Much has been said about 5G being the future for mobile technology. After all, it's the natural next step after 4G and promises to be substantially faster than anything we've seen before. 

We're not just talking about incremental speed boosts either, as it's been suggested that 5G will be 100 times faster than standard 4G. So far, that seems to be the case, but how will it help the average user? 

Particularly in the case of the smart home, 5G technology has the potential to revolutionize. That is, if you buy into the hype and speculation that's already rampant while we wait for 5G devices to launch. 

The smart home is an environment a growing number of us live in – a household that, besides possessing laptops and smartphones, also contains IoT (Internet of Things) gadgets, from smart speakers like the Amazon Echo to smart lightbulbs and smart locks, right down to all-in-one gadgets like Google Home Hub. 

Connected devices are a great way of streamlining how you do things around the home, but it's limited too, thanks to speed restrictions and other issues. Could 5G be the savior that makes the smart home a more appealing proposition to all?

• What is 5G? Everything you need to know

Faster and more efficient smart devices

It's important to know that 5G isn't just faster. It's also vastly more efficient in how it approaches things. It offers lower latency so its response times are speedier and it's also generally smarter. 

It can handle more users simultaneously than 4G due to its ability to co-exist alongside other wireless signals without any risk of interference. 5G operates on three different spectrum bands which means it can be as fast as it needs to be, depending on the device that's connecting to it. That frees up capacity for users in busy areas and reduces slowdown at peak times. 

The downside? Higher band spectrums need a clear and direct line of sight to the relevant mast to work as well. That means cities will need to install more 5G masts compared to how 4G was applied in the past. Potentially, we may all need some form of antenna or hub in our homes to get the most from the service. 

However, being able to cope with so many different connections at once is a huge advantage for 5G. Wireless connections are consistently under demand from many different sources all at once and often, becoming overloaded with different users and devices is a hefty bottleneck for receiving a high quality service. 

Take a look around your home. How many devices already use a wireless connection in some way? It's likely that your TV, games consoles, smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, and laptops all depend on a strong wireless connection to work effectively. 

But what about if you add a smart speaker or hub to the mix? Or a smart lightbulb system? Or locks? The list is near never-ending nowadays, with even large appliances like refrigerators or microwaves coming with smart home technology built-in. 

During setup, many of these devices create their own Wi-Fi network before switching over to the main home network. Others rely on Bluetooth for the early stages of setup. 

In either case, 5G can provide a more consistent form of service, consolidating setup and ensuring that things are easier to get started. It's the kind of thing that can make smart home technology far more accessible and more intelligently designed, thereby encouraging more users to embrace IoT. 

Low latency is another way in which 5G could improve smart homes significantly. In the case of security camera systems like Ring and Nest, every millisecond counts. Being able to view what's going on outside your home is useful but only if the response rate means the pictures update rapidly. 

A 5G connection means a theoretical response rate of 1 or 2ms compared to a home broadband connection of 10-20ms (at best). Instantly, it makes a security system more attractive to the concerned homeowner. 

Overall, 5G could be far superior to a home broadband connection. Faster, theoretically more reliable, and even potentially cheaper – however, there are issues to work through first. 

Replacing broadband

There are conflicting reports as to what 5G means for power consumption. While it's more energy-efficient in principle, it also requires more masts to work effectively. 

Like with any new technology, it's also likely to have a knock on effect on the battery life of portable devices like 5G smartphones and wearables; it's something that will take time to improve. 

There's also the fact that you'll need to replace your current smartphones and gadgets to be able to use 5G. That's less of an issue for smartphones as many of us upgrade regularly, but swapping out smart home systems and infrastructures isn't for the faint hearted  – or for anyone counting the pennies. 

It's reasonably likely that for a time, 5G will co-exist alongside existing home broadband setups. Base stations are key here with, with homes potentially having a 5G hub alongside a hardwired broadband solution. 

That means increased reliability in the home (all-important when even your lighting depends on your internet connection), as well as the eventual step away from the need for a landline. 

After all, when did you last make a call from your home phone line? It also gives users time to adapt to 5G, slowly swapping out older devices for new ones that support the new protocol. 

While business related, the future can be seen a little through the eyes of Huawei's plans for the InterContinental Shenzhen hotel in China: 

Currently in the midst of a makeover, it's set to be the world's first 5G smart hotel. That means continuous 5G coverage for users, but also things like 5G-powered 'welcome robots', cloud gaming, virtual reality rowing machines, and the ability to seamlessly stream 4K movies. 

Everyone likes a speedy internet connection and one that enables them to do more. 5G looks set to make smart homes even easier to set up and live amongst than before.– it's just going to take a little time and adaptation to get there. 

