Shazam
Here’s a bit of insider knowledge: Shazam is built right into iPhones, even without a download of the app. This nifty tool can help you figure out what songs are playing when you’re in the car and can’t scrutinise your screen (do not scroll and drive), or while watching shows or movies.
If you’re trying to put a name to a song, simply tap the Shazam button on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. And here’s the best bit: the app will identify the music you’ve captured and save it to your library.
To use this feature, open the Control Center in your device’s Settings and add the Music Recognition icon to your ‘Included Controls’ – if music recognition is enabled on your device, you’ll be able to swipe up and see the Shazam icon from your iPhone’s lock screen. Now, tap this Shazam music recognition button to swiftly identify what’s playing around you.
Radio and TV
21. Create your own radio station
You can play an Apple-curated selection of music based on a certain artist or track. Simply click on the three dots on an artist or a track and select Create Station from the pop-up menu to listen to related music. Tap the ‘love’ icon on subsequent songs to tell Apple to keep playing more songs like it.
22. Listen to live radio on Apple Music
Apple Music subscribers can now tune in to not one but three live radio stations: Apple Music 1, Apple Music Hits, and Apple Music Country. Click on the Radio icon at the bottom of the home screen, then scroll down to Apple Music 1, Apple Music Hits, or Apple Music Country to tune in live, see upcoming shows, and listen to previously aired shows on-demand.
23. Listen to broadcast radio
You can also tune in to your favorite broadcast radio stations, including your local ones. To do this, go to Search, search for the radio station by its name, call sign, frequency, or nickname, then tap or click the radio station to listen to it live. And don’t forget, you can also ask Siri to play a radio station by name.
24. Play music videos on Apple TV
Apple Music makes it easy to watch music videos on Apple TV. There’s actually a Videos screen in the Apple Music app that includes the hottest new music videos and video playlists, and it’s accessible right from the app on your Apple TV. To use it, open Music on Apple TV and swipe to Videos. Then, swipe down to see a menu of video categories. Depending on the video, you can add it to a playlist or your library or remove it from your library.
More features
25. Share your listening history with your friends
Fancy sharing new sonic discoveries with your friends? You can do it by creating an Apple Music profile within the app. Then, if your friends subscribe and create a profile, you can see what they are listening to, too.
To create a profile, tap Listen Now and, in the upper-right corner of this screen on your iPhone, tap the photo icon. (On an Android device, tap the More button, then tap Account). Now, tap See What Friends Are Listening To. Follow the onscreen prompts to create a username, find and follow friends, share playlists and more.
You can also control what you share (nobody needs to know all of your listening habits, right?) hide certain playlists, block or unblock users or follow your friends’ accounts.
26. Siri + Apple Music = clever
You can use voice control to play your music, whether you’re on your iPhone or Apple Watch ( for instance: “Hey Siri, play AC/DC”). But it’s actually even cleverer than that. You can start a radio station by saying “play AC/DC station”.
Apple Music can also play by date, popularity and release date, so “play the number one hit from April 1988”, “play the top songs by AC/DC” or “play the newest song by AC/DC*” all work. It can be a little hit and miss at times, but it’s worth experimenting with all sorts of commands.
(*other bands are available. They’re not as good, though)
(Image credit: Apple)
27. Siri + Apple Music + HomePod Mini = cleverer
Siri voice commands and Apple Music are the key ingredients to a great Apple HomePod Mini speaker experience, so if you’ve bought yourself a new HomePod Mini, you can ask it all sorts of questions to get your favourite tunes playing. Start off with “Hey Siri, play something I like” and it’ll use your Apple Music profile to create a personalised radio station of songs you know and like.
Amazon Echo vs Apple HomePod Mini: which is the best smart speaker?
28. Turn off Listening History for Apple HomePod Mini
If you have a HomePod Mini, you might not want your kids or that friend who only loves country music messing up your carefully curated For You recommendations when they start shouting out song requests.
Keep your Apple Music profile separate from what the Mini’s been playing by firing up the Home app (which you should’ve downloaded when setting it up), head to the Details section and switch ‘Use Listening History’ to off.
29. Wake and stream
Want to wake up to the sound of your favourite song? When setting an alarm in your iPhone’s Clock app, tap Sound > Pick a song (under the Songs section) and then choose a track from your Apple Music library.
30. Lyrics
You can karaoke! Scroll up from the now playing screen, and lyrics (where available) will appear. Alternatively, tap the Lyrics tab in the pop-up options menu.
Since iOS 12, searching for songs by lyrics is a thing, too. Just start typing lyrics in the search box and voila – you’ll get the song you’re looking for (or at least suggestions for what it could be).
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If you’re more into hi-fi than music, that’s a problem
Derek Chisora and Joseph Parker will clash at the Manchester Arena this Saturday in a 12-round heavyweight bout that’s expected to be one of the biggest fights of 2021. The action will be preceded by a blockbuster bill featuring Chris Eubank Jr and Ricky Hatton’s son, Campbell. It’s a £19.95 pay-per-view event affair in the UK, but there are cheaper options elsewhere. Here’s how to get a Chisora vs Parker free live stream, from anywhere in the world.
Chisora vs Parker free live stream
Date: Saturday 1st May 2021
Start time: 7pm BST / 2pm ET / 4am AEST
Chisora vs Parker: 10pm BST / 5pm ET / 7am AEST
Venue: Manchester Arena, UK
Free stream: DAZN free trial(details below)
Watch anywhere: Try ExpressVPN
UK stream: Sky Sports Box Office (£19.95)
US stream: DAZN ($19.99)
Chisora (32-10, 23 KOs) and Parker (27-2, 21 KOs) were due to fight in 2019 but the match was abandoned after Parker was bitten by a spider. Chisora, now 37, went on to suffer a unanimous decision loss to Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk in October, while New Zealander Parker struggled to a points victory over fellow countryman Junior Fa in February.
