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 TVs of CES 2018: the finest screens from LG, Samsung, Sony and TCL
Las Vegas was hit by CES fever this week, and that usually means a bucketload of new TVs get announced. CES 2018 has been no different to normal, with a host of new sets from the usual suspects appearing in booths and presentations during the course of the week.
To help you pick the very best of the TV sets on show at CES, we've compiled our picks from the show, the ones that really stand out from the also-rans. In no particular order they are as follows. Pricing and availability details are still on the way before you ask...
LG W8 OLED
The brand new LG W8 OLED isn't all that different from the LG W7 we saw last year – but it's still a fantastic panel to gaze at, and a number of improvements on the software side (hello Google Assistant!) make this one of our picks of the CES show this week.
The slim 65-incher comes complete with a Dolby Atmos-equipped soundbar, while a small upgrade to the internals means better picture processing for both motion and contrast. You've also got no less than four types of HDR to choose from.
Samsung's The Wall
No, it's not a Game of Thrones landmark – it's the newest television concept from Samsung, a whopping 146 inches of display that has been wowing the crowds in Vegas this week, and with good reason. It's a gorgeous-looking and massive TV set.
It makes use of MicroLED technology – that's something we don't know much about, but it uses smaller LEDs and is intended to close the gap with OLED as far as dark blacks go. It's also, rather impressively, 100% bezel-free. Better start saving (and removing the fireplace).
Sony A8F OLED
The Sony A8F OLED is very, very similar to last year's A1E model, but we liked that TV a lot, and so this variation earns a place in our top picks for CES 2018. The only differences are the addition of an extra subwoofer out back and a redesigned stand for it to sit on.
Apart from that you get a fantastic-looking picture, held in a monolithic design that's going to dominate any living room, with a top size of 65 inches. Plus, Android TV is on board, so you get a better choice of apps and smart TV features than you do from most sets.
LG Super SK9500
This is LG's very top Super UHD TV of 2018 and it's going to be available in 65 or 55-inch sizes. It employs Nano Cell display technology with full array local dimming, for perfectly uniform black dimming, and is powered along by the nippy Alpha 7 processor.
Sound isn't neglected either, and the TV is set to come with Dolby Atmos support (though you don't get a soundbar included as you do with the W8 we mentioned above). Like the new OLED sets, Google Assistant will be on hand for all your needs and queries.
Samsung Q9S 8K
Is the world ready for 8K? Samsung certainly is, and the Samsung Q9S 8K TV was certainly a sight to behold when we spotted it on the show floor in Las Vegas. It's party trick is being able to convert anything, even rubbish SD, into more than 33 million pixels.
Beyond that, Samsung is keeping its cards pretty close to its chest when it comes to the rest of the specs of Q9S, but with a panel that looks this good, we don't mind waiting. One screen size has been announced so far, which comes in at a whopping 85 inches.
Sony X900F
The Sony X900F was on show in Las Vegas to remind us that LCD still has a lot to offer in the ongoing battle with OLED – full array local dimming optimizes the quality of HDR, and it's one of the most responsive TVs on the market, as well as simply looking great.
You get Google Assistant built into this set, as well as support for Dolby Vision, though we're still waiting to hear on some of the nitty-gritty as far as specs go. We do know the set is going to be available in a variety of sizes, from 49 inches all the way up to 85 inches.
While we're here we should also mention the X1 Ultimate-powered prototype 8K TV Sony also showed off in Vegas – besides that super-high-resolution screen, it brings with it a peak luminance of 10,000 nits, though no word yet on when it's going to be fully unveiled or when it might hit the market.
LG Rollable OLED
Everyone loves a CES party trick, and LG certainly brought one to Las Vegas with its 65-inch rollable OLED screen, a bigger and improved version of an 18-inch model that the company demoed at CES way back in 2014. You still can't buy it, however.
On your command, the TV screen rolls down into the base, which is one way to limit the amount of screen time the kids are getting or to transport your television set into another room. It has a 4K resolution, but when it'll finally go on sale remains to be seen.
TCL 6-Series
Down at the budget end of the market, TCL has been making a name for itself for some time now (with the help of Roku), and the 6-Series TVs it unveiled at CES 2018 look to be continuing the TCL tradition of fab-looking panels at very reasonable prices.
Available in 55 or 66 inches, the sets come with built-in support for Dolby Vision, as well as some smart tech for improving contrast balance and color gamut. There's also a brushed metal finish, putting these models one step above the usual TCL fare.
Compare our CES picks with our favourite TVs for any budget
Apple made a secret trip to CES to talk AR glasses, says report
Apple typically doesn't bother attending CES – preferring instead to host its own product launches throughout the year – but according to a report, Apple representatives were at the show in Las Vegas this week, and they were speaking to parts suppliers for AR glasses.
In a lengthy report on AR and VR at the Consumer Electronics Show, Bloomberg says Apple was in talks with other companies about building some augmented reality specs. The same suppliers apparently also spoke to the likes of Facebook, Google, Snap and Xiaomi, so expect a flood of devices to show up in the near future.
Sources speaking to Bloomberg say that almost everyone in the tech business is exploring the possibility of building some AR glasses, and a few sets have already been unveiled – we got to try the Alexa-powered Vuzix Blade at CES this year, for example (see the photo above).
Gazing into the futureBloomberg's report makes only a passing reference to Apple, and doesn't give us any more details on what it might be prepping, but we can fill in a lot of the blanks. Apple has been rumored to be working on something like this for a long time, and recently introduced some extra AR smarts to iOS.
Some sources say these iGlasses could be with us as early as this year, but Apple boss Tim Cook has gone on the record to say the technology isn't ready yet: "Today I can tell you the technology itself doesn’t exist to do that in a quality way... the field of view, the quality of the display itself, it’s not there yet."
Cook didn't confirm or deny that some Apple AR glasses were in the pipeline, but we've heard rumors from suppliers as well as media reports that they're on the way. And if you spotted someone at CES with an Apple badge on, now you know why.
Augmented reality is ready for the big time – but it needs one more thing
Apple AR glasses release date, news and rumors
Update: Apple's most recent acquisition has added fuel to the AR headset rumors. According to a recent report from TechCrunch, Apple has purchased a start up that crowdfunded (but didn't ship) a headset that uses outward-facing cameras and an inward-facing OLED display to create "seamless" transition between AR and VR.
Original story continues below...
Apple ARKit, an AR initiative Apple, has the potential to bring augmented reality to the forefront of consumer technology. It will allow developers to create augmented reality apps in minutes and hours compared to weeks and months. But, however cool it may be, ARKit is just a platform. So, if you want to see what the real future of Apple’s augmented reality road map looks like, you’ll need to talk about the long-rumored but not-yet-announced Apple AR Glasses.
Recently, the Financial Times ran an exploratory piece on the status of Apple’s Augmented Reality roadmap that included some key details on Apple’s Google Glass clone, including a crucial detail we had yet to hear.
The gist of what’s happening is that while Apple sees multiple potential opportunities for augmented reality in the home, it hasn’t yet decided on which one to ultimately pursue. Some engineers want to use the iPhone as a main screen for the AR Glasses, others want to build a display into the glasses themselves. The bad news? Apple AR Glasses won’t be ready for a while.
Those internal discussions, plus the historical data that says Apple comes in a bit later on most new types of devices, are leading some analysts to expect a 2018 announcement and release date for the glasses. Indeed, there are rumors that Apple met with parts suppliers at CES 2018 at the start of the year.
“I don’t think we can rely upon a ‘next big thing’ in the next 12 months,” Geoff Blaber, an analyst at CCS Insight, told FT. “For now, Apple’s next big thing is still the iPhone.”
So what do we know about the rumored Apple augmented reality glasses so far? When will the Apple AR spectacles be released, and what could a pair of Apple AR glasses offer that the world’s current smartphone screens and VR headsets like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive can’t?
Read on to find out!
Cut to the chaseWhat is it? A new Apple wearable, a pair of glasses making use of augmented reality tech.
When is it out? No fixed date, but rumors point to 2019 unveil, with devices hitting stores in 2020.
What will it cost? Based on Snap Spectacles pricing, anything from $130/ £105/ AU$170 and upwards - but anything ten times as costly could be possible depending on Apple’s final configuration.
What is augmented reality?You’re familiar with the concept of virtual reality, right? Popping on a headset and having software transport you to an interactive, 360-degree, left, right, up, down, all-encompassing virtual world?
Augmented reality works a bit like that but with one big difference. Rather than giving a window into an invented world, it uses either screens or transparent lenses to place digital items on top of the real world around you.
The most popular examples of this in action today would be Snapchat’s stickers (the ones that put slobbering dog tongues and cat ears on your moving videos intelligently), or Pokemon Go which puts Pikachu and co into your world through a combination of your phone’s camera and screen.
Both see your real world “augmented” by software on your smart device. Essentially, AR lets you get context sensitive digital information overlaid onto your real world surroundings – look at a subway station and get train times automatically displayed, for instance, or walk down the aisles of a food store and have the specs recommend a recipe.
Apple’s iPhone 8 is thought to lean heavily on AR technology, but dedicated AR wearables already exist from rivals, too. Of the big name players, Snapchat’s nascent efforts see it cheat a little, with the Snap Spectacles amounting to little more than a head mounted camera in a glasses frame, feeding into the core Snapchat app.
Microsoft’s HoloLens is more ambitious, putting Windows PC capabilities into a headset that lets you access everything from a web browser to Minecraft within your real world.
And then of course there’s Google Glass – which saw its buzz burn out pretty quickly, thanks to a screen that sat uncomfortably in front of your eye offering hard-to-read information overlays.
What is Apple ARKit?ARKit is Apple's way of sticking its flag down into the augmented reality landscape, an attempt to claim the space as its own.
Revealed at WWDC 2017, ARKit is a new set of APIs to let developers build augmented reality applications for Apple devices. It's specifically being pitched currently for iPad and iPhone devices (making it the "largest AR platform in the world", according to Craig Federighi, Apple's Senior Vice President of Software Engineering), but certainly paves the way for an AR glasses device in the future.
Apple showed off a number of impressive demos, from simply placing objects like a digital coffee cup, light stand and a plant onto a tabletop (as viewed through an iPad camera lens and screen). But it expanded to include a mind-blowing sci-fi battle scene, complete with tiny, minutely detailed people and swooping starships, courtesy of director Peter Jackson's company Wingnut. It's an experience coming to existing devices before the end of 2017.
So how's this possible? ARKit enables "fast, stable" motion tracking, and accurate plane, ambient light and scale estimation.
As if there was any doubt, all this will require camera, CPU, GPU and motion sensor hardware working in tandem. So, whether tapping into a nearby mobile device, or viewed through lenses, Apple's ARKit has the same basic hardware requirements as all other AR gear we've seen so far. Specific spec requirements, however, will have to wait for now.
But developers will be happy – with support for Unity, Unreal, and SceneKit engines, Apple is looking to make its AR platform accessible for devs already working in the space.
Why would Apple make AR glasses?CAPITALISM. Those shareholders’ appetites for mansions and swimming pools won’t be sated!
But on a serious note, Apple’s in need of a new product category. The last time Apple launched an inarguably successful new product line was the iPad – and even that has proved difficult to maintain momentum in. AR is an exciting new area, and one in which Apple (at least in hardware terms) wouldn’t have huge competition in, at least in the present.
Yes, there’s the Microsoft HoloLens – but that’s primarily being billed currently as a business-orientated device. Google’s Glass failure has seen it put more time into its VR based Daydream View and Cardboard projects, while Samsung likewise continues with its Gear VR efforts.