5G Uncovered, in association with Samsung, brings you everything you need to know about the next wave of connectivity - not just how fast it's going to be, but in just how many ways it's going to change your life. Our 5G Uncovered hub is carefully curated to show everything there is to know about the next generation of connection.   

• The best cheap smart home devices and gadget deals this month

As Computex 2019 draws to a close, we look back at the very best gaming laptops that were on display at the huge show in Taiwan.

The biggest names in gaming were out in force, and they brought along a range of powerful and innovative designs that really push the boundaries of what we've come to expect from gaming laptops.

As Computex 2019 demonstrates, gaming laptops aren't just getting bigger and more powerful, but also thinner and lighter as well.

So, without further ado, here's our pick of the best gaming laptops at Computex 2019.

Asus ROG Strix Scar III G731

Asus laptops always have a strong showing at Computex, and at this year's event, Asus showed off some of its upcoming gaming laptops that we can't wait to have a play on.

The Asus ROG Strix Scar III G731 was one of the best gaming laptops on show at Computex 2019. 

Designed for esports, it comes with an ultra-fast 240Hz screen and is powered by Nvidia RTX GPUs. It looks set to be ideal for people who play games where lightning-fast reflexes are of the upmost importance.

Alienware m15 2019

Dell unveiled its mightily impressive Alienware m15 2019 gaming laptop at this year's Computex show, packed with a 9th-generation, quad-core Intel Core i5 processor and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 (4GB GDDR5) GPU, along with 8GB of RAM. That's a pretty decent spec, but it's also packed into an impressively thin and light chassis.

The screen options of this gaming laptop are impressive as well, with the choice of a  240Hz FHD display paired with Tobii eye-tracking technology built into the webcam array or an OLED Ultra HD screen (3,840 x 2,160) with Tobii eye-tracking tech built in.

MSI GT76 Titan

While thin and light gaming laptops are all the rage in 2019, we have to admit we've got a soft spot for the MSI GT76 Titan – which is an unapologetic beast of a gaming laptop with a size – and specs – that are worthy of its titanic moniker.

This gaming laptop is absolutely massive, weighing in at 8.8 pounds, and is packed front to back with RGB lighting and an aluminum build – and it also boasts a desktop-class processor that can be overclocked – something of a rarity in laptops.

It also comes with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 graphics card and can fit up to a whopping 128GB of RAM. There's nothing subtle about this gaming laptop – and that's what we love about it.

Gigabyte Aorus 5

Gigabyte also showed off its latest gaming laptops, and it's doing something interesting by making sure that every component in the new Aorus 5 is made by high-end manufacturers like Intel and Samsung.

This means that the Aorus 5 promises to deliver an exceptionally high-end gaming experience – and we can't wait to properly test it out soon.

Asus ZenBook Pro Duo

OK, so the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo isn't a straight-forward Asus gaming laptop, but it has some impressive specifications that allow it to run many games, thanks to an Intel Core i9 and Nvidia RTX 2060 powering it.

However, what really makes us excited about the potential of the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo as a gaming laptop is the fact that it was two 4K displays. The main display is 16:9 at 3,840 x 2,160 with the wide Screenpad Plus (which sits above the keyboard) coming in at 3,840 x 1,100 for a 32:9 aspect ratio.

That second screen can be used to display additional information for the game you're playing, such as maps, and it can also be used for multitasking. So, if you like streaming your game on Twitch, you could use the second screen to interact with your audience.

Very cool and very exciting.

• Check out all of TechRadar's Computex 2019 coverage. We're live in Taipei to bring you all the breaking computing news and launches, plus hands-on reviews of everything from fresh laptops and desktops to powerful new components and wild overclocking demonstrations. 

While Usenet groups are no longer so commonly used as in the early days of the internet, they still retain a significant following of users, especially since the advent of NZB readers to make for easy access to specific discussions or topics.

However, while free Usenet groups still exist, these have been very much eclipsed by paid-for Usenet groups which aside from having a more reliable service can also provide a safer service with better anti-virus and spam filtering.

Therefore it's likely that the modern Usenet user will be using a subscription service to access their favorite groups and content.

This doesn't mean to say you can't access Usenet groups for free - you can always get free Usenet trials and just use them one after the other to download Terabytes worth of data for more than four months. 

We’ve picked out the safer options in this article: well-known brands that have been reviewed either by ourselves or our peers.

• We also picked out the best Usenet providers

• Want your company or services to be added to this buyer’s guide? Please email your request to [email protected] with the URL of the buying guide in the subject line.

Given the cost of Apple products these days, it's no surprise that brick-and-mortar Apple Stores are still grappling with the issue of theft. When someone wanders out with an iPhone in the pocket of their hoodie, and isn't caught on camera, what is a poor multinational technology corporation meant to do?