“I’m bringing the pain!” a confident Chisora told reporters at this week’s weigh-in. His manager, ex-heavyweight David Haye, also shared a post on social media, with the words: “Always ready for battle, 2021 there will be WAR”.
With both fighters now desperate to reclaim their place in the pantheon of great boxers, this weekend’s fight could be a case of ‘bombs away’ as both men unleash hell from the bell. Ok, it’s not the Tyson Fury fight the fans want, but it’s sure to be a thrilling evening of entertainment courtesy of Matchroom promotions.
The packed undercard features two sons of former champions in Chris Eubank Jr. and Campbell Hatton. And can Natasha Jones shock Katie Taylor to become undisputed WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO lightweight champion?
The undercard starts at 7pm BST, with the Chisora vs Parker ringwalks expected at 10pm. Anyone in the UK can watch all of action on Sky for £19.95. Otherwise, here’s how to find a Chisora vs Parker free live stream from anywhere in the world.
Watch Chisora vs Parker for free on DAZN
(Image credit: DAZN)
Sky has the exclusive rights to screen Chisora vs Parker in the UK/Ireland, while Spark has the rights in New Zealand. Boxing fans in the rest of the world can stream the big fight live on DAZN.
Subscription to the sports streaming service costs just $20 a month in the USA but Canadian subscribers enjoy a FREE trial. Worth knowing, right?
UFC free live stream with DAZN free trial
DAZN has the rights to the UFC, Bundesliga, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, US Sports, Fightsports, and much more live and on demand in selected European countries. Try it free for one month. Cancel at anytime.
Going to be outside Canada this weekend?Simply use a VPN to access the DAZN free trial without being geo-blocked. We recommend ExpressVPN because it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and 24/7 customer support.
The headline heavyweight fight is expected at 5pm ET / 2pm PT.
Chisora vs Parker free live stream anywhere in the world using a VPN
Even if you have subscribed to the relevant Chisora vs Parker rights holders, you won’t be able to access these streaming services when outside your own country. The service will know your location based on your IP address, and will automatically block your access.
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) helps you get around this obstacle. A VPN creates a private connection between your device and the internet, such that the servers and services you’re accessing aren’t aware of what you’re doing. All the information passing back and forth is entirely encrypted.
There are many VPN providers out there, with some more reliable and safe than others. As a rule, we’d suggest a paid-for service such as ExpressVPN.
Try ExpressVPN risk-free for 30 days ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money back guarantee with its VPN service. You can use it to watch on your mobile, tablet, laptop, TV, games console and more. There’s 24/7 customer support and three months free when you sign-up.
UK: Chisora vs Parker live stream
(Image credit: Sky Sports)
Sky Sports has the exclusive rights to broadcast Chisora vs Parker in the UK. It’s a pay-per-view event and costs £19.95, whether you watch it on your TV or the Sky Sports Box Office website. Ouch.
Remember: Canadian boxing fans stuck outside their home country can use a VPN to access the Canadian DAZN free trial without being blocked.We recommend ExpressVPNbecause it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and 24/7 customer support.
Sky Sports Box Office is also available on BT TV. Simply tune to channel 496 or search for the event in the BT Player.
Chisora vs Parker fight card
(Image credit: Matchroom / DAZN)
Derek Chisora vs Joseph Parker (12 rounds heavyweight)
Katie Taylor vs Tasha Jonas (WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO lightweight titles)
Dmitry Bivol vs Craig Richards (WBA light-heavyweight title)
Chris Eubank Jr vs Marcus Morrison
James Tennyson vs Jovanni Straffon (IBO lightweight title)
Hulu’s live TV service is finally getting nine new ViacomCBS channels — Comedy Central, BET, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., VH1, CMT, MTV, TV Land, and Paramount Network — as part of its regular $64.99 per month cost.
If that sounds familiar, it’s because Hulu first announced that these channels would be coming to its service on January 4th, almost four months ago. But despite the long gap, the new channels are finally debuting for subscribers today. Customers who pay for Hulu’s live TV service will also get on-demand access to additional ViacomCBS library titles, including Freaks and Geeks, Moesha, and Sister, Sister,starting today.
Other ViacomCBS channels — BETher, MTV2, NickToons, TeenNick, and MTV Classic – will also be available for Hulu’s live TV customers starting today, but only through Hulu’s $7.99 per month Entertainment package, which also includes channels like CNBC World, the Cooking Channel, and Discovery Family.
Hulu isn’t announcing any price hikes to go with the new channels at this time: the basic live TV service will still cost $64.99 per month (which the company has charged for the service since its $10 price increase last November.) That price also puts Hulu’s live TV service at exactly the same starting point as Google’s YouTube TV.
That said, there’s a strong possibility that Hulu could raise prices in the future to help cover the new ViacomCBS channels, similar to YouTube TV (which increased its price from $50 per month to $65 per month last summer after it added ViacomCBS’ lineup.)
It’s nigh-on impossible to find meaningful fault with Netflix
For
Excellent video quality
Big, easy-to-navigate catalogue
High quality Originals
Against
Rarely first for big film releases
Netflix just keeps on getting better, making a more compelling case for your money at every turn. It’s everything you want from a video streaming service: simple to use, available on your preferred platform and filled with content you want to watch.
But it’s now got more rivals than ever and they’ve also upped their game, so is Netflix really the best video streaming service out there?
