With the Galaxy Note 20 launch just a week away, all eyes will be on what upgrades Samsung brings to the table. While the chipset might remain unchanged, there might be a silver lining. While Samsung flagship like the Note series and the S series are powered by Snapdragon chipsets in the US and European markets, they come with Exynos chipset in Asian markets such as India. It often tends to lose out on the performance front against Qualcomm Snapdragon counterparts. However, a new leak suggests some good news in this regard. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 release date, price, news and leaks Upcoming smartphones in India: Specs, launch date, price (Image credit: Samsung/WinFuture) According to a tweet by Anthony, a Youtuber, Samsung Galaxy Note 20 will continue to be powered by the Exynos 990 chipset, but with major improvements in terms of the performance and efficiency. These optimizations should bring it closer to the Snapdragon 865 series. He even suggested that it is almost li...
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The 10 best tripods you can buy right now
Question: what has three legs, one head, and doesn’t get out much? Answer: that big, heavy tripod that’s too much of a chore to lug around.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. Increasingly, manufacturers are coming up with cunning designs that are relatively compact and lightweight, yet extend to lofty operating heights and offer solid support even for heavyweight camera and lens combinations.
Better still, the latest tripods are often packed with intriguing features and clever tricks. It’s all good news because, even in broad daylight, a tripod can help you get sharper shots with better, more precise composition. Let’s start at the top and work downwards.
What type of head?Every tripod needs a head, and the smart money is on ball heads. Many tripods are sold as kits, comprising legs and a head, although sometimes you’ll need to buy the legs and heads separately; you don’t have to stick with the same manufacturer for both items, but there are a couple of things to bear in mind if you want to mix and match.
The attachment screw on the tripod platform can be 1/4-inch or a larger 3/8-inch in size. You can fit a head with a larger thread to a tripod with a smaller screw, using an adaptor, but you can’t couple a head with a 1/4-inch thread to a tripod with a 3/8-inch screw.
It’s also good to check that that the diameter of the ball head’s mounting plate is roughly the same size as the mounting platform on the tripod – diameters tend to range from around 45mm to 60mm. And finally, it makes sense to get legs and a head that have a similar maximum load rating.
The main plus point of a ball head, compared with a traditional three-way photographic head, is that they’re much quicker and easier to set up. A single locking screw is all that’s needed to enable a full range of movement, and there are no locking arms sticking out that need to be removed for stowing the tripod away.
Drawbacks of conventional ball heads have also been addressed in many of the latest designs. For example, it’s common to find an adjustable friction damper as well as the main locking screw, so that you can tailor operation to suit your camera when fitted with lenses of wide-ranging weights. An additional pan-only release is also often fitted, so you can keep a ball head locked in position but still pan the camera to track action, or to take a sequence of shots for stitching into a panoramic image.
Low-level shootingMoving on down, the joints at which the three legs are joined to the main chassis typically feature mechanisms with which you can lock the legs at three or more different angles. This enables low-level shooting without the need to remove and invert the center column, saving time and effort, and avoiding the need to shoot with the camera upside down. Splaying the legs further apart also adds stability in low-level shooting, and it can also be useful to use different legs at different angles on uneven terrain.
Another innovative feature often used in recent designs is a pivoting center column. With many tripods, you can pivot the center column through 90 degrees and use it as a horizontal boom. It’s great for shooting extreme close-ups with a macro lens, and helps to avoid the tripod feet sneaking into the picture if you're shooting with an ultra-wide-angle lens.
Three leg sections gives a good compromise between maximum operating height and minimum folded height
It’s also useful in conjunction with multi-angle leg locks for very low-level shooting. The pivot design in some tripods goes further still, enabling the center column to be locked at many angles in small increments through a complete 180 degree arc, instead of just in vertical or horizontal orientation.
The leg sections themselves are usually three in number. This gives a good compromise between maximum operating height and minimum folded height, as well as ensuring that the bottom sections aren’t too thin and spindly. However, ‘travel tripods’ often feature four or even five sections, so that they can fold down smaller – this can impair rigidity when you need to use the thinnest, lower leg sections, and set-up can take longer if you need to release and re-lock up to 12 separate clamps, for example, for tripods with five-section legs.
The section clamps themselves tend to be either twist-action or locking levers. Some people find twist clamps quicker and easier to operate when the legs are folded down, while others find locking levers more convenient. Locking levers became all the rage a few years ago, but twist-locks have been making a comeback.
Another space-saving idea that’s featured in an increasing number of travel-friendly tripods is that the legs swing upwards for stowage, with the head nestling between the feet. Set-up can take a little longer, but it typically knocks about 20cm off the folded height.
Down at the bottom, there are two types of feet generally on offer. Rubber pads work best on smooth, hard surfaces, whereas metal spikes are better on carpet and loose ground. Some tripods come with interchangeable feet to suit every occasion, while others might feature rubber pads with retractable spikes.
Aluminum or carbonA material consideration is whether to go for aluminum or carbon fiber. Both are capable of providing very sturdy support but carbon fiber tripod kits (with the same heads attached) are typically about 15% lighter in weight than aluminum versions of the same kit. Naturally, the bigger the tripod, the greater the weight-saving, but it generally works out to around 500g.
Carbon legs look smart and have more of a feelgood factor, but are more susceptible to shattering if they suffer a sharp knock. And where carbon and aluminum versions of the same legs are available, the carbon edition can sometimes be as much as twice the price.
21 landscape photography tips you'll never want to forgetWhy every photographer needs three tripodsThe type of tripod you pick will depend on your specific needs, from a simple table-top option you can sling in your bag to large, heavy-duty supports. We've picked out the 10 best options to suit a range of budgets and needs.
Sold separately as a set of carbon fiber legs and a magnesium alloy ball head with quick-release plate, the MT055CXPRO3 + XPRO ball head really is a winning combination from Manfrotto.
Upgrades in this latest edition of the longstanding and highly popular 055 series include easy-action ‘Quick Power Lock’ levers for the leg sections, which operate with speedy simplicity. However, in the aluminum version of the 055XPRO3 legs, which costs about half the price, the leg sections drop out a little too freely for our liking, when the clamps are released.
The mechanism for locking each leg at any of four available angles is quick and intuitive, as is the 90-degree pivot system for the center column, which enables you to use it as a horizontal boom.
The ball head is an absolute joy (sold separately), complementing the rock-solid performance of the legs and combining equally high-end build quality with smart features that include an independent friction adjuster, pan-only release and bubble levels.
Beautifully crafted from aluminum and magnesium, the Benro GoPlus Travel FGP18A is a seriously good set of legs. A carbon fiber version is also available, but it’s more than twice the price and doesn’t add to the performance. The metal edition is the better buy, and it’s not particularly heavy at 1.95kg, including the B0 ball head (sold separately).
Despite being billed as a travel tripod, the Benro has a respectable if not overly generous maximum operating height. It also has a hefty load capacity, and is extremely rigid. Following the latest trend, the legs swing upwards around the head to enable a small carrying height of just 46cm.
Clever tricks include a pivoting center column that can be locked at angles in small increments through a full 180-degree arc, and three lockable leg angles. Bubble levels are featured on both the legs and the head, while the head itself has independent locking, panning and friction knobs.
The kit includes interchangeable screw-in spikes and rubber feet, and everything’s wrapped up in a smart padded soft case. And to save traveling with extra kit, one of the legs can be unscrewed and used as a monopod.
Gitzo is legendary for building super-tough, professional-grade tripods that are designed to take the knocks of harsh daily use and abuse. The company is also notorious for its high prices, and typically this GK3532-82QD kit is supplied as a robust and rugged kit of legs and head, with a hefty price tag. Not just good at heights, the Mountaineer quickly and easily adapts to low-level and even ground-level shooting.
The Series 3 is the most rigid of the Mountaineer tripods, with a massive load capacity of 21kg for the legs and 18kg for the ball head. The three-section legs are made from Gitzo’s high-performance Carbon eXact tubes, which have an optimized composition for each leg section diameter. The result is excellent rigidity at all operating heights, while revamped G-lock Ultra twist-locks operate smoothly and efficiently.
The same goes for the ball head, which includes independent friction and panning controls, plus a specialized tungsten disulphide coating to avoid any jerkiness. The original Mountaineer launched back in 1994 as the world’s first carbon fiber tripod, and this latest-edition model is a worthy successor.
Like many tripods on the market, the Karoo Ultimate Travel Tripod Kit is available in both aluminum and carbon fiber options. However, there’s less of a mark-up than usual for carbon, making it the more attractive buy. Its name suggests that it’s the ‘ultimate travel tripod’ but, with a decent maximum height and hefty maximum load ratings, the Karoo is well suited to just about any kind of shooting, home or away.
Fairly light on its feet at 1.95kg, complete with the supplied head, the kit folds down to just 48cm, thanks to the legs swinging upwards so that the feet are positioned around the head. It’s therefore conveniently compact for carrying around, and is supplied with a posh padded soft case.
Even so, it goes large on features, with a 90-degree pivoting center column, triple-angle legs, one removable leg for use as a monopod, and retractable foot spikes. The clever head includes independent controls for locking, panning and friction adjustment.
Build quality and rigidity are very good throughout, and all aspects of operation are simple and intuitive. Overall, it’s an impressive and full-featured carbon tripod kit that’s good value at the price.
The latest in a long line of much-loved Manfrotto 190 tripods has been revamped for greater ease of use and compactness. There’s a wide range of three-section and four-section 190-series models to choose from, in both aluminum and carbon fiber, with and without supplied heads.
This complete three-section aluminum kit with XPRO ball head can’t compete with most ‘travel tripods’ for folding down to a small size, as the legs don’t swing upwards for stowage. However, set-up is quicker and the folded height is 7cm shorter than that of its predecessor, mostly thanks to a redesigned pivot joint. This enables the center column to be rotated vertically through 90 degrees for use as a horizontal boom.
The multi-angle leg mechanism is similarly streamlined and straightforward, enabling four lockable angles rather than the usual three. Up on top, the kit includes the latest XPRO ball head, which is simply superb and, unlike in most previous Manfrotto designs, includes an independent panning release. The level of build quality is up to Manfrotto’s usual high standards, and the Manfrotto MK190XPRO3-BHQ is a good compromise between rigidity and lightweight compactness, at a competitive price.
Finished in smart grey, this aluminum ‘2+’ edition of Vanguard’s ALTA PRO 263 tripod builds on the success of the original, with the flip locks for the three-section legs replaced with twist locks that are a little quicker and easier to operate.
Rigidity is very good throughout, including the hexagonal cross-section center column, which can be rotated vertically through +/- 90 degrees in small 15-degree increments. The legs can be locked at four different angles, adding further to the tripod’s versatility. An additional 3/8-inch threaded connector enables the attachment of articulated or flexible arms, ideal for adding lighting accessories for either photo or video applications.
Build quality is convincing throughout all components of the legs, and is carried through to the BH-100 ball head that’s supplied as part of the kit. This includes a friction control and dedicated panning lock, along with two bubble levels for precise positioning. The kit comes complete with a carrying bag and ‘all-terrain’ rubber feet; spiked feet are available as an optional extra.
Travel-friendly compactness comes courtesy of legs that swing upwards and encompass the head, for a small stowage size, while despite folding down to just 51cm the maximum operating height is a lofty 187cm. Similarly, while this complete carbon fiber tripod kit weighs in at just 2.4kg, it has mighty maximum load ratings of 18kg for the legs and 30kg for the ball head.
Precision-engineered throughout, the tripod features some nice design flourishes as well. One of the legs can be unscrewed and used as a monopod, in conjunction with the upper part of the two-section center column.
Rigidity of the legs is excellent, while the ball head is finely crafted and works flawlessly. The head’s main locking screw doubles as an adjustable friction damper, and the pan-only release is a useful addition. Overall, the Sirui N-3204X/K-30X is a really well designed tripod kit that delivers superb performance, but at a steep price.
With no hint of flimsiness, the chunky Nest Traveller NT-6294CK carbon fiber kit has load ratings of 20kg for the legs and 15kg for the ball head. It’s beautifully made, yet undercuts many comparable aluminum kits on the market for price.
Despite its Herculean load-bearing abilities, the complete kit tips the scales at just 1.85kg. The maximum operating height is respectable for a travel-oriented tripod and, with legs that swing up over the head, the folded height is an easily manageable 45cm. One leg is removable for use as a monopod but, as with many ‘travel’ tripods, there’s no pivot mechanism for the center column.
Up on top, the ball head is a good match for the legs. It’s finished in carbon-alike grey, and features adjustable friction damping and a pan lock/release knob. The inclusion of a posh padded soft case is a surprise, given the kit’s budget-friendly price tag.
Although the word ‘travel’ doesn’t feature in the name of this tripod kit, the Novo Explora T10 nevertheless has a swing-up design for the legs, each of which has four sections, enabling a compact folded height of 48cm. Unlike many similar designs, however, there’s no skimping on the maximum operating height, which is a satisfying 174cm. The kit is only available in carbon fiber, weighing in at a modest 1.8kg yet boasting a hefty maximum load rating of 15kg, for both the legs and the ball head.
The legs feature smooth twist-action clamps and three lockable angles. As we’re seeing increasingly in recent designs, one leg is removable and can be used as a monopod. The ball head features an adjustable friction damper built into the main locking knob and two pan release locks, one at the base and another in the camera platform, both with scales marked in degrees.
The kit is supplied with interchangeable rubber feet and metal spikes, and a smart padded soft case. Overall build quality and performance are excellent, with impressive rigidity even at the maximum operating height.
It won’t quite fit in your pocket, but the MeFOTO RoadTrip Air shrinks to just 28cm when folded, and weighs barely more than a kilogram. It’s relatively painless to carry anywhere and everywhere, and is quite the fashion accessory, available in a wide selection of different colours. Even so, it stretches to a reasonable maximum operating height of 156cm, thanks to having five sections in each leg and an extending center column.
There are no external locking clamps for the leg sections. Instead, you simply hold the foot of each leg and progressively twist to release successive clamps for each section, then twist in the opposite direction to lock them. The center column has four telescopic sections that work on the same principle.
You can remove the center column and use it with the supplied smartphone holder as a selfie stick. The kit even includes a Bluetooth remote control that you can pair with your smartphone. Back in camera mode, the small ball head features an independent panning lock. Despite its ultra-lightweight construction, the tripod doesn’t feel flimsy and is reasonably resistant to flexing, although the maximum load rating of 6kg seems a little ambitious.
5 essential photography filters (and why you can't live without them)
Fossil Q Control is a waterproof smartwatch with a heart rate monitor
Fossil has already launched the Fossil Q Explorist and Fossil Q Venture this year, but it’s already back with a new smartwatch, and this one is the brand’s first to include a heart rate monitor.
The Fossil Q Control is also swim-proof, so it should be a more appealing health and fitness wearable than most watches in Fossil’s smart range, but it could appeal even if you have no interest in breaking a sweat.
The watch features a completely round face – no flat tire here – and it runs Android Wear 2.0, so you have access to a wide range of apps.
Customize the strap and faceThere’s a replaceable silicone strap and a 13.5mm thick case, and the Q Control also sports Fossil’s first virtual touch bezel on the edge of the display for easy navigation.
The software experience should otherwise be similar to other Android Wear devices, but with the addition of some exclusive ‘sport inspired’ digital faces and a ‘color picker’, which allows you to customize the colors of each face.
It remains to be seen whether the Fossil Q Control will be any good, but it looks promising, with a design that appears similarly stylish to other Fossil watches and a lot more features, all for roughly the same price as the likes of the Q Explorist, as the Q Control is out now in the US and UK for $275/£279 (around AU$360).
Check out the best smartwatches you can buy
Nintendo Switch accessories: items you need to make the most of your console
You’ve got your Nintendo Switch, you've got all the best games for it, you’re absolutely ready to make the most of your console, right? Well, almost.
The Nintendo Switch comes with everything you absolutely definitely need to get the console up and running already in the box, but there are plenty of additional accessories available that will without a doubt enhance your playing experience and unlock the hybrid's full potential.
To help you figure out what’s out there, what it’s used for, and whether or not it’s actually going to be useful for you, we’ve rounded up a bunch of the key first and third party Switch accessories right here.
If you’re not particularly enamored with the Joy-Con controllers and want something that’s a little more traditional you should consider picking up the Nintendo Switch Pro controller.
Though the Joy-Con controllers do have a grip which unties them to form a single device, it doesn’t have a traditional D-pad and nor does it look quite as ergonomically sound as the Pro controller for longer play sessions.
With its motion controls, HD rumble and Amiibo support it’s a solid alternative to the Joy-Con controllers. You can buy it in a standard grey but for something a little more colorful there are also Xenoblade Chronicles and Splatoon 2-themed options with neon pink and green accents. These do, however, come at a slightly higher cost.
Despite the benefits of the Pro controller for the single player, it might also be worth picking up some extra Joy-Con controllers if you’re fond of multiplayer gaming.
You might as well face the fact that not everyone in your life will have picked up a Switch. They're still kind of hard to come by. Though you could make the purchase of Joy-Con controllers a prerequisite for entry to your home, it might be better for your personal relationships to have a few extra controllers on hand for any impromptu multiplayer sessions.
Joy-Con color selections are growing all the time. Alongside the neon red and blue and grey versions which were available at launch, it's now possible to pick up a matching neon yellow pair and a Splatoon 2-inspired neon pink and green set.