The answer may be in a new wireless security system: one that can disable phone, tablets or laptops that have been smuggled out of the store. 

• Check out the best iPhone of 2019
• Or the best iPads you can buy today
• What to expect from the WWDC 2019 Apple developer's conference

As reported by Patently Apple, the US Patent and Trademark Office has now published a patent filed by Apple on January 31, outlining the anti-shoplifting technology. It uses a host of security measures to leave Apple devices useless if they've been taken out of the store before paying.

iPhone thieves will find that the handset won't unlock, and will see a warning message on the screen asking whoever's handling the phone to return it. There's an image in the patent that says "This phone was removed from the store. Please give us a call so we can help you bring it back," though we expect this is placeholder copy and could vary.

Thieves won't be able to use the unlock button to get into the phone, and the handset will send signals and location data back to the Apple mothership whenever passing through areas with open Wi-Fi.

After a certain amount of time outside the store – whether that's hours, days or weeks is unclear – the device will be permanently disabled.

A brand new iPhone is pretty costly: the cheapest iPhone XS Max model will cost $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,799, so it's no surprise that Apple is investing more in the security of its devices. 

While the steady increase in iPhone prices has been frustrating for many, it's even more infuriating to know someone got one for free – so while there's no telling when we'll see such a system implemented, we're all for Apple doing what it needs to.

• Apple is working on new products to blow you away, says Tim Cook

While it's possible to read PDF files already using Android phones and tablets, for most people that's about all they can do with them. If you want to do anything more with PDFs then you'll almost certainly need to install additional software to your Android device.

Luckily, there are a lot of different PDF apps available, which allow all sorts of additional functions and features to be opened up. This includes the ability to edit PDF files, which can be invaluable for users. Other features might include the ability to annotate PDF files as well as print them out, or even insert forms and similar for really user-interactive PDF files.

While Adobe Acrobat might be the first app people might think of, not least because it was Adobe who originally developed the PDF format, there are also other PDF apps well worth looking at.

So to help you make a decision, here's a round up of the best in Android PDF apps that we could find. 

• We've also highlighted the best free PDF editors

• Want your company or services to be added to this buyer’s guide? Please email your request to [email protected] with the URL of the buying guide in the subject line.

Browse the Google Store for PDF readers and you'll find what appears to be a huge choice of apps, but all isn't quite as it seems. Many are very limited, with only the most basic functionality.  

Xodo PDF Reader stands out from the underpowered masses for the range and depth of its feature set. Despite its name, the app isn't just about PDF reading: you can also create new PDFs via your camera, from images or Office documents. You can fill in, save and send PDF forms, or highlight text and add annotations of your own. It's even possible to collaborate on your document with others via Xodo's connect service (no registration required).  

Supporting features include smart integration with Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive. That's not just about providing an easy way to import documents from the cloud: Xodo can also automatically sync your edits with the source file, ensuring it always has the very latest version.  

There's another neat extra in Xodo's File Manager. Thumbnail previews and a Recent Files list give you speedy access to the documents you need, and you're able to freely rename, copy, move or delete any documents.  

The core PDF viewing engine is what really matters, though, and Xodo's creation works very well. High zoom factors, page cropping and a full-screen mode help you focus on the content, Night Mode makes for comfortable reading in darker environments and versatile search tools and table of contents support enables drilling down to key areas of the file. 

• You can download Xodo PDF Reader here

Foxit PDF Reader & Converter is a popular PDF app with more than a million installs recorded on Google Play, and a stellar rating of 4.5.  

It doesn't take long to understand Foxit's success. PDFs open quickly, you can control orientation with ease, text reflows to fit and you're able to tweak brightness and change the background to make for comfortable reading in all situations.  

Simple annotation tools are on hand to assist in highlighting text, adding notes or drawing on the page, and Foxit's Connected technology enables sharing comments and changes with others in real time.  

Form handling is a major plus, with options to fill out and save forms, import and export their data and submit forms via HTTP, FTP and email.  

While Foxit's core functionality is free, a number of more advanced features are only available if you subscribe (converting PDFs, combining files, password protection, digital certificates, OneDrive Business support). That's no surprise, but if you're on a budget, keep in mind that some PC-based PDF editors can carry out many of these tasks for free. 

• You can download Foxit PDF Reader & Converter here

Adobe's Acrobat Reader isn't the most powerful of PDF viewing apps, but there's more than enough functionality for most situations, and excellent document compatibility means you should be able to view even the most complex of PDFs as it was meant to be seen.  

Open a PDF from the web or share a document from another app and Acrobat Reader quickly displays it in a simple viewer. You're able to scroll around the document, zoom in and out or use simple searches, and everything works more or less exactly as you would expect.  

