A collection of market-leading EE iPhone deals will come to an end tomorrow

Recently, Mobiles.co.uk has had a range of EE phone deals across both Android and Apple with some pretty strong overall costs. That's obviously great for those interested in grabbing an EE contract, less so considering the time frame set in place.

These plans will be receiving a rise in price tomorrow, leaving you with just one day to get them at their best price points. Obviously if you miss out its not the end of the world. Other retailers will still have strong EE pricing and Mobiles.co.uk will hold onto its pricing across other networks.

However, considering these plans are market-leading across the iPhone 11, iPhone 7 and iPhone XS, you might as well sneak in there and grab a bargain before they're gone.

We've listed these EE offers below for you to compare. And if none of them pose any interest to you, consult our guide to the best mobile phone deals to see what else is out there right now.

These limited time EE mobile phone deals:

Mobiles.co.uk - Best Online Retailer award winner

Not sure if Mobiles.co.uk is the right retailer to buy from? Having won Best Online Retailer at the Mobile Choice Awards last autumn, you can rest easy knowing Mobiles.co.uk is a safe bet.

With some of the market's best pricing, fast delivery and excellent reviews - you can see how they managed to bag that title.

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One of the anticipated OnePlus 8 phones might be absent at the launch event

The OnePlus 8 series launch event is happening on April 14, and while we were expecting three phones to be launched (the base handset with a Lite and Pro variant), it seems that may not be the case.

No, according to multiple reliable leakers the OnePlus 8 Lite isn't to be unveiled on April 14. Instead it will apparently land later, and with a different name.

Firstly, Max Weinbach stated that the OnePlus 8 Lite would actually be called the OnePlus Z, as a spiritual successor to the OnePlus X from 2015 which was a budget alternative to the OnePlus 2. This handset would likely be for fans who are put off by the fact that OnePlus phones are slowly getting more and more pricey.

Oppo, a phone company owned by the same parent company as OnePlus, took a similar route in expanding its Oppo Reno series with the Oppo Reno Z, and Apple is rumored to be doing the same with the iPhone 9 for people who don't want to pay for a pricey iPhone 11.

As for the later launch, Ishan Agarwal tweeted that the OnePlus Z might come later in 2020, and that it could herald the beginning of a whole new OnePlus range.

This, presumably, would be a series distinct from the OnePlus 8T range - which we're also expecting later this year - and would be aimed at a different audience to the main devices.

Most phone companies have multiple lines of smartphones coming out, like Samsung with its Galaxy S, Note, A, M and J phones available in some combination depending on region, so it wouldn't be surprising if OnePlus did the same.

It sounds like OnePlus could be trying to come up with a budget line to sit under its main line, like how Xiaomi has the Redmi brand to hit that market.

We'll likely find out later in the year though, with the April 14 launch dedicated to the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro by the sounds of it. TechRadar will be reporting on all the news from the event, as well as our analysis and opinions, so stay tuned for that.

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iPhone 9 launch date might be soon as cases are seemingly being sent to stores

A number of rumors had suggested the iPhone 9 might land soon, and it’s now looking very likely that they were right, as cases for the phone are reportedly being sent out to major retailers in the US, such as Best Buy.

This claim, along with a photograph of one of the cases, comes from a tipster speaking to 9to5Mac, and if true this would likely mean the iPhone 9 could launch imminently, since physical stock of cases is unlikely to be sent long before the launch.

As for exactly when the iPhone 9 would launch though, that’s still unclear. The source claims that retailers have been told not to merchandise the cases until April 5, but that’s a Sunday, which is a very unlikely day for a new product launch.

However, it’s unlikely that Apple would want the cases known about before the iPhone 9 is announced, so we could well see it land before then – which would mean an announcement sometime before the 5th.

One leak had even previously pointed to an announcement on March 31, which is today at the time of writing, but with no other sources backing that up we’d take it with a pinch of salt.

Still, the only real reason to doubt a launch soon is the disruption caused by the coronavirus, but a number of reports claim Apple is getting back on track. Most recently a Bloomberg report suggested that Apple employees have largely adjusted to working from home and numerous Apple products are on track to launch this year.

The iPhone 9 wasn't specifically mentioned, but the likes of new budget iPads and the iPhone 12 range were, so there's no reason Apple's budget phone couldn't be on target too.