Joy-Con controllers can be purchased separately or in a pair. It's worth noting that you save a little on each individual controller by paying for a pair outright.
If you’d rather not buy a Pro controller but you would like your additional Joy-Con controllers to be slightly more comfortable when they’re being used separately, you could always buy a grip kit.
This kit containing two controller grips and two thumb grips will make your slim Joy-Con controllers slightly bulkier and more akin to a traditional controller shape which should reduce any discomfort that would arise in a longer play session.
You can find it for $14.99/£14.99.
If you’re a physical media fan rather than a download fan, you should probably consider purchasing a game card case for when you take your Switch on the go. Even when storing your games at home it’s a much more compact way of keeping your Switch cartridges in order than piling up each of the individual game boxes.
This compact one from HORI holds 24 game cards and 2 microSD cards, which should keep you going for a while. You can purchase it for $9.99/£8.99.
True LAN parties are possible on the Nintendo Switch, but only if you have an Ethernet adapter as the console doesn’t actually have a standard Ethernet port itself.
If you’d like to connect up to 10 docked Switch consoles for an intense Splatoon 2 tournament with your friends with no dodgy wireless connection worries, you’ll need to pick up one of these. It's not been confirmed whether or not an official Nintendo adapter is necessary or if one you already have will suffice. If you'd rather be safe than sorry, though, you can pick up the official Nintendo Switch adapter for £26.99/$29.99.
No, the Joy-Con grip that comes boxed with your console will not charge your Joy-Con controllers, but considering the Joy-Con controllers have around 20 hours of battery life in them, this shouldn’t prove to be too much of a problem.
However, we all have those times post-play where we just throw our controller on the sofa and walk away. If you just know you’re likely to play with the grip frequently and forget to reattach the controllers to your docked console this could be a purchase worth considering.
It's not the cheapest luxury, though, at £24.99/$29.99 on the official Nintendo site.
You buy protective accessories for your phone, you buy them for your tablet, and we’d say it’s worth buying them for your Nintendo Switch to keep it secure and safe when it’s undocked and on the move.
You can get this nifty Mario case officially licensed by Nintendo which includes a screen protector, earbuds, character-branded Joy-Con Armor Guards, thumb caps, cleaning cloth, and applicator for $29.99/£29.99.
If, however, you're less concerned about themed branding there's also this starter kit from Orzly which comes in at £14.99.
We'd definitely recommend picking up this kit for the screen protector alone; there have been reports of players scratching the tablet screen when docking the console for home play so they're worth investing in.
If you’re not really into the idea of buying and hoarding game cards and would rather digitally purchase your Switch games, you’ll definitely want to look into buying a microSD card.
The Nintendo Switch only has 32GB of internal memory and considering games like The Legend of Zelda will take up to around 13GB of storage, the ability to expand the console’s memory is essential.
The Switch will support microSD and SDHC cards as well as SDXC cards of up to 2TB, even though the latter aren’t actually available for purchase yet.
Think you’ll probably play the Switch in tabletop mode a lot? Then you’ll want to look into purchasing the HORI playstand.
Although the Switch has a flip out leg on its rear that will support it, it doesn’t really leave any clearance for plugging a charging cable into the USB-C port on the console’s base. The HORI playstand will allow for this, though, as it lifts the console off the surface you’re playing on as well as offering adjustable angles for more comfortable play.
As far as Switch accessories go, it's not overly expensive either at £9.99/$12.99.
Planning to use the Switch on the go a lot? It could be worth investing in a sturdy external battery pack if you haven’t already.
The Switch’s portable battery life isn’t unreasonable but it isn’t stellar either and since you can’t guarantee you’re always going to be near a plug socket to top up its charge a back up power source will rarely go wrong. Just make sure you have a USB-C cable to connect it.
These are our picks of the best portable battery packs to help you choose.
Given that it is mostly screen, we'd recommend buying some kind of protector for your Switch console. Users have reported that they've scratched their console when lifting it from the dock but anyone with a phone or tablet will know, you don't need a dock for accidents to happen.
You can pick up third-party protectors created by Orzly for as little as £5.99 on Amazon.
The Nintendo Switch itself may be a portable console, but its bulky dock isn't which isn't ideal if you want to take the entire set up on the go to play on a TV that isn't your own.
Fortunately, there's a third-party solution to that problem. Accessory maker Nyko has created a much smaller dock for the Nintendo Switch. So small it can fit in the palm of your hand.
Being so small, it doesn't have the comforting stability of Nintendo's official dock or USB ports but it's a great on-the-go solution. With a recommended retail price of $44.99 it's an affordable one, too.
The dock has been released and can be purchased on Nyko's official website.
An alternative portable dock has been developed by SFANS. The manufacturer is seeking support for the product on Indiegogo and it has comfortably achieved its funding. However, there have been delays in delivery.
While initial delivery was expected in August 2017, SFANS delayed the product for a re-design and has promised backers that they will receive their device in November.
Whether or not this product will be available from the main SFANS store any time soon is uncertain. But reviews of the initial design were fairly positive.
We'll update with more release information as it becomes available.
While the Switch's Joy-Con controllers don't have dismal battery life, we do sometimes forget to charge them. If you're forever finding your battery is running low mid-game you might be interested in Nintendo's official Joy-Con battery packs.
This battery pack will essentially slide onto the back of your Joy-Con controllers and power them using AA batteries. They do add slightly more bulk but this might suit those who feel the Joy-Cons are on the small side.
You can find these on Amazon UK for £10.35 and Amazon US for $21.49.
If you take your Mario Karting seriously, you might be interested in a Joy-Con steering wheel adaptor. This wireless wheel will use the motion sensors in the Joy-Con to allow you to feel like you're driving a real cart. There's a learning curve to using these and they're on the small side but they add a new dimension to racing games. It's especially convenient that they come in a pair so you don't have to send your friends off to buy their own.
You can find these on the official Nintendo store for £12.99/$14.99 per pair.
Save 97% on premium PC software with DownloadMix
Black Friday is nearly upon us, but you don't have to wait until next week for a brilliant deal on software.
DownloadMix is a new service that offers premium software bundles at a hugely discounted price.
Each month, DownloadMix provides a different package of eight hand-picked applications. There's no subscription and no catches – just a one-off payment of US$9.99/£9.99/AU16.61 for a bundle.
The November bundle includes eight full programs that usually retail for a combined total of US$399 (about £260, AU$440).
DownloadMix's November packageArtweaver
The premium edition of virtual painting studio Artweaver gives you a huge selection of realistic brushes with advanced customization options. It offers layers, supports Adobe PSD documents, and can be expanded via plugins.
Ashampoo Music Studio 2018
Rip, edit and burn music files effortlessly with Ashampoo Music Studio. This powerful music management tool will automatically find missing album metadata, making it easy to keep your collection in order. Mix and fade tracks, normalize the volume, add album art, and much more.
Abelssoft AntiRansomware
Not all antivirus tools give comprehensive protection from ransomware, so a tool like Abelssoft AntiRansomware is invaluable to help keep your data safe. It runs discretely in the background and raises the alarm as soon as it detects suspicious activity that matches the behaviour of ransomware.
reaConverter
Powerful batch image converter reaConverter supports 645 input formats, and 56 output formats. It can also convert documents in formats including DOC, DOCX and RTF, CAD and AutoCAD. Whatever you need to convert, reaConverter can handle the job quickly and easily.
Saola Animate
Saola Animate is an intuitive tool for making your own HTML5 animations and interactive web content. No coding experience is necessary thanks to Saola Animate's use of simple timelines and scenes.
Kerish Doctor 2017
Keep your PC running smoothly with this full maintenance and optimization toolkit. Kerish Doctor not only scans your system for junk files and fixes registry entries, it also protects from malware and potential vulnerabilities, and monitors your security settings.
Tabbles Business 2017
Tabbles Business is a file tagging and organization tool that takes the stress and hassle out of finding and managing documents and emails. You can tag files manually or with automatic rules, then group, search and arrange them using tag-based rules.
abylon APP-BLOCKER
Give your PC a speed boost with abylon APP-BLOCKER. This handy program manager makes it easy to manage applications that are currently running and those that are scheduled to run at startup, as well as Windows services and device drivers. Everything is presented in a clear tree view, enabling you to deactivate or remove any you don't need with a single click.
Get even more bargains with 2017's best Black Friday deals
Super cheap SIM only deal: 5GB data and 500 mins for just £6.50 per month
TechRadar has teamed up with Mobile Phones Direct to give TR readers what is probably the best SIM only deal of the year, just in time for Black Friday!
This exclusive deal gets you 5GB data, 500 mins and unlimited texts on the Vodafone network for a ridiculously cheap £6.50 per month. Yes you read that correctly. It's the cheapest 5GB SIM only deal out there by quite a margin - in fact it's the cheapest 5GB deal we've ever seen. The next best option is this one on Three which costs more and gets you less!
The tariff you sign up for with this deal is actually a standard Vodafone plan which costs you £13.50 per month for the above allowance. But our link allows you to reclaim £84 of that as cashback, which effectively leaves you paying the bonkers-cheap £6.50 per month fee.
Exclusive SIM only deal in full: How do I claim the cashback?Mobile Phones Direct gives a full explanation of how to claim back your cash on its website. Every two months from March 2018 onwards, you'll claim a fifth of the total cashback sum.
To claim, you have to fill out a cashback claims form which can be found in the ‘My Account’ section of the Mobile Phones Direct website. Claims must be received within 60 days from the date shown on the bill. Once approved, Mobile Phones Direct says that cashback is paid within 14 working days directly into your bank account.
It's also worth noting that the cashback offer becomes void if you disconnect from the network prior to making your payments.
Best SIM only dealsIf you can't be bothered with redeeming cashback, want to go with a network other than Vodafone (Three SIM only deals are some of the best around) or just want to compare these SIM only deals to the best of the rest of the market, then you can use the interactive price comparison chart on our best SIM only deals page.
This 10-year-old unlocked his mother's iPhone X using Face ID
Apple said its new Face ID unlock system on the iPhone X would only find an issue every one in a million cases, but we've now already heard word of a problem.
A 10-year-old has unlocked his mother's iPhone X using the Face ID feature and it looks like it thinks the child's face is similar enough to his parent's to be able to unlock the phone.
You can see how easy it is for the 10-year-old to unlock the phone in the video below.
Watch your kidsApple hasn't commented on the new video, but it previously said it doesn't recommend children under 13 should set up their own Face ID on an iPhone X.
A security guide from the company says it's likely to pull through false matches with young children as "their distinct facial features may not have fully developed."
But the video above is the first time we've heard of it being a problem the other way around, where a child has been able to unlock a parent's phone.
If you have any young children and are thinking of buying the iPhone X, this may be a concern if they they find the handset without you around.
We've heard stories of children unlocking parent's phones and spending lots of money via in-app purchases in the past, so if you have young children and an iPhone X it may be worth using a different unlock method on your phone.
Earlier this week we also heard how researchers believe they can fool Face ID with a 3D printed mask that cost $150 (about £115, AU$200) to make.
Read our full iPhone X reviewVia Wired
Lenovo’s ThinkPad P52s is a slim but power-packed mobile workstation
Lenovo has revealed a pair of fresh ThinkStation offerings, alongside a new ThinkPad which the company notes is the thinnest and lightest quad-core workstation notebook it has ever made.
Let’s start with the latter, the ThinkPad P52s, which crams plenty of power into an Ultrabook-style portable.
We’re talking an 8th-generation Intel Core i5 or i7 quad-core processor, Nvidia Quadro P500 graphics, up to 32GB system memory, and on the storage front, up to a 1TB NVMe SSD and 2TB spinning disk.
All this fits into a laptop which is 19.95mm thick and weighs 1.95kg, which in the workstation world is nicely portable indeed.
The IPS display can be a Full HD model, or optionally you can plump for a 4K resolution (or a Full HD touchscreen). There’s an option on a fingerprint reader for extra security, too.
Lenovo also notes that battery longevity is a strong suit with this notebook, stating that: “Lenovo’s PowerBridge technology provides all day power – allowing you to work seamlessly, without the hassle of recharging.”
No claimed battery life figures have been given at this point, though.
Moving onto the ThinkStation tower PCs, the first is the P520, which is backed up by a more compact machine in the form of the P520c, and these are mainstream single CPU workstations.
Both can be equipped with an Intel Xeon W Series processor boasting up to 18 cores and speeds of up to 4.5GHz.
With the P520 you can specify up to 256GB of system memory, and a pair of Nvidia Quadro P6000 graphics cards. It will also accommodate up to eight system drives. The system’s tower case measures 455 x 165 x 440mm (W x D x H).
As for the P520c, that allows for up to 128GB of system RAM, a single Nvidia Quadro P5000 graphics card, and up to six system drives. Its tower case measures 175 x 426 x 376mm (W x D x H).
All of these fresh Lenovo offerings will go on sale towards the end of January 2018, with exact pricing to be confirmed.
We’ve rounded up the best business PCs of 2017
10 must-have accessories for every Canon DSLR owner
Whether you’ve just got yourself a Canon DSLR like the EOS Rebel T7i (EOS 800D) or EOS Rebel SL2 (EOS 200D), or have owned one for a while, the camera and the bundled 18-55mm kit lens it just the start of your photographic journey.
The beauty of investing in a DSLR is that while they can be used straight out of the box, there’s a world of accessories out there to help you really harness their power and take even better shots.
These include additional lenses, filters, tripods and a host of other accessories. But with so much choice, where to begin? We’ll point you towards some of the key items of kit you’re likely to want to invest in, and offer suggestions for each.
1. Standard prime: Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM | A
While your 18-55mm kit lens is fine for general photography, its relatively 'slow', in that the maximum aperture available is quite limited. That’s where a prime lens comes in. Often offering a much faster maximum aperture, they let in more light, allowing you to shoot handheld in much poorer lighting conditions. Not only that, but the faster maximum aperture means you can achieve pro-looking shallow depth of field effects to isolate your subject.
They come in a range of focal lengths, but our pick would be the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM | A; giving roughly the same field of view as the human eye on a Canon APS-C DSLR, it’s what’s termed a ‘standard’ prime. A must for any photographer.
Read more: 9 things you should know about prime lenses
2. Telephoto zoom: Tamron SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD
The next lens you’ll probably want to add to your collection is a telephoto zoom. Not only are these perfect for action and wildlife photography, they’re also great for picking out details in landscapes and shooting tightly cropped portraits or candids.
While pros tend to favour the 70-200mm f/2.8 telephoto zoom, they’re heavy and expensive, which is why we’ve picked the Tamron SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD.
Offering more reach than a 70-200mm, while also being more compact and affordable, this is a great choice for those looking to pull in even distant subjects – and it comes with Vibration Control (Tamron’s anti-shake system) built in.
Read more: The best telephoto zoom lenses for Canon DSLRs
3. Wide-angle zoom: Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM
You’ve probably found that your Canon 18-55mm ‘kit’ lens is pretty wide, but not quite wide enough for some subjects.
An ultra wide-angle zoom lens can offer a field of view almost be twice as wide, making it perfect for cramped interiors, big city landmarks, sweeping landscapes and surreal close-ups.
Our pick would be Sigma’s 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM, but it’s worth remembering that this lens is only compatible with APS-C cameras, so if you’re planning to upgrade to a full-frame camera later you’ll have to trade this lens in as well.
Read more: The best wide-angle zoom lenses for Canon DSLRs
4. Flashgun: Metz 52 AF-1
The built-in flash on your camera is fine for the odd bit of fill-in flash, but it isn’t powerful enough to do much more than that, which is why you need a dedicated flashgun (or Speedlite, as Canon calls its own models).
Not only do they have much more power than a built-in flash, the head can be tilted and swivelled to change the quality of the light – for example you can bounce the flash off walls and ceilings for a much more flattering look.
And that’s not all, as you also have the option to take a flashgun off your hotshoe and fire it remotely – it does this when detects another flash firing, typically your built-in one, with the power dialled in on the camera, depending on the model.
Or for greater range you can trigger them via a radio trigger (bought separately). Either way you can sculpt the light for a much more professional look, as well as combining multiple flashguns.
Canon offers a host of dedicated models like the Speedlite 430EX III RT, but there are plenty of great third-party options, and one of our favorites is the Metz 52 AF-1.
5. Protective filters: Hoya HMC UV filter
Despite the advent of digital, lens filters still have their place, and none more so than the humble Skylight or UV filter, such as Hoya's HMC UV filter.
Completely clear in appearance, these have no affect on the final image, but the name of the game here is to protect the front element of your lens.
Rather than being lumbered with a hefty repair bill if you scratch or break the front of your lens, it’s much better to let a Skylight filter take the hit.
Because the front element of lenses are different sizes, you’ll need to make sure you get the right size – you’ll often find this marked in mm around the front of the lens, or on the inside of your lens cap.
Read more: Protective filters
6. Creative filters: Lee Filters DSLR Starter Kit
Balancing the exposure between a bright sky and a darker foreground can be tricky, particularly in landscapes and sunrise/sunset shots. You can try and recover shadow and/or highlight detail in Photoshop or Lightroom, but you can get much better results in-camera with a traditional optical graduated neutral density (ND) filter.
Because you need to move the filter up and down to adjust the transition from clear to dark, the square filter system is the only real option for ND grads, and our pick is from the brand favoured by professionals, the Lee Digital SLR Starter Kit.