It’s an opportunity for Apple to set itself aside from the pack and, for Tim Cook, to launch a product that doesn’t have the shadow of the late Steve Jobs looming over it.
Tim Cook has sung the praises of AR tech, going so far as to say augmented reality use will become as common as "eating three meals a day".
"A significant portion of the population of developed countries, and eventually all countries, will have AR experiences every day," he said during the 2016 Utah Tech tour, before casting shade on VR.
"I can't imagine everyone in here getting in an enclosed VR experience while you're sitting in here with me," said Cook to those assembled for the Utah talk.
"AR is going to take a while, because there are some really hard technology challenges there," he added.
"But it will happen, it will happen in a big way, and we will wonder when it does, how we ever lived without it. Like we wonder how we lived without our phone today."
Apple AR glasses hardware: the evidence, the patents and the specsSo, we've established Apple’s definitely working on AR software. Sources claim that the iPhone 8 will be the big start for Apple’s AR device ambitions, with iPhone leading the charge for dedicated AR hardware to follow.
But it’s moving fast, and with big teams. Apple is said to have 1,000 engineers working on an AR project in Israel, and has purchased multiple AR firms including Tel Aviv's PrimeSense (focused on 3D sensing tech) and RealFace (facial recognition cyber security experts).
It’s also made a number of key AR talent hires. According to a report from Bloomberg, Apple has poached a leading employee of Nasa for the project, hiring Jeff Norris, founder of the Mission Operations Innovation Office of Nasa's Jet Propulsion Lab. He is said to be working as part of an augmented reality team being headed up by another poached talent, Dolby Labs executive Mike Rockwell.
Apple has also been granted a number of patents related to AR and VR technologies, including a headset with headphones built in and a remote control. Perhaps most telling of all is a leaked injury report out of Apple’s Cupertino headquarters, which suggests Apple is working on a “prototype unit” which has resulted in eye injuries for two users. It’s unlikely an iPhone or MacBook prototype would result in eye injury at this mature stage in their ongoing development – but a potential new product, the details of which are still being hammered out, which will likely sit right in front of your eyes? We have our culprit, it seems.
A patent for an Apple AR 3D depth sensing camera also appeared in June. It detailed a system that would use a light beam for optical 3D mapping, and suggested it could be used for tracking hand gestures. Interestingly, the patent specifically called out the benefits of using such a system while playing augmented reality games, suggesting that may be a big focus for Apple's future AR plans.
Software patents have trickled through too – a submission from February 2010 saw Apple trying to protect an idea it had regarding “augmented reality maps”, shows off how digital mapping data could be overlaid onto real-time video from an iPhone's camera. Any success with iPhone would likely be easily translated to the dedicated glasses devices.
There’s also a suggestion that, having severed ties with GPU chipset designer Imagination Technologies, Apple is looking to develop its own chipsets with AR technology as a key development target.
Apple also recently announced that it would be pumping $200 million of investment into Gorilla Glass manufacturers Corning. Though it's as likely to be fuelling a move to wireless charging for iPhones as anything else, Corning's work on lightweight, durable glass would make them a perfect match for a pair of AR specs.
Corning have already dabbled in augmented reality projects – check out this concept of the company's AR car windscreen.
What will Apple AR glasses cost?That’s a tough question, as there’s no real precedent for this sort of thing yet.
On one hand, you’ve got the incredibly basic Snap Spectacles which are priced around $130/ £105/ AU$170. But we’re expecting Apple’s AR glasses to be far more feature rich than this.
On the other, you have HoloLens. It’s not really a consumer device, and is only available on a limited basis to developers at a cost of $3,000 (£2,719, AU$4,369). But Apple’s glasses will likely be built to mass-market scale, and with consumers (and associated price tags) in mind.
So it’s a guessing game really. Keeping in mind that Apple tends to slap a premium on its devices, a broad estimate of somewhere between $500/$AU670/£400 and $1,000/£800/AU$1,300 could be the ballpark. But don’t hold us to that.
5 augmented reality apps to delight your kids
The best cryptocurrency mining software 2018
If you've decided to take the plunge and have bought your own Bitcoin (BTC) mining hardware or mining rig, your next step is to connect to a mining 'pool'. This allows you to share your machine's resources over the internet and receive a portion of the mining profits in return.
There are a number of programs available to help manage your crypto-mining. In this guide, we've explored five of the most popular. If you're an experienced computer user, you may prefer to install the free operating system Linux and make use of one of the text-only programs such as CGminer.
If you prefer to keep things simple and are sticking with Windows 10, mining clients with a GUI such as MultiMiner may suit you better.
Before getting started, if you want to be sure a mining program will work with your particular device or operating system, the Bitcoin Wiki has a very helpful list.
We also show you how to mine Bitcoins
CGMiner has been around for over six years and is coded in C, meaning it’s compatible with almost all operating systems. It works via a simple command line interface and supports multiple mining pools and devices. It's primarily designed to be used with hardware mining devices but can make use of any GPUs connected to your machine as well.
On first run, CGMiner will ask you to enter the URL, username and password (if necessary) for your mining pool, and it will automatically detect any hardware you have connected such as an ASIC device.
Although you have to work with CGMiner via the command line, the layout is very easy on the eye: mining devices are listed at the top and you can use simple keyboard commands to change your settings (e.g. to enable verbose mode or detect new hardware).
During our tests using CGMiner 4.9.2 on Windows 10, we found that Windows Defender and our antivirus software tried to block the download. This may be because hackers using their own versions of this program could secretly install CGMiner on someone else's machine to mine for their own benefit. You can configure your system to make an exception for CGMiner if you wish, or use the Linux version.
Download CGMiner here
The Bitminter Mining Pool has been around since 2011, and as one of the longest-running and most reliable services out there, it's perhaps unsurprising that its creator Geir Hansen has also produced an excellent mining client too.
The Bitminter client has an extremely clear graphical interface and can work with GPUs and external ASIC devices equally well. A simple dial on the left displays your hashrate in MH/s. Simply click 'Engine Start' to begin mining.
You can check progress at any time by reviewing the 'Stats' section which lists vital info such as the number of proofs of work accepted/rejected by the server, as well as the time spent working. You can reset these values at any time.
The Bitminter client also has a text console at the bottom of the window which provides you with updates such as when a device is connected, or when it has successfully connected to a mining pool.
The software has been designed for use only with Bitminter's mining pool. This means you'll need to create an account via the website. You also need to be happy with the location of Bitminter's servers (US and Europe), as well as the way in which the company shares mining rewards.
Download Bitminter here
BFGMiner is based upon the aforementioned CGMiner, but is designed specifically for ASIC mining hardware. The client is also compatible with FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) devices and can be configured to work with some graphics cards – but it's unlikely you'll make a profit from these.
As BFGMiner has a narrow focus, it has more features to allow you to tinker with mining devices, such as overclocking and using a remote interface. It also monitors the temperature of most devices and can connect to multiple mining pools. Furthermore, BFGMiner will stop connecting to unreachable pools, saving you precious system resources.
The interface is text-based, but as with CGminer, options are very clearly laid out. You can make use of hotkeys to perform routine tasks such as monitoring pools, identifying devices and enabling extra features.
Besides offering a simple text interface and an arsenal of features, BFGMiner is available for Windows and all major flavors of Linux. BFGminer can be installed on a Raspberry Pi, too, as part of the free Minera operating system.
Download BFGMiner here
MultiMiner is a graphical frontend for BFGMiner. As such it has many powerful features but is also much kinder to newcomers.
When you first install and launch Multiminer, the application will guide you through the process of entering your pool information, using helpful tooltips to explain potentially unfamiliar terms.
After setup is complete, MultiMiner will automatically scan for mining devices and list their details in a helpful table, such as the pool used and average hash power. Most importantly, the client will also display your daily projected profit with your current mining hardware.
You can use the 'Pools' tabs to connect to multiple pools if you wish. The 'Strategies' section provides an easy way for you to choose how you want to mine: for instance you can choose to mine automatically based on which coin is most profitable, or choose to mine coins with low difficulty.
During setup the software developer requests that you send 1% of your profits to his wallet as a way of saying thank you for creating this awesome mining software. This is entirely voluntary – you can enable/disable this from within the app in the 'Perks' section.
Multiminer is cross-platform but you need to install additional software to get it working on macOS and Linux.
Download MultiMiner here
EasyMiner serves as a graphical frontend for the mining programs CGminer and CPUMiner. On first run, EasyMiner enters 'MoneyMaker' mode which allows you to automatically create a paper Litecoin wallet and start mining right away with a private pool. As convenient as this is, it's unlikely to generate much profit at the current difficulty rate.
The dashboard has a neatly laid out interface to allow you to configure mining pools, amend network settings and view your wallet. You can also use the settings feature to enable ASIC hardware such as an Antminer. This done, simply click 'Start Mining' to begin.
EasyMiner includes a console which informs you of the progress of CGminer (cgminer.exe) and CPUMiner (minerd.exe), which by default are used to mine Bitcoin and Litecoin respectively. There doesn't seem to be an easy way to switch off CPUMiner if you're only interested in Bitcoin.
During our tests on Windows 10, Avast Antivirus also automatically removed both the main EasyMiner program and CPUMiner, as malicious hackers have previously installed their own versions of these programs on other people's machines to mine coins for themselves as part of a botnet.
If you're interested in EasyMiner but don't want to deal with antivirus alerts, the program will work on Ubuntu Linux using Wine (see here for more info).
Download EasyMiner hereTop image credit: Targaryen (Wikimedia Commons)
We’ve also picked out the best graphics cards for mining Bitcoin, Ethereum and more
IoT rollout in hands of 10 operators
It may be boom time for IoT but it’s a boom shared by very operators. According to a new report from research company Berg Insight, just 10 companies are benefiting from this drive to adopt the new technology.
The company found that these 10 firms have a whopping 76% share of the cellular IoT market – currently standing at more than 400 connections.
Given the level of investment from China, it’s no surprise that the company with the lion’s share of the market is China Mobile with 150 million IoT connections, Vodafone takes second place with 50 million connections, while AT&T and China Telecom are ranked fourth and fifth. Deutsche Telekom, Softbank/Sprint, Verizon, Telefónica and Telenor complete the set.
“The Chinese mobile operators achieved tremendous volume growth in 2017, driven by accelerating uptake of cellular IoT in the domestic market”, says Tobias Ryberg, senior analyst at Berg Insight and author of the report. “China Mobile is believed to have reached 200 million cellular IoT connections at the end of 2017”.
More revenueThe Western mobile operators actually earn more revenue than their Chinese counterparts. Berg Insight expects that at least three operator groups – AT&T, Verizon and Vodafone – will generate more than US$ 1 billion in revenues from IoT in 2018. “The main strategy for growing IoT revenues is vertical plays in major application areas,” said Ryberg.
Best phone deals in January
CES 2018: everything you need to know about the world's biggest tech show
CES 2018 is a wrap, folks! The show that brought us a week's worth of gadgety goodness is saying so long to Las Vegas.
If you want to see the best of the best from this year's show, check out the TechRadar 2018 CES Awards. From Best in Show winner The Wall by Samsung to People's Choice recipient HTC Vive Pro, this year's batch is truly a worthy group.
Before the show even kicked off on January 9 and we started scouring the crowded halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center, we saw a rollable LG OLED TV, new Sony smartphones and ultra-thin laptops from a wide range of manufacturers. On the show floor, we went up close with everything from 8K TVs to solar-powered smartwatches.
What were the big themes at this year's CES? Nearly every company infused their tech with AI and voice assistants, meaning our smart products are about to get even smarter.