Advanced features include form filling and signing, and you're able to annotate files, highlight text, plus you can add and manage PDF comments.  

The app is designed to work with many other Adobe services and products. Some of these are free, including 2GB of cloud storage when you sign up for an Adobe account, and the OCR-powered Adobe Scan app which enables using your device as a PDF scanner, turning receipts, business cards, whiteboards and anything else into searchable, editable PDFs.  

The commercial extensions aren't always such good value. Converting files to and from PDF, reordering and rotating pages, are functions that other tools often do for free. Still, you don't have to sign up, and the free app delivers all the viewing functionality that many users will need. 

• You can download Adobe Acrobat Reader here

Gaaiho PDF Reader doesn't get nearly as much attention as Adobe, Foxit and the other big-name competition, but with Gaaiho's 20+ years' experience in developing PDF software, it's certainly worth a closer look.  

The main viewing engine opens documents at speed and provides a comfortable and flexible environment for reading, adding and managing comments, or checking out any attachments.  

Speedy options to add and edit bookmarks ensure that you can mark important areas of any document and speedily return to them later.  

Basic annotation tools include the ability to highlight text or draw lines, arrows and assorted simple shapes.  

Gaaiho PDF Reader 'only' offers direct support for accessing cloud files via Dropbox, but the ability to add other WebDAV servers gives it a level of flexibility that you won't often find elsewhere.  

If there's a problem here it's that Gaaiho doesn't seem nearly as interested in developing its Android app as its other software. As we write, for instance, the reader hasn't been updated for more than 10 months, and even that was only a minor bugfix release. It's still a good app, but we'd like to see a busier release schedule to give us more confidence for the future.  

• You can download Gaaiho PDF Reader here

EzPDF Reader is a popular commercial PDF reader (£3.49 or $4.89) from Korean developer Unidocs.  

The company sells ezPDF in part on being a 'multimedia PDF viewer', able to play audio, animated GIFs, zipped PNGs and video files embedded in the document (assuming they're compatible with your device.) A well-designed interface makes this a very natural process, especially on tablets, and a demo video on the company website shows you how it works.  

The viewer has some unusual touches, starting with a double-page view and an animated page flipping effect. That's not going to win over many business users, but it could be a nice touch for kids reading stories on their tablet.  

A strong set of more grown-up extras starts with support for opening ePub documents. EzPDF's form handling features include support for managing form calculations, as well as filling out the form, signing and submitting it via email.  

There are a vast number of text selection features. Choose a word, phrase or paragraph and you can copy it to the clipboard, search for it within the PDF, or run a general web search via Google, send the text to other apps, read it aloud, highlight the text, underline it, even check its spelling via integration with the free ColorDict app.  

Of course there are all the standard PDF reading features, including thumbnail navigation, bookmark support, multiple zoom options, cropping, rotation and more.

What you won't get here is much in the way of fixes or new features - ezPDF Reader hasn't been updated in 15 months - but it's still a likeable app with some unusual and interesting touches. 

• You can download ezPDF Reader here

England's bid for future football success has got a technology boost thanks to a new partnership between the FA and Google Cloud.

The sport's governing body has announced the creation of a new analytics system built entirely on Google Cloud, which will hopefully in turn improve the performance of the national team.

The new Player Profile System (PPS) will brings together the mountains of data the FA currently holds, including video, player GPS and more into a single central location.

• What is big data?
• Best cloud computing services of 2019
• Google Cloud launches new Anthos open platform

On the ball

Google Cloud, which was recently chose as the official cloud and data analytics partner for the England Teams and St George’s Park, says that the partnership will help create a "better future for football", with the PPS being made available to all 28 teams at St George's Park.

The PPS will be the first central analytics system for the FA, with coaches and players previously needing to do their own deep dives through the terabytes of data on file.

Going forward, the PPS will be used to measure performance, fitness, training and form of players at all levels. It will also use Google Cloud smart analytics, data management solutions and machine learning capabilities to provide near real-time data analysis, allowing the FA to better compare and analyse team and player performance.

The FA is currently engaged in a wide-ranging digital transformation project aimed at embracing the use of technology as it pushes towards World Cup success for the 2022 Men's World Cup and 2023 Women's World Cup.

"We believe technology is a key area of potential competitive advantage for our 28 teams and everything we do at St George’s Park," said Dave Reddin, The FA’s Head of Team Strategy and Performance.

"We have progressively built a systematic approach to developing winning England teams and through the support of Google Cloud technology we wish to accelerate our ability to translate insight and learning into performance improvements.” 

• The best cloud storage of 2019 online

When it comes to choosing a new mobile phone deal, there are two main options to consider: small data caps at affordable prices or huge data plans at 'wow I might need to take on a second job' kind of pricing plans.

