Two new HP Chromebooks for education are coming in April

HP has two new Chromebooks coming out just in time for school districts to pick out new equipment for their students. You can get one of them, too, in April.

The post Two new HP Chromebooks for education are coming in April appeared first on Pocketnow.

Refurbished iPhone deals: save hundreds on the iPhone X with this great new price

Simply put, this is the cheapest iPhone X deal on a contract you can get right now. But there is a little catch...the handset is 'refurbished'.

But before you start picturing a fingerprint-covered phone with scuffs all over. let us tell you why this is such a great offer. First off, refurbished phone deals are certainly stigmatised, but you really shouldn't worry. This deal is coming from Mobiles.co.uk, which guarantees your phone will be in perfect working order and offers a 14-day return period. So even if you're not happy with the state your new iPhone X arrives in, you can return it straight away. Even better, you are covered by a year long warranty and a free replacement if anything goes wrong in the first month.

Now that we've got the reassurance out of the way, let us tell you about this great deal. You can get the iPhone X for just £32 a month and £140 upfront (if you use our exclusive 10OFF voucher code at the checkout) meaning a total two year spend of around £900 and you even get a big data cap of 10GB. We can tell you now that iPhone X deals just don't come better than that and we've compared to make sure this is one of the best offers you will get. 

Are refurbished mobile phone deals safe to buy?

When you're buying a shiny, new smartphone, we completely understand that most people probably aren't too keen on the thought of being stuck with somebody's old cast-off. You may also be a bit anxious that you're receiving damaged goods - especially when it's a gift for somebody else.

But let us put your mind at rest. Generally speaking, most refurbished phones being sold at major providers are instances when the former owner simply changed their mind and returned the phone without using it. Those phones can't be sold as new, so they're branded as refurbished instead.

Others are sent back as faulty, but have been brought back to their best by the experts that work in these places and in most instances are pretty much good as new. 

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Over a third of companies now use AI in some way

A new survey from Gartner has revealed that the number of organisations implementing artificial intelligence (AI) has grown by 270 per cent in the past four years and tripled in the past year.

The results from the firm's 2019 CIO Survey showed that organisations across all industries have begun to use AI in a variety of applications but still struggle with finding talented workers in the field.

Research Vice President at Gartner, Chris Howard provided further insight on the findings of the survey, saying:

“Four years ago, AI implementation was rare, only 10 per cent of survey respondents reported that their organisations had deployed AI or would do so shortly. For 2019, that number has leapt to 37 per cent — a 270 per cent increase in four years. If you are a CIO and your organisation doesn’t use AI, chances are high that your competitors do and this should be a concern.” 

AI deployment

The deployment of AI has tripled during the past year rising from 25 per cent in 2018 to 37 per cent today. This massive increase is a result of the fact that AI capabilities have matured significantly and now businesses are more willing to implement the technology.

CIOs have come to the realisation that digital transformation and task automation go hand in hand. AI has  now become an integral part of organisation's digital strategy and the technology is already used in a variety of applications.

Gartner's survey shows that 52 per cent of telcoms deploy chatbots and 38 per cent of healthcare providers rely on computer-assisted diagnostics. Fraud prevention and consumer fragmentation are other operational use cases for AI.

As more organisations work with AI, the more difficult it becomes to deploy the technology with 54 per cent of respondents to a Gartner Research Circle Survey citing the skills shortage as the biggest challenge facing their organisation.

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Motorola Razr 2019 release date, price, news and leaks

Motorola Razr flip-phones were iconic devices back before full-featured smartphones conquered the handset world – but that unforgettable design may make a flashy return with a new Motorola device that's set to be unveiled today (November 13) in Los Angeles, California. 

We've heard many rumors about the new handset, allegedly called the Motorola Razr 2019: a folding phone that takes the old-school form factor and turns it into a 'clamshell'-type foldable phone

Update: Just hours before the Motorola Razr is expected to launch, revealing pictures have been leaked, which show the handset from loads of different angles. They don't give us a clear idea of specs or features, but in terms of design we now know exactly what to expect in a few hours time at the unveiling.