As for the case image itself, that doesn’t show us much, other than a camera cut-out in the top left corner of the rear, which is where we’d expect to find it. However, there are two things to note.

Firstly, the image is of a UAG case, which is a big-name brand that might well have launch information in advance, so it’s very believable that its cases could have been sent out to retailers based on accurate launch timing information.

Second, the phone is referred to as ‘New iPhone 4.7" 2020’, which tells us firstly to expect a 4.7-inch screen, as had been rumored, but secondly doesn’t include either of the possible names we were expecting for the new iPhone. Previous rumors had pointed probably to iPhone 9, or failing that iPhone SE 2.

The slightly bland description here probably just means UAG wasn’t sure of the final name, but it’s always possible that Apple is ditching the numbers and just calling its most basic phone the iPhone, much like its most basic iPad is just called iPad. It’s likely that we’ll find out for sure very soon.

Via GSMArena

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Joe Wicks’ PE lesson March 31 – how to re-watch right now

We're well into the week now, and if you're one of the millions of people suddenly aware they want to get fit, a man named Joe Wicks is trying to be the PE teacher for the UK (and increasingly, the entire world).

The online phenomenon is seeing hundreds of thousands of people crowding around their TVs, iPads, smartphones and more and flinging their limbs around in new and strength-giving ways at 9AM BST each day.

While it was originally dubbed as 'just for kids' during self-isolation, we've been doing it daily and it's certainly not easy. Our stiff muscles tell that story...

Today's workout also included music from George Ezra and Dua Lipa, to give the sessions a little extra energy... there's a little extra section at the end that kids will love as a result.

Joe Wicks, the man many will know as the Body Coach, has not only turned down TV deals to keep the YouTube workouts free, but has also pledged the following rather nice thing on his Instagram:

"So I've decided that as long as I’m the nations P.E. teacher, every single penny of the money generated on these videos is going to the place where we need it the most right now. All of it is going straight to the NHS, to support the real heroes right now."

So you'll be getting fit and helping those on the front line - that's something we can get on board with.

We'll be updating this article with the live video below - check back regularly and we'll put the link below.

Want to get the best out of the workout? Here's a quick list to make those morning workouts a little easier:

Or, if you don't want to buy a whole new TV to get easy smarts, a Chromecast or Roku stick will allow you to easily stream to your TV too:

What time does Joe Wicks’ PE lesson start each day?

If you’re itching to get your fix of Wicks live each day, then you’ll need to have YouTube open and waiting at 9AM BST each day. 

(If you're in other parts of the world and don't want to get up ridiculously early each day to watch live, we've got the recent uploads listed at the bottom of this article).

The sessions last for 30 mins, and include a warm up and cool down, and two repetitions of the circuits he walks (or sprints) you through.

How do I watch Joe Wicks’ PE sessions?

If you‘re interesting in getting involved with The Body Coach as it happens, and can cope with irrepressible enthusiasm as this hour, then you’ll need to have your YouTube portal open on your TV, tablet or smartphone at around 8:55AM BST.

Once ready, navigate to The Body Coach’s YouTube channel on your TV, phone or iPad (more on how to do that below).

You won't see him on camera straight away - but try to memorise all the items on his shelves as there's a daily spot the difference for the die-hard fans.

(If you want to watch it on catch up each day, at a time that suits you, then you can just follow the same instructions above, where the previous workouts will be posted to catch up on.)


How to watch Joe Wicks’ kids workout on a TV

The best way - if you’ve got the space - is to watch the workout in front of a TV. There are myriad ways to get YouTube on your tellybox, thus making it simpler to get active.

Using your smart TV

The easiest way is if you've got a smart TV into your life - open up your smart hub and navigate to YouTube, where you can follow the searching instructions above to find The Body Coach TV, with a new video going live each day at 9AM GMT.

If you don't see it straight away, then it should appear just before 9AM - and Wicks gives you a few minutes to get ready too.

Using Google Chromecast

Alternatively you can use streaming sticks - one of the simplest is Google's Chromecast, which plugs into your HDMI socket and will stream content from your phone to the TV.