Read on for all the biggest announcements and hands on reviews from the biggest tech show of the year. But before you even get into all that, we think you should check out 10 weird and wonderful gadgets from CES 2018, because that's what the show is really all about, right?
Here are all the major highlights from CES 2018 in less than 4 minutes!
So, have we made of the technology at CES 2018? Here you'll find a number of opinion pieces where we talk about the big trends at this year's show, and what we think about them.
How Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa took over CES 2018
This was the year of the voice assistant at CES 2018, and Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa emerged the clear winners. Both assistants broke out of the smart speaker packages we're used to seeing and found their way into new and exciting applications. Whether new Google Assistant-backed smart displays or soundbars with Alexa, there was no shortage of devices featuring the voice assistants at CES. This sets the stage for an even bigger fight throughout the year, and we've got a front row seat to the action.
Why the AT&T fallout shouldn't hurt the big year Huawei is gearing up for
Huawei made a big splash by announcing the Mate 10 Pro is coming to the US, but its other big news wasn't so positive. AT&T decided to drop its plans to launch the handset stateside right before the show, dealing what's undoubtedly a major blow to the phone maker. But, all is not lost, according to Cameron Faulkner, and Huawei could come out of this with the last laugh. Here's why Huawei is still poised for a big year.
What happened to all the cameras?
We seen a huge range of devices at CES 2018, but something has been bugging us: where are all the cameras? Sure, there have been some new camera announcements coming out of Las Vegas this year, but it seems the photographic industry has kept a low profile. We look into why that may be.
The smart kitchen needs to be modular or you risk your oven becoming redundant
At CES 2018 the potential of the smart kitchen is starting to be realized, but it brings its own problems. What do tech companies need to do to make smart kitchens a reality?
Acer and Asus are courting Alexa – does this mean Cortana’s dumped?
Microsoft's Cortana was once pushed as the voice assistant for Windows devices, but with Acer and Asus wooing Alexa for its laptops at CES 2018, is this the end for Cortana?
Watch out consoles – PCs could soon be the center of the living room
Games consoles have traditionally been the go-to gaming devices to play on a big screen TV in the main room of your house, but that could all change. Nvidia has partnered up with a range of monitor makers to create some breathtaking Big Format Gaming Displays (BFGD) screens that feature 4K 120Hz HDR capabilities with integrated Nvidia G-Sync technology and Nvidia Shield functionality, all in giant 65-inch setups. We think that these screens could soon make PCs the center of your media setup, not consoles.
There's been some truly amazing technology on show at CES 2018, but some gadgets have really stood out from the crowd for us. Below, you'll find our pick of the very best tech at CES 2018.
TechRadar's 2018 CES Awards – the best tech at the show
We've dished out our TechRadar CES 2018 Awards, highlighting the very best technology that we've seen at this year's event. Make sure you check out which gadgets bagged our coveted awards.
The world's first smartphone with an in-display fingerprint scanner
One of the most hotly rumored new smartphone features of the past few months, we've now finally seen an in-display finterprint scanner in action at CES 2018. And no, it's not from a Samsung or Apple handset, but rather a phone by Chinese firm Vivo.
To be clear, this is the world's first smartphone with an in-display fingerprint scanner. Want to know what it was like to use? Check out our in-depth first look.
The Google Glass dream made real again, but with Amazon Alexa
It's time to get psyched for AR again. That's how we were left feeling after trying on the Vuzix Blade, augmented reality glasses that are excruciatingly close to achieving what Google set out to master years ago: truly augmented reality that not only keeps you connected but tells you more about the world around you. Read to our hands on Vuzix Blade review to see what we mean.
The best PCs of CES 2018
CES is the home of the latest and most innovative technologies but we've seen some fantastic traditional PCs at this year's show. Far from going out of fashion, these desktops show manufacturers are still willing to experiment and push the envelope with the form factor.
Boasting drool-worthy specs and plenty of power, these are the best PCs of CES 2018.
The best laptops of CES 2018
Laptop makers had a huge presence at this year's CES, with all the big names such as Asus, HP and Lenovo showing off their latest devices. To be honest, we were spoilt for choice when it came to choosing the best laptops of CES 2018, but we narrowed it down to bring you our pick of the top notebooks we saw in Las Vegas.
Nvidia BFGD screens
CES is all about making your jaw fall to the floor, and Nvidia's Big Format Gaming Displays, or BFGD for short, do just that. We went hands on with the HP Omen X 65 BFGD, basking in all its 4K HDR 120fps glory. These screens really are a big effing deal.
The best wearables of CES 2018
As this year's CES has shown us, smartwatches are getting ever smarter, and there was an incredible selection of wearable tech (and not just smartwatches). If you're looking for some smart apparel, check out our list of the best wearables of CES 2018.
The drones of CES 2018
Drones were out in force at this year's CES show, and we've rounded up the very best drones of CES 2018, from handheld devices that help you take selfies to professional-grade machines and even one that works underwater!
The Wall by Samsung
Samsung unveiled a massive 146-inch screen early on during CES that's a modular TV, which means it can connect to other units to make an even bigger display. It's also a MicroLED screen, made of pixels that, like OLED, produce their own light. That means individual pixels can be turned on and off, which in turn creates better contrast and ultimately better dynamic range. Check out our first look to see why we awarded this the Best in Show.
65-inch rollable OLED TV
LG is previewing a 65-inch rollable OLED TV prototype that's also a 4K screen, so when it's not rolled up, you can enjoy premium resolution. We likely won't see this screen on the market any time soon, but we were impressed enough to give it our CES Must See Award.
HTC Vive Pro
The tease came true: HTC unveiled a new, upgraded VR headset at CES 2018, the HTC Vive Pro. As we found out in our hands on HTC Vive Pro review, the headset has a 78% resolution increase over the current-gen Vive. It also features better audio performance with built-in headphones.
Lenovo Mirage Solo
To the surprise of no one, Lenovo unveiled its Google Daydream headset at CES. We tried it out for ourselves, and already it looks to be the best way to experience VR content on-the-go, thanks to a marriage of forward-thinking design and ambitious immersion features. It may all come down to the price, which Lenovo says will be under $400 (about £300 / AU$500).
Lenovo Miix 630
Lenovo’s first Snapdragon 835 Windows hybrid impressed us so much we awarded it our best laptop of CES. It looks and feels like an incredibly luxurious Windows tablet, with excellent portability and connectivity options. It promises incredible battery life, and we can't wait to give it a proper try later on this year.
View from the CES 2018 show floor
Brace yourselves, mechanical keyboards are heading to notebooks
Like mechanical keyboards but not their bulk? Then you may be interested in the new low-profile mechanical keyboard switch from German manufacturer Cherry. The switches are a full 35% flatter than their full-size counterparts, meaning they could be fitted into a notebook PC without creating a monstrosity. We've got the lowdown on the new Cherry keyboards.
Dolby Vision or HDR10+? Dolby wants you to have both
It's Dolby Vision vs HDR10+, right? Not necessarily, Dolby Laboratories’ Senior Vice President of Consumer Entertainment, Giles Baker, tells us. In an interview with TechRadar, Baker mused about a future in which both systems coexist. Granted, he puts Dolby Vision on top, but he doesn't want there to be bad blook, or worse, misinformation.
" [...] HDR10+ and Dolby Vision can coexist,” Baker says. We can get behind that.
Read our interview with Dolby at CES 2018 The Root robot teaches kids how to code from toddler to teenager
Connected toys that teach kids to code are nothing new, but the Root robot is a little bit different. Rather than simply teaching toddlers how to code through more easily-digestible reductions of what coding actually is and stopping there, it increases in complexity as your kids grow in understanding.
Root does this through a smartly-designed companion app that separates its coding concepts into three levels of understanding. Look for the Root robot in June for $199 (about £149, AU$259).
Misfit Path is one of the smallest hybrid smartwatches ever made
One of the best things about hybrid smartwatches is that they strike a more reasonable balance in size somewhere between a proper smartwatch and an analog smartwatch. Enter the Misfit Path, which puts forward an even smaller form factor than we’ve seen.
The Path has a bold, cohesive design that makes a statement without having to yell about it. Despite its diminutive size, there’s plenty of room for Misfit to add some nice touches, like the ever-so-slightly curved glass presentation on the Path’s face.
The smart home tech of CES 2018
There may be no better time to make your smart home smarter. Here we highlight some of the most interesting offerings for your humble abode from this year's Vegas tech extravaganza.
Huawei VR 2 grants you your very own portable IMAX screen
We've had an early look at the Huawei VR 2 and can tell you it's sleek, comfortable, and can do something that others can’t: show off IMAX content in certified fashion. But that’s not all.
Huawei's mobile VR headset has adopted a now-common design to guarantee comfort while playing or enjoying a film in VR for extended periods of time, much like the PSVR and new Lenovo Mirage Solo.
IMAX on your head? Here's what it's like to use the Huawei VR 2 Doing what Amazon Echo can't - be a true smart home hub
Milo speaker
Two devices at CES 2018 are attempting to do what neither the Amazon Echo nor Google Home can do; be a true smart home hub. The first device is Milo, a $149 (about £120 / AU$200) speaker available sometime early this year.
Not to be outdone, ZLINK is a USB-sized gizmo that only costs $15 (about £10, AU$20) but can, too, transform your Echo speaker into a smart home control center.
This selfie-taking drone fits in a phone case
This compact and ingenious drone is called the AEE Selfly, a fitting name as it will snap your group or solo photos for you. It can also collapse down, Transformer-style, into a phone case, keeping your iPhone 6, 7, 8 and Plus sizes, as well as the Samsung Galaxy 8 and Galaxy 8 Plus intact. Look for it in the first quarter of 2018 for $130 (around £95 / AU$165).
Kohler has created a smart bathroom range that you’ll actually want
Kohler's new smart bathroom range (yes, it's a thing) includes a shower called DTV+ that can have a number of different voice-activated presets, a bath that will fill with water at a specific temperature and stop on it's own, and, naturally, an intelligent toilet. And there are even more of Kohler's latest, uh, innovations.
Kodak just made its own cryptocurrency
Seemingly mundane when compared to what else is on show at CES 2018, Kodak's news could be far more important. Kodak, alongside WENN Digital, announced its very own cryptocurrency called KODAKCoin that aims to protect photographer's image rights and ensure they get paid for usage.
KODAKCoin (we like the name) will be backed up by a blockchain ledger and image rights platform called KODAKOne, which will allow photographers to securely register new and old work. Both amateur and professional photographers will be able to sign up to the scheme.
SteelSeries’ new gaming mouse helps keep your aim steady in the midst of frantic combat
SteelSeries has shown off its Rival 600 gaming mouse at CES 2018, and it has some pretty nifty features that could improve your performance in games.
The headline feature is a second optical sensor (most optical mice have just one) that tracks lift-off distance and helps reduce cursor jitter, making for a much smoother experience.
Coros Omni smart bike helmet lets you listen to tunes while still hearing the road
The Coros Omni smart bike helmet was shown off at CES 2018, and it's a great example of how technology can enrich our lives while also keeping us safe. Using bone-conducting audio it can allow you to listen to music while you cycle, without distracting you or masking important environmental sounds (such as approaching traffic).
Amazon talks up Echo Buttons at CES
Amazon has been talking about its future plans for the Echo Buttons at CES 2018. While they are currently used for games, Amazon has some big ideas for them, and we may also see some more 'Alexa Gadgets' coming soon as well.
Game Boy is respawning thanks to Hyperkin
CES isn't just about looking to the future, there are also retro-orientated bits of tech that look to the past as well, and apply a fresh coat of paint.