Pricing
Netflix UK pricing and features (Image credit: Netflix)
Netflix subscriptions start at £5.99 ($8.99, AU$10.99) per month for standard-definition streams to a single screen. Up your spend to £9.99 ($13.99, AU$15.99) per month and get high-def stuff available to watch on a couple of screens simultaneously.
Or go the whole hog (provided you’ve already gone the entire pig on a 4K Ultra HD TV) and spend £13.99 ($17.99, AU$19.99) per month for 4K content on as many as four screens at a time.
MORE: How to use Netflix Party: watch Netflix with friends online
Features
It goes without saying not all content is available in HD (720p) or Full HD (1080p), let alone Ultra HD or 4K. One of the great pleasures of a Netflix subscription is happening upon classic films such as Easy Rider and old episodes of cult TV shows such as Peep Show, and it would be optimistic in the extreme to expect them to represent the state of the technological arts.
But there’s now a huge stack of 4K content available, from The Crown and Last Chance U to Shadow Bone and Snowpiercer, and that stack is forever growing.
Netflix has a continuing good relationship with Sony Pictures that also grants the streamer exclusive rights to some Sony films. There’s also the excellent Studio Ghibli oeuvre now available in most countries.
In terms of bespoke content, Netflix distances itself from any nominal competition.
Netflix now prioritises its own content to such an extent that it seems less committed to adding blockbuster films from other studios than its main rival Amazon Prime Video. And now that Disney+ is on the scene, it’ll likely never be the first streaming service to add a Disney, Marvel or Star Wars title to its catalogue. But Netflix still has a strong selection of older favourites and not-too-aged blockbusters such as, at the time of writing, Arrival and Rocketman.
And as a content provider in its own right, Netflix goes from strength to strength, whether that’s through cinematic adventures or its increasingly impressive run of excellent documentary features and series.
And if you have an HDR (High Dynamic Range) compatible TV, there’s now loads of HDR content on Netflix too. It’s not immediately obvious, as there isn’t an HDR section anywhere in the menus, but if you type HDR into the search box you’ll find a list of HDR content such as After Life, The Witcher and Lupin. You’ll see an HDR logo (or Dolby Vision logo, if your TV supports it) on relevant content.
MORE: Best 4K TVs 2021
Provided your broadband connection is up to the task, it has always been a fuss-free and stable experience, and its broad compatibility is a strong sell too.
PCs and Macs, Google Chromecast, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV devices, Roku streamers, any smart TV worth its salt, games consoles, Blu-ray players from all the big brands, tablets and phones, whether iOS, Android or Windows, are all on the menu. In fact, there’s a strong argument that if a smart device doesn’t have Netflix, it can’t really be considered smart at all. It’s certainly the first app we look for whenever testing a new streaming product.
There’s good news for mobile users too. In the early days it wasn’t possible to download anything from Netflix to watch offline. Since November 2016, though, content can be downloaded to your phone and tablet to watch, glitch free, at your leisure on the Netflix app – and it does not count toward the limit of how many screens you can watch on at the same time. You can’t download literally everything, but there’s plenty of choice and lots of the most popular content is there for you to stick on your device.
MORE: Amazon Prime Video review
Ease of use
(Image credit: Netflix)
Ergonomically, things could hardly be simpler.
Aside from the TV app’s rather retrograde A-Z keyboard (rather than QWERTY) search function, it’s straightforward to browse, create a shortlist and enjoy Netflix’s more-hit-than-miss recommendations based on your previous viewing habits.
You can establish multiple user profiles, including parental locks to prevent the kids stumbling onto Zombeavers or similar.
There are also handy and fun features such as Play Something/Shuffle Play for when you’re stuck for what to watch next, and Netflix Party to watch online with friends.
MORE: 25 Netflix tips, tricks and features
Performance
Whether 4K, Full HD or standard definition, Netflix serves video streams at exactly the sort of quality you expect. Watch a 4K HDR stream such as Formula 1 Drive to Survive on an appropriate display and it’s prodigiously detailed, vibrant and stable.
Colours pop, contrast is punchy and the sheer amount of information available for your enjoyment is thrilling. It almost goes without saying, but if you own a 4K TV or 4K projector, the top tier £14 ($18, AU$20) subscription should be considered almost compulsory.
It’s all equally high-contrast, steady-motion, fine-detail good news for Full HD too. Native 1080p content looks accomplished, though obviously the exact amount of detail revealed in dark scenes (for instance) is to an extent dependent on the source material.
MORE: 15 of the best movies of the 1990s to test your home cinema
Given a fighting chance, though, Full HD stuff such as Collateral is vivid, stable and eminently watchable. As regards standard-def stuff, you take your chances.
The majority of decent TVs – and certainly all the screens we recommend – are equipped with effective upscaling engines and won’t make you regret your partiality for schlocky thrillers such as Ravenous.
5.1 audio is now available on many titles, and Netflix serves it up in the same manner as it does pictures: robustly and positively.
Provided you have the necessary home cinema set-up (or even the right soundbar) at home, Dolby Atmos is also available on a good portion of Netflix’s own TV shows and movies. It presents an altogether more substantial and immersive sound than anything your TV’s integrated speakers can manage.
Verdict
It’s difficult to think of a downside to Netflix. Set your mind to it and you can search for plenty of films it doesn’t have, but the same is true of any movie streaming service and Netflix is better than almost all of those when it comes to the combination of original content, cherry-picked classics, video and sound quality, usability, and individual recommendations.
Disney+ will have turned many a head, but there are plenty who are left cold by the House of Mouse’s output, and, with recent price hikes to Netflix and Disney+, signing up to both services is not quite the financial no-brainer it once was.