You get a 100mm filter holder (although you'll have to get an adaptor ring for your lens separately), a 2-stop hard grad for darkening skies, and a 2-stop neutral density filter to enable you to use slower shutter speeds, for example to blur movement in water and clouds.
Read more: Neutral density graduated filters
7. Tripod: Manfrotto MT190XPRO3
While you may not want to shoot with a tripod all the time (although some photographers never do anything else), a stable set of legs is an essential item of photographic kit.
It’s all too easy, however, to be tempted to go for one of the cheapest models you see – after all, how different can one set of legs be to another? You’d be surprised. Dirt-cheap tripods are cheap for a reason – they’re often very flimsy, with quite a bit of flex, making them essentially useless.
Spend a bit more and you’ll get something much more durable and stable. You can spend even more and get carbon fibre models, which are just as strong but lighter, while there are also specialist tripods for travel and macro photography.
For a good balance between weight, size and price you’re not going to go far wrong with the Manfrotto MT190XPRO3. It offers decent load-bearing capacity and a more than adequate maximum working height, while the centre column can also be positioned horizontally for low-angle shooting.
Read more: Best tripods and camera supports
8. Tripod head: Manfrotto XPRO ball head
While some cheaper tripods normally come with an integrated tripod head, or with a separate head included (there are some pricier options that do as well), most photographers like to choose their own tripod head to go with their set of legs.
Three-way pan-and-tilt heads offer plenty of control, so are ideal for studio and close-up photography, while ball-head tripods are more compact and much quicker to use – landscape photographers love them as they’re easier to carry and quick to use on location – and there are also dedicated video heads for videographers. Our pick would be Manfrotto’s XPRO ball head, but there are plenty of choices out there to suit the kind of photography you enjoy.
9. Cleaning: Vanguard CK6N1 camera cleaning kit
If you’re going to be using your Canon camera regularly you’re going to want to keep it in good condition – wiping away a finger mark on the front of your lens with the back of your sleeve isn’t recommended.
Something like the Vanguard CK6N1 6-in-1 camera cleaning kit is perfect. The power lens cleaner includes a soft-tip graphite dispenser and a microfiber cleaning cloth for polishing, while it also works as a blower brush too.
The kit also includes a 60ml cleaning solution spray bottle, and pre-moistened and dry lens-cleaning wipes, while there's also a microfibre cleaning cloth to ensure your kit is always spotless.
10. Memory card
Don’t just plump for the cheapest memory card you find, as cards can vary dramatically in quality. You'll want a card with decent read and write speeds to ensure your camera can always keep writing data to the card – cheap but slow cards can mean your movies are cut short, or you might miss a shot as the card can't keep up with your camera.
Read more: SD memory card buying guide
The 10 laws of landscape photography14 portrait photography tips you'll never want to forget
Bose Sleepbuds promise a silent night’s sleep
Bose has created an Indiegogo campaign for a new product that promises to protect you from the disturbing noises that stop you from getting a full night’s sleep.
Bose Sleepbuds will work by using noise masking. Unlike noise-cancelling technology that works by identifying unwanted sounds and playing an opposing sound (known as an inverted phase), noise masking works by playing a completely different type of sound in the hope of drowning out ambient noise.
At launch, there will be a range of noises available including: “ocean waves, waterfall, rain, stream, wind and country night. Other sounds include red noise (like white noise, but less harsh), airline cabin, dehumidifier and a 'spa music'-like drone.”
If you're worried about not waking up to the sound of your alarm, don't worry, you can set alarms in the accompanying app too. Just make sure that you keep them charged, as rather than let you sleep through your alarm, the Sleepbuds will wake you up when the battery gets too low.
That little indie startup, BoseIt may seem a strange move for an audio giant like Bose to be doing an Indiegogo campaign, but it insists that the reason for this is that it is looking for real-user feedback. The product available is only a prototype and at present there is only a limited amount of stock.
Because of this, all of the different tiers are currently sold out, with 24 days left of the campaign at time of writing. Bose has managed to hit 888% of its original target, although in the FAQ’s included it claims that it isn’t doing it for the money.
The product was only open to American users, and the Sleepbuds look like they are going to ship the prototypes in February 2018. If the test is successful, there will be a general release later in 2018.
The Bose Sleepbuds will be compatible with Apple devices with iOS 10 and newer, and Android devices 5.0 and above, using Bluetooth Low Energy. They will come with a charging case that can give a full charge while keeping them safe and clean.
Bose claims that the Sleepbuds will be able to hold two nights worth of charge.
It may seem unfair for those getting in early to have a product tested on them, but Bose has made it clear that those involved in the prototype test will be getting their Sleepbuds at a discounted price, and should the test reveal that the hardware needs to be reworked, that there will be some kind of discount system for those that want to upgrade to the final product.
We will keep you updated with the progress of the Sleepbuds, and get a pair in for review when the time comes. For now, you'll have to find a different way to deal with your partner's snoring.
Fancy some noise-cancelling headphones? The best noise-cancelling headphones 2017Via The Verge
Freeview Play: everything you need to know about the UK’s catch-up catch-all
If you live in the UK then there’s a good chance you’ll be familiar with Freeview, the UK’s free-to-air digital broadcaster.
When it first launched in 2002 the joint venture between the UK’s biggest broadcasters was the only way to access digital television without paying a monthly subscription for either a cable or satellite subscription.
Fifteen years later the platform is still going strong, but now the focus is less about getting people access to digital television (which is now the only option after analogue was switched off in 2012), but more about making it easier to get people access to video on-demand services.
In essence Freeview’s aim is to allow you to access all of the on-demand content you could possibly want without having to search through separate apps to find them. It’s all there, contained within the same TV guide.
Here’s how it all works.
Start with the guideThe centre of the Freeview Play ecosystem is the same TV guide (or Electronic Program Guide - EPG) that you’ve been using for years. You can scroll forward to see what’s coming up just like you could with Freeview traditionally, but what’s different with Freeview Play is that you can also scroll backwards.
Scrolling backwards allows you to stream programs over the internet via catch-up services, although exactly how the interface is laid out will vary depending on what piece of hardware you’re using (more on that later).
For example, on the 2017 model Panasonic television we were using, each day is listed in columns, allowing you to scroll back horizontally to quickly cover multiple days. You then scroll up and down to pick the particular program you want to watch.
However, depending on the manufacturer of the hardware you’re using the interface could work much differently, instead allowing you to scroll through programs by going left and right, and scroll through different channels by heading up and down.
Although catch-up services like iPlayer currently allow you to quickly and easily restart a program that’s currently running, this functionality isn’t available through Freeview Play. However, the Freeview team told me it was a feature they’d be very interested in implementing in the future.
The EPG looks very similar to past iterations, but scroll left and you can access catch-up services
Most-watched covered offAccording to the Freeview team, Play currently allows access to the vast majority of the most-watched shows in Britain. BBC, ITV and Channel 4, Channel 5 are on board, and more recently UKTV’s suite of channels were added, allowing access to UKTV Gold and Dave, amongst others.
With that said, there are still some channels that aren’t included. Many of these are the kinds of channels you’d never want to watch catch-up services for (such as shopping channels like QVC), but pay TV channels like the Sky portfolio are also missing (since these are pay TV channels offered outside of Freeview).
Ideally it would be great to see the service cover 100% of TV in the country, but the realities of the Pay TV market mean this is unlikely to ever be the case.
A lot depends on individual catch-up servicesAlthough Freeview Play is aiming to present a clean unified experience, it ultimately relies on catch-up services to provide its functionality. This means that when you scroll back through your EPG and select a program, it will then launch its own catch-up service to begin playing it.
While this means that you still get the same great iPlayer service through Play, it does mean that there are some unfortunate blind spots in programming.
Individual catch-up services can still be accessed directly
You’re probably familiar with occasions when the BBC might show a popular movie on one of its channels, only to have it never appear on its catch-up services. While this is easy to overlook while looking at iPlayer through its usual interface, the way Freeview Play lays out its programming chronologically makes these blind spots a little more obvious.
You’re not missing out on content that’s available to stream for free elsewhere, but it’s a problem that could cause some confusion for people in your household.
A lot depends on manufacturersWe’ve explored this above with the way different program guides are laid out, but because Freeview Play is a platform rather than a single piece of software, the experience can vary a lot between different pieces of hardware and different manufacturers.
With 18 out of the top 20 manufacturers now supporting Freeview Play, that’s a lot of differentiation.
For the most part these differences amount to simple changes like appearance and the way different sections are laid out, but sometimes they can be a little more fundamental.
LG's TVs support Freeview Play
For example, certain televisions and set-top boxes give you the ability to record upcoming programs to either a built-in hard drive or an attached USB stick, but this is functionality that’s been built on top of Freeview Play, rather than being offered by the platform itself.
So although Freeview Play is a solid piece of software, how well it performs will ultimately depend on the hardware it’s installed on, and you should always look for specific reviews of the hardware in question rather than simply relying on the inclusion of 4K.
Curation and searchBeyond the EPG, Freeview Play will also make attempts to introduce you to content you might not be immediately familiar with via its recommended section.
Here you’ll find curated lists of programs sorted by genre, which Freeview hopes will allow you to find new stuff to watch, even if it’s on a channel that you wouldn’t normally frequent.
However, if you want to find some content you’re already familiar with, then Freeview also has extensive search functionality built in to allow you to find it as quickly and easily as possible, regardless of what channel it’s on.
When we searched for a show that we knew was available across multiple channels, Freeview Play certainly found all instances of the show, but it was a little random with how it displayed this information. It shouldn’t be a problem for most shows, but if you’re trying to find some Great British Bake Off to watch, then the amount of re-runs being shown across different channels might confuse the software.
In 2017 the Freeview Play standard was updated with support for the HDR standard Hybrid Log Gamma
It’s always evolvingThe world of television has gone through some pretty big changes recently, with the move towards streaming services and away from traditional broadcast television, and more recently the introduction of new technologies such as Ultra HD and HDR.
Thankfully, Freeview Play is a constantly evolving platform, which will allow it to embrace these new technologies as and when they become available. We’ve already heard that Freeview is interested in integrating the ability to restart a live program, but there’s a lot more to come.
The catch, as above, is that this will rely upon broadcasters to start supporting them, and manufacturers to update their hardware.
Initial signs seem good however. Freeview Play has been equipped to deal with 4K since its inception, and the 2017 specification of the platform includes support for the broadcast-ready HDR standard Hybrid Log Gamma.
When broadcasters eventually start making use of these new standards, you can be certain Freeview Play won’t be far behind.
Many of our choices of best TVs and best 4K TVs have Freeview Play built in
Razer BlackWidow Ultimate keyboard is spill-proof for wet'n'wild gamers
When you're chasing that illusive PUBG chicken dinner, you might not find the time to get away from your desk to have your actual dinner. And so the committed PC gamer sits at their desk, snacking and slurping as that frag count climbs.
It's a dangerous situation for the average keyboard to find itself in, and so many inevitably fall victim to spilled drinks and sandwich crumbs. But Razer's new BlackWidow Ultimate gaming keyboard wants to save itself from an untimely death – it's water and dust resistant, making it sturdier than your average set of keys.
With an IP54 rating, the mechanical keyboard makes use of satisfyingly-clicky Razer Green Switches, with 50 grams of actuation force set to offer precise control.
Customised protectionAs with Razer's other PC gaming gear, there's options for customising the look of the keyboard through backlit LED keys. The keys can not only highlight different color schemes for different games, but can also be programmed to cycle through shades in waves, ripples and other animations.
Macro recording is supported, letting you pre-program complex keystroke patterns and combos for in game use. Razer's quoting an 80-million keystroke lifespan for the keyboard.
Hitting shops worldwide in December, expect to pay $109.99 or €119.99 (which is roughly £110 or AU$190).
Best keyboards of 2017
The best Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge deals pre-Black Friday 2017
We'll tell it to you straight, we like the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge A LOT. Until the Galaxy S8 came along in fact, it held the title of our very favourite phone in the world. More than a year since its release, the S7 Edge remains an exceptional mobile.
And now is a brilliant time to buy one. With the release of the Galaxy Note 8 and iPhone 8, we're seeing some top tariffs emerge on the Edge. As you'll see from our editorially-chosen deals and customisable widget below, Three has the stranglehold on our favourite deals.
It's a bigger phone, and while it doesn't have the same nearly-bezel-less design of the S8 and S8 Plus, it's still got a beautiful screen, the same decent battery life and excellent camera - and again, it's now much cheaper with the prospects of dynamite Black Friday 2017 deals looking likely. Bookmark this page if you fancy the phone and want to see what Black Friday delivers.
More options: Galaxy Note 8 deals | Galaxy S8 deals | Galaxy S7 deals | iPhone 8 Plus deals | Best mobile phone deals | Galaxy S7 Edge review
Until the Samsung Galaxy S8 launched earlier this year, we rated the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge as the best mobile phone in the world - just check out Techradar's 5 star review! So if you're looking for one of the best large screen Android smartphone out there right now, check out the below top 5 deals where you'll find that Three is holding most of the aces...
The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge went straight to the top of the class when it was released in 2016 - we gave it 5 stars out of 5! It somehow managed to better the accomplished Galaxy S6 Edge, by adding a brilliant camera and gorgeous design tweaks.
Read TechRadar's full Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge review
Thankfully, moving your familiar old mobile number to your shiny new Samsung is relatively painless. If you've ever heard of a PAC code, this is when you need to use it.
All you need to do is give your old network a call. They're obliged to give you a PAC - or Porting Authorisation Code - straight away. Once you have it, simply give your new network a call and they'll do the rest...your number will work on your new phone the following working day.
To save you scrabbling around for the number to call to obtain your PAC code, check the list below for the digits you'll need to contact the major networks:
EE 07953 966 250O2 0344 8090202Vodafone 03333 040 191Three 0333 300 3333ID 0333 003 7777GiffGaff 43431 from your handsetVirgin 0345 6000 789BT 0800 800 150Tesco 0345 301 4455Sky 03300 412 524Asda 0800 079 2732The only slight chink is if you want to snap up one of the fantastic deals on our comparison chart, but it's on your existing network. When that happens, your network won't release a PAC code and you'll be forced to take a new phone number.
At least you would have, if it wasn't for this clever (if convoluted) work around. You have to order a free pay-as-you-go SIM from another network. Once you have it, you can tell your old network that you're moving and they'll give you that precious PAC. Then, once your number is registered to the substitute network, simply get another PAC code from them. Take that to your old network, and they'll move your number to your new contract. Simple - kind of!
EE, O2, Vodafone and Three hold the rankings as the big four networks in the UK, and you'll see that they dominate our above comparison chart. Who's offering the best price can vary from phone to phone, and even day to day, so how do you choose between them?
If you want fast and furious 4G, then your choice has to be EE. Its speeds are around 50% faster than the other major networks, which is really noticeable if you like watching films or football on the move. Talking of sport, EE gives you three free months of BT Sport when you sign up, as well as six months of Apple Music. The EE coverage checker will confirm how strong it is where you live.
O2's best claim for your contract is with its Priority rewards - from cheap weekly lunch deals and pre-order privileges on gig tickets, to ad-hoc discounts and competitions. Plus, they have 1000s of wifi hotspots in shops and cafes that you can connect to for free and save your precious data. Use the O2 coverage checker to see whether you'll be able to access 4G.
Vodafone seems to have been around since mobile phones were cumbersome bricks, but they remain a major player. Take a mobile contract and they'll throw in your choice of a NOW TV Entertainment Pass, Spotify Premium or Sky Sports Mobile subscription. And your plan will be available to use in more than 100 countries. Click to check if Vodafone covers your home.
Three is still the only network to offer unlimited data and it often features unbeatable deals on other big data plans - that makes them a natural choice of many a data hungry smartphone addict. But it's a bit shy on the free promotions stuff, and 4G coverage isn't as strong as the other networks - check whether your postcode is covered with the Three coverage checker.
A short, sharp stab of pain to your wallet could save you pounds in the long run if you consider getting the handset and contract separately. You can now get a brand new Galaxy S7 Edge for around £550. If you combine that with one of our best SIM only deals, you could end up saving money over the course of two years. We've seen some SIMs that cost only £5 a month. While others give you the flexibility of 12 month or even 30 day rolling contracts - ultimate flexibility!
When different tariffs vary by just a few pounds a month here and there, It might be tempting to just go for as much data as you can afford. But it's worth really thinking about how much data you actually need - it could save you a stack of cash in the long run!
A good start is to check your phone to see how much data you've been using to date, and whether you have the tendency to use more than your current allowance every month. If you still can't decide, the below guidelines should help:
1GB The bare minimum of data that you can bag on your plan. If you're scarcely away from wi-fi, then this cheap option may just suit. But you'll be surprised how much checking Google Maps and Facebook can use when you're out and about - so choose wisely.2-3GB If your daily commute consists of social media and emails and you can't get through a Saturday out of the house without checking the football scores, a bit of extra data is probably advisable.4-8GB Now we're getting into the territory of Spotify and Apple Music lovers. We'd suggest opting for this more generous wedge of data if you want tunes on tap without the nuisance of data limits.10-16GB This should be a big enough allowance for most users. It's stacks of data for streaming music, downloading podcasts and watching social media videos.20-30GB If your phone is your entertainment hub, then definitely consider a big data pan. You'll be able to watch a few Netflix videos a month without due concern, as well as your music and gaming needs.Unlimited Three has changed the face of phone contracts when it started offering unlimited data. Only you can decide whether you really need infinite data - just be prepared to pay for it.