While this has simply become a choice you have to make, the current spring sale from Vodafone is currently mixing the two options, providing massive 60GB data plans with pretty affordable price points. 

The only downside we can spot here is that the deals end on Monday, June 3 so you will have to grab one of these offers in just the next few days.

With offers on the likes of the Google Pixel 3, Samsung Galaxy S10 and iPhone XR, these aren't some bargain bin devices either. You can see all of the options down below.

These big data deals in full:

- iPhone XR | £29 upfront | £50 a month
- iPhone 8 | £29 upfront | £46 a month
- Samsung Galaxy S10 | £49 upfront | £50 a month
- Samsung Galaxy S10e | £29 upfront | £46 a month
- Samsung Galaxy A70 | £9 upfront | £38 a month
- OnePlus 6T | £29 upfront | £46 a month
- Google Pixel 3 | FREE upfront | £38 a month
- Google Pixel 3 XL | FREE upfront | £42 a month

• Or select from our list of best mobile phone deals in the UK today

As much as you may not like it, when your internet contract runs out you will have to track down a new broadband deal. Bit of a chore right? Well what if you were rewarded with money for sorting your new internet package, well...kind of.

BT has become adept in the art of giving away the perfect freebies with its fibre broadband deals. Ranging from smart speakers to vouchers, the ISP has done it all. But through it all, BT has a consistent favourite - BT Reward Cards.

These are in essence pre-paid Mastercards that you get for signing up with BT. With values exceeding £100, BT's reward cards are especially worth your time right now. 

Going with BT's Superfast Fibre 1 or Superfast Fibre 2 packages could effectively save you around £6 a month thanks to these reward cards, a pretty worthwhile overall saving.

You can see the stand out deals from BT below or for a look at all of its packages, check out our guide to the best BT broadband deals.

BT's new fibre broadband deals + BT reward cards

What is a BT Reward Card?

The Reward Card that BT sends out is a pre-paid credit card that you can use anywhere that accepts Mastercard. In short, that's around a million shops, cafes and restaurants around the world, so you shouldn't find it difficult to find places to spend, spend, spend.

It's an old-fashioned chip and pin card, rather than contactless. But do make sure that you claim your Reward Card within three months of installation, otherwise you'll lose out on all that cash.

They've traversed the beautiful Italian countryside, cities and mountains and will be relieved to see the 2019 Giro d'Italia finishing line in sight. And none more so than Richard Carapaz. Discover whether the Ecuadorian can hold on to the pink jersey through to the finish of this year's ordeal race. With this guide, you can find out how to get a 2019 Giro d'Italia live stream from absolutely anywhere you are.

In its 102nd year, the Giro is still as tough as ever with a mighty 21 stages covering 3,518.5 kilometres in just 23 days of riding. If that doesn't make your knees ache to read, they will at the three time trials, the five high difficulty stages and the mighty summit finishes.

At the time of writing, the advantage remains with Carapaz of the Movistar Team, as he leads from Italy's very own Vincenzo Nibali and Slovenian Primoz Roglic. As far as surprises go, last year's narrowly defeated Simon Yates has been quite a way off the pace, and Tom Dumoulin has pulled out altogether after he injured his knee in a crash.

Last year saw the UK's Chris Froome win the Giro d'Italia with Dumoulin and Miguel Ángel López not far behind. It was Froome's climbing wins that set him in good stead for the overall victory after summiting both Zoncolan and the Jafferau as winner. The latter was stunning with a 3-minute lead win after an 80km solo lead.

So how can you enjoy all the tarmac-eating action? Read on to find out as we tell you the best options to live stream the Giro d'Italia. And the best bit is it's possible to do so absolutely free from some locations.

Get a Giro d'Italia live stream from outside your country

If you're desperate to watch every stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling but you're away from home and the coverage is geo-blocked, then you could always use a VPN to access it (assuming you're not breaching any broadcaster Ts&Cs, of course). You may be surprised how simple it is to do.

Live stream the Giro d'Italia for free

Good news...the Giro d'Italia is being shown absolutely free of charge.

Bad news...that's only the case in Italy.

This year the Italian broadcaster Rai is going to share the Giro d'Italia event coverage in Italy for free. It's the only broadcaster we've found that's live streaming all the action without a subscription of some kind. And Rai also has an Android and Apple app for watching on your tablet or phone instead. 

Yup, that means you can stream all the wheel spinning goodness on whatever device you're using, all on RaiSport +. The catch? Well, all the commentary will be in Italian of course! But below we've listed the major broadcasters in English speaking countries.

How to watch the Giro d'Italia: UK live stream

For UK residents the Giro d'Italia will get the Eurosport treatment. That means Eurosport 1, which is available in lots of broadcast and streaming forms, should make watching the racing simple. Eurosport is available with basic Sky TV packages or with a Eurosport Player monthly (£9.99) or annual pass (£39.99).