Fire up YouTube on your smartphone or tablet and look for the icon below in one of the corners:

(The same icon will also show you any compatible smart TVs or streaming sticks on your network that you can 'cast' the show to - you might be surprised which devices are already enabled).

The Chromecast isn't too expensive either, and is a simple way to turn your TV smart - allowing you to stream a multitude of services (like Netflix and other streaming platforms) from your small phone screen to a larger display:

How to watch on a Roku stick:

More advanced than a Chromecast, the Roku stick turns your TV into a smart hub easily too. When plugged in, hit the 'source' button on your remote and navigate to the HDMI port where your Roku stick is located (or, with some modern TVs, just pressing the 'Home' button on the Roku remote will achieve the same thing).

From there, open the YouTube app and navigate to the Body Coach TV at 9AM GMT...  or fire it up on your smartphone or tablet and look for the 'cast' icon above, tap it and see if the Roku is listed (which it should be if all devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network).

How to watch Joe Wicks’ PE workout on an iPad

You’ve got two options here: if you’ve already got the YouTube app downloaded onto your tablet, then just search for ‘The Body Coach’ and click the icon at the top of the screen for ‘Body Coach TV’.

From there you’ll see a list of all the videos, and at 9AM the new option should pop up - although you may need to refresh.

You can achieve the same thing if you don’t have the iPad app by heading to your Safari or Chrome browser and clicking the link to the The Body Coach’s YouTube channel - you can play the video directly from there, and hit the full-screen option in the bottom right-hand corner.

How to catch up on Joe Wicks' other PE workouts

If you missed anything, or want to browse previous workouts, they're all available on the same YouTube channel above - or you can watch them right here:

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No honour among thieves – how cybercriminals are exploiting the ongoing pandemic

We are, as I’m sure you’re well aware, in the midst of a global health crisis. As governments and health organisations around the world work to stem the spread of the virus and ease the anxiety and panic within society, there are those who are maliciously turning this crisis into opportunity.

Our security research teams have identified a number of instances where bad actors are preying on the worries of the public, tainting the good work of people and institutions trying to help, and taking advantage of our increasingly remote workforce for profit. These are troubling times, there is a long road ahead of us, and it’s important that we all be alert to additional threats riding on the coattails of the current crisis and take appropriate precautions.

What follows are examples of recent exploits we’ve been seeing that both businesses and the public need to be aware of.

Phishing on fear

With so much fear having permeated society, cybercriminals are using this to entice people to click on malicious links and provide personal information or corporate credentials. Recent phishing emails promise recipients a variety of false COVID-19 related information, from up to date infection numbers in their locality, shocking images that governments are supposedly hiding from us, and even a link to a cure. Panicky and curious users who click on these links will often find that malware infects their devices.

Attackers will also go so far as exploit people’s sense of urgency and make emails time-sensitive. It’s a similar psychological trick to how online retailers may use flash sales to lure us to make a purchase on-the-spot, although what a user gets is a lot worse than a little buyer’s remorse.  An email promising free coronavirus testing for the first 10,000 respondents will get a user’s attention, especially those who may not know the warning signs of a malicious email.

Ransomware in sheep's clothing

Attackers are also using coronavirus fears to draw people to bogus, malicious apps. Most recently we found one app that presented itself as a means to track the global spread of the virus, when in fact it had a ransomware payload. To confuse and entice users these will sometimes be built on the genuine work of professionals. For example, Johns Hopkins University recently created an interactive dashboard of coronavirus infections and deaths, which has now been copied onto websites utilising drive-by downloads and malicious apps in the Google Play Store for Android devices.

Security researchers identified a new campaign where attackers are copying the Johns Hopkins map into an Android app. When the user installs the application, it encrypts the phone’s data, transmits the user’s GPS location data, and displays a message to the user that they can only retrieve their files if they pay $100 in bitcoin.

This is already turning into a lucrative black market business. Hackers on underground forums are reportedly selling £600 exploit kits that include Java code that clones the virus outbreak map and allows attackers to inject password-stealing malware, spam, malicious ads, or ransomware. Worryingly, the .jar file is reportedly able to make it through popular webmail filters and can also successfully exploit a system with a fully-patched version of Java.