Sure, the Premium tier (£13.99, $17.99, AU$19.99) now feels a more considerable monthly outgoing than before. All the same, if we had to live with just one video streaming service, it’s no contest. The quality, consistency and breadth of content available mean that Netflix is still king.
MORE:
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Google has revealed the full schedule for its I/O tech conference next month, and a Google Pixel 6 announcement could be on the cards. While the handset isn’t mentioned in the event schedule, Google’s CEO has said we’ll see “significant product updates and announcements” at the conference, 9to5Google reports.
Sundar Pichai made the comments to investors during an earnings call.
The Pixel 6 is expected to follow in the footsteps of its predecessor, the Pixel 5 (pictured), and offer decent specs at a more accessible price. Google usually announces its Pixel handsets in September or October, and according to Pichai, “product releases are returning to a regular cadence” following the disruption caused by the pandemic. So, I/O might actually be a bit early for a full reveal. Nevertheless, Google could always tease the device, or at least confirm its existence.
Google is also rumoured to be working on a foldable phone codenamed Passport, which it could choose to show off at the event.
The Pixel 6 is expected to boast 5G connectivity, a 6in high refresh rate screen (either 90Hz or 120Hz), and facial recognition.
Google I/O takes place online from 18-20th May. It is also expected to include updates on Android 12 and Google TV.
MORE:
Everything you need to know about the Google Pixel 6
These are the best smartphones for music and movies on the move
With quality programmes, vast platform support and a great interface, iPlayer is the best video-on-demand catch-up TV service out there
For
Superb content
Intuitive and slick interface
Extensive platform support
Against
Still no permanent 4K offering
It’s free (although you need a TV licence). It’s the home of superb TV shows. There are no ads. And you can download programmes for offline watching. Put simply, BBC iPlayer is the UK’s best catch-up TV service.
Even without considering all the live broadcast TV and radio the corporation provides across many channels, iPlayer is almost worth the licence fee on its own.
Missed the last episode of Line of Duty, need another Pointless fix or want to see what all the Killing Eve or Fleabag fuss is about? BBC iPlayer is your answer. It was already a great desktop service when first introduced in 2007 and, well over a decade on, it’s even more excellent in its incarnation as an app for your TV, smartphone and tablet.
Features
(Image credit: BBC)
Unlike Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, iPlayer is free to use – so long as you pay the BBC’s annual licence fee (currently £159), which has been in place, in some form or another, for almost a century.
The on-demand service is the home of BBC shows that have recently aired, offering a (typically 30-day) window to catch them before they are free to whizz off to the BBC and ITV’s relatively new, £5.99-per-month BritBox streaming service, which is where you’ll find the biggest collection of British TV content ever, combining current and classic boxsets for on-demand viewing.
BBC iPlayer does host some of its most popular TV shows for longer durations, however – Killing Eve (which became the first British-made show to be named the best comedy series at the Emmy Awards last year), Line of Duty (multipleBAFTA Television Awards nominee), Luther (multiple Golden Globe nominee) and Doctor Foster (two-time National Television Awards winner) are, at the time of writing, available to binge in their entirety on iPlayer, for example.
In a bid to boost the nation’s spirits during lockdown, the BBC helpfully added a slew of new long-term boxsets to iPlayer. The ‘from the archive’ tab in ‘categories’ is where you’ll find full series’ of classic fare such as Absolutely Fabulous, Black Adder and The Vicar of Dibley as well as pretty much every Michael Palin documentary ever made.
It would be difficult to guess how many hours of content iPlayer offers at any one time, but there always seems to be at least one show on iPlayer that everyone is talking about – and that’s a credit to the broadcaster’s consistency for quality programming.
As with many streaming services these days, BBC iPlayer lets you download shows onto your smart device for offline watching for up to 30 days. This is great for long train journeys, if you’re travelling out of the country (iPlayer is only available in the UK) or can’t get any internet or data signal.
You can choose whether to restrict downloading to when you’re connected to a wi-fi network or allow downloading over your mobile network data in the app’s settings.
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(Image credit: BBC)
BBC iPlayer’s familiar grid layout is neat and stylish, with its home screen logically presenting you with ‘Featured’, ‘Recommended for You’, ‘Continue Watching’ and ‘Most Popular’ suggestions. The service dynamically highlights programmes, too, mixing documentaries and comedy panel shows so that there’s something for everyone.
You can also browse programmes by channels (BBC One, BBC Two or CBeebies, for example), categories (Arts, Food and Documentaries, say) or TV guide schedules. Or you can simply search for them. You can add shows to your ‘My Programmes’ list, too, so new episodes are easy to access.
Essentially, each update to iPlayer over the years has made it fresher and more intuitive to use. Scrolling through the service is a swift and smooth process, regardless of what platform you’re using.
This is probably a good time to mention that the iPlayer app is everywhere: on pretty much every smart TV and media streamer, available to download across iOS and Android devices, even on Xbox Series X/S. iPlayer’s not currently on the PS5, but it’s still one of the most prevalent apps across smart devices in the UK.
Just be aware that you need to create a BBC ID account to watch any iPlayer content, although it is free to sign up and stays logged in at all times, keeping your favourites list and watching history synced across all devices.
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Picture
(Image credit: BBC)
With increasingly high-quality screen resolutions on smartphones and tablets, both standard and high-definition shows on iPlayer look as good as you’d reasonably expect them to.
Naturally, we would urge you to play HD whenever you can. Most programmes are available in HD, so long as they’ve first been broadcast on a BBC HD channel.