The foldable phone battleground is getting more competitive with the finally-released Samsung Galaxy Fold on shelves and the Huawei Mate X coming soon. But while the latter are premium devices, the Motorola Razr V4 (another potential name following up on the original Razr V3) is expected to be one of the first 'affordable' foldables.

We've now heard the device is slated to launch November 13 at an event in Los Angeles, so it could actually go on sale before Huawei's much-anticipated device - and given that company's struggle to sell in the US market, Motorola's foldable might beat it in that market anyway. Whether the Motorola Razr 2019 matches the performance of existing foldables is something we'll only know when the new phone is unveiled.

Here's everything we've heard about the Motorola Razr 2019 so far, along with a wish list of what we want from it.

Update: Motorola is expected to unveil its Moto Razr 2019 device later today. Plus a leaked image of the Razr 2019 shows an unfolded device about the width of a regular phone, but certainly longer than most phones.

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? A foldable reboot of the Razr range
  • When is it out? Probably later today (November 13)
  • What will it cost? Maybe around $1,500 (roughly £1,170, AU$2,010)

Motorola Razr 2019 release date and price

Motorola is hosting an event later today (November 13) where it's expected to be unveiling its foldable phone. TechRadar has been invited, alongside media from all around the world, to the event that is taking place in Los Angeles, California.

Several teases and hints in the invitations point towards the reveal of a foldable phone, and it would be very surprising if Motorola had such a device that wasn't the new Motorola Razr.

As for what it will cost, a Wall Street Journal report previously expected a starting price of roughly $1,500 (around £1,170, AU$2,010). That would make it far more expensive than most phones, but that’s not surprising given that it’s rumored to have a foldable screen.

That's echoed partly by a later rumor, which says the handset will cost €1,500 (about $1,660, £1,375, AU$2,450). Since phone launch prices aren't always exact conversions in different regions, it's possible that it will cost $1,500 in the US, €1,500 in Europe, and perhaps even £1,500 in the UK. We'd expect it to cost more than AU$1,500 though, as that would be an incredibly low price compared to the other regions.

Motorola Razr 2019

Expect the new Motorola Razr to be a lot more modern (and a lot more expensive)

It also sounds like Motorola and parent company Lenovo aren't expecting the Razr 2019 to be a mainstream device, with the WSJ report also saying that only around 200,000 units are likely to be made, and that in the US it's a Verizon exclusive. 

How do we know the Motorola Razr 2019 is foldable?

The main thing we've heard about the Motorola Razr 2019 is that it will have a foldable screen. The first hint of that came from Lenovo’s CEO Yang Yuanqing, who, during MWC 2018, told TechRadar, "With the new technology, particularly foldable screens, I think you will see more and more innovation on our smartphone design.

"So hopefully what you just described [the Motorola Razr brand] will be developed or realized very soon."

Then, at MWC 2019, Motorola vice president and general manager Anthony Barounas, said, according to TrustedReviews

“If you go around the stores today, for me the phones all look the same. It’s difficult to see if it’s a Motorola, or [another brand]. How we differentiate to the consumer, show them something really different, that’s where foldables comes in. And that’s where Motorola also has a very big investment. I can’t say much but we have one franchise that will have a very big impact there.”

So that's pretty much a confirmation that a foldable phone is in the works, though the Razr brand wasn't mentioned by name.

Motorola Razr 2019 news and rumors

We've finally seen leaked images seemingly showing the new Motorola Razr 2019, and they're about what we'd expected, with a clamshell-like design and a screen (of possibly 6.2 inches) that folds in the middle.

That size would make it far more compact than the other foldable phones that we've seen so far.

Other details include an even smaller display on the front, along with a camera bump and what looks to be a button or fingerprint scanner.

Motorola Razr 2019

An additional image of the screen when fully open can be seen below, highlighting that there's no visible hinge.

Another supposed image of the Razr 2019 taken in the wild was found just a couple weeks before the phone's unveiling. It's no wider than most smartphones, but is far longer when unfolded - and while it's hard to make out, there doesn't seem to be a very visible seam in the screen where it will fold.

We've also seen patents pointing to a foldable screen. You can see images from the older patent immediately below and the newer one further down, but they both point to a clamshell design with a foldable display, much like the leaked images discussed above show.