Working from home woes

With public gatherings currently prohibited, remote working policies and business continuity plans are enabling workers to continue performing their duties from home. Whilst flexible working policies have been part and parcel of the modern workplace for some time, the sudden introduction of remote access solutions at scale is introducing additional work and complexity to an already overworked IT and security staff.  As remote users increase, and with a limited number of technical staff to support them, it exposes a far larger attack surface for criminals to exploit.

As the scale of the need to support remote workers appeared so quickly, it’s possible that in the rush to get more remote access appliances online as quickly as possible, organisations may have bypassed traditional security reviews and change management procedures. This will have been done for benevolent reasons, most likely preventing any major disruption and ensuring business continuity, but it creates vulnerabilities within the remote access system.

For instance, traditional remote access solutions such as VPNs or firewalls need inbound access to listen for incoming connections. If organisations have not kept their appliances adequately patched and updated due to the rush, it could lead to unauthenticated access into corporate networks.

With so many employees working remotely, social engineering attackers could more convincingly call into the help desk to get user credentials reset, as this would be chalked down to a common hiccough associated with the onboarding of a significant number of remote access users. Once an attacker gains access to VPN credentials, the entire corporate network is exposed unless significant network segmentation has occurred.  Network changes during a crisis are difficult, and may not be seen as top priority, so many organisations unaccustomed to supporting a large number of remote workers may well have been left vulnerable.

Lastly, the very nature of human psychology may put networks at greater risk. Employees working remotely are no longer protected by the security stack traditionally housed in a corporate data centre. Organisations rely on VPNs to send their traffic to a data centre for inspection, then out to the internet. However, end users are likely to take the path of least resistance in aid of getting their jobs done more efficiently, and forgo using a VPN for a faster browsing experience, or only use the VPN when they need to access the corporate network.

Be alert to cyberthreats

So long as coronavirus continues to disrupt our lives, both personal and professional, expect cybercriminals to exploit the situation by luring victims into clicking malicious links and installing malicious software. With all that’s going on in the world already this is a disheartening truth, but by following remote working organisational procedure, being more suspicious than ever of what you click and download, and trusting that the cybersecurity community is working tirelessly to stop these threats in their tracks, you can limit yours and your employer’s exposure.

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Too good to be true: Save AU$500 on the Samsung Galaxy Note 10!

Get your wallet out and your card ready, because the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 has been discounted by an astonishing AU$500! This is an amazing deal for one of the best smartphones Samsung has produced that will leave you in awe after every use.

The Note 10 has a stunning 6.3-inch screen and bezel-free design – this combined with an AMOLED display produces immaculate detail in pictures and videos giving you a thrilling and immersive experience.

It also comes with a nifty stylus which is one of its best features as you can take notes on the screen without having to navigate through a variety of menus. This makes it particularly useful in meetings when you need to quickly scribble something down.

The Galaxy Note 10 also takes great photos thanks to a combination of a 16MP ultra-wide lens, a 12MP regular lens and a 12MP telephoto lens. If you’re a lover of amateur photography, this phone will definitely satisfy your creative side.

To summarise, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 is a top-notch smartphone with all the bells and whistles that is sure to satisfy your phone thirst. Currently on sale in Aura Black, you can grab this beauty for only AU$999 through Samsung’s official Amazon store.

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Food delivery: which grocery and meal delivery services have slots right now?

Update 11/05/20: Although the UK's lockdown restrictions have been eased ever so slightly, the demand for food delivery and click & collect slots continues to remain high. Availability varies day-by-day and differs depending on which supermarket you choose, but over the last few weeks we've definitely seen a slight uptick in free slots during May, with Sainsbury's in particular showing great availability last week.

For the first time since lockdown began, we've been able to find a couple of Waitrose home delivery slots, and Tesco continues to be a good option, even though free slots tend to appear sporadically throughout the week. 

Morrisons is still showing a limited number of food delivery slots available, but you can order an essential food box from Morrisons from £30 and there's good availability, too. We've tried it, and it's a great option if you aren't after specific brands and just want to stock up on the basics. You can also order Morrisons products through Amazon Prime Now in some areas of the UK. If you don't have a Prime membership, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial of Prime, and cancel before the trial ends with no strings attached.

We still haven't had any luck with either Ocado (who are prioritising existing and vulnerable customers) and Asda, however, with each retailer failing to show any free food delivery slots. 