Then there’s the BBC’s next-level 4K Ultra HD content, which offers a huge step up in picture quality – namely in resolution and detail. While the BBC still doesn’t yet have a regular, permanent 4K offering, it has run several 4K trials on iPlayer since 2016, including Planet Earth II and Blue Planet II on-demand viewing and, even more excitingly, live broadcasts of the 2018 FIFA World Cup football and Wimbledon tennis.
After temporarily removing 4K content during 2020 to help ease the strain on broadband networks, iPlayer has made UHD programming available again. The current ‘trial’ has nine shows available to stream, including His Dark Materials and Black Narcissus. We can’t help but feel it really is about time for 4K to become a permanent fixture of the service.
Despite broadcasting some HD programmes, such as The Proms, in 5.1 surround sound, all content on iPlayer is only available in stereo. This is a bit disappointing, especially when streaming modern films or the flagship 4K documentary Seven Worlds, One Planet, which we know has a lush Dolby Atmos soundtrack on its Blu Ray release. Although some paid-for streaming platforms do have tiers that support multi-channel sound, we understand that the BBC doesn’t have any plans to add that functionality to iPlayer in the short term.
The BBC does provide excellent accessibility features for the visually impaired and hard of hearing. Many programmes will have icons that tell you whether audio description (AD) or sign language (SL) options are available.
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Verdict
BBC iPlayer isn’t entirely free, of course. But when the license fee amounts to less than 45p per day, and you look at the incredible range and accessibility of programming available from the BBC, not to mention the cutting-edge picture technologies it strives to offer in the hopefully near future, we’d happily carry on paying so that we can see more of the broadcaster’s David Attenborough-narrated nature documentaries.
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One of the best TV streaming devices just got a tiny bit better. Google is rolling out an update to the Google Chromecast with Google TV giving you more control over picture settings, including HDR, The Verge reports.
Download the update and restart the device, and you’ll find a new “advanced video controls” sub-menu in the settings. Here you’ll be able to tinker with all sorts of settings, including setting your preferred HDR setting, whether that be Dolby Vision, HDR or forced SDR.
As the Chromecast with Google TV does dynamic range matching (assuming you’ve selected that option) this new option won’t be hugely useful to most people, but those with lower-end HDR TVs may find that forcing SDR gives them better overall performance.
You can manually switch to a different resolution at various refresh rates, too. These include: 4K (60Hz / 50Hz / 30Hz/ 25Hz / 24Hz / smpte); 1080p (60Hz / 50Hz / 24Hz); 720p (60Hz / 50Hz); 1080i (60Hz / 50Hz); 576p (50Hz); and 480p (60Hz). Really, though, you should be fine with the setting the Chromecast has picked for you – something that it should now be even better at doing, thanks to the new update.
It gets better on the audio side too, with Bluetooth audio stuttering reduced on certain apps.
Its wi-fi performance should be improved on 5GHz and mesh networks, while HDMI-CEC can now be configured to turn on/off only the TV. Finally, a security update should provide peace of mind.
A couple of things are missing from this update, though – the recently promised HDR10+ support, and an option for the device to automatically match the frame rate of the content being played. Until a ‘match frame rate’ option is added, some content can stutter a little bit.
That said, the Google Chromecast with Google TV is already one of the best streamers around, earning five stars in our review. But it’s up against some stiff competition from Amazon’s Fire TV streamers and the new Apple TV 4K.
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Apple’s colorful new M1-powered iMacs, refreshed iPad Pros, and updated Apple TV 4K (with a not-terrible-looking remote) are now all available to preorder today from Apple’s website.
The company says that the new products will be delivered starting on May 21st —at least for the first wave of orders, although that timing will certainly slip as stock sells out.
Customers interested in buying the new iMac should take note that only some of the color schemes will be available in stores: green, pink, blue, and silver models will be sold in-person at Apple Store locations, but the full seven-color spectrum will only be offered through Apple’s website, at least for now.
The new iPad Pro also features Apple’s new M1 processor (the same as the iMac and last falls updated MacBooks), in addition to an upgraded ultra-wide angle camera for better video calls. Additionally, the larger 12.9-inch model will feature a new Mini LED display, which promises a far brighter and more accurate screen experience — at the cost of a $100 price increase over the 2020 model.
iPad Pro (2021, 12.9-inch, M1, Wi-Fi)
$1,099
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Apple’s new 12.9-inch iPad Pro features an M1 processor, as well as a new Liquid Retina XDR Mini LED screen. It costs $100 more for the base configuration this year, starting at $1,099 for a 128GB Wi-Fi-enabled tablet. It starts at $1,299 if you opt for cellular service.
$1,099
at Apple
$1,099
at B&H Photo
$1,099
at Best Buy
Also of particular note: in addition to the preorders for the updated Apple TV 4K, preorders have also opened for the standalone $59 Siri Remote for existing Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K (first-gen) owners looking to replace the infamous first-generation Siri Remote with a (hopefully) better new design.
Alongside the preorders for the new Apple products, the first wave of last week’s AirTag and purple iPhone 12 and 12 mini devices should be arriving to both customers and in Apple Stores starting today.
The Fives offer sonic performance to match their lengthy feature list, if not exactly their ambitious moniker
For
Punchy presentation
Good features set
Versatile nature
Against
Uneven tonality
Not the most organised presentation
It’s not often we are presented with a product such as the Klipsch The Fives. They’re clearly a pair of stereo speakers, and yet we have to ask ourselves what they are actually for. That only happens when a product’s feature list blurs the lines between hi-fi and TV sound, and also occasionally the morning after the What Hi-Fi? Awards ceremony.
Klipsch describes The Fives as a ‘powered speaker system’, which is about as specific as you can get. They can be used as a hi-fi system – either standalone or with a source plugged in – as desktop speakers, or indeed as a true stereo alternative to a soundbar thanks to the seemingly simple, but nonetheless shrewdly incorporated, HDMI ARC connection.