The Game Boy Ultra by Hyperkin is one of those gadgets, bringing Nintendo's iconic handheld into the 21st century with some modern features to make it easy and comfortable to use. It's not an official product, like the SNES Classic Mini, but the thought of being able to play classic games like Tetris, Super Mario Land and the original Pokemon series is very exciting!
Sandisk squeezes 1TB storage into a prototype thumb drive
SanDisk is a company well known for its storage devices, and at CES 2018 it showed that it was aiming to push the envelope further by presenting a USB thumb stick with 1TB of storage - the largest capacity yet for such a small drive.
It also includes a USB-C connection, which will mean incredibly fast data transfer rates when you plug it in to a compatible port on your laptop or PC, and it may even be compatible with smartphones. Its just a prototype at the moment, but we're keen to see the final product come out.
Ring ups its security with array of new smart home devices
Ring, maker of the Ring Video Doorbell 2, has shown off some of its new home security devices at this year's CES, hoping to be a big player when it comes to companies that can protect your home.
In Las Vegas it revealed the Stick Up Cam and Stick Up Cam Elite, two 1080p cameras with two-way audio for keeping an eye on your property, as well as a number of motion-activated lights.
Polk Audio Command Bar is a soundbar with integrated Alexa support
Alexa, Amazon's voice assistant, continues its strong showing at this year's CES by turning up in Polk Audio's new Command Bar soundbar. This will allow you to use your voice to change the volume, or to perform standard Alexa tasks, such as stream music of your choice, or control connected smart home devices.
The Command Bar's love affair with Amazon hardware continues with four Alexa control buttons (that are also found on Amazon Echo devices), as well as a specially-designed space to install an Amazon Fire TV device.
Even if you've not bought into the Amazon ecosystem, it looks like there should still be lots to like about the Command Bar, with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a wireless 6.5-inch subwofer, two HDMI 2.0b ports (which support 4K, HDR, HDR 10 and Dolby Vision and lots more.
An in-display fingerprint sensor is here
Not Apple, not Samsung but Vivo has brought about in-display fingerprint sensors, an accomplishment that could revolutionize our devices. The China-based company's device works through a "Clear ID" optical sensor from Synaptics that's hidden below the phone's OLED display.
Scanning between the OLED display's pixels, it effectively does the same job as the old direct-contact fingerprint displays (if a tad more slowly). Can Vivo beat the Samsung Galaxy S9, which is rumored to have an in-display sensor, to the punch? We'll find out soon!
Casio's new smartwatches recharges with the sun
If you're the sort of person that likes to go on long treks into the truly empty parts of the world, you'll probably want to pick up the Casio G-Shock Rangeman GPR B-1000, which comes with a built-in standalone GPS system. Even niftier: it's solar powered, and you can harness that solar power in the middle of the wilderness to recharge the built-in GPS whenever and wherever you need it.
BlackBerry's new shade
There's a new BlackBerry on the block, but it's not a whole new handset, for now. Rather, it's a new color as the iconic brand has announced the BlackBerry KeyOne Bronze Edition. In addition to the new color, the metallic phone also has dual-SIM. While we don't know the cost or a release date, BlackBerry tells us we can look for new phones from the company this year, including ones with keyboards.
What's more, the BlackBerry Motion will arrive in the US and Canada on Friday, January 12 with an all-touch form factor that ditches the brand’s iconic physical keys in favor of more screen. This marks the Motion's arrival in the two countries, and it will be unlocked from Amazon and Best Buy for $499.99.
Huawei Mate 10 Pro launching in the US next month
Planting its flag in US soil, Huawei announced the Mate 10 Pro will be available for pre-order in the US on February 4 via its retail partners. The phone will be available on February 18 to purchase for $799, but there’s a good reason to pre-order, as you’ll get a free $150 gift card to whichever retailer you purchase through in the lead-up to its release.
New point-and-shoot VR cameras
Google and the Daydream team have announced a slew of VR180 cameras, designed to make capturing content for VR just that much easier. These aren't 360-degree cameras, despite housing two lenses. This is to capture depth rather than a full 360 view. Look for cameras from Yi Technology, Lenovo (pictured), LG and Panasonic when the snappers are ready for consumers.
Want even more CES 2018 news and hands-on reviews? Turn to Page 2!
Google at CES 2018 Google takes on Amazon Echo Show, but perhaps not in the way you thinkWe knew Google Assistant was going to be Google's big talking point at the show, but just what Google revealed was a bit of a surprise.
You see, Google is going after rival Amazon and its Echo Show speaker, which features a display. But instead of building its own Amazon Echo Show competitor, Google is teaming up with third-party companies like JBL, Lenovo, LG and Sony to build 'smart displays' that are equipped with the Google Assistant.
These devices will support voice calling and integrate with Google Photos. You'll also get YouTube support, likely to the chagrin of Amazon.
The JBL Link View is the first such Google Assistant-supporting smart display device. It has an 8-inch HD display and a 5MP front-facing camera attached to the speaker.
The Lenovo Smart Display was also announced at CES. The sleek-looking smart speaker is due out early in the summer, and will be available in either an 8-inch or 10-inch model.
One additional announcement is the introduction of a few wireless Android Auto units, courtesy of JVC Kenwood and Pioneer. This makes Google's in-car operating system wire-free for the first time, allowing you to keep your phone unplugged while still enjoying the benefits of connectivity.
If the name The Wall intimidates you, well, it should. Samsung unveiled a massive 146-inch TV early on during CES. It's a modular TV, which means it can connect to other units to make an even bigger display. It's also a MicroLED screen, made of pixels that, like OLED, produce their own light. That means individual pixels can be turned on and off, which in turn creates better contrast and ultimately better dynamic range.
Samsung has actually talked up this tech before, but then it only lived in the prototype realm. Now, it's a reality, and nearly ready for commercial sale. Let's face it, though; its price will be a high wall to climb. Check out our first look to see the screen for yourself.
Galaxy A8 Hands on with the Galaxy A8
The Samsung Galaxy A8 is the latest mid-to-high end smartphone from the South Korean firm, sliding in below the flagship S series and offering a strong camera experience and large, colorful display. Shown off for the first time at CES 2018, the phone features a 5.6-inch, full HD Super AMOLED display, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, 16MP rear camera, dual front cameras and a 3,000mAh battery. Here's what it's like to use.
Samsung Q9S upscales to 8K for you
The new 85-inch Q9S QLED TV will be Samsung’s first commercial 8K television. That is, its first ‘upscaled’ 8K TV. The TV will use a proprietary algorithm to take traditional 4K and even SD content and upscale it to an unbelievable 7680 x 4320 resolution.
This is a smart TV in every sense of the word, as it will learn from itself to better understand how to improve upon the 8K content it's showing. Is the world ready for all of this? We'll find out when the Q9S launches later this year.
First look at the Samsung Q9S's eye-watering resolution Bixby is coming to Samsung 2018 TVs
Voice assistants are all the rage at CES 2018, and Samsung is getting in on the act for its 2018 TVs. That's right, you'll be able to speak to Samsung's screens ... and Bixby will respond. Yes, Bixby, Samsung's own voice assistant. Not the *cough* more popular Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. It makes sense for Samsung to pick its own system. It just doesn't mean it's what some will have wanted.
Samsung Flip digital whiteboard
Despite the paperless office never really becoming a thing, Samsung's Flip wants to keep the dream alive, with its combination of a large screen, and seamless integration with phones and laptops. You can write on the digital whiteboard and sent screenshots of things like PowerPower presentations, but will this see wide adoption? We're dubious.
Smartwatches get smart home control
If you've got a Samsung Gear S3 or Gear Sport, you'll be able to use the app to control all of Samsung's connected devices around your home, getting at-a-glance views of your thermostat, controlling music, tweaking ambient light and more. This is thanks to the SmartThings management app getting squeezed to the wearable realm, starting first with the aforementioned devices.
Samsung, why isn’t Bixby controlling the smart home from my Gear watch? Curved QLED monitor with Thunderbolt 3
Samsung unveiled a 34-inch monitor ahead of CES. *Yawn*, you may think, but know that the CJ791 ultra-wide QLED monitor is the first curved panel to boast Thunderbolt 3 connectivity. So there.
Notebook 7 Spin
Keeping with the computing theme, we've also seen the new Samsung Notebook 7 Spin, which features Windows Hello secure login for extra security and support for the Active Pen stylus. This is in addition to the earlier announced Notebook 9 Pen and updates to the existing Notebook 9 laptops. We should hear even more details on these machines during CES, as well as going hands on.
NW7000 Sound+ soundbar
On the home entertainment front, Samsung has already shown off the NW7000 Sound+ soundbar, a 53.5mm-deep speaker that comes close to matching the thinness of modern televisions.
Smarter fridges
Samsung's new Family Hub refrigerator can now control and monitor smart home devices hooked up to the SmartThings ecosystem, like Ring doorbells. Bixby voice assistant support is also coming to the line, so you can talk to your fridge and even get recipes suggested to you based on what's in your fridge. All in all, we think the updated Family Hub is an awesome way to get more out of a staple device in your kitchen.
Another CES, another format war. But as Sony President and COO Mike Fasulo tells us, the venerable tech giant isn't looking to jump on the HDR10+ train any time soon.
Fasulo told us the company's priorities "are focused on other technology and dilivery systems and we're going to stay focused there."
While it doesn’t appear that Sony will be joining the HDR10+ Alliance any time in the near future, Fasulo did reaffirm the company’s promise to bring the Dolby Vision software update to US Sony TVs by the end of January.
Sony's Aibo robot
Aibo is back, and it's smart than ever before. But in a way, it's also not. You see, while this version of Aibo has far more artificial intelligence and sensors than the previous model, you also have to train this robotic pup. It's a feat that it can even learn your commands, and this element seems to make it more lifelike. If you're smitten with the mechanical pooch, you can look for Aibo on sale this year for $2,000 (about £1,479, AU$2,500).
Sony's Aibo robotic pup in action Xperia XA2, A2 Ultra and L2
Sony announced three new phones at CES 2018: the Sony Xperia XA2, Xperia XA2 Ultra and Xperia L2. Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra is the most impressive device with a 6-inch 1080p edge-to-edge screen, an aluminum frame and a 23MP f/2.0 rear camera with support for 4K video recording and 120fps slow motion recording.
The specs go down further down the line, but all three phones will have a fingerprint scanner in the US, despite nearly all previous Sony handsets lacking one. We've already gone hands on with the phones: check out our first look Xperia XA2 review, Xperia XA2 Ultra review and Xperia L2 review.
Sony's 2018 TV lineup
Sony is back in the OLED TV game, and the new Bravia A8F is a big part of that push. Uninspiring name aside, the new TV looks like it’s going to contain all the great tech we loved the first time round, along with a couple of tasty improvements. That includes making HD SDR content look almost identical to 4K HDR content. It's a bit of magic, and one that should improve the viewing experience vastly.
Hands on with the Sony Bravia A8F OLEDBecause OLED is, erm, pricey, Sony also has a new LCD TV to show off at CES. The X900F is available in sizes ranging from 49-inches to a beastly 85-inches, and also features the Dolby Vision compatibility and X1 Extreme seen in the flagship OLED. As we found out in our hands on Sony Bravia X900F review, the screen proves that LCD has a lot to offer at a lower price point than OLED.
All-new sports headphones
You'll never have to worry about these Sony headphones holding up on a run as the sport-focused pairs fit nice and snug in your ear thanks to silicon tips. They are also IPX4 rated water resistant, so normal sweat and rain shouldn't cause any problems. Available in a variety of models and for different price points, Sony's new sporty line aren't the most advance headphones on the market, but they won't let you down.