However, while the older patent shows a large hinge and seemingly a gap between the two display halves, the other, newer patent (found by 91mobiles) shows a truly foldable display.

There's still a hinge, but this isn’t as visible when looking at the screen. This one also appears to have a smaller secondary display on the back of the phone, as we've seen in leaked images.

That makes some sense, as otherwise you wouldn’t be able to see a screen unless the phone was fully unfolded. The newer patent also shows a notch at the top of the screen.

The back also contains what looks to be a single-lens camera above the smaller display, and a fingerprint scanner on the lower section.

Another rumor supports the idea that the device has a secondary screen. It also details some possible features of that screen, saying that you might be able to use it to scroll through web pages that you're viewing on the main screen.

The secondary screen could also apparently be used to display notifications and a clock, to interact with Google Assistant when the main screen is closed, and to provide shortcuts to settings. It sounds then like it won't have the full functionality of the main screen if this rumor is right.

Motorola Razr 2019

Image credit: XDA Developers

Another report revealed possible specs, as well as a logo (seen above, background filled in with black for clarity). The new Motorola Razr will supposedly pack a Snapdragon 710, either 4 or 6Gb of RAM and either 64 or 128GB of storage. 

It also may have 2,730mAh of battery, though the source noted that last spec might be out of date. However, given that the Razr V4 looks to be a fairly compact phone (at least by foldable standards) it might not need a huge amount of juice to stay on.

Clearly, this would be a departure from other foldable phones, which so far have top-tier specs. And while previous rumors have revealed a somewhat cheaper potential price for the Motorola Razr 2019, it's still far beyond what today's non-folding flagship phones cost.

The silver lining, of course, is that the Motorola Razr 2019 might open up the door to mid-range foldables, that have weaker specs but lower prices. If you don't need cutting-edge processors and RAM to power foldable tech, perhaps we'll see more affordable folding devices sooner than we thought.

What we want to see

Rumors about the Motorola Razr 2019 are starting to roll in but we don't know everything yet, so we’ve come up with a list of what we hope it offers.

1. A great design

One of the reasons the Motorola Razr range was so popular was because of its slim, stylish design. Of course, the old models like the Motorola Razr V3, are dated now, but we’d like to see the spirit of the design carried on for the Razr 2019, but in a more modern form. We want a slim, futuristic handset.

The good news is that if the screen really does fold then it should at least be futuristic, though it might not be all that slim when folded shut.

2. Genuinely useful flexibility

There’s a worry that early foldable screens could be little more than a gimmick, but we hope that’s not the case with the Motorola Razr V4. Hopefully, the company will find a way to make it feel genuinely useful.

If Motorola successfully makes a screen that can change from phone to tablet size without feeling awkward then that would be a good start.

3. Flagship specs

Any foldable phone is inevitably going to be expensive and rumors specifically suggest that the Motorola Razr 2019 will be pricey.

So we really want to get our money’s worth, by not just getting a foldable screen but also specs that can compete with the best of 2019 like the Samsung Galaxy S10 and iPhone 11.

Motorola Razr 2019

We want the Razr V4 to be able to compete with the latest flagships

4. A long-lasting battery

We want all of our phones to have decent battery life, but this is of particular concern with foldable phones, as the larger screens could be a big drain.

So hopefully there will be an appropriately large battery in the Motorola Razr V4 to keep it going through the day and beyond.

5. A palatable price

Early rumors suggest this will be one very expensive phone, and we’d expect it to be too, since foldable screens are a new, likely pricey feature. However, for these devices to have remotely mainstream appeal the cost is going to need to be pushed down.

That probably won’t happen until the second or third generation of foldable devices, but it would be a nice surprise if Motorola (which is known in part for offering great value handsets) manages to make an affordable one on the first attempt.

6. Near stock Android with foldable features

One thing we love about most current Moto phones is that they use a version of Android that’s had little done to it, ensuring the software is polished, easily approachable and typically quick to get updated.