Klipsch sees this as a potential driver for many customers adopting The Fives. And, as a publication that generally favours stereo speakers as an alternative to a comparatively priced soundbar – in terms of basic audio performance for the money, at least – we don’t see anything wrong with that concept.
This isn’t due to a lack of focus on Klipsch’s part, but part of the forward movement of the company as a whole. The company is trying to expand its reach, rather than simply throwing what it can at their speakers to see what sticks.
The Fives represent a step towards what Klipsch describes as a more global sound. The ‘American’ tuning with which the brand is so familiar remains, but some of the leanings of the European and Asian markets – typically favouring delicacy over sheer scale – have been deliberately addressed.
What we hear is not exactly the final destination, and there isn’t, we’re told, a particular sound at which Klipsch would like to arrive. But anyone on our side of the Atlantic who might have written the brand off for its sonic presentation could afford the brand a keener ear in the future.
Pricing
An open mind is preferable when approaching The Fives, as are some relatively deep pockets. At £839 ($699), they aren’t going to be an impulse buy for many.
That price tag places The Fives in roughly the same realm as the Naim Mu-so Qb, Sonos Arc and KEF LSX. The fact that those are three entirely different products only highlights just what a versatile product you’re getting for the money. Its rivals depend entirely on how you plan to use them; there isn’t really a direct competitor.
Features
In short, The Fives will connect to virtually anything. The HDMI ARC connection for TVs is joined by analogue RCA, 3.5mm aux, digital optical and USB inputs. Bluetooth 5.0 is also present for simple wireless playback, while a subwoofer output allows for expansion into the lower frequencies.
(Image credit: Klipsch)
Klipsch The Fives tech specs
(Image credit: Klipsch)
Drivers 25mm tweeter; 11.5cm mid/bass
Reflex port Rear-firing
Cabinet MDF with wood veneer
HDMI ARC Yes
Phono Yes
Bluetooth Yes
Dimensions (hwd) 30.5 x 16.5 x 23.5cm
Weight 5.35kg (primary); 4.85kg (secondary)
There is also a phono preamp built in, proving Klipsch’s dedication to hi-fi and that these are not only TV speakers, so by adding just a simple deck you really can have a tidy home entertainment system with The Fives as its mouthpiece.
The Fives are capable of hi-res music playback, while Klipsch’s Dynamic Bass EQ is designed to enhance low frequencies at lower volumes. It can be turned off as a feature, for a more traditional bass response, or you can cut the bass if it’s getting too boomy near a back wall. That is indeed a possibility, due to the rear-firing reflex port. It features Klipsch’s Tractrix horn shape, in a similar but narrower form to that found on the front surrounding the 25mm titanium dome tweeter.
Just below is an 11.5cm long-throw woofer, which appears smaller than it is thanks to the proportions of the horn above it, but is well capable of filling a small to medium-sized room without overstretching.
Build
(Image credit: Klipsch)
Despite Klipsch speakers’ reputation for room-filling sound, at 30cm tall and 23.5cm wide, these are relatively small bookshelf speakers; don’t expect them to project across a room the size of an air hangar. Besides, you will want to be close by to admire the design.
The walnut veneer on our review sample resonates with the price tag, but of all this almost mid-century design, the rollers on the top of the right-hand speaker stand out most.
If we were to compile a coffee table book of dials and knobs found on hi-fi kit since What Hi-Fi? was first published 45 years ago, the controls on these Klipsch speakers could easily make the first edition. The fact The Fives come packaged with a remote is almost irrelevant, given how keen you’ll be to get up and use these dials to change volume and source.
The Fives would feel like a premium product with the kind of touch panel we usually see on powered speakers such as these, but the individuality of this design should be praised – especially if it is an indicator of the attention paid to everything else.
Sound
(Image credit: Klipsch)
At least we can say that Klipsch has paid equal attention to each of The Fives’ many potential sources. It’s no faint praise when we say how pleased we are that these speakers’ character is pretty much uniform, however we decide to use them; that can’t be a simple task when being asked to take material from a TV, turntable, streamer, laptop and a smartphone.
The Fives do well, all told. They offer a good level of detail that will dig out texture and timbre regardless of whether it is from the voices of a chamber choir or daytime soap. Is it comparable to a grand’s worth of hi-fi separates? Not quite – nor would we expect it to be – but it is enough to deliver a kind of sonic maturity you won’t get from a budget soundbar or wireless speaker. And as a package, they’re a neater proposition than separates.
It’s a punchy sound, too, able to take on stabbing snares and hi-hats as well as heavy artillery. A good pair of hi-fi speakers should always be able to do both, and so it transpires with The Fives. Stereo imaging is good, provided the speakers are positioned with care and placed on a solid support.
So The Fives are a pleasing listen, but they’re not perfect. We’d like a more even frequency balance with better top-end refinement. While there’s a decent amount of bass for the speakers’ size and treble doesn’t sound particularly rolled off, certain frequencies tend to stick out in an almost arbitrary fashion – and, to a degree, this detrimentally affects the way these Klipschs convey timing and organisation.
Verdict
Overall, though, you do get a good return on your investment as a one-stop shop for home audio. If you want to use them for one thing in particular, you might get better value with a more dedicated component, but if it’s a do-all pair of speakers you crave, it’s well worth giving The Fives a go.
SCORES
Sound 4
Features 5
Build 4
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Google is rolling out a new April update for the Chromecast with Google TV that launched last year. It’s a fairly large update for a streaming device — totaling 166MB on my Chromecast — but includes numerous improvements.