How to watch the Giro d'Italia: Australia live stream

This year all you lucky Australians will get the Eurosport coverage but only if you're a Foxtel subscriber. An HD package that includes sports, drama and entertainment should set you back about AU$58 per month on a one year contract.

How to watch the Giro d'Italia: US live stream

The Giro d'Italia 2019 will get coverage on good old Fubo.TV which means you can enjoy the cycling from multiple locations. Fubo is a sports focused streaming TV solution that lets you subscribe for what you want and stop when you're done – ideal for this event.

Since this is app powered and delivered over the internet, you can watch it on lots of different devices. including smartphones, tablets, Smart TVs and streaming boxes. That means wherever you are you shouldn't miss the action.

How to watch the Giro d'Italia: Canada live stream

Canadians will be able to get in on the Giro d'Italia 2019 action much in the same way as their US neighbours can. That means Fubo.TV access in Canada where the events will be streamed to whatever device you're using. Simples. 

Cloud mining is the process of buying CPU power from dedicated data centers who use their own equipment to mine cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC) on your behalf.

The main advantage of this approach is that you don't need to have in-depth knowledge of mining hardware, nor buy expensive and hard-to-obtain devices. Renting 'hash power' (usually measured in Gigahertz per second or GH/s) also means you don't have to deal with the heat and noise that comes with a DIY mining project.

Many of these companies either source their own equipment or build it cheaply and have placed their data centers in countries like Iceland and China where electricity is cheap, passing the savings on to you.

In this guide, we will explore five of the most reputable cloud mining companies. As there are many scam outfits posing as miners, where possible we've chosen cloud miners who can prove that their data centers exist or are endorsed by a reputable firm. Take some time to do your own research before investing at your own risk, of course – ultimately this is your money.

If you are interested in cryptocurrencies but don't feel happy with the idea of mining, you can also simply purchase Bitcoin as an investment (see our guide on how to buy Bitcoins with Bitstamp). Without further ado, let’s move on to our selections for the best cloud mining providers.

• We also show you how to mine Bitcoins

• Want your company or services to be added to this buyer’s guide? Please email your request to [email protected] with the URL of the buying guide in the subject line.

Bitcoin Pool is provided directly by Bitcoin.com and aims to provide the most competitive clouding mining service. Bitcoin advertise that they deliver the highest Pay Per Share (PPS) pool globally with a 98% block reward.

Set up is easy and you can start mining immediately, either on Bitcoin Cast (BCH) or Bitcoin Core (BTC), whichever seems the most profitable to you. Monitoring is also easy to do through mobile apps for Android and iOS, so you can keep track of your account usage and value as often as you want.

Pricing for both BCH and BTC mining is the same, so if you want to switch between these you can. There are three main plans offered, with the 1 month plan starting from $59.99 (£50) which offers 10 TH/s at a cost of $5.99 per TH/s, with an additional daily fee of a dollar. There's a sliding scale so that if you want to scale up you can, but there are no discounts applies for higher volume use.

The 6 month plan offers from 3 TH/s at $32.99 per TH/s, with a total cost over the six months of $98.97 (£85) plus a daily fee of 30c. Again, there's a sliding scale that allows you to book in as much as 2570 TH/s, but that would invoke an initial cost of $84,784.30 plus a daily fee of $257.

A third option is a 2-year plan, which offers from 2 TH/s at an initial cost of $199.98 (£170) plus a daily fee of 20c. Again, a sliding scale offers an increase of up to 2708 TH/s, but most people would likely find the costs involved prohibitive.

Another point of note is that while Bitcoin prices are currently subdued after its peak in 2017, Bitcoin.com will end any contract where fees exceed income over 60 consecutive days.

• You can sign up for Bitcoin Pool here

Hashnest was launched in 2014 by Bitmain, which is a world-renowned manufacturer of ASIC mining hardware. Bitmain also operates one of the largest mining pools in existence: Antpool. Combined with the photos of a handful of data centers on the Hashnest website, this is persuasive proof that the company is legitimate.

While Bitmain is based primarily in China, Hashnest has mining farms around the world, which benefit from low cost electricity.

The website currently offers a Payout Accelerated Cloud Mining Contract or PACMiC for short. The PACMiC is a type of electronic contract structured in such a way that Bitmain pays the maintenance costs of mining rigs (such as electricity), and all the mining revenue will be used to pay back the owner of the PACMiC. When the principal is not fully paid back, it will share profit with buyers.

This loosely translates as 6.0TH/s of hash power in exchange for 1 BTC. Hashnest claims this results in rolling profit pay-outs for each block found with an annualized ROI of over 14%.