To help identify elderly and vulnerable customers, supermarkets are using customer and government data to prioritise food delivery slots for those who need it most. Make sure you've signed up to the government's database of clinically vulnerable people if you need support.

Some meal delivery services are still running too, and may prove to be a better alternative - see below. There are also plenty of local community groups that are organising food delivery for people who are self-isolating via Facebook, WhatsApp and more, so keep an eye on what's happening in your area.

Online food delivery services have been under strain since the coronavirus lockdown. It's been hard to book a grocery delivery, but as we move further into April we're starting to see small signs of progress.

The main advice, still, is to visit a physical store if you can, so that supermarkets can prioritise food delivery slots for elderly or vulnerable customers. However, if you need to order food online, many supermarkets are releasing small numbers of food delivery slots for elderly or vulnerable customers throughout the day - so keep trying. You should be able to find a slot eventually.  

Food delivery: quick links

Grocery delivery

Recipe box and meal delivery

Pizza delivery

Takeaway delivery

Alcohol delivery

So when will more online grocery delivery slots open up? We've signed up to all the major supermarkets and we're assessing the situation daily across the country, in London, Leeds, Portsmouth, Manchester and Bath. 

Your area may differ, but the situation changes daily so it's important to keep checking.  Currently, it looks like it'll be mid-April before we start to see many more food delivery slots available. However, we'll tell you which supermarkets are offering food delivery slots here, as soon as we see them.

Please remember to use all food delivery services responsibly. Only order what you need to preserve stocks for others who might be in need. 

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Best home printer in Australia 2020: top versatile printers for use at home

As many of us get used to working from home for the foreseeable future, it's more important than ever to have one of the best home printers in your house. Just like in the office, you need a printer in your household that can handle printing without a snag. After all, your time at home is now just as important as your time at work ever was, especially given the current situation and compulsory work from home periods.

The best home printers need to be more versatile than regular printers since the modern household needs to print out a wide range of documents. You'll often find you need to print out forms and documents in your day to day.

Plus, a home printer that can do an excellent job printing your holiday snaps will save you from shelling out a lot of money. And, unlike big and bulky business printers, these are all-in-one printers that take up a small bit of space.

No matter what size of household and family demands you have, you’ll find the best home printer for you on this list. And, our price comparison tool makes sure you get the best deals on the one you pick as well.

Best home printer - at a glance

  1. Brother MFC-J6945DW
  2. Canon Pixma TS9160
  3. Epson EcoTank ET-7750
  4. HP LaserJet Pro M15w
  5. HP Envy 5030
  6. Epson WorkForce ET-4750
  7. Kyocera Ecosys P5026 
  8. Brother MFC-J6945DW
  9. Lexmark MB2236ADWE
  10. Brother HL-L2300D Mono Laser Printer

Brother MFC-J6945DW


The Brother MFC-J6945DW is a monster printer. It’s incredibly efficient, being able to print for up to a year without having to change its ink cartridge. And, it’s also a feature-rich and intuitive machine perfect for any home or small business office. You can print to it from just about any device wirelessly and, for mobile, you don’t even need a network to do it, thanks to its NFC (near field communication) technology that connects directly to the printer. While interfacing with its 9.3cm colour display, you can even print from and scan to the cloud.

Canon Pixma TS9160


Thanks to its 6-colour individual ink system, the Canon Pixma TS9160 delivers exceptional photo quality results. The Canon also is very flexible with its connection capabilities, allowing for both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to print. And you’re not limited to any device. If you want to print from a tablet or smartphone or even from the cloud, the Canon can handle it. The printer also comes with some photo-specific features such as Photo Blue ink as part of the six-colour system and built-in creative filters to add something a little extra to your photos. Lastly, this printer comes in a choice of three different two-tone colour options, giving you some cosmetic choices that you don’t really see with printers.

Epson EcoTank ET-7750


Whether you’re trying to run a more eco-friendly household or you’re just fed up with having to run out go get ink at the most inconvenient times – in the middle of printing your important documents, for example – you might love the Epson EcoTank ET-7750. It's a multi-function printer that sits at the top of the EcoTank product tree and although price is alarming, it's worth every penny. The five-colour refillable ink tank system is a huge improvement in image quality thanks to the addition of a dedicated photo black pigment ink, and the build quality is streets ahead. This machine can also handle A3/magazine-sized paper and boasts fast duplex print speeds and high-resolution photo printing.