Most deals these days automatically come with unlimited calls and texts, so you don't have to worry your head about cutting calls short and waiting until the next month to reply to that text! Some cheaper plans still do apply a limit however - check your last few bills to make sure that your average usage won't exceed them.
Even if you do like a natter but your dream deal restricts minutes, there are ways around this. Popular apps like WhatsApp, Skype and Hangouts let you make as many calls and texts as you like, using wi-fi or 3G/4G.
Samsung is spoiling you - it has put out six colour variants of the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, so you should be able to get your hands on one that suits you. You can choose from Black, Gold, White, Silver, Pink or, our particular favourite, Blue Coral.
The Galaxy S7 Edge originally shipped with Android 6 Marshmallow, but is now upgradable to 7.0 Nougat. As well as improved apps for VR, a quicker settings menu and Doze Mode 2.0, the additional multi-window support is perfect for a phone with a screen the size of the Edge's. Find out more on Google's latest operating system with our comprehensive Android Nougat guide.
Samsung tends to roll out the latest iteration of Android to its flagship phones around five or six months after its initial release. So don't expect to get Android 8 on your S7 Edge until early 2018.
You don't have a lot of choice here. Contract lengths on all mobiles pretty much exclusively last 24 months. Unless you want to buy the handset and get a SIM only deal (see more above), then you'll have to commit to the full two years.
We can see why you might be put off buying a refurbished Galaxy. When you're making this kind of commitment in terms of time and money, you want to know that nobody else has had their grubby little mitts on it. But it's most likely that 'refurbished' means that the previous owner simply changed their mind about the phone soon after buying it, so it's still practically brand new - and the potential savings can be substantial!.
If you do spy an unbelievable deal on a refurbed phone, the main thing to make sure of is the warranty. Double check that you are properly covered for a decent length of time. A year's warranty is preferable.
If you buy a phone after visiting this page, TechRadar will be paid a small commission by the network or reseller you buy from. This money is paid by the site you buy from and thus does not affect the amount you pay for your phone contract. If you go direct to the site you buy from, you would pay the same amount.
While some sites out there will be paid larger fees for pushing people to specific deals that aren't necessarily the cheapest, TechRadar will always find you the absolute best value. Trust and integrity is important to us, so if you ever think we're not displaying the very best deals let us know.
Never heard of the likes of Mobiles.co.uk, Affordable Mobiles or Mobile Phones Direct? You're not alone - they're not necessarily household names and you'd only likely encounter them every couple of years when you buy a new mobile.
But as well as being completely trustworthy - we wouldn't stake our reputation on companies that would give you the run around - they also tend to be a lot cheaper than getting your phone directly from the networks.
Best iPad games: the top free and paid-for titles around
No-one predicted the meteoric rise of gaming on iOS, and we're not sure anyone knew what the iPad was for at all when it first appeared.
However, Apple's tablet has become a very able gaming platform. With more screen space than the iPhone, games have the means to be more immersive. The iPad's therefore a perfect platform for adventure games, strategy titles and puzzlers.
Not sure which iPad is best? We've got them listed on our best iPad ranking - or you can check out the best tablets list to see the full range available now.But, just like the iPhone, there are so many iPad games that it's tough to unearth the gems and avoid the dross. That's our mission here - to bring you the very best iPad games, mixing traditional fare with titles that could only have appeared on a capable and modern multi-touch device.
New: FROST ($4.99/£4.99/AU$7.99)
FROST is a thoughtful, tactile game that feels like a living piece of art. Across dozens of scenes, sparks and barriers scythe across the screen while you direct flocking neon creatures towards orbs. Once the orbs fill, you can move on to the next challenge.
Ultimately, FROST is a path-finding puzzler. You use logic to understand the conditions before you, and how to meet your goal. But FROST feels very different from its contemporaries. The abstract visuals are exciting and fresh, but also it really wants you to play, experiment and discover.
Most of the puzzles tend to be simple, and you could probably blaze through the entire game in a few hours. But doing so would miss the point, because FROST is an iPad experience to bask in and savor.
cityglitch is a puzzle game set in a world of haunted cities. These are ‘glitching out’, and need the powers of a flying witch. She scoots about, avoiding spooks and skittering things, and lighting the runes that release the glitch.
This all plays out in turn-based fashion on a five-by-five grid. Success in solving any given puzzle often depends on figuring out how obstacles and foes behave, and countering their effects by moving appropriately. An optional moves indicator helps – it’s especially handy when you realize you’ve made 47 moves on a puzzle that’s beatable in five.
Given the diminutive size of the play area and its overtly old-school CRT stylings, you’d think cityglitch an ideal iPhone game. But somehow it works better on iPad, with a fantastic mix of bold, brash visuals, tactile puzzling, and the way it regularly shakes up the complexity of the challenges you face.
Freeways explores interchange design for autonomous vehicles, which sounds deathly dull. It isn’t. Just as Mini Metro coaxed something gorgeous and essential from underground railway maps, so too does Freeways create a hugely entertaining game from the drudgery of urban planning.
Each map sector provides you with highways that must be connected to each other. Hold a sign and you get an idea of traffic flow and the links you must make. You then scribble roads down, adding overpasses and increasingly complex routes when the realization dawns about how tough this task can be.
The drawing tools and visuals are crude, and there’s no undo – mess up and you must start that particular section of the map from scratch. But the underlying gameplay is enthralling, not least when you tap ‘simulate’ to watch your layout’s traffic move in fast forward, hoping to avoid a dreaded traffic jam.
Active Soccer 2 DX is a love letter to classic soccer videogames. Eschewing photo-realism and semi-scripted canned goals, this one’s all about pitting the dexterity of your thumbs against a tough computer AI, with tiny players darting about a massive pitch.
At first, it can feel a bit like pinball, as you’re mercilessly thrashed again and again. But spend time mastering the controls and tweaking the setup to your liking (there are several viewpoints, for example), and there’s a lot to like here.
You can play quick one-off games, or immerse yourself in an expansive career mode. And while it all feels a bit rough and ready compared to the games playing in the big leagues, it’s an awful lot more fun on iPad than mobile takes on FIFA or PES, providing a lovely level of replay-ability even after multiple sessions.
Space Junk is what happens when someone rethinks classic arcade blaster Asteroids and goes all-out, souping it up for the iPad. The basics remain: you’re floating in space, blowing everything around you to smithereens. Big things, when blasted, split into smaller things. UFOs take occasional pot-shots. Anything that hits you kills you.
But everything’s handled with such grace and good humor that you can’t help but be enthralled. The controls – despite being dreaded virtual buttons – work nicely, aided by subtle inertia on your little spaceman.
For those who prefer precision over random blasting, there’s a bonus for careful shots. And even the varied level names and themes raise a smile, such as ‘So Long, Space Shuttle’ (blowing NASA’s finest to bits) and ‘Victorians Got Here’, with its steampunk space stations.
Neo Angle is an engaging puzzle game set in a minimal world of neon grids suspended in space. The aim is to reach a goal, but because you’re moving a triangle, the pivot point shifts depending on the direction you’re moving in.
At first, this makes little odds – early challenges are essentially tutorials to help you understand the basics. But the game then lobs fuel cells, switches, and gates into the mix – along with a twist that when you reach a milestone, you can’t backtrack.
Because you also can’t cross tiles you’ve already trundled over, Neo Angle quickly shifts from casual noodly puzzler to brain-teaser. You’ll end up staring at the screen, several restarts later, swearing blind you can’t thread your way around a particular level peppered with teleporters and switches. As ever, it’s all about finding the right angle.
Standby is a brutally tough yet rewarding platform game. Your little hero darts about angular levels, sliding along while shooting doors, and bounding about like a hyperactive flea.
You’ll die many times before reaching your goal, and then learn the entire successful journey took a mere handful of seconds. To add insult to injury, the game will point out even that was way beyond the target.
This one’s an ego-checker, then, and just – barely – on the right side of the maddeningly frustrating/‘one more go’ divide.
Mostly, it’s the breakneck pace combined with short levels that make Standby ideal fodder for picking up at any point, to take another crack at a level that’s killed you dozens of times already. But it also looks and sounds great, and boasts smart, finger-twisting level design.
An iPad’s a must, too – given the split-second timing required, Standby really isn’t a game to be squinting at on a tiny screen.
Motorsport Manager Mobile 2 is a racing management game without boring bits. Whereas many management simulations tend to be glorified spreadsheets, this game gives you just enough control, before hurling you into the action – surprisingly tense and exciting top-down races. (This being surprising because you’re essentially watching numbered discs scoot about circuits.)
You can get a feel for how things work in one-off races, where you fiddle with car set-ups during qualifying, and then strategize regarding pit-stops and tyre types in the main race. But the meat of the game is a full-on championship, where you’re juggling cars and drivers, sponsors and money, and sporadic problems that crop up.
Like the cars it features, Motorsport Manager Mobile 2 is streamlined and slick. There’s admittedly not too much depth, but if you fancy delving into an accessible, immediately rewarding management sim, this game takes the checkered flag.
Reckless Racing HD is a top-down racer that first graced the App Store way back in 2012. It’s different from its contemporaries in having you coax battered vehicles around ramshackle tracks.
There’s no slick tarmac – bar a mall parking lot that forms part of a course. More often, you’re zooming about the likes of a wrecker’s yard, or dirt roads near an old church that rises majestically out of the screen like it’s about to poke you in the eye.
Given a 64-bit reprieve in mid-2017, Reckless Racing HD is a fantastic blast from the past. The cars have a great sense of weight – the physics when racing is just about perfect. And although it now looks a bit rough and ready, it’s decidedly more reckless (and fun) than its overly polished sequel, and includes the online multiplayer that the most recent entry in the series lacks.
Osmos for iPad is an ‘ambient’ arcade game, and although it started life on PC, it’s a game that only really makes sense on a touchscreen.
Across eight distinct worlds, you control a tiny ‘mote’, propelled by ejecting pieces of itself, its direction of travel determined by your taps. Collide with a smaller mote and it’s absorbed. Your aim is to ‘become the biggest’.
When other motes are stationary, victory’s relatively easy – although very crowded levels require careful taps and judicious use of a time-warp slow-down feature.
But when levels feature ferocious motes intent on your demise, or the game shifts from microscopic warfare to motes speeding around a central giant – like celestial bodies orbiting a sun – brains and fingers alike will suddenly find Osmos a much sterner test.
At every point in the journey, Osmos is magnificent. Convince a friend to buy the game and engaging multiplayer arenas await too.
Mos Speedrun is an engaging speed-run Mario-ish platform game, featuring a little bug zooming through 25 hand-crafted levels. The crude visuals feel decidedly old-school, featuring the usual floating platforms and patrolling enemies that mostly lack even the slightest hint of intelligence.
But Mos Speedrun turns out to be one of the finest games of its kind on iPad.
First, the level design is really smart, forcing you to learn the precise position of every platform, gap, and enemy, if you want to beat the speed-run target. Secondly, each level has alternate targets – finding a hidden skull, and collecting all the loot – that boost replay value, but also force you to shake up your approach.
Finally, Mos Speedrun amusingly subverts the idea of ‘ghost’ replays. Die a lot and you end up battling your way through a level alongside the spirits of the fallen from your previous failures. It’s bonkers – and humbling – when dozens of the things are skittering about.
Fowlst is a high-octane two-thumb arcade game featuring an owl cast into hell. Quite what the owl did to deserve such a fate, we’ve no idea (and the game’s not telling), but the result is a deliriously ridiculous and frenetic smash ’em up.
You control the damned bird by tapping the left or right of the screen. Each tap has the bird perform a brief upwards thrust, before gravity does its thing. Your aim: smash into angry red demons, avoiding both their projectiles, and also local hazards (deadly saw blades; speed-sapping water).
Defeat all demons in one room, and you can move on to the next – while hoping it won’t house a gigantic owl-killing boss.
A special power button is annoyingly placed at the top-right of the screen, but otherwise this game feels well suited to iPad, because your thumbs don’t cover the action. And, believe us, there’s a lot of action to be had here – and an awful lot of owl death. Turns out it’s not easy to survive in hell.
Kalimba is an inventive and compelling platform game for people bored with controlling just one character at once. Here, you help two colored totem pieces avoid deadly pits and roaming enemies – and you control both simultaneously.
Initially, you’re eased in by way of a split-screen set-up where the totems don’t meet. At all times, you must be mindful that when one totem’s on safe ground, the other may be seconds from doom. And then the game really starts shaking things up.
You’re soon faced with color barriers that force you to repeatedly swap the totems around, the prospect of ‘stacking’ and double-jumping to reach gems, gravity flipping, totems that fly through the air while their partners very much don’t, and chase sequences featuring massive, terrifying bosses.
If it’s all a bit much alone, there’s a superb two-player single-device mode – although how much actual co-operation there’ll be when you’re juggling four totems and your friend hurls you into a lava pit, it’s hard to say.
Mobile gaming’s early days featured all manner of straightforward shooters that had you desperately fending off hordes of aggressors coming from above. No Stick Shooter recalls Space Invaders, in enemies heading downwards towards your defenses, but also Missile Command, in that your weapon’s rooted to the spot, and success depends on precision shooting.
However, unlike those games, No Stick Shooter is a resolutely modern affair. On selecting a weapon, shots are unleashed by tapping the display. For a very brief period, this is quite a leisurely process, picking off asteroids.
But the game soon bares its teeth, flinging all manner of neon foes your way, which must be defeated by deft fingerwork and tactical weapon selection, including crackling lightning and gigantic red laser beams.
On an iPhone this is a terrible game because it’s too fiddly; but on an iPad, No Stick Shooter is a wonderful, vibrant, thrilling shoot ’em up that’s not to be missed.
The iPad’s no stranger to multiplayer gaming, but more often than not, modern multiplayer happens online. The idea with Bloop is not only to get several participants in the same room, but also crowded round a single device, and then – horrors – invading each other’s personal space.
The game itself is extremely simple. Up to four players select a color, and they then seek out and tap ‘their’ squares as quickly as they can. Across several rounds, the squares gradually get smaller, and the tapping gets more frenzied, with hand collisions aplenty. At the end of the game, Bloop tots up the score and that’s your lot.
It’s simple, but that’s the point - Bloop is a game anyone can learn in seconds. But its straightforward nature combined with bold colors and retro sound effects makes for a fast-paced and amusing party game.
Steredenn is an endless horizontal shooter, infused with the beating heart of the best retro blasters around, topped off with a head-nodding guitar-laden soundtrack.
Unlike most games of its ilk, it works brilliantly on iPad. The responsive controls have you drag the left of the screen to move your ship, and tap the right to fire at incoming waves of enemies. A flick of your right thumb switches weapons, and if your ship darts beneath a digit, crosshairs pinpoint its position.
And you’ll need that knowledge at all times, because enemies come thick and fast in all their chunky-pixel glory. But so too do power-ups – and learning the effectiveness of weapons against specific opponents boosts your long(er)-term survival.
Well, that and sometimes bolting a massive whirling saw blade to your ship, like some kind of space lunatic. It’s superb, raucous, shooty fun.
It takes quite a lot to make a solitaire game tense, but Card Thief manages, mostly by smashing dealing out cards into turn-based stealth-oriented puzzling.
As the titular villain, you map out pathways across the cards on the screen, figuring out how to grab loot without losing too many stealth points, which are depleted on battling adversaries.
Repeat play is rewarded by improving your strategies, unlocking new kit to help increase your score, and eventually finding your way to new missions with different foes.
Like any take on solitaire, Card Thief does get a bit repetitive, but this is also a game you’ll be able to happily play a round of a day for many weeks, gradually improving your ability to sneak about and become a master pickpocket.
Online multiplayer is increasingly commonplace, whether battling a live opponent, or playing against a recorded ‘ghost’ lurking in the system. But Mucho Party reasons it’s a lot of fun to play a game against someone in the same room as you – and in this case, on the same device.
After setting things up with a few mug-shots (which then appear within your on-screen avatar), you partake in a randomized selection of mini-games. These range from fairly typical sports efforts, such as hurdles, to wackier battles where you must rapidly silence a pile of blaring cellphones.
It all comes across like a colorful multiplayer take on WarioWare, and is a perfect fit for iPad - at least if you pay the IAP to unlock all 44 games rather than being stuck with the miserly 5 you get for free.
This fast-paced platform game is brutal and brilliant. Your little pixelated hero auto-runs through vibrantly colored environments, which you must learn how to traverse by way of jump and action buttons.
The difficulty level recalls the sadistic beating hearts of Super Hexagon and RunGunJumpGun, but Miles & Kilo’s charm is such you’ll keep returning for more, even as the game constantly showcases your lack of gaming prowess.
Much of this is down to the sheer variety on offer. This is a game that never sits still, whether having you leap about colorful islands, careen along in a minecart, perform Sonic-style targeted attacks, or hold onto your dog’s lead as he belts after a fleeing cat.
But also, each level is brief - just 30 seconds long. You therefore always think you’re within spitting distance of the finish line, even when that line may take dozens of attempts to reach.
If you’ve played a game based on just clicking before, you’ll be aware they’re barely games. You click (or tap) away, earning points to spend on upgrades that automatically click on your behalf – until you end up with an absurd number of clicks per second, to pay for yet more upgrades.
Through minimal imagery, a gorgeous soundtrack, and quite a lot of madness, Spaceplan just about manages to subvert the genre and become something different... something better.