We hope the same is true for the new Motorola Razr. Or at least, for the most part. What we would like to see though are some software features that help you get the most out of the foldable screen. We’re not sure what those would be, but hopefully that’s something Motorola has given some thought to.

7. A sharp, durable screen

Being foldable is one thing, but we don’t want that to be the only thing the Razr 2019’s screen has going for it. We’d also like it to be a sharp, high-quality panel. And for it to be durable, because it’s going to need to be if it’s constantly being folded.

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Digital retailers are selling movies at bargain prices this week

What better way to shake off those January blues than by staying sat down in front of the TV like you were going to do anyway? 

The UK's first ever Mega Movie Week is underway, with a seven-day celebration of cinema across a variety of digital retailers, all offering select discounts on hundreds of different titles.

That covers everything from action blockbusters like Mission Impossible: Fallout or John Wick, to comedies The Spy Who Dumped Me and Deadpool 2, to gripping dramas like The Revenant, Hidden Figures, The Shape of Water, and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Many are discounted to only £1.99 or £2.99, while some services are also discounting seasons of TV series like the Sopranas to only £6.99 – or Season 7 of Game of Thrones for £11.99.

The sale only lasts until Sunday January 27, so you have only a number of days to buy those movies you've been eyeing up at such low prices.

Teamwork

The confirmed retailers are Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, iTunes, Sky Store, Rakuten TV, BT TV, PlayStation Store, Xbox, and Chili – though the selection of movies is slightly restricted by the distributors on board. Those are HBO, Lionsgate, NBCUniversal, Paramount, Sony, StudioCanal, Twentieth Century Fox, and Warner Bros. (To be fair, that's a lot to be getting on with.)

Each site is running its own price cuts, so you may well get better deals in some places over others. But whichever your go-to is, there's a big helping of savings to be had.

Mega Movie Week runs January 21-27, exclusively in the UK.

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UK hit with 30m cyberattacks in just three months

Almost 30m cyberattacks were carried out in the UK during Q4 2018 according to new research from the cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab.

Cybercriminals favoured web browsers as their primary method for spreading malicious programs in the UK and the firm detected and defended against over 12.1m different cyber threats between October and December of last year.

Overall, 16 per cent of those who used Kaspersky Security Next products were attacked by web-based threats which the company helped defend them from.

The number of attacks that occurred in the UK puts the country in 125th place worldwide when it comes to how dangerous it is to surf the web.

Local threats

While web-based threats were high local threats were more prevalent with Kaspersky Lab stopping more than 17.5m during Q4 2018 placing the UK 138th in the world.

Additionally the number of incidents caused by servers hosted reached 11.2m, putting the UK at sixth place worldwide.

The most common tactics used by cybercriminals to carry out attacks via browsers were implementing infections that exploited vulnerabilities in browsers and their plug-ins and social engineering.

When it came to local infection statistics, Kaspersky Lab found that worms and file viruses were used for the majority of such incidents.

  • We've also highlighted the best antivirus to help protect you from the latest cyber threats
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Spotify toys with block button for your least favorite artists

Spotify appears to have launched a new block feature for its users, allowing them to prevent certain artists and bands from playing when shuffling their Spotify library or listening to curated playlists.

Select users are able to click on the "..." menu by an artist's name, and select "Don't play this artist", stopping their tracks from playing in Discover Weekly playlists, Daily Mixes, or national and global music charts.

Thurrott first spotted the new feature, which has appeared on a number of seemingly random user accounts – Spotify's usual practice for trialing a new feature before it rolls it out on a larger scale.

There's no official word on the feature, though, so this may be one software feature that never makes it to the wider market.

Guilty displeasures

Subscribers to the music streaming service have long called for a way to stop their least favorite bands popping up during otherwise joyful playlists – both to protect their ears and to stop financing artists they don't want to support.

Even if it would benefit the user experience, though, there could well be pushback from artists who find themselves losing streams on popular playlists – say, if the global userbase decided to cull Ed Sheeran every time he popped up in the top singles chart.

Whether your pet hate is Justin Bieber, or you don't think you should be listening to R. Kelly anymore, the new feature is sure to be a boon to those wanting more control over their music. That is, if Spotify grants it to the rest of us...

Via SlashGear

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