Alternatively you can purchase hash power directly from Antminer devices such as the S9 which has a rate of around 12,5TH/s. You then pay a fixed maintenance fee depending on the efficiency of the device – for instance, the fee for the S9 is currently $0.19/TH/day.

Contracts for the Antminer devices are currently sold out but you can still buy a PACMiC contract if you have the funds.

• Sign up for Hashnest here

Hashflare is a subsidiary of Hashcoins, another manufacturer of Bitcoin mining equipment which has been around since 2013. Its website gives a detailed rundown of the firm’s data center including pictures.

Hashflare offers you the chance to purchase hashpower for a variety of SHA-256 and Scrypt coins such as Bitcoin and Litecoin as well as Ethereum and ZCash. You're also free to choose your own mining pool.

Hashflare is open about its maintenance fees: they are $0.0035 for every 10 GH/s of SHA-256 coins and $0.005 for every 1 MH/s of Scrypt coins a day. Ethereum, ZCash and Dash contracts are not subject to any maintenance fees. Your total pay-out will depend on the mining pool you've chosen and how much hash power you've allocated to it.

At the time of writing, only Ethereum mining contract was available, all others were out of stock.

As of January 2018, Hashflare has also temporarily suspended new Bitcoin withdrawals due to a large number of unconfirmed transactions. The company plans to resume withdrawals once this is resolved.

• Sign up for Hashflare here

The Hashing24 team claims to have been involved in Bitcoin mining since 2012, although the website itself has only been around since 2016. The company appears to have no data centers of its own, rather, it has partnered with big name providers such as BitFury to lease hashpower to customers. Note that Hashing24 is mentioned on Bitfury's website, which may reassure customers that the operation is real.

If you're new to cloud mining, you can also use Hashing24's demo mode to simulate a Bitcoin mining contract to see how much you might earn. This is a good way to help you understand some of the concepts behind cloud mining, but won't necessarily let you project future profits, as mining difficulty and BTC price will vary over time (naturally).

After registering you can currently sign up for Bitcoin mining contracts only, with the contract being open-ended (lifetime). If these are sold out you can also try out Hashing24's auction feature which allows you to bid on hashpower from existing customers.

Regardless of how you purchase your mining contract, Hashing24 charges a flat fee of $0.00033 per GH/s per day (although at the time of writing the fee was $0.00017 due to an offer). There's also a one-time fee for purchasing hashing power with a particular host.

• Sign up for Hashing24 here

Eobot has been around since 2013 and is registered in California. Its owners have decided to remain anonymous, so there are no photos or office addresses on the main website.

Eobot's site did not play nicely with our ad-blocker on registration, forcing us to use another browser. However, once sign up was complete, we saw that the website notifies users when someone logs into their account from a new IP address. Two-factor authentication is also enabled by default, meaning that in order to access your account, you need to provide a code sent by email as well as your password.

Eobot offers mining contracts either for 24 hours or ten years. The website is neatly laid out and also offers a fee estimator to allow you to calculate daily profits in exchange for the hashpower you purchase. Its main page is very clear that most investments will take around 52 months to break even.

Maintenance fees are currently set at $0.00021/GH/s/day. Unlike other cloud mining websites we've reviewed, Eobot also offers an easy to understand explanation of how maintenance fees work. Contracts are available for a wide range of cryptocurrencies.

Due to the owner's desire for anonymity and in order to stay within the law, direct deposit of funds by bank transfer isn't supported. You can, however, buy contracts with Bitcoin and via a USD credit card using Epay.

• Sign up for Eobot here

• We’ve also picked out the best graphics cards for mining Bitcoin, Ethereum and more
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IT and security professionals have a huge range of tools and technologies at their disposal to help combat data and device security risks. In fact, global spend on information security is predicted to exceed $124 billion in 2019, according to Gartner. Despite this, every week it seems there is news of another high-profile data breach. 

In fact, just as Memorial Day Weekend rolled around, independent security journalist Brian Krebs broke the news that “the Web site for Fortune 500 real estate title insurance giant First American Financial Corp. leaked hundreds of millions of documents related to mortgage deals” and adding that “First American’s Web site exposed approximately 885 million files, the earliest dating back more than 16 years.”

If this breach had been an earthquake, the 885 million records exposed on First American's website would have registered 8.85 on the Richter scale. Although in this infosec scenario you are unlikely to see FEMA rushing to aid those individuals who are impacted and there’s no sign of the Red Cross, data exposure truly affects the lives of real people – shattering their digital safety and wreaking financial and identity havoc on their livelihood. 