Really, Spaceplan is a semi-interactive story; the clicker bit’s an excuse to string things out for pacing purposes. To say too much would spoil things, but it involves a planet, a “total misunderstanding of Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time”, and quite a lot of technology powered by potatoes.
It also has an ending. Have it run on your screen over a few days for a rewarding - if brief - take on a gaming genre that’s usually entirely forgettable.
Monument Valley 2 echoes its predecessor in having you explore isometric Escher-like worlds packed full of optical illusions. The aim in each level is to reach a goal, which is often achieved by manipulating the landscape, creating pathways that in the real world simply could not exist.
It’s a visually stunning game, with tiny levels crammed with vibrancy and details, making it ideal for the iPad’s larger display. The narrative featuring a mother and daughter also satisfies, but is careful to leave the experience with a sense of mystery. The levels are diverse in feel, demands, and structure.
If there’s any downside it’s that Monument Valley 2 is short and largely bereft of challenge. But treat it as a couple of hours immersed in a unique and beautiful universe and you’ll find it’s well worth the outlay.
It says something about Euclidean Lands that it feels like a proper turn-based quest, despite taking place on the faces of minimal cubes suspended in space.
You must plan ahead, responding to enemy movements and the squares they defend. Carefully position yourself to bump them off, much like in Hitman GO. Rinse and repeat.
Only here, the entire game world shifts and changes as you rearrange the landscape, as if it were a giant Rubik’s Cube. Also, the puzzles are frequently deviously clever, and they vary throughout the game’s five chapters.
No sooner do you think you’ve got the game sussed than it hurls another brain-twister your way, or shakes things up with a boss battle where you no longer have control over the cube.
The game’s sheer quality is also evident when you consider that although it riffs off of Hitman GO and Monument Valley, it doesn’t come off as a pastiche; at the very least, Euclidean Lands is the equal to either of those classic titles. Buy it.
Zombies have taken over the USA, and so it’s road trip time in Death Road to Canada, the aim being to flee to the safety of the land of the moose. The tiny snag: the aforementioned zombies, and the fact you start out in Florida.
The game itself is an action-oriented role-playing title, switching between top-down shooting/scavenging scenes, choose-your-own-adventure text sections, and claustrophobic and downright terrifying sieges that lock you for a set time in a confined space with hundreds of the undead.
Actually, it’s not that terrifying, given that Death Road to Canada looks like a game from the 1990s. But it is excellent fun, despite some slightly slippy virtual controls. (If you’ve an Made for iPhone controller, use that to boost your zombie-killing prowess.)
In the inky blackness of space, humans have started mining massive space rocks, and it turns out aliens have a big problem with that.
Enter: the hero of Darkside, who has to blow up said aliens and, for some reason, all the rocks the humans are supposed to be mining. Videogame logic!
It all comes across like someone gleefully mashed together two classic arcade titles – Asteroids (shoot rocks until they’re tiny enough to obliterate) and Robotron (the original twin-stick shooter) – and wrapped the result around beautifully rendered planetoids.
Although there’s a free version, splash out for the paid release and you get smart bombs in the arcade mode, and two extra modes to try: one being mission-based, and the other being a tough endless mode for cocky veterans.
The end result is tons of shooty fun that’s accessible enough for newcomers, but that provides a stern test for even the swiftest of trigger fingers.
The notion of mashing up golf with a side-on platform game might seem odd. But with Golf Zero, the end result is positively psychotic, given that the platforming bit echoes super-tricky twitch titles like Super Meat Boy.
Each side-on course finds you majestically leaping about tiny islands, trying hard to not end up in the water or impaled on a spike. On finding the hole, you smack your balls in its general direction, hoping for the best.
Mercifully, it goes all slo-mo – Matrix-style – when you’ve got your club out. Even so, success can be elusive, and you’ll likely keep hitting restart in a frenzied manner until you nail a hole.
At least that’s the case if you pay the one-off IAP to nuke the ads, which derail momentum in what’s otherwise a compelling and fun – if sometimes murderously challenging – slice of arcade craziness.
In The Big Journey, rotund cat Mr. Whiskers is on a mission to locate the maker of the dumplings he loves to scoff. His journey takes place across colorful landscapes packed with hills and tunnels to traverse, bugs to munch, hostile critters to avoid, and dumplings that make him instantly fatter.
The game plays out as a sort-of platformer. It brings to mind lost iOS classic Rolando and PSP hit LocoRoco, in utilizing a tilt-based mechanic to make the protagonist move, and then prodding the touchscreen to make him leap into the air.
But The Big Journey is a comparatively sedate affair compared to many of its contemporaries – a pleasant title that encourages exploration and drinking in its visuals rather than a breakneck dash to the finish line.
It turns out the way to make sliding puzzles interesting again is to combine them with 1980s horror flicks – and then combine that with chunky Crossy Road-style visuals.
In Slayaway Camp, then, the mechanics are familiar: swipe to make your character slide until it hits something; repeat (tactically) to hit several targets and then finally reach a goal. But the way everything’s portrayed is decidedly oddball, with lashings of chunky retro gore.
The combination of ‘twisted’ and ‘oddly adorable’ provides a great hook, but it’s the puzzles that keep you playing. Well, unless you get a bit too much into the blood-curdling screams – in which case, please seek help.
Many path-finding puzzlers have you use arrow tiles to direct auto-running critters to goals. (Long-time gamers may fondly remember ChuChu Rocket! as a shining example).
Causality is in similar territory, only you also get to control time itself, by dragging up and down the screen.
Early on, this primarily allows you to fix errors – going back to try again when a sprinting astronaut is eaten, or when you run out of your limited number of steps. Before long, though, you’re hurling people through time portals, so they can assist their past selves.
It’s mind-bending stuff, but also one of the finest puzzle games of modern times. It’s also perfect for iPad, due to its visually dazzling and tactile nature.
Evergrow is one of those rare titles that can only really work on the iPad. It stars a grinning square floating in space whose only goal in life is to grow. In the void, other squares lurk. Like-colored ones can be attached; collisions with wrong-colored ones cause damage. Grow enough and you head to the next level.
When things get hectic, multi-touch allows you to manage several squares simultaneously. But the game’s well-suited to the iPad in other areas, too: the large display is ideal for interaction, and the squarish aspect ratio allows you to see incoming hazards more easily than on a widescreen iPhone.
It’s a simple idea, well-executed. And what might have been a gimmicky game has plenty of staying power, too, since Evernote regularly lobs new ideas, weapons and foes into the mix.
There’s something gleefully classic about SpellTower. It marries very old-school word games – in the sense of paper-based crosswords and word searches – with much-loved arcade puzzlers. The result is the best word game on iOS.
Tower mode has you face a stack of letters, tapping out snaking words that disappear when submitted, the tiles above then falling into the gaps. A keen sense of planning is required to balance letter stacks and ensure tiles aren’t left stranded.
Additional modes soon open up: Puzzle adds a new row of letters for every word you submit; Rush throws in a timer; and Debate pits two players against each other. iPad Pro owners also get Super Tower mode, offering a colossal 432 tiles and the potential for blockbuster scores – if you can find the right words lurking within the jumble.
Described by its creator as a literary RPG, Voyageur mixes text adventure with space trading. Imagine seminal classic Elite combined with Lifeline and you’re on the right track.
The story begins with you having bolted an alien ‘Descent Device’ to your ship, enabling faster-than-light travel – but only towards the center of the galaxy. You embark on a one-way journey, stopping off on planets to trade, explore, and become embroiled in side quests.
With the game being text-oriented and algorithmically generated, descriptions and events tend to repeat quite often. Still, if you at any point feel you’ve seen a planet before, you can leave with a few taps – and there are always new things waiting to be found. For anyone armed with an imagination, Voyageur becomes a unique, captivating experience.
Hidden object games are often dull and can be heavy on the pocket, demanding you spend lots of money on IAP. Hidden Folks isn’t either of those things, and has the added bonus of being hugely charming.
You’re presented with hand-drawn scenes, each of which has a strip across the bottom, depicting objects to find. You can tap any of them for a clue, but the scene can also be interacted with, for example to rustle bushes to find someone lurking behind them.
Cute mouth-originated sound effects pepper proceedings, and the pace is varied with differing map sizes, and the odd playable scene, such as helping someone to a destination by adjusting the landscape.
Thus, with its wit and smarts, Hidden Folks very much stands out from the crowd – unlike some of the tiny critters it tasks you with locating.
The basic mechanics of Splitter Critters resemble 1990s arcade puzzler Lemmings, in that you guide marching creatures to a goal. But whereas you armed lemmings with tools, Splitter Critters has you slice up the screen with a finger, so you can adjust the landscape to create new pathways.
This is clever, but Splitter Critters isn’t done. The undo button reverts your last cut, but not the position of critters. Undo therefore becomes a device vital for completing levels, rather than merely a means of reverting errors.
Throughout its length, the game keeps adding new elements, such as ocean worlds and a grim underground base full of critter-frying lasers. And although the challenge never rises above slight, the charm and tactile nature of Splitter Critters makes it a joyful journey, especially on the iPad’s larger display.
Twisted Lines is another great iOS puzzler with simple rules, but also level design seemingly created to drive you to despair. Each of the 100 levels involves you directing a little colored block that leaves a trail of two colors, but should you cross over the trail, your block changes color to match the first line it hits.
This is pretty important, given that your task is to scoop up colored blocks littered about claustrophobic, deviously designed single-screen puzzles. From the start, Twisted Lines is a pleasingly tricky challenge, and it keeps adding further complications – trail erasers; teleporters – to keep you on your toes.
If there’s any drawback to the game, it’s the strict linear unlock of levels (presumably, this is designed to urge you to grab hint IAPs if you get stuck). But other than that niggle, Twisted Lines is a brain-teaser among the very best on iPad.
Although there’s a hint of Limbo about the silhouette-heavy imagery in Yuri, this is a much sunnier – and speedier – affair. An exploration-oriented platform game, Yuri finds the titular protagonist belting about on a skateboard-like bed.
Visually, the game resembles a living papercraft project, with cut-out creatures milling about, and subtle textures providing depth, but it’s the feel of the game that draws you in.
This is a world where every nook and cranny begs to be scrutinized and, because you get endless lives, there’s little frustration when you zoom along at Sonic speeds and suddenly find yourself at the bottom of a ravine. You can just try again – perhaps knocking back the speed a touch.
Old-hands might gripe Yuri is a bit simplistic and shallow, because there’s little to do beyond exploration. But then that’s the point, and so if you fancy delving into an interesting arty world on your iPad, Yuri’s a good bet.
This old-school adventure game is all the more impressive when you realize it’s the work of one man. From the delicate pixel art to the smart story – all delivered in rhyme – you’d think a team of clever people had beavered away on Milkmaid of the Milky Way rather than a sole individual.
The star of the show is Ruth. Her tools have vanished in a storm, and she needs to make cheese and butter to sell. It’s all very slow and relaxing – until a spaceship abruptly shows up and rudely steals her cows, propelling her into a rather more out-of-this-world experience.
If you’ve played this kind of game before, you’ll know what to expect – explore your surroundings, find objects, and figure out where to use them.
But the difficulty curve is gentle enough to snare newcomers, while the feel and polish of the game should help it appeal to anyone who spent years taking on Lucasfilm fare on a PC.
First appearances aren’t everything. Initially, Super Gridland looks much like any other match game. You swap tiles, try to match three or more, and with a little luck initiate cascades that further your cause.
From the off, though, there’s something odd about Super Gridland. You’re collecting resources, and building structures rather than gaining points. And as the sun sinks below the horizon, everything goes dark, the tiles spin, and you find yourself fending off all manner of horrors.
Much of the magic in Super Gridland is in figuring out how everything works, and so we won’t spoil things.
Suffice to say: this is a clever, distinctive entry in a packed match game genre. And while the journey itself is quite short, it’ll make you think far more than contemporaries only interested in how fast you can swap tiles.
There are games that scream for attention and then there are creations like Klocki. This somewhat minimal puzzler is as relaxed as they come, with its lack of a time limit and serene soundtrack that bubbles away as you play. The tasks also – initially at least – border on the meditative, early puzzles being very simple to complete.
The basic aim is to fashion complete lines, which is achieved by manipulating tiles on the surfaces of 3D shapes. At first, this is just a case of swapping a few tiles around, but later levels become quite devious in adding new ideas and challenges to trip you up.
Even so, Klocki never becomes frustrating. This is a no-stress puzzler, ideal for winding down rather than being a game that will wind you up. But even if you typically prefer tougher fare, give Klocki a go, because its tiny isometric worlds prove rewarding and mesmerizing in equal measure.
You might balk at Pac-Man appearing in a best-of list for iPad games, but this isn’t your father’s arcade game. Sure, the basics remain: scoot about a maze, eating dots, avoiding ghosts, and turning the tables on them on eating a power pill. But Pac-Man Championship Edition DX is significantly faster, has neon-clad mazes and a thumping soundtrack, and the gameplay’s evolved in key areas.
First, the maze is split in two. Clear one side and a special object appears on the other, which refills the cleared side when eaten. Secondly, snoozing ghosts can be brushed past to fashion a spectral conga to shepherd, contain, and not blunder into – until you eat a power pill, reverse course, and eat your pursuers to amass huge points.
In short, this game is superb, transforming an ancient classic into something fresh and exciting. And importantly, it works best on the large iPad display, because your fingers don’t get in the way of your frenetic dot-gobbling.
In the future, it turns out people have tired of racers zooming about circuits on the ground. In AG Drive, tracks soar into the air – akin to massive roller-coasters along which daredevil racers of the day speed, gunning for the checkered flag.
This is a pure racing game – all about learning the twists and turns of every circuit, and the thrill of breakneck speed. The only weapons you have available are strategy and skill. And this suits the kind of stripped-back controls that work best on iPad – tilting to steer, and using thumbs to accelerate, brake, and trigger a turbo.
Also, while some slightly irksome IAP lurks, there’s little need to splash out. The game’s difficulty curve is such that you can gradually improve your skills and ship, working your way through varied events until you become an out-of-this-world racing legend. (Or, if you’re a bit rubbish, an ugly stain on the side of a massive metal building.)
Most city building games are about micro-management – juggling budgets, people’s demands, and limited space. But Concrete Jungle rethinks the genre as a brilliant brain-bending puzzler. And here, restrictions regarding where you can build are of paramount importance.
At any point, you have seven rows with six lots where you can place a building. Said buildings are served semi-randomly from a card deck. Each column needs to have enough housing points for it to vanish and unlock more space on which to build. The snag: other buildings boost or reduce the points allocated to adjacent lots.
You must therefore take great care to place your factories (bad) and parks (good), realizing that any complacency may be severely punished several moves down the line, when you suddenly find yourself faced with a slum of your own making.
Treasure Buster comes from the Angry Birds school of game design – at least in terms of its insanely simple controls. You drag back on a little dungeoneer, who upon release bounces about the screen, scooping up loot and smashing into enemies. Clear a room and you venture further into the dungeon, unearthing new adversaries that try to kill you in excitingly varied ways.
Chances are your tactics won’t vary a great deal – these kinds of titles (which take influence from Japanese pachinko, a style of mechanical arcade game) often devolve into firing at maximum strength and hoping for the best.
But there is at least some nuance here, in locating or buying new powers, and defeating bosses by way of amazing pool-like rebound shots.
And at any rate, Treasure Hunter looks superb on the iPad screen, with an immediacy and energy that’s compelling enough to counter any lack of depth.
Although it's almost 13 years old, Rome: Total War is one of the best games of 2017 thanks to its re-release on iPad.
You can now rule an empire from your Apple slate in this strategy game that defined the genre. You start the game as one of six factions, aiming to throttle enemies and conquer the known world. This historical simulator will force you to wield your tactical brain, as well as demonstrating your diplomatic and fighting skills.
You may not think this complicated battle simulator would work on iPad, but Feral Interactive have reworked the game enough that it works brilliantly with a touchscreen. You’ll want a larger iPad to play this though, as you’ll need to do a lot of reading within the menus.
But if you have a sizeable slate this is essential, and the Barbarian Invasion expansion is coming to iPad very soon as well, so there's a lot of life in this game.
It’s ‘maniacally yet methodically skidding through dirt tracks time’ in Go Rally, an overhead arcade-oriented take on zooming along like a lunatic, against the clock.
Aside from some nicely rendered courses, Go Rally’s a winner through its controls, solid physics, and relatively short tracks. Playing doesn’t feel like an ordeal to be overcome – instead, the brevity of the courses makes Go Rally akin to a Trials title, where you can conceivably master every turn.
The career mode eases you in gently, gradually unlocking access to new cars and tougher races. And if you get fed up with what the game throws at you, it’s even possible to scribble on your iPad’s screen to fashion new tracks of your own. The tracks of your dreams – and everyone else’s nightmares – can then be inflicted on the world at large.
Coming across like the mutant offspring of ALONE… and Jetpack Joyride, RunGunJumpGun is a murderously difficult yet gripping auto runner/shooter.
You blast your way through 120 levels set across three unique worlds, but even endless ammunition and lives don’t help, because every level is packed full of spikes, projectiles and massive saw blades – plus, the protagonist is a massive idiot.
Instead of carefully picking his way through the carnage, he belts along, using his gun to blast ahead (whereupon he loses altitude) or downwards (in order to gain height). You’re therefore charged with juggling these minimal controls while figuring out a route, getting the timing precisely right so you’re not killed and catapulted back to the start – repeatedly.