Once you’ve installed the new software and restarted your Chromecast, you’ll be able to dig a little deeper into video settings than was previously possible. In the new “advanced video controls” area of settings, you’re now given the ability to choose your preferred dynamic range format. Options include Dolby Vision, HDR, or even SDR if you want to keep it there. You can also manually switch to a ton of resolutions at various refresh rates from this menu:
4K (60Hz / 50Hz / 30Hz/ 25Hz / 24Hz / smpte)
1080p (60Hz / 50Hz / 24Hz)
720p (60Hz / 50Hz)
1080i (60Hz / 50Hz)
576p (50Hz)
480p (60Hz)
Unless you’ve got a good reason to make a change, I’d keep it at whatever Chromecast selects as the default: that was 4K 60Hz in my case. Google says this update also improves the Chromecast with Google TV’s Wi-Fi performance on 5GHz networks and mesh systems. For the full list of improvements, see below. I’m still waiting for a way to clear the “continue watching” row, where shows and movies can sometimes just get stuck — even after you’ve finished streaming them.
– Advanced Video Controls setting for granular HDR formats, resolution/refresh rate, and color formats
– HDMI hotplug improvements helping your Chromecast detect the best TV Settings available
– Wi-Fi Improvements for 5Ghz and Mesh networks
– Bluetooth Audio stuttering improvements in some Apps
– HDMI-CEC can now be configured to turn on/off only the TV in settings
– Security update: Android security patch level to April 2021
Separate from this software update, the Chromecast with Google TV also recently picked up certification for HDR10+. So if you come across content on Amazon Prime Video that streams in that format of HDR, it should soon be supported on Google’s streaming gadget.
Years ago, my Verge colleagues convinced me that Dexter got so bad, it’d be a waste of my time to see my favorite TV serial killer reach the end of his story — so when I tell you that Dexter’s coming back this fall, picking up right where the show left off, I haveabsolutely no clue what that actually means.
But if you did emotionally invest yourself enough to see the series through, you have my pity, my respect, and a brand-new teaser trailer to watch, above, as proof of life — an assurance that the series’ widely panned ending isn’t actually the end.
The new Dexter will be a 10-episode limited series on Showtime this fall, starring Michael C. Hall, set 10 years after the original show, created by the original showrunner and featuring one of the original directors as well.
When Apple introduced its all-new iMac 24-inch all-in-one desktop and iPad Pro tablet based on its M1 system-on-chip earlier this month, it said that the new products would be available in the second half of May, but never revealed when exactly they were set to hit the shelves. On Thursday Apple finally unwrapped details about availability of its new devices.
Apple and its partners will start to take pre-orders on the latest 24-inch iMac, iPad Pro, and Apple TV 4K starting April 30, 2021. Meanwhile, the new AIO desktop, professional tablet, and set-top-box will be available starting May 21, 2020, reports MacRumors citing UK retailer John Lewis. Since the date comes from an unofficial source, it should be taken with a grain of salt. Meanwhile, Jon Prosser, a tech analyst and a leaker, also states that the 21st of May as the launch date for Apple’s latest products.
Apple’s new M1-based iMac comes in seven colors and is equipped with a 23.5-inch display featuring a 4480 × 2520 resolution and a 500 nits brightness, a major upgrade for entry-level AIOs that previously featured a 21-inch LCD panel. The system can be equipped with up to 16GB of LPDDR4 memory and up to 2TB of solid-state storage. Pricing starts at $1,299.
Apple’s upcoming iPad Pro also represent a huge advancement when compared to predecessors as they are powered by PC-class M1 SoC and can be equipped with up to 16GB of memory. Meanwhile, the new iPad Pro 12.9-inch is the world’s first tablet to use a Mini LED display. The new iPad Pros start at $799 for 11-inch SKU and $1,099 for a 12.9-incher.
(Pocket-lint) – As the world continues to be gripped by a pandemic not seen in generations, it comes as no shock that gaming has been affected like just about everything else. Games release schedules have been adversely hit in particular, with fewer releases, especially of a triple-A standard.
Thank the heavens for Returnal, then. Not previously considered in top tier terms, the PlayStation 5 exclusive has however earned its stripes and could be one of the few titles to conversely benefit from global woes, with a greater number of eyes on it now than perhaps in more normal times.
It’s obvious why it could have been previously overlooked and underappreciated. Developer Housemarque is hardly known for its action-adventure titles, for starters, having largely made its name with indie retro-inspired shooters. Early trailers and marketing fanfare were uninspiring too, making it seem more like an Alien-esque shoot-’em-up than the deeply layered, third-person shooter-platformer-survival-horror roguelike it has turned out to be.
Back once again
That’s not to say it isn’t heavily inspired by Alien and the works of HR Giger – the art style seems so influenced, you could swear it had been directed by Ridley Scott. But originality seeps from every pore, and it is as far removed from other Sony exclusive in recent memory.
Take the plot, for example. It is far more involving than “travel to a planet, shoot everything and leave”. It is structured, subtle (at least initially), and is eminently playable. That’s to say, it intertwines with the gameplay. There are few cut scenes and, indeed, little preamble. Instead, you discover the story as you play, whereby you feel like you are driving it rather than the other way around.
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All you know at the beginning is that you are a pilot, Selene, who has crash landed on an alien planet. The planet, Atropos, turns out to be aptly named after the Greek goddess in charge of every mortal’s thread of life, and that sets up a cycle of life and death that runs throughout.
Atropos is ever changing, largely deadly, and often mysterious. It is also, for a reason that may become clearer as you progress, locked in some form of time loop – each time you die, you reappear at the crash site and must start your progress almost afresh.