MDR-1AM2 Over-Ear Headphones
On the higher end of the spectrum, the Sony MDR-1AM2 is a great starting pair of audiophile headphones. While not the clearest on offer at the show, for the money, they look to be an ideal introduction to Sony’s ever-expanding world of hi-res audio. Get the full rundown in our Sony MDR-1AM2 Over-Ear Headphones review.
Sony's noise-cancelling, wireless headphones Hands on Sony WF-SP700N review
It seems Sony isn't happy unless it's cramming more and more functionality into smaller and smaller packages. The WF-SP700N is its most feature-packed sports bud yet, with its splashproofing and active nose-cancellation packed into a true wireless form factor.
Sony's latest Ultra HD Blu-ray player
The UBP-X700 is an Ultra HD Blu-ray player that now includes support for Dolby Vision HDR standard, Dolby’s 12-bit, scene-by-scene mastered, HDR tour-de-force. That's great and all, but HDR10+ is already out. Did Sony miss the parade? Thankfully, it still has a chance to catch up thanks in large part to the complete lack of HDR10+ Blu-ray discs currently available.
Sony Ultra Short Throw Projector
Sony has unveiled the 4K Ultra Short Throw Projector, part of its Life Space UX series of products. It's got some seriously impressive specs, but you're going to have to do a lot of saving up to afford it. The LSPX-A1 can throw up a 120-inch, 4K projection on a wall of your choice from a distance of just 9.6 inches. That's all well and good, but with a price of $30,000 (roughly £22,150/AU$38,290), you'll really have to want one to buy this in the spring.
This deserves its own mention. LG is previewing a rollable OLED TV prototype that measures 65 inches from corner to corner at the show. It's also a 4K screen, so when it's not rolled up, you can enjoy premium resolution. We likely won't see this screen on the market any time soon, but rest assured we'll do our best to get our eyes on it this week.
LG's 2018 TV lineup
Elsewhere, LG is pushing the boundaries of TV tech once again with its 2018 lineup, and we've outlined all of LG's newest screens in one handy guide. From OLED to FHD, we break down the TVs you can expect to see on sale this year and exactly what all those flashy specs mean for regular users. A noteworthy addition to LG's TV lineup is Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa support, bringing voice control smarts to your living room viewing experience.
Not on the list but already turning heads is the company's plan to bring an 88-inch 8K OLED TV to the show, which is not only record breaking due to its sheer size, but a screen with an eye-watering resolution of 7,680 x 4,320 pixels.
LG OLED W8 Signature Series
We went hands on with the new LG OLED W8 Signature Series, and while it doesn't improve massively on the already excellent W7, this screen delivers more vivid colors and four types of HDR. Oh, and it brings Google Assistant along for the ride.
First look at the LG OLED W8 Signature Series LG WK9 Wireless Speaker with Google Assistant
LG WK9 Wireless Speaker is one of first devices part in the new line of Google Assistant-backed smart displays. While there are still a number of unknowns concerning price and release date, if LG plays its cards right, it could have a serious contender for the Amazon Echo Show on its hands.
Hands on: LG WK9 Wireless Speaker with Google Assistant review LG V30 in a new color
LG announced a bold new shade for the LG V30 called Raspberry Rose at CES. This is an electric pink hue, and one shoppers in South Korea will be able to snap up shortly after CES 2018 wraps up.
ThinQ smart speaker
LG has a new smart speaker called the ThinQ, which is basically a Google Home manufactured by LG. One feature that could trump Google's offering, however, is the improved sound quality, though we'll be the judge once we get a listen. Look for pricing and availability details for the Google Assistant-supporting speaker to be revealed during LG's press conference on Monday.
HU80KA 4K projector
While other 4K projectors are short and squat, the HU80KA is a much taller tower that's designed to sit directly on the floor rather than on a table or stand. It can also project an image on a screen up to 150 inches, which isn't too shabby.
2018 gram laptops
Finally, LG has unveiled its latest 'gram' laptop update in the form of three new laptops in 13.3-, 14- and 15.6-inch sizes. They have impressively thin and light chassis, but also last longer and have improved performance. Oh, and they mercifully move the webcam from below the screen. Pricing and release details should be revealed on Monday.
The tease came true: HTC unveiled a new, upgraded VR headset at CES 2018, the HTC Vive Pro. As we found out in our hands on: HTC Vive Pro review, the headset has a higher resolution display at 615 dpi.
Put another way, that's a 78% resolution increase over the current-gen Vive. It also features better audio performance with built-in headphones. Many unknowns remain about how it will actually work, but HTC's VR future just got a lot brighter.
Vive Wireless Adapter
HTC also announced a Wireless Adapter, a first for the company, that will allow both the original HTC Vive and the new HTC Vive Pro to go wireless. This is a big development for the line, especially as it looks to compete with the Oculus Go wireless headset, but we'll have to try it out for ourselves to see whether going wireless is worth it and performs as well as a dangling wire out of the back.
More VR at CES 2018: This headset will track your eyes and your brain
Hot on the heels of the excellent EZ952, the FZ950 is here with support for HDR10+ and a fancy new dynamic LUT system to lure you away from LG's OLED dominance. This TV gets some extra pop from those new additions, even if it's more of an evolutionary upgrade.
Hands on with the Panasonic FZ950 OLED TV The rest of Panasonic's 2018 TV lineup
Panasonic's 2018 OLED flagships are the FZ950 and FZ800. Both feature Panasonic's new HCX video processor and are available in either 55-inch or 65-inch variants. Notably, they're the first two OLED panels this year that support the new HDR10+ HDR standard, which adds dynamic metadata to allow for scene-by-scene HDR mastering. Sounds great, but unfortunately Dolby Vision is missing from these sets.
Blu-ray player that supports HDR10+
Panasonic beat everyone to the punch by announcing a Blu-ray player that supports HDR10+, a first in the industry. Somewhat surprisingly, the high-end UB820 also supports Dolby Vision. This is a nice feather in the cap for Panasonic ... if only there were HDR10+ discs on sale.
Panasonic Lumix GH5S
If the comprehensive video specification of the Lumix GH5 isn't quite enough to satisfy your needs, then the GH5S could be for you. Designed primarily for professional filmmakers, Panasonic believes that the Lumix GH5S will deliver the highest-ever video image quality seen in a Lumix camera. It's an impressive camera, capable of shooting at a world-first 4K 60/50p recording in Cinema 4K (4096 x 2160). You can pick one up for yourself at the end of January for £2,199/$2,499 (body only). It arrives in Australia in February for AU$3,499.
The laptop now features three USB-C ports, a Micro SD card slot, an Infinity Edge display and a new color. As we discuss in our hands on Dell XPS 13 review, Dell has directly addressed the concerns of users and refined the laptop to possibly its finest point yet.
Dell XPS 15 2-in-1
In our time with the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1, we were both impressed and left with questions in equal measure. It’s an undoubtedly powerful laptop in a form factor we’re far more accustomed to, but how will Dell’s new maglev keyboard turn out? Only a full review will tell. Until then, check out our hands on Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 review.
New Inspiron Gaming PC
Dell has refreshed its Inspiron Gaming Desktop adding Intel’s latest processors into the mix (up to six-core models) and offering optional Optane acceleration. Perhaps one of Dell's new Ultrathin monitors are just what you need to bring your new gaming rig to life.
To the surprise of no one, Lenovo unveiled its Google Daydream headset at CES. We tried it out for ourselves, and already it looks to be the best way to experience VR content on-the-go, thanks to a marriage of forward-thinking design and ambitious immersion features. It may all come down to the price, which Lenovo says will be under $400 (about £300 / AU$500).
First impressions of Lenovo's VR headset Lenovo Smart Display
Joining the ranks of the new Google Assistant-supporting smart display army, the Lenovo Smart Display basically looks like a tablet that tapers out to a wedge-shaped stand. It has a 10-watt full-range speaker on the side, and will rely on the built-in Google voice assistant to handle queries and commands you throw its way. It looks mighty sleek, and will be available in either an 8-inch or 10-inch model. Those will be out in the early summer for $199.99 (about £150 / AU$255) and $249.99 (about £185 / AU$320), respectively.
New Moto Mods
Hello, new Moto Mods. First up is the Vital Mod, which can read multiple vital signs to keep track of your health. It's pricey at $395 (about £290 / AU$505), but at least you can track five key vital signs, all from your phone.
Lenovo also dished up the Livermorium Slider Keyboard Moto Mod, which basically turns the Moto Z into a QWERTY device. It can even be slid to a 60-degree angle, letting you relive your Sidekick years.
Lenovo Miix 630 Hands on: Lenovo Miix 630 reviewLenovo’s first Snapdragon 835 Windows tablet impresses. It looks and feels like an incredibly luxurious Windows tablet, with excellent portability and connectivity options. It promises incredible battery life, but know that this device has a tiny selection of ports and runs Windows 10 S.
ThinkPads and more
In addition to VR, a new Windows tablet and Moto Mods, Lenovo came to Las Vegas with a slew of new ThinkPad laptops, updated ThinkVision monitors and a fresh batch of Yoga devices. Check out a full rundown of all of Lenovo's new and updated computing gear here and here.
Asus has unveiled the Zenfone Max Plus, a phone with a 4,130mAh battery. That’s apparently big enough for it to last through 21 hours of web browsing or 13 hours of video playback, and it can even be used as a power bank to charge other devices - and for a budget price. It also has Face Unlock feature, letting you unlock the phone just by looking at it. Where have we heard that before...?
Amazon Alexa support for 2018 laptops
Select 2018 models of the Asus ZenBook and VivoBook laptops will support Amazon Alexa, allowing users to use their voices to control the devices. We don't have any details on these products yet as they'll be announced later in the first half of 2018, but at least a few of these machines will get Amazon's voice-controller helper. Stay tuned.
ROG Strix GL12
The ROG Strix GL12 is a gaming PC built around Intel’s latest 8th-gen processors, with the rig being capable of taking a Core-i7 8700/8700K (six-core with Turbo up to 4.8GHz), or a Core i5-8400 CPU. That’s backed up with one of Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1080 graphics cards, and 8GB of DDR4 system RAM (running at 2666MHz). Storage includes options on up to a 512GB PCIe SSD, and up to a 2TB hard disk. Look for it in April.
Asus ZenBook 13
Asus has revealed a new spin on the Asus ZenBook 13, as well as a refreshed take on the firm’s Laptop X507. The ZenBook 13 (UX331UAL) is an Ultrabook with an all-metal chassis that weighs in at just 2.17 pounds (985g), aiming to be the ‘ultimate’ in portability. That’s certainly some pretty impressive work on the weight-shedding front. You can pick one up sometime in the first half of the year.
Lyra Voice
Lyra Voice is a tri-band AC2200 router providing 802.11ac Wi-Fi as part of Asus’s mesh system – interacting with other Lyra hubs which extend the wireless network – with a microphone and stereo speakers bolted on to facilitate full Alexa support. Asus also unveiled the new Lyra Trio multi-hub mesh Wi-Fi system which, as ever, has the same aim of banishing Wi-Fi dead spots, as well as a more traditional router in the RT-AX88U.
Acer and Asus are courting Alexa – does this mean Cortana’s dumped?
A 2-in-1 laptop that balances modernity and legacy, the latest HP Spectre x360 15 straddles the line between modernity and legacy, not to mention power and panache. While not a major revolution of the firm's 15-inch 2-in-1 laptop, this new machine is a major refinement. It's due out in March in the US.