If that’s not quite enough for you, each level includes collectables, designed as a “gift to self-hating completionists” by the game’s creator. Masochistic? Quite possibly. Ingenious fun-infused havoc? Definitely.
Traveling on underground railways can be a fairly hideous experience, which is perhaps why Mini Metro is such a pleasant surprise. The game is all about designing and managing a subway, using an interface akin to a minimal take on the schematics usually found hanging on subway walls. And it’s glorious.
Periodically, new stations appear. You drag lines between them, and position trains on them, in order to shepherd passengers to their stops. All the while, movement generates a hypnotic, ambient soundtrack.
Over time, things admittedly become more fraught than during these relaxing beginnings. The demands of an increasing number of passengers forces you to juggle trains and rearrange lines until you’re inevitably overwhelmed. But the nature of the game is such that this never frustrates – instead, you’ll want to take another journey - hugely unlike when suffering the real thing.
From the creators of Machinarium and Botanicula, Samorost 3 is an eye-dazzlingly gorgeous old-school point-and-tap puzzler.
It follows the adventures of a gnome who sets out to search the cosmos and defeat a deranged monk who's smashed up a load of planets by attacking them with a steampunk hydra.
The wordless tale primarily involves poking about the landscape, revealing snatches of audio that transform into dreamlike animations hinting at what you should do next.
Although occasionally opaque, the puzzles are frequently clever, and the game revels in the joy of exploration and play. It's also full of heart – a rare enchanting title that gives your soul a little lift.
RPG combat games usually involve doddering about dungeons with a massive stick, walloping goblins. But in Solitairica, cards are your weapon; or, more accurately, cards are the means by which you come by weapons.
Your aim is to trudge to a castle, defeating enemies along the way. You do so in a simplified solitaire, where you string together combos by removing cards one higher or lower than your current card. Doing so collects energies used to unleash defensive or offensive spells.
Unfortunately, your enemies also have skills, and survival requires a mix of luck and planning to defeat them.
This involves managing your inventory so you're always armed with the best capabilities, while probably simultaneously wondering why the hero didn't arm themselves with a bloody great sword rather than a deck of cards.
Although it resembles an iPad take on Zelda, Legend of the Skyfish is more a handcrafted action adventure with a hint of puzzling.
The story involves a civilization greedily emptying the seas and subsequently getting enslaved by angry fish...a s you do.
Heroine Red Hook sets out to rescue her brother from the cod mob, having been trained by a friendly whale in the art of maiming bipedal seafood by way of her trusty fishing rod.
Each of the 45 handcrafted levels comprises loads of miniature islands, where your rod can be used to catapult you across rivers, drag boulders onto switches that open doors, and smack fishy foes into fillets. It's all quite linear and by-the-numbers, but Skyfish is so relentlessly charming you'll be smitten.
One time darling of Sony handhelds, Lumines barges its way on to iOS by way of Lumines Puzzle & Music. If you've not played any games in the series before, we're very much in Tetris-style block-falling territory, only Lumines has a thumping beat at its core.
As you drop blocks into the well – each comprising up to two colors – you aim to craft solid slabs at least two-by-two squares in size; these are then wiped when the playhead moves over them.
Time it right and you get combos, high scores, and a giddy sense of smugness; mess up and you'll merely be taunted with a premature game over, while sadly nodding your head to the beat.
High-octane card games don’t seem the greatest fit for iPad gaming, but Exploding Kittens perfectly captures the manic chaos of the Oatmeal-illustrated original. As per that version, this is Russian roulette with detonating cats.
Players take turns to grab a card, and if they get an exploding kitten, they must defuse it or very abruptly find themselves out of the game.
Strategy comes by way of action cards, which enable you to peek at the deck, skip a turn, steal cards from an opponent, and draw from the bottom of the deck “like the baby you are”.
Local and online multiplayer is supported, timers stop people from dawdling, and a ‘chance of kitten’ meter helps everyone keep track of the odds. Large hands of cards rather irritatingly require quite a bit of swiping to peruse (although cards can be reordered), but otherwise this is first-rate and amusingly deranged multiplayer mayhem.
By the 1990s, pinball games had come a long way from their roots, and Timeshock! has long been regarded as something of a classic.
The basic plot involves unlocking and then traveling between time zones, achieving further goals by winning various prizes scattered throughout the ages.
Of course, this all comes by way of smacking a metal ball about the place, racking up points by successfully hitting ramps and targets.
Fast forward to 2016 and the original creators have had a couple of cracks at Kickstarter to bring back their game, the second of which succeeded.
But rather than a straight port, this new edition of Pro Pinball is reimagined for modern devices, with eye-popping graphics, lush lighting and remastered audio.
You only get one table, which might seem miserly in a world of Zen Pinball and Pinball Arcade, but it’s one of the best – and certainly the best-looking – pinball tables you’re going to find on an iPad.
There’s some seriously black humor lurking at the heart of 60 Seconds! Atomic Adventure. The game begins as a frantic collect ’em up, your chunky dad bounding around his home trying to grab whatever he can in order to survive an imminent nuclear strike.
The controls and physics are bouncy and elicit a sense of panic as you choose between shotguns, food, family members, maps, and radios.
Assuming you make it underground, the game switches to a Choose Your Own Adventure of sorts, with a smattering of resource management.
You dish out provisions, send your kid out into a probable nuclear winter, armed only with a torch and your best wishes, and attempt to eke out an existence before everyone inevitably dies of starvation.
It’s a bleak end of the world story as written by a satirical cartoonist: equally chilling, compelling and – due to the breezily-written narration – oddly entertaining.
One of the things the iPad’s been really great at is reimagining books. From textbooks to stories, interactive tomes have brought new life to literature and education alike.
Burly Men at Sea sits halfway between game and storybook, and features three chunky sailors with hugely impressive beards, keen on setting out to sea on an exciting adventure.
Being that this is a videogame, they’re of course instantly eaten by a whale, after which point you direct their progress by dragging the screen and tapping items to interact with them.
The story is short, but you end up in a kind of nautical Groundhog Day, retracing steps and attempting to locate further pathways to explore.
The branches are limited in number compared to the complexity found in the likes of 80 Days, but Burly Men at Sea remains essential nonetheless, due to its charm, polish and sheer artistry.
It might have the word 'deep' in its title and be about digging, but Dig Deep! isn't a game about depth. Instead, this is a frantic auto-runner/digger, a bit like Doug dug. on fast-forward.
As your little miner burrows into an alien world, you must avoid being blown up by buried explosives, eaten by alien monsters, or impaled on spikes some idiot carelessly left lying around.
All you can do is move left or right, dashing (by way of swipes) to scoot faster when necessary, and hope a pick-up (shields; super-fast digging boosters) shows up when you're in a tough spot.
This might all seem suited to iPhone, but Dig Deep! works far better on an iPad resting on a table. The larger display makes it easier to spot incoming hazards, and the seat-of-the-pants nature of Dig Deep! gives you more of a fighting chance when you're not covering half the display with two thumbs.
Although a fairly simple game to play, there's a lot to unpack in Severed. It features a one-armed woman attempting to save her family from a hell populated by hideous-looking beasts.
She roams dungeons, slicing enemies to bits and then - equally ingeniously and horrifically - uses their severed parts to level-up her own skills and powers.
There's no gore, though - Severed resembles Infinity Blade as reimagined by a graphic designer. The visuals are all sleek 2D planes, lines and tasteful gradients. But the battles are exciting, comprising frantic swordplay and careful parries.
Often, you find yourself surrounded, rhythmically flicking between monsters, figuring out which to kill first and those you can cope with absorbing a few blows from.
The repetitive nature of such skirmishes may pall a little over the game's length, but there's enough here to keep touchscreen swordplay fans occupied for hours. And the story that underpins the adventure has the kind of heart that provides an emotional center that's frequently lacking on mobile.
There's a strangeness at the core of Road Not Taken that will be familiar to anyone who's experienced Spry Fox's other top-notch mobile puzzler Triple Town. Road Not Taken is a more expansive title than its forebear, featuring a ranger attempting to rescue children lost in the woods during a harsh winter. Said younglings must be reunited with their parents, but that's easier said than done.
The frosty woods are full of horrors, and you have limited energy, sapped by moving when holding items, or when blasted by a blizzard.
You must therefore figure out the most efficient way to get the kids back to safety, making use of the game's quirky way of manipulating objects: tap and you hurl everything you're holding in a straight line away from you, until it hits something; combine several of a specific item and you'll sometimes be nicely surprised by what they transform into.
There is something of a take-no-prisoners aspect to Road Not Taken - it'll be a while before you fully understand its many nuances. But if you're after a game with depth, charm, and intrigue, this snowy puzzler won't leave you cold.
When playing Linia, you feel like a hunter, waiting to strike. Only instead of lobbing a spear at a wild beast, your prey is abstract shapes that shift and morph in cycles.
Your target is displayed at the top of the screen as a row of colored discs. You must then drag a line through shapes that match the provided series of target colors. Hit a wrong color – even if you only slice a bit too far – and you'll need to try again.
The mechanic is, of course, Fruit Ninja – and every other slicing game you've ever played; but the stark visuals and rhythmic nature of the targets results in something fresh and vibrant. And you'll need a strong sense of observation along with excellent timing and reactions to succeed, not least when shapes start revolving, pulsating, hiding, overlapping and changing before your very eyes.
One of the dangers in games is they sometimes have a tendency to try and do too much. No such problems with Hyperburner, which has a razor-sharp sense of focus.
This one's essentially the 'escape' bit from countless sci-fi movies, where a pilot heroically weaves their way to freedom through the narrowest of twisty obstacle-laden corridors.
In Hyperburner, this scenario is played out again and again, across a range of visually stunning courses. One minute, you'll be bobbing and weaving between massive red asteroids and associated deep-space mining equipment; the next, you'll be lurching back and forth in a desperate attempt to not smear your ship across the insides of a colossal duct someone's seen fit to fill with spinning cogs of death. It's a relentlessly exhilarating ride that's a joy to experience.
From the minds behind World of Goo and Little Inferno comes this decidedly oddball puzzler. Human Resource Machine, in a non-too-subtle satirical dig at workers, finds a little employee as a cog in a corporate machine.
Actions (moving and sorting boxes) are 'automated' by way of programming inputs - loops and routines constructed by dragging and dropping commands.
This might seem daunting, but the learning curve isn't too harsh, and a distinct sense of personality permeates the entire production, smoothing things over when the mechanics are threatening to make your brain steam.
If there's a criticism, the story seems slight compared to the team's previous work, but it is nonetheless oddly affecting to see your little automaton age as you work your way through the game.
For people of a certain age, Day of the Tentacle will need no introduction. This pioneering work set the standard for point-and-click adventures in the early 1990s, through its mix of smart scripting, eye-popping visuals and devious puzzles.
On iPad, you get the original title more or less intact, along with a remastered edition, with all-new high-res art and audio. (You can instantly switch between the two using pinch gestures.)
Chances are the puzzles and pace might initially throw newcomers, but players old and new will find much to love trying to stop the nefarious purple tentacle taking over the world, along with delving into the importance of hamsters, and figuring out how to best utilize items to assist people stuck in three different time zones.
(And if you're very old and wondering if they included Maniac Mansion in the PC, it's there, in full!)
If you find golf a bit dull, Super Stickman Golf 3 offers a decidedly different take on the sport. Instead of rolling greens, a sprinkling of trees and the odd sandpit, golfers in this bizarre world pit their wits against gravity-free space-stations, floating islands, and dank caverns with glue-like surfaces.
The game's side-on charms echo Angry Birds in its artillery core, in the sense that careful aiming is the order of the day. But this is a far smarter and more polished title, with some excellent and imaginative level design.
With this third entry, you also get the chance to spin the ball, opening up the possibility of otherwise impossible shots. And once you're done with the solo mode, you can go online with asynchronous turn-based play and frenetic live races.
In Telepaint, a semi-sentient wandering paint pot wants nothing more than to be reunited with a brush. The tiny snag: it appears to be stuck in a world of brain-bending maze-like tests, comprising single screens of platforms and teleporters. Your goal is to figure out a route, avoiding pot-puncturing spikes and a clingy magnetic 'friend' - a task that becomes increasingly baffling and complex.
You're helped along a little by VCR-style controls that let you pause for breath, and these often become key to solving puzzles, enabling you to switch teleport triggers while everything else on-screen remains static. Even then, the going's tough.
Still, while Telepaint has the propensity to make your head hurt like having a paint can dropped on it, this is a colorful, unique and enjoyable iOS puzzling classic that's not to be missed.
One of the earliest 3D games was Battlezone, a tank warfare title at the time so realistic the US military commissioned a version from Atari to train gunners. iOS tribute Vector Tanks was subsequently gunned down by Atari lawyers, but its DNA survives in Tanks! - Seek & Destroy.
Like Battlezone, Tanks pits you against an endless number of vector tanks, on a sparse battlefield. But this is a much faster, tougher game, with tilt-and-tap controls that put you more in mind of console racing games than a stodgy tank 'em up. The result is a relentlessly thrilling 3D shooter that marries the best of old-school smarts and modern mobile gaming.
Having escaped from the primordial soup, bipedal Egz discover a hostile world. Everything's out to get them, from the hazardous environment to evil critters lurking in wait. Your goal is to make it to the end of 80 stages, without literally cracking up first.
Egz looks superb: colorful, vibrant and cartoony. The controls are also great, with you simply pointing which way your Egz should head, setting the strength of a jump, and hoping for the best. But the best doesn't always come - the game can be quite punishing, not least due to an odd upgrade and XP model that requires quite a lot of grinding at times.
But the game's charm, smart level design and tendency to fling new ideas your way makes it a tasty treat worth sticking with.
Pinball games tend to either ape real-world tables or go full-on videogame, with highly animated content that would be impossible on a real table. INKS. tries something different, boasting a modern 'flat design' aesthetic, and having coloured targets on each table that emit an ink explosion when hit with the ball.
Each of the dozens of tables therefore becomes a mix of canvas and puzzle as you try to hit targets while simultaneously creating a work of art. Neatly, as the ball rolls through ink splats, it creates paths across the table, which is visually appealing and also shows when your aim is off.
Because each level is short — usually possible to complete in a minute or so — INKS. manages to be both approachable enough for newcomers and different enough for experts to get some enjoyment out of.
Nintendo fans probably wonder why the big N hasn't yet brought the superb Advance Wars to iPad, but Warbits now scratches that particular itch. However, although Warbits is influenced by Nintendo's turn-based strategy title, it isn't a copy — the iOS game brings plenty of new thinking to the table and is very much optimised for the iPad.
Working with 16 varied units, you conquer a series of battlefields by directing your troops, making careful note of your strengths and the enemy's relevant weaknesses. All the while, Warbits merrily has you and your opponent trading barbs, often about subjects such as whether tomatoes are fruit, because that's the kind of thing you'd go to war over.
Finish the 20-mission campaign and you'll have a decent grasp of Warbits, and can then venture online to take on other human players across dozens of different maps. With superb visuals, enough new ideas over the game that inspired it, and a single one-off price-tag, Warbits is a must-buy for any iPad-owning strategy nut.
Very occasionally, free games appear that are so generous you wonder what the catch is. Cally's Caves 3 is rather Metroid, except the hero of the hour is a little girl who has pigtails, stupid parents who keep getting kidnapped, and a surprisingly large arsenal of deadly weapons.
She leaps about, blasting enemies, and conquering bosses. Weapons are levelled up simply by shooting things with them, and the eight zones take some serious beating — although not as much as the legions of grunts you're shooting at.
Traditional platform games often fare poorly on iPad, but Traps n' Gemstones bucks the trend. Its approach is resolutely old-school, from the on-screen controls to the Metroid-style gameplay that involves exploring a huge interconnected world, opening up new passageways by finding and correctly using objects.
The theme, though, is more Indiana Jones. A little chap, armed with a whip and with a fedora on his head, leaps about a pyramid, grabs loot, and gives mummies and snakes a good whipping. Interestingly, the game simultaneously manages to appeal to casual and hardcore gamers.
Progress doesn't reset, meaning you can keep getting killed but gradually work your way into the bowels of the pyramid. But your score reverts to zero when you come a cropper; getting into the thousands is therefore a big challenge for those who want to take it.
Love You to Bits has a heart as big as a thousand iPads. It's a tap-based adventure that finds a little space explorer trying to retrieve pieces of his android girlfriend that have been scattered across the galaxy.
The mechanics are right out of classic point-and-click gaming, essentially having you amble about 2D locations, unearth items and then drop them in the right spot.
But the game is so relentlessly creative and inventive with its environments — full of dazzling visuals, references to movies and other games, and increasingly clever mechanics and ideas — that you can't help but love it to bits yourself.
The little monster at the heart of A Good Snowman Is Hard To Build, wants some friends, and so sets about making them from crisp snow covering the ground. But as the game's title states, making snowman is hard — largely because of strict rules governing the monster's universe. Snowmen must comprise precisely three balls of gradually decreasing size, and any snowball rolled in the snow quickly grows. A Good Snowman therefore becomes a series of brain-bending puzzles - part Soko-Ban, part Towers of Hanoi - as you figure out how to manipulate balls of snow to build icy friends for a monster to hug.
You get the feeling creators of classic vertically scrolling shooters would sit in front of AirAttack 2 in a daze, dumbfounded at what's possible on modern home-computing devices. That's not down to the gameplay, though: like its predecessor, AirAttack 2 is a straightforward shooter - you're piloting a fighter in World War II, downing enemies while optionally yelling "tally ho" at an annoyingly loud volume.