Sony Interactive Entertainment / Housemarque
Now, this might sound like it could get repetitive or frustrating, but Housemarque beautifully balances the concept with clever gameplay decisions. First up, Returnal is a roguelike in order to keep things fresh each time you die and restart. There are six biomes to explore throughout the game, each with increasingly harder-to-tackle enemies. Each biome is also made up of differently sized rooms that shift around to present a different maze each life cycle.
The second example of ingenuity by the developer is that some power-ups and abilities remain with you once found the first time, making it easier to progress each time. Enhanced weapons you come across will disappear – leaving you with the same starter pistol – but you will be guided to a pick-up point earlier in your subsequent progress, in order to re-equip you for the perils you already know lie ahead.
In addition, the game tends to bring forward more advanced rooms to get you closer to your goal more quickly. This allows you to avoid having to tread the same areas over-and-over again – and helps stave off frustration as you essentially want to just get back to the part where you died before.
Sony Interactive Entertainment / Housemarque
This is vital, really, as Returnal is one of the hardest games around right now. Up there with the toughest Souls games for sure (pay attention Demon’s Souls fans).
Ah, shoot
For its cunning complexity and mysterious, unravelling plot, Returnal is surprisingly simple to just pick up and play.
Sony Interactive Entertainment / Housemarque
It’s a third-person shooter at its heart, with enemy battles largely taking place over a distance as you blast away with whatever gun you have chosen to carry (you can only use one at a time). Each gun has a primary and secondary firing modes, with the latter particularly damaging but needing a cooldown after each shot.
This offers the first instance of the game’s cunning use of the PS5’s DualSense controller. To fire the primary shot – which is endless but can overheat – you just need to either pull the right trigger or slightly press the left trigger too for aiming. Pressing harder on the left trigger will activate the alternative firing mode. Haptic feedback is also used throughout the game, with every tiny droplet of rain or other special effect offering minute rumbles that ripple around the pad. This is what Sony clearly expected when it first announced the DualSense’s unique properties. It is immersion on another level, that’s for sure.
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Rooms in Returnal can be empty – save for an item chest or object to interact with – or they can be filled with horrors. Alien creatures on Atropos seemingly only want to send you to oblivion, and that’s where the fun starts. If you have the weaponry and skillset, you can have some glorious battles, even with the most basic of baddies. The studio’s undoubted experience with top-down shooters comes to the fore, with shooting patterns and styles seeming more in tune with 2D shoot-’em-ups. It makes for a decent challenge each time.
Sony Interactive Entertainment / Housemarque
More challenging still are the end-of-biome bosses, who each take so much punishment before yielding. Whereas, you can take only a little before you die and have to repeat the process again. Still, the power-ups found along the way each time can help, while early battles prepare you well for later, much harder foes.
Pretty deadly
We’ve touched upon the interesting uses of the DualSense controller, but they aren’t the only examples of why this is a next-gen title only. Returnal uses just about every trick in the book, visually, including ray tracing and 60 frames-per-second. You couldn’t have a fast-paced shooter without the latter, to be fair.
It is also stunning looking. Yes, it invokes the spirit of Scott’s original Alien and, even more so, Prometheus, but there are neon flourishes throughout that make scenery and enemies pop. When played on a decent HDR TV, it is a true feast for your eyes.
Sony Interactive Entertainment / Housemarque
Our first couple of runs were mainly spent looking around, to be honest. Not just for clues or ways to navigate the maze, but to soak in the majesty. The game runs in dynamic 4K, which must dip at times in order to maintain high frame rates, but we didn’t really notice.
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There are some grainier sections and some less detailed textures – such as the house (you’ll know what we mean when you see it) – but nothing too overt and certainly nothing to spoil the enjoyment.
Verdict
Returnal is a superb game that is well timed and gratefully received. It’s not the first game to use the eat, sleep, rinse and repeat concept. It won’t be the last either, with Deathloop coming later this year. However, it does it in a clever, interesting way that never tires.
There is also a great fog of mystery that permeates the game that has you wanting to progress, even when the action is sometimes unrelentingly difficult. It reminds us of Control in that way. Indeed, it too has a strong lead female character and overarching sense of something that’s not quite right with the world.
But, at the same time, it is very much its own beast and Sony will be cock-a-hoop that it has a truly original exclusive on its hands. One that will surely become a new, valuable IP.
It could also help Housemarque become more of a household name. It’ll certainly be less pigeonholed in future, that’s for sure.
If you’re stuck for something to watch this weekend, Netflix has you covered. The streaming giant is now rolling out its Play Something feature. Play Something (previously called Shuffle Play) picks a show or movie for you based on your viewing history. All you need to do is press play.
Netflix has been testing the feature for months. It’s rolling out now in certain regions on TV-based versions of the Netflix app, and will eventually roll out globally to all Netflix users who watch on a TV. The firm plans to start testing it on Android mobile devices, too.
We’ve tested it in the UK, and it’s working on LG TVs in our test rooms, but not yet on our Apple TV.
Open the Netflix app, and you should see a big Play Something button on your profile screen (it will also appear on the 10th row of the homescreen, and in the navigation menu to the left). Hit it, and the algorithm will pick something for you and start playing.
“Sometimes you just want to open Netflix and dive right into a new story,” Cameron Johnson, Director of Product Innovation at Netflix wrote in a blog post. “That’s why we’ve created Play Something, an exciting new way to kick back and watch.”
What happens if you don’t like what it picks? With another click, Netlfix will pick something else – this will either be from your queue, something you haven’t finished watching, or something else new based on your viewing habits. It could save you hours of scrolling through looking for something to watch. Or, it could fail spectacularly. There’s only one way to find out…
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