HP’s Z 3D Camera
HP Z 3D Camera is designed to make scanning objects in three dimensions a snap for creative pros like computer graphics artists or game developers. It attaches to the top of your monitor, with a companion scan mat being placed underneath the downward-facing camera. You can then scan any real-world object placed on the mat – or rotated around in your hands underneath the camera – to create a lifelike 3D digital image on your computer. Look for it on sale in March.
Affordable monitors
HP came to CES packing a number of new monitors. All these HP monitors – there are 22-inch, 23-inch, 24-inch, 25-inch and 27-inch models – have IPS LED backlit panels with a Full HD resolution and refresh rate of 60Hz. There’s also AMD’s FreeSync technology on hand to help combat stuttering and tearing, keeping frame rates smoother. All go on sale April 15 in the US, with prices starting at $99 (around £75, AU$125) and running up to $229 (around £170, AU$290) depending on which size screen you want.
Acer has unleashed a refresh of its affordable gaming laptop by giving the machine one of AMD’s new Ryzen mobile CPUs. In addition to upgrading to a Ryzen mobile processor, Acer has upgraded the GPU to a Radeon RX 560X (from an RX 550). This should all mean a significant performance boost, which you can enjoy when the machine comes to market in May.
Predator Orion 9000 gets a release date
First announced last August, we now know the Predator Orion 9000 will go on sale in February. It comes with an 18-core Intel Core i9 Extreme Edition processor and can be equipped with a pair of Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti graphics cards in SLI configuration. It also has a rather neat all-in-one liquid cooling solution. You'll pay a substantial $1,999 (around £1,470, AU$2,550) starting price, though.
An even thinner Swift 7
Acer has revealed an even thinner Swift 7 Ultrabook, plus announced the availability of a new spin on the Switch 7. The Swift 7 is now an ultra-slim 8.98mm while also upping its screen size to 14 inches. There's also built-in 4G LTE connectivity to ensure an even better signal for your mobile broadband. It was also announced that the Swift 7 Black Edition is now on sale in the US, starting at $1,699 (around £1,250 / AU$2,160).
Amazon Alexa support is coming
Hear that? Acer has announced that Alexa support will be coming to a select number of its laptops. These are the Aspire 5, Aspire 7, Spin 3, Spin 5, Switch 7 Black Edition, Swift 3, Swift 5, Swift 7, Aspire Z24, Aspire U27 and Aspire S24. Some Acer Aspire all-in-one PCs will also get Alexa support.
Initially available in the US, Alexa support will be available in the first quarter of 2018 via an update through the Acer Care Center software, with other locations getting Alexa support mid-2018.
Wait - does this mean time's up for Cortana?
The latest collection of 8th-generation Core processors has been revealed, and they feature discrete graphics from AMD. Yes, you read that right.
The collaboration between the long-time rivals looks like it will bear tantalizing fruit as these are Intel’s first CPU with discrete graphics included in a single package, allowing for incredibly thin and light laptops and PCs that are able to provide impressive gaming performance and 4K media streaming. We've got an in-depth rundown of the new chips, which you shouldn't miss.
NUC 8 Enthusiast mini PC
To show off its new chips, Intel also announced the Intel NUC 8 Enthusiast. The Next Unit of Computing runs on an Intel Core i7-8809G, which comes with an AMD Radeon RX Vega M graphics card. Because of this, it's able to handle most modern games, as well as support 4K resolutions. Look for two versions - the overclockable NUC8i7HVK and the slightly less and not overclockable NUC8i7HNK.
Tackling Spectre and MeltdownBy now you've probably heard about Spectre and Meltdown, the CPU security flaws that potentially compromise all of its processors. Intel is taking action, vowing to patch 90% of affected processors made in the past five years by the end of this week. The following 10% will be patched by the end of the month, CEO Brian Krzanich said.
Nvidia has launched a new initiative to build the best PC gaming screens. It's called Big Format Gaming Displays (or BFGD for short). In collaboration with Acer, Asus and HP, the GPU maker will produce 65-inch, 4K 120Hz HDR displays with integrated Nvidia G-Sync technology and Nvidia Shield functionality. This effectively would make BFGDs the one of the biggest displays you can hook your PC gaming rig to when these launch later this year.
GeForce Now beta launches
Want to play demanding games on your underpowered laptop or desktop PC? Then you might be interested to learn that Nvidia’s game streaming solution, GeForce Now, that allows you to do just this as a free beta. The service basically gives your less-than-speedy machine access to powerful GeForce GTX graphics cards via the cloud, allowing it to stream intensive games at 1080p resolution, achieving up to a highly fluid 120 fps (frames per second). And you can crank up the graphics detail settings to high, as well.
Uber self-driving team up
In a bit of non-product news, Nvidia announced it's been selected by Uber to drive the AI computing smarts of the ride-sharing company's self-driving cars and trucks. When we see these cars on the road is another thing, but Nvidia is clearly continuing its leadership in the self-driving car space.
DRIVE Xavier SoC
Because more powerful is usually always better, Nvidia announced the DRIVE Xavier, an autonomous machine system-on-a-chip (SoC), is coming to customers this quarter. Xavier boasts more than 9 billion transistors and is the most complex SoC ever made, Nvidia claims. This could be the SoC that fuels our supercomputer future.
AMD has a few announcements for CES 2018, including new Ryzen chips designed for affordable laptops and Chromebooks. There are also new Ryzen chips for desktop, which will take the place of the Athlon line.
Finally, AMD shed a few more details on the Ryzen 2 line. Releasing in April, Ryzen 2 processors are built upon a new 12nm Zen+ architecture – out-smalling the 14nm transistors of Intel Coffee Lake. AMD promises Ryzen 2 will bring higher clock speeds and Precision Boost 2 technology for greater performance and efficiency. What's more, AMD offered a glimpse at its CPU and GPU roadmap going into 2020.
OK, we know the name of this is... well... odd, but bear with us. Project Linda allows you to use your Razer Phone as a full laptop. Not just mirroring what's on screen, but opening up a whole new world within it, and using the phone's display as a touchpad and the speakers to spew out sound from the laptop itself. It's still a tech demo, but it'll be interesting to see if this comes to the wider world.
Razer and Philips team up to light your life
If you like the colorful effects on offer with the Razer Chroma lighting system, this Razer / Philips Hue tie-in takes things to the next level, providing color that splashes across your room as your gaming goes on. Red walls when health is low, anyone? It'll even provide ambient lighting for when you're browsing the web... just what we all want
Headphones are making their presence known at CES 2018, and there are a few common threads. First off, wireless is the way to go. Secondly, you better have a digital assistant - i.e. Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa - in your 'buds.
Jabra has equipped its latest earbuds, the Jabra Elite 65t and Elite Active 65t, with Amazon Alexa. We tested the latter out on the show floor, and found they strike a balance between features and price, coming in at $190 (around £140 / AU$240). Take a listen, er, we mean read our hands on Jabra Elite Active 65t review.
JBL, meanwhile, is bringing Google Assistant to its upcoming Everest 710GA and Everest 110GA headphones. JBL also brought along a few speakers to CES, and its sister brand AKG has its own pair of in-ear headphones as well.
Libratone is next into the mix with some new Track+ wireless buds that offer four different levels of noise cancellation, allowing them to be used in more scenarios safely and effectivelty.
Finally, a company called Nuheara announced new earbuds - the IQBuds Boost and the LiveIQ - that can be tweaked for a more personalized experience, and can even help fix issues with hearing. The IQBuds Boost can boost the sounds users want to hear while cutting out the noises they don't. The buds can be calibrated using a proprietary technology called Ear ID, controlling the balance between the speech you hear and the background noise. The LiveIQ earbuds, meanwhile, put a focus on intelligent Active Noise Cancellation (ANC).
Voice assistants and AI are prevalent themes at CES 2018 and this extends right into your vehicles. Nearly ever major car company announced integrations of either Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa at the show. Or, they came up with their own voice assistant, powered by AI. It's not just smart speakers and TVs getting these digital smarts; we'll see be talking to our cars on the regular.
Here are all the ways your car is about to get smarter Byton's electric concept car
Byton started CES 2018 off with a bang by unveiling its concept car, an electric SUV. It's an ultra-intuitive connected machine, complete with Alexa support and a touchscreen in the steering well. It's also launching in late 2019 at a starting price of $45,000. Should Tesla be worried?
Toyota's latest creation
In the future, you won't go to shops; instead, shops will come to you. That's much of the idea behind the new e-Palette "mobility ecosystem" Toyota president Akio Toyoda revealed at CES, and companies such as Amazon, Pizza Hut and Uber are already looking into ways to use it.
The core of the system is the new "e-Palette Concept Vehicle," which basically looks like a small bus. Businesses will be able to use these vehicles for everything from shuttle buses at hospitals to movable shoe shops that customers can call when they want to try on some new loafers.
Hyundai Nexo
Hyundai has announced it's teaming up with startup Aurora to put Level 4 self-driving cars on the market by 2021. Hyundai will show off more autonomous features its new fuel cell car, called Nexo, at CES.
Volkswagen also happens to be partnering with Aurora on self-driving cars with the aim of putting them on the road in 2021. If you're curious why Aurora is getting all the attention, it was founded by engineers that formerly worked at Google, Tesla and Uber.
Kia Niro EV unveiled
Kia has rolled into CES 2018 to unveil a new all-electric concept car. Called the Kia Niro EV, this compact SUV is all about what Kia's future, and how it's getting there. With a range of 238 miles and the ability to alert pedestrians and cyclists when they cross in front of the vehicle, we may never see this car on the road, but it's souped up with some pretty neat tech.
Kia also announced a number of critical pieces of its roadmap, including having its entire fleet completely connected by 2030. More immediately, Kia also revealed it's bringing Google Assistant smarts to select 2018 models.
Nissan gets brainy
Nissan let its CES news out of the bag early by revealing its 'brain-to-vehicle' technology. The company hopes to help prevent auto accidents by reading drivers' brain waves to anticipate safety maneuvers. It's a fascinating idea, though one we may not see in commercial vehicles for quite some time.
The first modular smartwatch is here. Blocks Core marks an exciting step forward for the wearable market, with innovative technology that holds an awful lot of potential. There's some cool stuff going on here - read our hands on Blocks Core review to get all the intel.
Analogue hands and a digital display blends tradition with tech
We were excited about the MyKronoz ZeTime smartwatch before CES even started. The MyKronoz ZeTime is the world's first smartwatch that features mechanical hands on top of a digital touchscreen display, fusing tradition with technology. You can pick from one of two sizes at a price that starts at $199.90 (£179.99), making it one of the more affordable smartwatches on the market.
What's it like to use? Read our hands on MyKronoz ZeTime review to find out The world's first solar powered smartwatch
The Casio G-Shock Rangeman is an expensive, brutish smartwatch which doesn't have a great screen or showstopping looks - but in reality, non of that matters. Why? It's built for a specific audience, those who spend most of their time outdoors, need top GPS and a ready-made power source - the sun. That's right, the G-Shock Rangeman can be recharged by solar, allowing the GPS to keep running, as long as there's sun out. That's pretty amazing.
Built tough: our hands on Casio G-Shock Rangeman review Garmin's first GPS smartwatch with music onboard
Already shaping up to be the best Garmin running watch, with its ability to store music directly on the smartwatch. The feature is finally coming to a Garmin fitness-focused wearable so you can leave your phone behind – as long as you don't expect data, too. Oh, and Spotify support is missing as well.