But this World War II is decidedly different from the one that occurred in our reality: Germans own limitless squadrons and building-sized tanks (versus the Allies, seemingly relying on a single nutcase in a plane to win the war). It's the jaw-dropping visuals that really dazzle, effortlessly displaying swarms of enemies to down, colossal bosses to defeat, and a destructible environment to take out your frustrations on. For the low price (not least given that there's no IAP whatsoever), it's an insane bargain.
The first Badland combined the simplicity of one-thumb 'copter'/flappy games with the repeating hell of Limbo. It was a stunning, compelling title, pitting a little winged protagonist against all kinds of crazy ordeals in a forest that had clearly gone very wrong.
In Badland 2, the wrongness has been amplified considerably. Now, levels scroll in all directions, traps are deadlier, puzzles are tougher, and the cruelty meted out on the little winged beast is beyond compare. Still, all is not lost - the hero can now flap left and right. We're sure that comes as a huge consolation when it's sawn in half for the hundredth time.
We mention The Room and its sequel elsewhere in this list, but The Room Three is the best entry in the series yet. Again, this is a somewhat Myst-like game of exploration and puzzle-solving, figuring out how to escape your environment by utilising everything around you.
But there's more freedom this time round, with multi-room locations, surreal and deeply strange moments that find you sucked into the very puzzles you're trying to solve, and the creeping menace of The Craftsman, a malevolent nutcase who initially leaves you locked in a dungeon, and then tasks you with freeing yourself from the confines of the remote island on which you're stranded. One to play in the dark, with rain pouring down outside - if you dare.
This single-screen platformer initially resembles a tribute to arcade classics Bubble Bobble and Snow Bros., but Drop Wizard is a very different beast. It's part auto-runner, which might infuriate retro-gamers, but this proves to be a brilliant limitation in practice. Your little wizard never stops running, and emits a blast of magic each time he lands. You must therefore time leaps to blast roaming foes, and then boot the dazed creatures during a second pass. It's vibrant, fast-paced, engaging, and — since you only need to move left or right — nicely optimised for iPad play.
Since it rebooted Robotron-style twin-stick blasting, the Geometry Wars series has been the go-to game for a session of duffing up hordes of neon ships. Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions Evolved takes the basic concept and wraps it around 3D shapes lurching and spinning in space.
It disorients but brings a new dimension (pun intended) to the genre, and is one of the prettiest and noisiest games on the system. If you're armed with an iPad Pro, you even get a co-op mode, where two people play on the same screen.
A murder mystery inside a rickety old PC, itself inside your iPad, Her Story is one of the most intriguing titles around. It plonks you in front of the L.O.G.I.C. Database, a creaky old system that returns snippets of police interviews in relation to search terms. Helpfully, you can only access five at once, even if there are many more results (the joys of 1990s interface design!), but this forces you to delve deeper. Before long, you'll be scribbling notes, eking out clues from every other sentence, and realising there's more to every mystery than meets the eye.
One of the most beautiful games we've ever seen, Icycle: On Thin Ice also has a penchant for the surreal. It features naked hero Dennis, peddling through a strange and deadly post-apocalyptic frozen wonderland. Each level feels like a scene from a Gilliamesque animation, but on venturing further into madness, you'll note how tight the level design is — any failures are down to your fingers rather than the game. At the tail end of 2015, seven new locations arrived, so you could discover what happens at the end of the end of the world.
Much in the same way Hitman GO reworked a much-loved franchise for mobile, Lara Croft GO transforms Tomb Raider into a dinky turn-based boardgame of sorts. It shouldn't work, but the result is wonderful — all minimal, breathtaking visuals, and smart puzzles that present a challenge but rarely stop you for too long in continuing your journey. Most amazingly, it feels like a proper Tomb Raider game, with moments of wonder, and palpable tension when you mull over whether your next move will send Lara tumbling into the abyss.
Because of the nature of touchscreen controls, there's a tendency to slow things down on iOS. ALONE… throws such caution to the wind, flinging you along at Retina-searing speed as you try in vain to save a little ship hurtling through rocky caverns of doom.
This is a game that's properly exciting, and where every narrow escape feels like a victory; that all you're doing is dragging a finger up and down, trying in vain to avoid the many projectiles sent your way, is testament to you not needing a gamepad and complex controls to create a game that genuinely thrills.
It turns out the future will involve hoverboards, only it'll be robots piloting them. In Power Hover, all the humans are gone, but so too are the batteries that power your robot village. So you hop on your flying board and pursue a thief through 30 varied and visually stunning levels.
Whether scything curved paths across a gorgeous sun-drenched sea or picking your way through a grey and dead human city, Power Hover will have you glued to the screen until you reach the end of the journey. And although it's initially tricky to get to grips with, you'll soon discover the board's floaty physics and controls are perfectly balanced.
A love letter to trees. A game about the beauty and joy of cultivation. These aren't words that would usually scream 'amazing game'. But Prune is a unique and frequently remarkable experience. It starts simply, teaching you how to prune a tiny branch, so a plant can grow to reach the sunlight and blossom. Before long, you're responsible for cultivating huge trees that arc past poisonous floating orbs, dealing with fragile foliage in unforgiving cities, and coaxing unruly underground weeds towards their prize.
At some point, a total buffoon decreed that racing games should be dull and grey, on grey tracks, with grey controls. Gameloft's Asphalt series dispenses with such foolish notions, along with quite a bit of reality.
Here, in Asphalt 8, you zoom along at ludicrous speeds, drifting for miles through exciting city courses, occasionally being hurled into the air to perform stunts that absolutely aren't acceptable according to the car manufacturer's warranty. It's admittedly a bit grindy, but if you tire of zooming about the tracks in this game, there's no hope for you.
We've lost count of how many gem-swappers exist for iOS, but PopCap's Bejeweled has a long history, which brings a maturity that's reflected in this iPad release. The polished standard mode is present and correct, where you match three or more gems to make them explode and bring more into the well. 'Zen' then transforms this into a no-lose chill-out zone.
Beyond that, there's the fast-paced 'Lightning', 'Diamond Mine' (dig into the ground), Butterflies (save insects from spider-ronch doom), and Poker (make 'hands' of gems).
This fantastic platform puzzler stars a bug who's oddly averse to flying. Instead, he gets about 2D levels by rolling around in boxes full of platforms. Beyond Ynth HD hangs on a quest, but each level forms a devious test, where you must figure out precisely how to reach the end via careful use of boxes, switches and even environmental hazards.
And for anyone wanting an even sterner test, cunningly placed jewels are there to find in each stage, requiring all kinds of trickery and box manipulation to reach.
Blek is akin to shepherding semi-sentient calligraphy through a series of dexterity tests. Each sparse screen has one or more dots that need collecting, which is achieved by drawing a squiggle that's then set in motion. To say the game can be opaque is putting it lightly, but as a voyage of discovery, there are few touchscreen games that come close.
In what we assume is a totally accurate representation of what boffins in Geneva get up to, Boson X finds scientists sprinting inside colliders, running over energy panels and then discovering particles by leaping into the abyss.
Initially, at least, said abyss is quite tricky to avoid; but learn the patterns in each collider and you'll have a fighting chance of success in this addictive mash-up of Super Hexagon, Tempest and Canabalt.
CRUSH! is deceptive. At first, it appears to be little more than a collapse game, where you prod a coloured tile, only for the rest to collapse into the now empty space. But subtle changes to the formula elevate this title to greatness: the tiles wrap around, and each removal sees your pile jump towards a line of death. So even when tiles are moving at speed, you must carefully consider each tap.
Some variation is provided by the three different modes (which affect block speed and surges), and power-ups, which blast away colors and blocks in specific ways you can take advantage of.
Device 6 is first and foremost a story — a mystery into which protagonist Anna finds herself propelled. She awakes on an island, but where is she? How did she get there? Why can't she remember anything? The game fuses literature with adventuring, the very words forming corridors you travel along, integrated puzzles being dotted about for you to investigate.
It's a truly inspiring experience, an imaginative, ambitious and brilliantly realised creation that showcases how iOS can be the home for something unique and wonderful. It's also extremely tough at times. Our advice: pay attention, jot down notes, and mull away from the screen if you get stuck.
Eliss was the first game to truly take advantage of iOS's multi-touch capabilities, with you combining and tearing apart planets to fling into like-coloured and suitably-sized wormholes. This semi-sequel brings the original's levels into glorious Retina and adds a totally bonkers endless mode. Unique, challenging and fun, this is a game that defines the platform.
First Strike bills itself as the fun side of nuclear war, but there's a sting in its tail. The game mixes Risk-like land-grabs, a Civ-style tech-tree, and defence akin to Missile Command, your missiles aiming to intercept incoming strikes. Sooner or later, though, you realise the only way to win is to go all-out, sacrificing territory and obliterating your opponents.
Just like the classic Missile Command, First Strike remains a playable game, but it's one with a chilling message that comes through loud and clear - at least when it's not buried under radioactive crackles.
It's great to see Square Enix do something entirely different with Hitman GO, rather than simply converting its free-roaming 3D game to touchscreens. Although still echoing the original series, this touchscreen title is presented as a board game of sorts, with turn-based actions against clockwork opposition.
You must figure out your way to the prize, without getting knocked off (the board). It's an oddly adorable take on assassination, and one of the best iOS puzzlers. There's also extra replay value in the various challenges (such as grabbing a briefcase or not killing guards), each of which requires an alternate solution to be found.
There are other famous swiping games on iOS — Cut the Rope and Fruit Ninja spring to mind — but Icebreaker has oodles more charm, loads more character and, importantly, better puzzles.
The basics initially involve slicing chunks of ice, so frozen Vikings trapped within can be rescued in a boat. Over time, this animated, cartoon world continues to come alive under your fingers, as you learn to manipulate other objects - such as rope and slime - to get your helmeted chums home.
A roller-coaster ribbon of road winds through space, and your only aim is to stay on it and reach the highest-numbered gate. But Impossible Road is sneaky: the winding track is one you can leave and rejoin, if you've enough skill, 'cheating' your way to higher scores. It's like the distillation of Super Monkey Ball, Rainbow Road and queue-jumping, all bundled up in a stark, razor-sharp package.
A boy awakens in hell, and must work his way through a deadly forest. Gruesome deaths and trial and error gradually lead to progress, as he forces his way deeper into the gloom and greater mystery.
Originating on the Xbox, Limbo fares surprisingly well on iOS, with smartly designed controls that feel entirely at home on the iPad. But mostly it's Limbo's eerie beauty and intriguing environments that captivate, ensuring the game remains hypnotic throughout.
Racing games are all very well, but too many aim for simulation rather than evoking the glorious feeling of speeding along like a maniac. Most Wanted absolutely nails the fun side of arcade racing, and is reminiscent of classic console title OutRun 2 in enabling you to drift effortlessly for miles. Add to that varied city streets on which to best rivals and avoid (or smash) the cops, and you've got a tremendous iOS racer.
The iPhone's a bit small for pinball, but the larger iPad screen is perfect for a bit of ball-spanging. Pinball Arcade is the go-to app for realistic pinball, because it lovingly and accurately recreates a huge number of classic tables.
Tales of the Arabian Nights is bundled for free, and the likes of Twilight Zone, Black Knight, Bride of PinBot and Star Trek: The Next Generation are available via in-app purchase. On exploring the various tables (you can demo all of them for free), it rapidly becomes apparent just how diverse and deep pinball games can be.
Ah, Super Hexagon. We remember that first game, which must have lasted all of three seconds. Much like the next — and the next. But then we recognised patterns in the walls that closed in on our tiny ship, and learned to react and dodge. Then you threw increasingly tough difficulty levels at us, and we've been smitten ever since.
That said, we suspect only if you're superhuman will you ever get to see the hallowed final screen that appears when you survive 60 seconds in every Super Hexagon mode.
Apple's mobile platform has become an unlikely home for traditional point-and-click adventures. Sword & Sworcery has long been a favourite, with its sense of mystery, palpable atmosphere, gorgeous pixel art and an evocative soundtrack.
Exploratory in nature, this is a true adventure in the real sense of the word, and it's not to be missed. (To say anything more would spoil the many surprises within. Just trust us on this one, grab a copy, don some headphones, and immerse yourself in a gorgeous virtual world.)
Threes! is all about matching numbered cards. 1s and 2s merge to make 3s, and then pairs of identical cards can subsequently be merged, doubling their face value. With each swipe, a new card enters the tiny grid, forcing you to carefully manage your growing collection and think many moves ahead. The ingenious mix of risk and reward makes it hugely frustrating when you're a fraction from an elusive 1536 card, but so addictive you'll immediately want another go.
This sweet, endless title stars a bird who loves to fly but doesn't have the wings for it. Instead, she uses gravity, sliding down hills and then propelling herself into the air from the top of adjacent slopes. Meanwhile, in another mode, her offspring are happily racing, bounding over lakes, eager to earn the biggest fish from their mother. Whichever route you take, Tiny Wings is a vibrant, warm and friendly experience.
You can almost see the development process behind this one: "Hey, fingers look a bit like legs, so if we put a skateboard underneath…" And so arrived one of the finest iOS sports titles, with you using your fingers to roam urban locations and perform gnarly stunts. Admittedly, this game is tricky to master, but it's hugely rewarding when you do so, and video highlights can be shared with your friends. The game's also a great example of touchscreen-oriented innovation — Touchgrind Skate just wouldn't be the same with a traditional controller.
Ever since cop-in-a-coma Rick awoke to find himself in a post-apocalyptic world filled with the undead, Walking Dead has captured the imagination of comic-book readers and TV viewers alike. The interactive version follows a new set of characters, but the threats facing them are no less terrifying.
As with creator Telltale's other titles, Walking Dead comes across like a mash-up of comic strip and adventure, with palpable moments of tension, and a game experience that changes depending on your actions. The first part of the story is free, and you can then buy new episodes; if you survive, season 2 is also available.
It didn't begin life on the iPad, but World of Goo certainly makes sense on it. A bewitching game of physics puzzles and bridge building, the title also has real heart at its core. The basics are disarmingly simple: use semi-sentient blobs to create structures that enable unused goo to access 'goo heaven' (by way of an industrial-looking pipe).
But through powerful and frequently surreal imagery, haunting audio and the odd moment of poignancy, you find yourself actually caring about little blobs of goo, rather than merely storming through the game's many levels.
At the heart of Year Walk is something dark and horrifying. This daring game is a first-person adventure of sorts, but it presents itself as a kind of living picture book. You begin in a sparse forest, snow crunching underfoot.
Gradually, a story is revealed that is unsettling, clever, distinctive and beautifully crafted — much like the game itself. You won't rest until the story's told, but getting to the end will mean facing many moments of horror in one of the iPad's most unmissable and original creations.
Pinball games tend to be divided into two camps. One aims for a kind of realism, aping real-world tables. The other takes a more arcade-oriented approach. Zen Pinball is somewhere in-between, marrying realistic physics with tables that come to life with animated 3D figures.
Loads of tables are available via IAP, including some excellent Star Wars and Marvel efforts. But for free you get access to the bright and breezy Sorcerer's Lair, which, aside from some dodgy voice acting, is a hugely compelling and fast-paced table with plenty of missions and challenges to discover.
Want more? Here are the best iPhone games around
StarCraft II is now free for PC and Mac gamers
StarCraft II might be getting on a bit now – it’s seven years old, in fact – but it’s still a cracking game (indeed, it’s one of our eight best strategy games for the PC), and you can now bag the title for free on Windows and Mac.
As Blizzard announced back on November 5, the entire Wings of Liberty campaign is available in the just-unleashed free-to-play version (v4.0) of StarCraft II, and the unranked multiplayer ladder is also freely accessible from the get-go.
Anyone can simply download and play the game via a Battle.net account (if you don’t have one of these, you’ll need to sign up).
As for the rest of the game, there are a few small caveats here. While the co-op mode is free, and Raynor, Kerrigan, and Artanis can be played to maximum level, other co-op commanders are limited to level five (you’ll need to buy them in order to push them beyond that limit).
Free players also need to unlock access to the ranked multiplayer ladder by achieving 10 First Wins of the Day in the unranked mode or versus AI – which Blizzard notes is simply its way of ‘preserving the quality’ of the ranked experience.
So by and large, the entire game really is free, except for those who want to play the full range of commanders in co-op mode.
Suit up!Blizzard has also introduced a ‘welcome’ experience for newbie players with version 4.0 of StarCraft II, which allows you to select your level of RTS experience, with more guidance and introductory videos on hand for true novices.
If you’ve never played StarCraft II, you really need to check this out, unless you truly detest strategy games. The campaign is beautifully crafted, with a great story, some standout missions, and really meaningful choices to be made in terms of upgrading your forces. And the multiplayer adds some true depth and longevity into the mix.
The original StarCraft was made available as a free download back in April.
Competitive StarCraft II addicts will want the best gaming mouse
The 10 best GoPro accessories in 2017
First sold in 2004 as a waterproof 25mm film camera for shooting action sports, the GoPro has gone on to become the world’s best-selling action camera. Current models like the Hero6 Black are small, lightweight and offer up to 4K video recording alongside a host of advanced stills and video recording features. GoPro cameras can be taken anywhere, and attached to almost anything.