• One in five email attacks uses compromised accounts
• Cyber strategy: why the best defence is a good offence
• 90 percent of data breaches are caused by human error

Stay with me on this earthquake parallel. Scientists still can’t predict earthquakes nor calibrate the probabilities of specific locations. But that hasn’t stopped engineers from making buildings more resilient. Like earthquakes, IT and security teams cannot fully predict if and when a breach could occur. The overwhelmingly complex world will generate data quakes in profusion.

But if we can mitigate earthquakes, the most unpredictable natural disaster, it would stand to reason, then we can mitigate data disasters with strong IT and security measures. So what did the quake-proof engineers do to resist the force of nature? They focused on resilience.

The case for cyber resilience

That’s the lesson IT and security leaders must learn. Resilience is their most critical need in the face of changing threats, ever-present vulnerabilities, and a sprawling attack surface.

We cannot predict which system, attacker, bug, misconfiguration, or insider will push our tectonics, which is why the typical ambition of ‘hardening’ is misconceived. We do not need harder systems, controls, apps, and agents. Rigid things break. Just look at the building codes when we thought dense material could counter a quake.

Like those who reside in quake-prone regions, for decades IT security teams began each morning with the assumption of risk. After all, we live in a world that has plenty of danger, both physical and digital.

Now, we start to see that assumption of risk transform into the assumption of compromise. 

In the case of First American, Krebs notes “I should emphasize that these documents were merely available from First American’s Web site; I do not have any information on whether this fact was known to fraudsters previously, nor do I have any information to suggest the documents were somehow mass-harvested,” but he acknowledges that “a low-and-slow or distributed indexing of this data would not have been difficult for even a novice attacker” and “the information exposed by First American would be a virtual gold mine for phishers and scammers involved in so-called Business Email Compromise (BEC) scams, which often impersonate real estate agents, closing agencies, title and escrow firms in a bid to trick property buyers into wiring funds to fraudsters.” 

Whatever the method of assault, it’s generally important to keep in mind that flexibility, not rigidity, is what makes a system withstand it. This means we need insights and intelligence drawn from real-world activity from every stitch of the IT environment. This evidence-based approach -- drawing from IT intelligence -- is what leads organizations forward. It informs every decision and models the possible outcomes. 

Next, we must expand our imaginations. We don’t know which control, app, agent, data store, or cloud instance will be targeted next. But by ensuring our critical controls can persist through anything, we edge closer to resilience.

Start small to succeed

And finally, on the heels of the First American incident, it’s a reminder to start by making simple improvements – focus on people, processes, and technology – just as an engineer would implement building retrofits. We may think “There’s no time for that.” But, neither earthquakes nor cyber threats have a season. They can cause devastation at any time without warning. So, in seismic safety fashion, better to replace those rigid plumbing supply lines with flexible ones now. 

I encourage us all to open our imaginations to the possibilities, expand our horizons to extract intelligence from our IT environment, and infuse persistence and resilience into every thread of the fabric.

Josh Mayfield, Director of Security Strategy at Absolute 

• We've also highlighted the best endpoint security software

Sales of 5G smartphones will fail to ignite the market in 2019, according to new figures from IDC, but there will be a recovery in the second half of this year.

Analysts predict shipments will fall by 1.9 per cent in 2019 – the third consecutive year of contraction – as saturation takes hold in developed markets and churn slows in some developing nations.

However, there is some good news on the horizon. Although shipments are expected to be down 5.5 per cent for the first half of 2019, sales will grow 1.4 per cent in the final six months of the year.

• EE begins phase one of 5G rollout
• What is 5G? Everything you need to know
• 5G: How will businesses benefit?

Smartphone shipments

This is of course partly attributed to sales of 5G devices, but these will only account for 0.5 per cent of the market in 2019. Other contributors to this growth are the availability lower-priced premium devices and ongoing opportunities in markets like India.

But the influence of 5G will increase over time. By 2023, compatible handsets will be worth 23.6 per cent of the market.

"Amidst all these design and 5G developments, the challenge remains that consumer demands around smartphone functionality continue to expand while their tolerance for higher-priced products continues to drop, saod IDCs’ Sangeetika Srivastava.

"With 5G on the horizon as well as some interesting new form factors, it will be critical for vendors to continue to bring affordable products to market to reinvigorate the market's growth."

In terms of split, Android’s market share will increase from 85.1 per cent to 86.7 per cent in 2019, shipping 1.2 billion units. Meanwhile, the number of iOS devices shipped will fall by 12.1 per cent to 183.5 million.

However, analysts note that the ongoing trade dispute between the US and China could be a huge factor in the prosperity of the market. Huawei’s access to US components and software has already been limited.

"Even without the growing trade tensions between the U.S. and China, the smartphone market has some important challenges that need to be resolved before we see growth again," said IDC’s Ryan Reith. "However, the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter, and growth seems within reach.”

• Here are the best mobile phone deals for May 2019