What it's like to use the Garmin Forerunner 645 Music at CES Suunto 3 Fitness watch automatically alters your plan when you miss a workout Hands on: Suunto 3 Fitness review
Fitness specialist Suunto has been showing of its new Suunto 3 Fitness watch at this year's CES, and it comes with some cool adaptive training guidance to help create a fitness regime suited to your needs.
It will also detect if you missed a workout session, and will change your workout regime accordingly. As we discovered in our hands on Suunto 3 Fitness review, the watch is a solid, affordable fitness tracker with the added bonus of smartphone notifications.
Messing with your sleep, for a good reason
Going beyond traditional sleep tracking (and good fashion sense), the Philips SmartSleep tracker aims to mess with your sleep in order to help you feel less tired. Philips says the headset will "intervene with clinically proven technology to boost slow wave sleep in real time". We're not exactly sure how it all works, including what intervening means, but Philips claims those who've used it experienced feeling less tired.
Can your body heat power a smartwatch?
Are you hot enough to power a watch? That's the question Matrix wants answered with the new PowerWatch X. Although the operating system is something of a mystery, the watch will apparently be powered by the glow you emit every day - and even head into deep sleep mode for a month if you decide to take it off.
Fossil joins the smartwatch CES party
If you were hoping to get your fashion fix on with CES this year, then you're in luck: Fossil has launched two new Android Wear-powered smartwatches from its more trendy brands. (Pictured here: Skagen on the left, Kate Spade on the right)
The Skagen Falster comes in a relatively thin frame for a smartwatch, and while it loses the heart rate monitor of most Android Wear watches (and is a touch pricey) it does up the style, with a neat Milanese loop option.
The Kate Spade New York Scallop Touchscreen Smartwatch (or just Kate Spade Scallop) is another fashion-orientated device that lets you switch faces depending on the time of day or event you're attending, with wavy lines around the face to give it a fun sense of design - and it's not too pricey.
Fossil is also offering the Misfit Path, a sleek and smaller hybrid smartwatch that allows you to stay stylish while keeping an eye on your fitness.
L'Oreal UV Sense
Worried about too much sun but have trouble keeping track of how much exposure you're getting? Try the L'Oreal UV Sense wearable on for size. It wearable doesn't need a battery, instead relying on NFC to connect to your phone and give you further details about your UV exposure.
It's so small that it can be worn on a fingernail, but if you'd prefer you can attach it to your sunglasses or any other item you'll likely wear when you're in the sun. Some not so bright spots: it may not be out until 2019 and we don't know the price yet.
MyKronoz smartwatch
Keep an eye on MyKronoz. The company is unveiling a new pair of smartwatches at CES 2018 called the ZeTime and ZeTime Petite. What's unique about these timepieces if that they have a touchscreen and moving watch hands. We can't wait to see this for ourselves in person and let you know how well it works.
Nokia Steel HR in rose gold
One of the best hybrid watches released last year came from Nokia with the Steel HR and now the firm is releasing a new color option: rose gold. This is in addition to the already available silver body.
Even from our brief time with the DJI Tello, we can tell its going to be one of the best drones of 2018 with a ton of smarts and surprisingly ample performance for its small size.
This gaming laptop takes lighting to the next level Hands on: MSI GE63 Raider RGB Edition review
We know less about this gaming laptop than we’d like, but we’re hugely impressed by the lighting offering on this laptop, especially considering its esports and immersion implications. The MSI GE63 Raider RGB could easily become a weapon of choice for pro gamers.
Your first 180-degree VR 3D video camera Hands on: Lenovo Mirage Camera review
The unique Lenovo Mirage Camera records 180-degree video for a super-wide and 3D view of the world. Its simplicity compared to the many 360-degree cameras out now gives it more mainstream appeal than a full 360 video for both the shooter and the watcher, though perhaps it's a little too simple.
This is going to take camera stabilizers mainstream
The DJI Osmo 2 is lighter and cheaper, and despite all of that is a way better smartphone camera stabilization gimbal compared to everything else we've tested. It's using AI to track subjects and is even ready for the Instagram Stories and Snapchat generation with a new portrait mode. We got to try it out for ourselves at CES, so be sure to read our hands on DJI Osmo 2 review!
The Mophie Powerstation AC has been our biggest CES 2018 lifesaver
We would not have survived CES 2018 without the Mophie Powerstation AC. Between constantly running around the show floor and a truly awkward power outage during the world’s biggest electronics show, we hardly had a chance to plug in our devices. Luckily with the Mophie Powerstation AC, which includes packs 22,000mAh of power, we were never left with a low battery.
A light-up, music-making speaker
Far from being just another Bluetooth speaker, Sony’s SRS-XB41 packs in enough interesting features that it has enough to stand out from the crowd, especially when it sounds as respectable as it does. Check out our hands on Sony SRS-XB41 Bluetooth speaker review for the full rundown.
Sennheiser's debut soundbar is a welcome sight Hands on: Sennheiser Ambeo 3D Soundbar review
While known best for its headphones, Sennheiser’s debut soundbar proves that providing great audio is definitely a transferable skill. The Ambeo 3D Soundbar sounds absolutely terrific, and its use of four, rather than two, height channels pushes the boundaries of what Dolby Atmos soundbars are capable of.
This Sony soundbar shows how convenient getting Dolby Atmos has become
Sony's newest soundbar proves that you can have very reasonable Dolby Atmos experience without relying on the traditional upward-firing speakers. The sound may not be as spacious, but you're looking at the first Atmos 3.1 channel bar and a price tag of $899.99 (around £665 / AU$1150). Not too bad.
Robots, robots everywhere
Get ready for our robot overlords with a rundown of all the robots on hand at CES 2018. We're kidding ... kind of. These bots are more of the helpful type, more likely to take out the trash than take you out. We've rundown the best robots at CES 2018 - take a look! Your droid demands it.
Flagship features at a lower price
The new Alcatel 5 series is set to include things like 18:9 screens and facial recognition, as well, apparently, as large batteries and “fantastic imaging.” Yet all of that could come at a cost far lower than comparable flagships according to the company, though notably it hasn’t given an exact price yet, or full specs lists for the phones. The company also unveiled the Alcatel 3 and Alcatel 1 series, which will be even cheaper but with their own set of respectable features.
Mad Catz comeback
Mad Catz is going for a comeback
CES is never without a comeback story, and this year it appears Mad Catz is poised to carry that torch.
The gaming peripheral company filed for bankruptcy in 2017, but is now ready to show off a wireless version of its iconic RAT Air mouse this week. We'll get a closer look at Mad Catz's offerings soon and find out of it's truly turned a page.
DJI makes your smartphone a better camera
The new DJI Osmo Mobile 2, announced at CES, is designed to turn any mobile phone into a smart steady cam. The three-axis gimbal helps cancel out any hand shake or wobble.
At the same time DJI’s built-in SmoothTrack technology detects and compensates for your intended camera movements so you get a cinematic shot every time. DJI also made a single-handed stabilizer designed for DSLRs and mirrorless camera systems called the Ronin-S.
The smart home ecosystem widens
GE comes up with the confusingly-named C by GE range
On the smart home front, it's not just smart speakers like the LG ThinQ making their presence known, but lights and wall switches, too. GE has already announced a new set of C by GE products that work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple's HomeKit (with Siri), meaning the products aren't tied to one ecosystem.
Homey, Homey on the range
US consumers can look for a new face to make an introduction at CES. Homey, a smart home powerhouse in Europe, is planning a big reveal to make its presence known stateside.
Homey's tech helps unify disparate smart home devices, which could prove quite useful for those who feel overwhelmed by all their smart home goods.
Nokia upgrades another key piece of Withings tech
Nokia Sleep is a Wi-Fi enabled sleep sensor that slips under your sheets to monitor your night's sleep every time you crawl into bed without you having to wear annoying gadgets on your wrist - upgrading the previous Withings Sleep tech that launched previously, and has since been bought by Nokia.
All of the behavior details from your night's sleep will then appear within the Health Mate App and it'll give you further insights into how you can improve your sleep quality.
Powered-up Philips screens
Philips is focusing on bringing theater-quality specs to consumer-sized screens. For CES 2018, the company has unveiled its full 2018 lineup, scheduled for release this April, and you’ll hardly recognize the screens compared to their 2017 predecessors.
The lineup includes Dolby Vision HDR-equipped 4K TVs and a 27-inch screen for the kitchen.
Still all about the iPhone X
Believe it or not, the iPhone X has a presence at CES ... by way of an accessory maker. Belkin announced its latest line of wireless chargers, with ample emphasis on supporting the new iPhone in addition to flagship Android devices. We went hands on with the Belkin Boost Up Dual Wireless Charging Pad, which can fast charge two devices at the same time.
On the other side, and admittedly not explicitly to do with CES, Powermat has joined the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC), which governs the Qi standard used in the iPhone X. This is a big deal as Powermat was the product of the PMA, the rival to the WPC - but the decision by Apple means the war is effectively over.
All about Alexa
The Vuzix Blade headset now comes with Alexa
Alexa is continuing its spread by coming to Hisense TVs as well. The global TV maker announced that some of its new and existing screens will get support for Amazon's digital assistant.
But it doesn't stop there for Alexa. Right before the show, Amazon announced a new developer kit that will make it easier to bring the digital assistant to mobile devices like wearables and headphones.
Oh, and smart glasses. You see, the new Vuzix Blade headset is AR glasses that have Alexa onboard at the show. The specs will reportedly be out in the middle of 2018 at a cost of $1,000 (about £735), but the hardware preview on show is running at a cool $1,800.
Follow along as our intrepid editors Matt Swider and Nick Pino road trip across the US to CES 2018, brought to you by ZTE. They're testing out the latest tech along the way, and you can keep track of their journey on The Road to the Show 2018 liveblog. Plus, we've got even more great tips on how to plan your next adventure.
Huawei P20 display may have a rather unusual aspect ratio
The upcoming Huawei P20 (or Huawei P11, as it might be called) smartphone may have a little more information available despite it likely still being a couple months from release.
The latest details come from a leaked browser benchmark spotted by PhoneArena that indicates the phone's screen will have a somewhat unorthodox 18.7:9 aspect ratio.
The unusual aspect ratio and screen resolution of 1080 x 2244 suggest that the rumored bezel-less screen is going to be a reality for the Huawei P20.
Other smartphones with bezel-less displays have had unusual aspect ratios that don't line up with 16:9, which is starting to feel a bit old-school. A bezel-less display might help the P20 keep up with the competition, but Huawei will still need something to set itself apart in an exciting way.
The Huawei P20 may be somewhat exciting with its expected Kirin 970 chipset and 8GB of RAM. But, the feature that gets the most buzz may be the rumored triple-lens camera, with one sensor going as high as 40 megapixels. And, a 24MP front-facing camera doesn't hurt to tack on.
Most of these details still remain unconfirmed rumors or leaks, but we should hopefully find out more about the phone from Huawei itself at Mobile World Congress in February. Then, we might get to find out how big a role AI will play in the P20, as it was a highlight when Huawei announced the Mate 10, Mate 10 Pro and the Kirin 970 chipset powering both.
Due up soon: Get ready for the Samsung Galaxy S9
Best Mac apps: the best macOS apps for your Apple computer
The best Mac apps are here to make your macOS High Sierra experience better than that of someone using Windows or Linux. After all, it’s the Mac software that keeps us brand loyalists coming back to the Jony Ive-designed catalog of expensive goodies. While Apple packs plenty of useful apps pre-installed on every Mac, there’s a lot more out there than immediately meets the eye.