HP LaserJet Pro M15w


When we tested it, this was the smallest laser printer around and likely to remain so. Being as small and inexpensive as an inkjet, yet with all the speed, economy and consistency of a laser, the LaserJet Pro M15w is in many ways the ideal home printer. It manages to hold one hundred sheets of paper and print on them at the respectable rate of 19ppm. There’s no duplex mode, sadly, and no display, but at this price it’s hard to argue.  

Read the full review: HP LaserJet Pro M15w

HP Envy 5055


This humble all-in-one can scan and copy, but its real strength is in printing photos. Frustratingly, there’s no Ethernet port, nor a USB port for printing from a flash drive and it churns very slowly, but the results are surprisingly good for such an affordable inkjet. The supplied starter cartridges are rather light on ink, but if you replace them with high-capacity carts, then the running cost is competitive too.

Epson WorkForce ET-4750


Known as Epson's all-rounder, this all-in-one inkjet printer admittedly costs a pretty penny up-front, but delivers low-cost performance in the long run thanks to its high-yield ink tanks and two years worth of ink included – according to Epson, you can get a total of total of 15,000 text pages (or 12,000 color pages) just from the ink that comes supplied in the box, which is exceptionally great value. If you're looking for a great printer for your home office that will go the distance before needing to be topped up again, the Epson WorkForce ET-4750 is a great option. 

Kyocera Ecosys P5026cdw printer


This stout laser printer takes up relatively little space, given its high capacity for paper and toner. It means you can keep printing quickly and efficiently and with lower running costs than an equivalent inkjet. The display is rather fiddly, but in all other respects, this colour printer is easy to use and can be relied upon for immaculate mono and colour documents time after time.  

Read the full review: Kyocera Ecosys P5026cdw

Brother MFC-J6945DW


This big Brother blurs the line between home and office printer by combining the fast print speed and high capacity of a laser machine with the superior photo finish of an inkjet. We would recommend it for both applications because although it is smaller than the laser equivalent MFC-L8690CDW, the inkjet MFC-J6945DW can handle A3 paper. There’s really nothing that this fully featured 4-in-1 can’t do and it carries out all tasks satisfactorily. 

Lexmark MB2236ADWE


If you want all the functionality of a photocopier-style four-in-one, but can’t justify the expense of a premium machine, then the Lexmark MB2236ADWE is likely to fit well in your office. The smaller size is an advantage and the price is attractive. Printing is fast enough and so is the quality provided you stick to dedicated laser paper. It’s a pity there’s no Wi-Fi Direct facility, or an active front USB input, but that aside, you're getting a lot for your money here. 

Brother HL-L2300D Mono Laser Printer


The Brother HL-L2300D specs are impressive for the price: it promises 26ppm print speeds, has 8MB of RAM on board and delivers a maximum resolution of 2,400 x 600 dpi. The paper tray holds 250 sheets, there's a second single-sheet paper feed for labels, envelopes and thicker media, and the printer can print double-sided without any human intervention. Of course, you won't find any bells or whistles here, but honestly, its simplicity is refreshing. With no overly complex Wi-Fi or cloud features to configure, installing the HL-L2300D is as simple as plugging a cable into it, and that means there's no danger that it'll go in a huff when you need to print something important. It's compact, quiet and impressively fast, and it offers a lot of bang for your buck. Double-sided printing is particularly good to have in a printer that costs so little to buy and run.

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Pocketnow Daily: How Can the OnePlus 8 Pro “Lead With Speed”? (video)

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On today’s Pocketnow Daily, we talk about the launch date of the OnePlus 8, the possible launch of the iPhone 12, and more

The post Pocketnow Daily: How Can the OnePlus 8 Pro “Lead With Speed”? (video) appeared first on Pocketnow.

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Asics finally releases its first carbon plate running shoe to take on Nike’s VaporFlys

Asics has released a trio of new sports shoes in a VR showroom, including its first pair of running shoes with a carbon fiber plate.

Following the success of Nike's VaporFly running shoe, and the decision not to ban such designs at the (now delayed) Tokyo 2020 Olympics, it was only a matter of time before Asics followed suit with its own carbon plate design.