Whether you’re a professional videographer, photographer or simply someone enjoying the convenience of a small camera, GoPros have opened up new possibilities thanks to the help of innovative accessories. This means the market for accessories is huge, and the options available potentially more diverse than any other camera system. From camera mounts to lights to microphones to filters to 360° time-lapse and more, there are almost infinite ways to pimp your GoPro.
The Manfrotto PIXI Xtreme is a version of the popular mini tripod designed for use with GoPros thanks to the addition of a GoPro tripod mount adaptor. The PIXI Xtreme weights just 197g so you won’t even know you’re carrying it, and with a folded length of 21.5cm it will fit into almost any bag or even a pocket. The extended height of the tripod is 16.5cm, with simple ball head offering 360° rotation for positioning the camera. To get the height you need in some situations the PIXI Xtreme will need to be positioned on a wall or table.
If you're fed-up getting shaky footage from your GoPro movies, you need a gimbal and the Removu S1 is a brilliant choice. The 3-axis stabilising gimbal is designed for use with GoPro’s Hero3, Hero4, Hero5 action cams, as well as its Session cameras. Delivering super-smooth footage and offering three main control modes (Pan, Follow and Lock), the Removu S1 is also rainproof, so you can carry on using it when the elements turn against you. It features a detachable handgrip, a removable battery, wireless remote control and is fully compatible with the GoPro range of helmet, body and bike mounts.
With the fantastic options shooting timelapse stills and video with GoPro cameras, a simple way to create dynamic results is to make the camera rotate during shooting. The GoPole Scenelapse allows you to do just that, offering a rotation of 360° over the course of 60 minutes. Simply set up your GoPro, wind the unit and let it do its thing. The GoPole Scenelapse is fully mechanical so no batteries are required, and it features a standard tripod screw on the bottom allowing you to attach it to a mini or full size tripod. On the top is a removable GoPro mount with a high torque thumb screw, so you can attach your GoPro or even a small DSLR or mirrorless camera. The small and easy to use unit weighs just 85g/3oz and is compatible with all GoPro cameras.
The Tenba Shootout 14L ActionPack is designed to allow you to comfortably carry a large GoPro system while you’re participating in an action sport or simply exploring the city or countryside. At just 1.4kg the bag is lightweight and the padded straps with waist belt make it comfortable and secure. Inside the bag are four removable pods, and two wallets, so you can organise your kit and gain quick and easy access to exactly what you need. The capacity of the bag allows you to carry up to four GoPros, mounts, batteries, cables and other accessories etc. Plus there’s enough room to carry a small hydration pouch and food. There’s even a tripod attachment at the bottom of the bag large enough to accommodate a travel tripod.
The Knog Qudos Action Light is a rugged light with three XB-D CREE LEDs offering brightness levels between 70 and 400 lumens with a colour temperature of 5000k. There are also three light modes providing six beam settings, allowing you to select the perfect spread and of course intensity of light to suit your needs. This tough light source is waterproof up to a depth of 60m, making it ideal for both action sports and less adventurous shooting. Alongside the Knog Qudos Action Light you also get an Action Camera Mount Bracket to connect the light and your GoPro together, a Cold Shoe/Tripod Adaptor, rechargeable battery and a USB cable for charging. At just 150g this small and highly versatile LED light can be taken anywhere and everywhere you go.
The GoPro Remo is a waterproof (up to 5m/16ft) voice controlled remote for the Hero 5 Black and Hero 5 Session cameras. This means that while both cameras offer built-in voice activation, the Remo is said to improve voice activation in noisy conditions and allows you to activate the cameras from a short distance, or works as a one button remote from up to 10m/33ft away. The Remo comes with a strap allowing it to be worn on your wrist for convenience. It can also be clipped to clothing. With 13 commands available the Remo certainly adds convenience to shooting but it’s not cheap for what it is. And unlike the older GoPro WiFi remote there’s no screen so you rely on voice commands and scrolling through functions.
One of the problems of travelling with a GoPro is that battery life is obviously finite. You can of course buy an extra battery or two, but if you’re out in the field and away from a power outlet, charging can be difficult. Plus, if you’re shooting a long time-lapse you can’t change batteries part way through. While GoPro does manufacture its own portable power pack, the Anker Powercore 20100 provides a much higher capacity at a seriously low price in comparison. Anker claim the pack can charge smartphones up to seven times, and can even charge a MacBook using USB-C, so plenty of juice for GoPro cameras and you can even charge up to three devices at once! To ensure the safety of your devices the Powercore features smart-charging PowerIQ and current-stabilising VoltageBoost providing the fastest possible safe charge up to 2.4 A. Then there’s surge protection and short circuit prevention.
The GoPro Pro 3.5mm Microphone Adapter allows you to connect professional microphones with a 3.5mm jack to your Hero5 Black or Hero5 Session camera. This allows you to drastically improve sound compared to the camera’s built-in microphone. So whether you want to use a lapel, condenser or shotgun mic etc. this is an essential accessory. The adaptor connects to GoPros via, and is powered by USB-C, allowing for stereo sound to be recorded. It also features a 106dB stereo analogue to digital converter. With the GoPro Pro 3.5mm Microphone Adapter in use the GoPro side door will be open so the camera will no longer be waterproof, but this accessory is geared more towards vlogging than capturing great action sound.
An ultra solid GoPro mount makes a huge difference to the quality of video when shooting from a bike, and the K-Edge couldn't be more secure. The all metal design is as simple as they come and clamps directly to the rails under your seat where it bolts on tight. The only issue is that the GoPro once attached sits upside down so all footage needs flipping when it comes to editing.
Whether you're skiing, mountain biking, white water rafting, or any other activity, GoPro's chest mount is a great piece of kit to not only capture the action. Fully adjustable to fit a wide range of adult sizes, the placement's great for getting some unique angled shots, though you will have to move your whole body to change the framing.
Best GoPro and action camerasWhat camera should I buy?How to use the techradar camera channel
Tiny Samsung Galaxy S9 Mini could be in the works
Other than the iPhone 8, Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact and their predecessors there haven’t been many high-end compact phones in recent years, but Samsung could be about to add to the list with a Samsung Galaxy S9 Mini.
Known leaker I ice universe has said as much on Weibo (a Chinese microblogging site), adding that the screen is less than 5 inches and that it has a "full screen", which suggests that it will have minimal bezels and a super-widescreen 18.5:9 aspect ratio, just like the Samsung Galaxy S8 range.
They don't actually name the phone, but the mention of "full screen" suggests it will be using design language from the S series, so an S9 Mini is the obvious conclusion.
Some sites are reporting that the Samsung Galaxy S9 Mini - or whatever it ends up being called - will also have a curved display, which would make sense if it uses the Galaxy S9 name, but the original information is in Chinese, and based on our own translation attempts we feel it could just as well be saying that the screen won’t curve.
Coming soon... probablySimilarly, there’s no suggestion that it will launch alongside the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus, despite what you might read elsewhere, though a launch in the first half of 2018 would seem likely if it’s going to arrive at all.
And that’s a big if, I Ice Universe seems to say they’re not sure if it will be released or not (though this again is based on Google Translate).
There’s reason to be skeptical, as Samsung hasn’t made a mini version of its flagships in years. But if the Samsung Galaxy S9 Mini is real we’d expect to hear more about it soon.
It's possible that the Galaxy S9 Mini will land at MWC 2018Via GSMArena
Samsung Galaxy S9 may come with Bluetooth AKG headphones in the box
If you buy a Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8 Plus or Galaxy Note 8 you'll get a free pair of Samsung earbuds that are "tuned by AKG", but a new rumor suggests the headset in the box of the upcoming Galaxy S9 may be significantly better.
According to the rumor - from Ice Universe, who supplied accurate information ahead of the Galaxy Note 8 launch - the headphones supplied in the box with the new flagship phone will work via Bluetooth.
That's a bit of a surprise, considering Samsung already sells its own Icon X wireless headphones too, as putting a free pair in the box may discourage people from buying the Icon X.
Freebies in the boxThe source doesn't think the company is guaranteed to lose the 3.5mm headphone jack because of this rumor though.
A post from Ice Universe claims the company is still including the legacy tech on its latest prototype devices, but it may still be dropped at some point.
We've seen rumors since the middle of last year that claim the Galaxy S9 will be set to lose the tech, so it could be on the cards, and putting a pair of Bluetooth headphones in the box would make a few who are unhappy about the loss of the tech a bit happier.
The source also claimed that the camera on the Galaxy S9 may include a new anti-glare coating tech. It's called BBAR and that stands for Broadband Anti-Reflection.
It's a type of coating that will apparently go over the camera lens to help fight ghost images where photos blur together, but we don't currently know how this differs to the anti-glare coatings already used by phones.
Samsung Galaxy S9 release date, news and rumorsVia Phone Arena
6 reasons why VPNs are in danger of dying
The internet is a virtual minefield of hazards, and it is crucial to protect yourself. VPNs continue to increase in popularity, and many users are turning to the best VPN services as a way to keep their communications secure and to protect their privacy.
VPNs aren’t just for helping defend yourself when using insecure public Wi-Fi, either – they remain an important tool in keeping a home network secure. As we’ve seen with the recent Krack (WPA2 wireless) exploit, those using a VPN – even with a compromised home network – would still have protected their data from potential hackers.
We’ve also debunked 6 common myths concerning VPNsDespite all the numerous advantages and uses for a VPN, there are potential downsides, too. And in this article we’re going to discuss six clear weak spots of VPN services, from the level of anonymity they can guarantee, through to issues revolving around user data, and indeed the spectre of mass decryption.
1. 100% anonymity – or not…A VPN creates a private tunnel which the user’s encrypted data travels down, but it is hard to guarantee complete or 100% anonymity. Firstly, while the VPN service may promise that it does not log or share data, it is impossible to know if this is really the case. There is no way of seeing behind-the-scenes, as it were, to view how the VPN really works.
Furthermore, there are multiple ways in which the data can be breached, including IP leaks (which can mostly be protected against with a VPN kill switch), and DNS leaks. For those users who truly want to take their level of online anonymity to the next level, we’ve looked at combining a secure VPN with the Tor browser, although this introduces its own set of issues (including whether the VPN or Tor browser should be started first for maximum privacy and anonymity).
We were promised decades ago that the internet would enable the exchange of ideas and content without any barriers. However, these days that’s hardly the case, and one prime example of a barrier is geo-blocking. This is where content is restricted on the basis of the user’s location.
There are plenty of examples of VPNs being used to access geo-blocked content, such as enabling access to the BBC’s iPlayer from outside of the UK, or using the purpose-made VPN Getflix, which is purpose-built for circumventing Netflix’s geo-restrictions.
While a VPN can be useful as a workaround to bypass geo-blocking, it can also be a double-edged sword, in some cases making the internet frustratingly difficult to use. This can occur when using a VPN with an offshore server, and then attempting to access a local map, local traffic data, or even the online circular for a local merchant, none of which will be accessible. Also, with the VPN directing the tunnel to a server outside of your home country, you could lose access to popular country-specific websites such as Amazon.
Furthermore, you can get geo-blocked when you try to watch online video from your cable carrier, or access your local newspaper. Sure, a better VPN will have plenty of servers in your own country to run your tunnel through, but this still becomes one more thing you have to pay attention to, with potential for hassles therein.
3. Logs kept by VPN servicesThe concern with a VPN is that it may keep user data, specifically your data, and have a log of internet activities to provide to authorities. In the end, if you choose the wrong VPN, the record of your online activity may be hidden from your ISP, but instead it could be maintained by your VPN. So all you’ve done is changed who is monitoring you.
The solution is to seek out a ‘no log’ VPN, which means that the provider promises user data is not logged, and therefore not stored, so there is nothing to hand over to anyone down the road. Some VPN services even market themselves with their ‘no log’ feature, and a good example of this is NordVPN.
Unfortunately, if you look deeper into the issue, you may find that one ‘no log’ policy differs from another. For example, while NordVPN clearly states it has a no log policy, its exact stance on ‘session logging’ is not clear – in other words, some of this may occur. Session logging does not record the actual data transferred, but just the time of logging on and off, as well as the IP addresses visited. But that data could still be used against someone. And this does happen.
Want a real-world example? Popular VPN HideMyAss responded to a court order back in 2011, and provided session logs for a hacker that was a member of LulzSec, and this resulted in an arrest. Furthermore, this is not an isolated example – there’s a more recent one of PureVPN collaborating with the FBI – so these logging policies and practices can potentially have serious implications.
Many folks want to save money, obviously enough, and a free VPN can sound really tempting. In fact, TechRadar even has a whole list of recommended picks in the category of free VPNs. However, take a step back for a moment and realize that any business that wants to stick around has to make money at some point. Even free VPNs need to make a profit.
In one case, the VPN service Hola was accused of taking the bandwidth of 47 million users of the free offering, and allegedly selling this through a separate service known as Luminati (also owned by Hola). This plan allowed users’ IP addresses to be used for exit nodes. In short, tread carefully if you’re picking a free VPN.
It’s also worth bearing in mind the good reasons why a VPN isn't enough 5. Data miningWhile VPNs promise a high level of privacy, this isn’t consistently the case. With so much data going through a VPN, there are plenty of opportunities to use it for nefarious purposes. Also remember that the VPN has the key to decrypt the data that goes through its server.
Only the reputable VPNs will keep all of your info private, and there are multiple access points that can be compromised, including IP addresses, MAC addresses, geo-location data, and DNS requests. Furthermore, it’s nigh-on impossible to know what is really going on with your data behind the scenes – until a scandal story hits the news headlines.
The truly colossal number-crunching power of today’s supercomputers raises concern around the issue of who else has the power to peek inside a user’s VPN tunnel.
This process is termed ‘mass decryption’ and the likes of government cybersecurity agencies certainly have the massive power needed to crack current levels of encryption used by modern VPN protocols.
So, the short answer is yes, the likes of the NSA can literally break into VPN tunnels. Therefore we must bear in mind that while using a VPN certainly boosts your level of privacy, it is far from a guarantee of avoiding government surveillance, at least.
Check out the best VPN services of 2017 and visit thebestvpnfor.me to get the best VPN deals on the market
The best Samsung Galaxy S7 deals pre-Black Friday 2017
The Samsung Galaxy S7 is now well over a year old, which is great news for bargain hunters. You've probably seen the insanely-great Samsung Galaxy S8 duo or Note 8, but then also seen the prices and decided to see what else is on offer. Bag a Galaxy S7 deal and you'll get a fantastic phone for a reasonable price.
2016's Galaxy S7 - together with the bigger S7 Edge - is still a very good handset in its own right, sharing a lot of the battery management power and camera smarts from the more expensive new S8 - you can see a potted review under our top handpicked deals below - and it's soooooo much cheaper than its successors.
Prices went really cheap on the launch of the S8 and have slowly trickled down further since then. But with deals with 4GB data at only £22 per month you're already into 'great value' territory, particularly when you consider that the S7 has only recently been dethroned as one of the best phones around.
Also consider: Galaxy S7 Edge deals | Galaxy S8 deals | Galaxy Note 8 deals | iPhone 6S deals | Best SIM only deals | Galaxy S7 review
The top 4 best Samsung Galaxy S7 deals across all UK networks:These tariffs below are what we think are the absolute best Galaxy S7 deals out there in the UK today. We've included contract plans from EE, O2 and Three, but Vodafone deals just aren't up to scratch on this Samsung at the moment. Prices are extremely low already, so we're not banking on too many Black Friday discounts this year.
The Galaxy S6 definitely left some room for improvement and, thankfully, Samsung tinkered and tweaked the design to make one heck of a successor. The Galaxy S7 is iterative perfection - it doesn't reinvent the wheel, but Samsung clearly listened to the feedback and criticism to create a stand-out device.
Read TechRadar's full Samsung Galaxy S7 review
The best iPhone 7 Plus deals pre-Black Friday 2017
This plus-sized phone from Apple was launched alongside the iPhone 7 in September last year. Until the iPhone X landed, we thought it was the best iPhone on the market, with big improvements on the camera and battery fronts from previous large-screen iPhones.
Prices took a tumble at the start of the summer, plateaued for a while and have now fallen again following the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus release. We've got our fingers crossed that they'll continue to head in that direction with Black Friday 2017 fast approaching.
If you're dead set on grabbing this huge iPhone now, then to help you navigate we've got a handy comparison tool which is designed to help you zero in on the cheapest deals. Underneath that we've chosen what we think are the best value options overall for the biggest networks out there. And if you still need some persuading, we've added a brief review of the iPhone 7 Plus to the bottom of the page.
See also: iPhone 8 Plus deals | iPhone 8 deals | iPhone 7 deals | iPhone 6S Plus deals | Mobile phone deals | iPhone 7 Plus review
iPhone 7 Plus Black Friday deals: Today's best iPhone 7 Plus prices:
Unlike some other sites we don't manipulate the order of these deals for commercial gain, so the handpicked deals below really are the best iPhone 7 Plus deals for EE, O2, Three and Vodafone right now. Don't forget - if you're looking for something a little different, our comparison widget above is the perfect way to sniff out your perfect deal. This page is for the best iPhone 7 Plus deals in the UK, but if you're after Australian deals, check out the best Australian iPhone 7 Plus deals page.
There's no denying the iPhone 7 Plus's brilliance - just look at the fantastic cameras, supercharged performance and waterproof design. But that doesn't disguise the fact that it doesn't build massively on the iPhone 6S. If you want true innovation, you'll have to pay the extra for 2017's iPhone X.
Read more in TechRadar's full iPhone 7 Plus review
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