The Asics Metaracer is a distance running shoe that features a carbon fiber plate for improved stability, a redesigned toe-spring shape to reduce strain on your calf muscles, and a redesigned mesh upper to keep your feet cool.

The company tested a prototype carbon fiber-plated shoe with triathlete Jan Frodeno in the 2019 Ironman World Championship, but this is its first official reveal.

The launch was originally scheduled to take place at the Asics Innovation Summit in Japan, but travel restrictions meant the organizers switched to a 'virtual innovation lab', where attendees were able to see the design in three dimensions and listen to presentations from home.

Faster, higher

Asics also used the VR event to unveil a new track shoe; its first without metal spikes, which are traditionally used to provide sprinters with extra traction, but add extra weight. The Metasprint replaces the spikes with a honeycomb carbon fiber outsole that offers comparable grip, but is substantially lighter than traditional designs.

Asics claims that the lack of spikes also means improved power transfer with every step, which in turn leads of faster speeds.

The third and final design in the new lineup is the Metarise – a volleyball shoe designed to help you jump higher when attacking the ball. A beveled heel and sole, together with winged midsole support, help set you up for higher jumps, while Asics' proprietary Flytefoam provides a soft landing.

Pricing and availability are yet to be confirmed, but it will be particularly interesting to see how the cost of the Metaracer compares in an increasingly competitive niche.

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This is the cheapest Ryzen PC workstation on the market

At less than USD300, including delivery from Aliexpress (which delivers globally), this desktop PC from Chinese manufacturer Ipason is probably the most affordable Ryzen-based workstation on the market - and it can double as a gaming PC too. 

Based on the Ryzen 3 2200G APU, it can trounce Intel Core i3-800T CPUs usually found in devices at this price. Its CPU benchmark (6840 points) is achieved using four cores clocked at up to 3.7GHz and more than 6MB cache.

Its Radeon Vega 8 Graphics offers eight graphics cores clocked at up to 1.1GHz and delivers one of the best graphics performances from an integrated video subsystem. Ipason claims that it should offer the same experience as an Nvidia Geforce GT1030 discrete GPU.

As expected, it comes with a mATX motherboard, which means connectivity options are limited. It features an HDMI port, six USB connectors, an Ethernet LAN plug and three audio inputs. There is, however, room for expansion thanks to the generously-sized casing (available in black or white).

Add in 8GB of memory (sadly, single RAM module) and a 120GB SSD and you've got a fairly decent base unit.

Note, the bundle lacks a keyboard and a mouse, which could prove more challenging to procure due to the current global pandemic.

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Secretlab’s excellent Omega gaming chair is massively discounted

Governments around the world are asking everyone to stay indoors to help curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, and Australia is no different. With lockdown laws in place, and many of us now either working from home, or having more time on our hands indoors, we find ourselves in need of a good home office setup or a more comfortable gaming arena.

Secretlab, the maker behind our favourite gaming chair, is helping with a stay-at-home sale.

You can score up to AU$150 off selected gaming chairs from the 2018 Series, which includes one of our top recommendations, the Secretlab Omega. It’s a chair that’s got numerous customisation options and sturdy construction with premium materials.

There are plenty of adjustable tweaks you can make to get this chair feeling just right, from the angle of the backrest to the position of the armrests, and almost every conceivable adjustment in between.

You can tailor the look of your chair with a number of upholstery options to choose from at checkout, including pleather (polyurethane leather), fabric and genuine leather, though the price will vary depending on which you opt for.

To truly save a packet, Secretlab’s 2018 collection is seeing the biggest price drop. The genuine leather options have the deepest discount and are now down to AU$849, while the pleather choices are available for as low as AU$434.

While it’s not as big a discount as mentioned above, Secretlab’s 2020 version of the Titan is AU$30 off, bringing the pleather option down to AU$569 – nothing to be sniffed at for a choice gaming chair. Alternatively, you can go for another one of our top picks from the 2020 range – the Secretlab Omega in pleather for AU$519.

You’ll need to hurry if you want to spend the coming weeks in comfort, as this sale ends on April 2. Check out savings on the full 2020 range or the 2018 range from Secretlab.

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