The best Mac apps span a number of different categories, so admittedly not everything on this list is going to tickle your fancy. There’s Atom, a text editor designed for coders, which is obviously going to appeal to a limited audience compared to something like Evernote – the best note-taking app, hands down.
They aren’t all available on the Mac App Store, but they are all worth your consideration. Without further ado, keep reading to the next slide for the best Mac apps you can download today. From freebies to costlies, these are the applications that will breathe new life into your MacBook or Mac desktop in 2018.
Gabe Carey has also contributed to this article
Get it from: App StorePrice: FreeNo brand of computer is without its annoyances. For so long now, it’s been impossible to use our MacBooks – unbound by the chains of a power adapter – while video outputs to an external monitor. As we all know here at TechRadar, Apple’s laptops automatically enter sleep mode whenever the lid is closed. For the lot of us, this can be a huge inconvenience should you prefer the sheer magnitude of a monitor as opposed to a 12- or 13- or 15-inch laptop screen.
Luckily, Amphetamine makes it possible to continue using your MacBook while closed. Previously you could accomplish this using a similar application called Caffeine, but we prefer the UI features you get with this freebie. In addition to fitting in naturally with the rest of your Menu Bar items, Amphetamine also supports hotkey commands as well as deactivation reminders, not to mention there are no pesky advertisements in sight.
Get it from: App StorePrice: $9.99 (£7.99 or around AUS$14)While Windows has been able to snap programs to the edge of the screen since version 7, Apple’s solution didn’t arrive until OS X El Capitan. What’s more, even then it lacked some of the comprehensiveness of Microsoft’s alternative. Fortunately, HyperDock gives us that full-fledged functionality we so desperately crave, allowing anyone with a Mac to administer to the app Dock and windows all the same.
For windows, you can drag an app to the left or right edges of the screen (or the corners) and it'll automatically fill that space. This makes it much easier to be productive on the desktop without wasting time dragging windows from the corners. For the Dock, hovering over apps activates something similar to Windows 7's thumbnail previews, providing overviews of windows that can be accessed by a click or closed directly from the preview. Handy.
Get it from: ParallelsPrice: $79.99/year (Home & Student) Around £60 or AUS$100)If you've bought a Mac and miss some of your old Windows programs, don't worry - Parallels Desktop 13 can bring them back. Instead of having to dual-boot your Mac into a Windows partition, Parallels Desktop 13 allows Windows and macOS Sierra to co-exist side-by-side, and you can even run Microsoft-only programs such as Visual Studio 2015, or the Windows versions of the company's Office 365 apps, alongside your native macOS ones.
All you need is a Windows 10 license – so prepare to buy one if you haven't already. Or, alternatively, you can use Parallels to try a handful of free operating systems including Chromium (a free distribution of Chrome OS) or Linux Debian. The latest version of Parallels in particular has seen improvements such as Touch Bar support, better resolution scaling for Retina displays and picture-in-picture for using other operating systems in conjunction with macOS.
Get it from: App StorePrice: £14.99 (around $20 or AUS$25)If you're anything like us, you'll hate working with one monitor or screen. Portable monitors are still fairly expensive (and not to mention bulky), and luckily you can use an iPad instead using a nifty app called Duet. Developed by ex-Apple engineers, it works by tethering your iPad to your Mac using one of Apple's Lightning cables and firing up the app on both devices.
You can then drag windows and apps onto your iPad's display just like you can a second monitor, and if you have a more recent iPad with a Retina display then you'll get the full benefit of all those pixels. Just know that the bandwidth isn't quite what you would get with a proper monitor, so it can be a bit laggy when you notch the quality up. But it's still more than usable for reading websites, typing up documents and watching videos.
Get it from: AtomPrice: FreeAtom is a text editor that's primarily designed for coders, but its flexibility and customization options make it a viable option for many different types of users. That's because of two reasons: first, you can download a number of different Packages - effectively plug-ins - to make it bend to your will. It can be transformed into a Markdown editor for writing blog posts, for example, or you can hook it up to Evernote for storing notes in the cloud.
There's at least 10 different word counters out there, and you can even add typewriter sound effects as you hammer out your delicious prose. Atom is also infinitely customizable on the visual side thanks to an editable back-end, allowing you to do anything from changing the font size, line height and colors to giving the caret Word 2016-like elasticity.
Get it from: App StorePrice: £149.99 (around $195 or AUS$255)Whether you're an aspiring rockstar or superstar DJ, Logic Pro X is one of the best music creation apps on the Mac. Developed by Apple itself,76 its accessible interface hides a ton of advanced functionality. The latest version comes with a slick new design, 64-bit architecture and new session drummer that will save you having to shell out for a drum machine.
It also works in natural harmony with iPads, providing a touch-based alternative method of creating song structures to dragging and dropping blocks in the main visual editor. Whether you're a seasoned producer already (Sia used the app to record her hit song 'Chandelier') or are looking to upgrade from Garageband, Logic Pro X likely has what you need.
Get it from: App StorePrice: FreeA simple app but an important one, to-do app Wunderlist's strength lies in its cross-device functionality. It's available on Mac, PC and Android and iOS, allowing you to pick up where you left off wherever you are using macOS's Handoff feature.
Once you've created a list you can schedule reminders, add notes and embed it into the macOS Notification Centre using a widget. Team-based features are unlocked by signing up to Wunderlist's Pro option for a yearly fee, and you can add files of any size without running into limits.
Get it from: App StorePrice: FreeEvernote has morphed into a mighty note-taking app over the years. While some people will say that it's too bloated, the sheer number of things that you can do with it still makes it best-in-class. You can type up notes, obviously, organizing them using a combination of folders and tags. You can even embed Google Drive documents, which are accessible in a click.
There's also the ability to set reminders, share notes with friends, find information related to notes using Evernote's 'Context' feature, create lists, and favorite notes that you frequently return to. Better yet, all of your notes are synchronized using the company's servers, making them accessible on nearly any PC (through a browser or the native Evernote app) or mobile device in the world. The paid version lets you use Evernote with more than two devices while upping the amount of data you can sync each month.
Get it from: WebsitePrice: FreeGIMP (standing for GNU Image Manipulation) is one of the best free image editing apps out there. It's a great alternative to Adobe Photoshop and comes with a massive array of professional-quality functions that let you tweak existing images saved in a range of formats or create fresh ones from scratch. Features include layers, highly customizable brushes, automatic image-enhancing tools and filters. You can do even more with it using plug-ins, which are available to download from the GIMP Plugin Registry.
Get it from: App StorePrice: £34.99 (around $45/AUS$60)Ulysses is one of the best "distraction-free" markdown editors out there today, balancing features with simplicity and beautiful design. Unlike Word 2016, or even Apple's own Pages, Ulysses hardly features an interface at all. This allows you to get on with writing without being distracted by superfluous buttons and menus. The app uses its own brand of Markdown — a type of text formatting engine — that lets you highlight your writing in a way that makes organizing it simpler, and a vast number of export styles formats it in an attractive way once you're finished.
There's a handy attachments bar on the right-hand side that features an attractive word counter and lets you write notes to assist you in your writing. Notes can be accessed anywhere thanks to iCloud support, so you can pick up your iPad and carry on where you left off using macOS's Handoff feature.
Get it from: WebsitePrice: FreeIf you’re a gamer who takes pride in the fact that you use a Mac, whether for work, school or leisure, Nvidia GeForce Now will silence your biggest critics. Since the dawn of time itself, it’s seemed as though PC gamers have shut down the prospect of using a Mac to play triple-A video games. The graphics weren’t there, and neither was the library.
Nowadays, we live in the era of streaming. You don’t have to download your TVs and movies – you can stream them on Netflix or Amazon Prime. Why should games be any different? Well, with GeForce Now, they’re not. You can stream PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, Overwatch and more at the highest settings from the comfort of your MacBook or Mac computer.
macOS 10.13 High Sierra release date, news and features
macOS High Sierra has been out for nearly four months, and already it’s on its third update – at least for developers and public beta testers.
It’s new and improved, but not unfamiliar for those who have stayed on top of macOS updates these past few years. As you could probably assume by its subtle name change, macOS High Sierra builds on its predecessor, macOS 10.12 Sierra, well, subtly.
While it does introduce a selection of more comprehensive photo editing tools, a completely overhauled file system and the promise of eventual VR support, most users will continue to use their Macs without noticing much of a difference.
The same could be said for macOS High Sierra’s refinements to itself, the most recent of which – macOS 10.13.3 – brings little more to the table than security fixes and performance improvements. Still, a handful of issues faced by macOS High Sierra have gone unmitigated.
Beyond the obvious Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities faced by virtually everything sporting a modern processor at the moment, we’ve seen various accounts of users being able to change the system preferences of macOS High Sierra’s App Store without the use of a genuine password.
Hopefully by the time you’re reading this, all of the qualms we have with macOS High Sierra at the moment will be addressed. Because otherwise it’s a decent operating system with a steady flow of sustenance from its creators. In the meantime, here is everything you need to know about macOS High Sierra.
Cut to the chase What is it? The 2017 edition of Apple’s Mac operating system, macOSWhen is it out? Available to install as of September 25What will it cost? macOS High Sierra is free to download
Apple unveiled macOS 10.13 High Sierra at the WWDC 2017 keynote event, which came as little surprise, given that it's traditional for Apple to announce the latest version of its Mac software at its annual developer event.
Yet, it wasn’t until September 12 that Apple revealed that the full version of High Sierra would release just a week and a half later, on September 25. There was a developer version of the operating system you could enroll in leading into the final release, but fortunately that’s no longer necessary to take advantage of the latest features found in macOS 10.13.
Rather, by opening the App Store, it’s now easy as cake to download the full retail version of macOS High Sierra. Better yet, it doesn’t cost a thing, aside from the Apple tax you’ve already paid for owning a Mac computer. It’s 4.8GB in size, which isn’t tiny. But, then again, it’s also replacing your existing build of macOS, or OS X if you’re stuck in dinosaur times.
Despite some Hackintosh users being rightfully worried about the newly enforced security checks on EFI firmware automatically deployed every week, Apple has introduced a number of exciting new features with macOS 10.13 High Sierra.
These include improvements to Safari – which will now thwart ad-tracking and auto-playing videos – and a more comprehensive Spotlight Search in the Mail App. Moreover, when you’re writing emails, the app now allows split view for the compose window – and, to make matters better, it uses up to 35% less disk space.
The Photos app has been updated in macOS 10.13 High Sierra as well, with a better sorting tool to boot. All of this is complemented by a new layout, better facial recognition thanks to neural networks, and better syncing across all Apple devices.
Editing tools, too, have seen improvements, in turn making it easier than ever to enhance the quality of your photos without learning the ins and outs of Photoshop or Camera RAW. And of course, you can count on Instagram-like filters being a part of this.
One of the biggest changes that comes with macOS High Sierra is with the file system. It’s ditching the HFS – which Apple has used for around 30 years, and is now using the Apple File System (APFS) instead.
Every Mac that’s upgraded to macOS High Sierra will make this files system change automatically with the exception of those sporting Fusion Drives and older HDDs. Likewise, all new Macs will ship pre-formatted for APFS.
To be exact, APFS is a 64-bit file system that supports native encryption and faster metadata operation. This may all sound a bit techy, but the bottom line is that this will make your Mac feel a lot faster, while also being more secure and more transparent about the nature of your files and folder contents.
The update also brings HEVC, or H.265, video compression to the Mac. Apple claims that this new standard can compress video files 40% more than the previous-generation H.264 standard. The end result will be faster video streams at higher resolutions – ahem, 4K – and smaller video files sizes when stored locally.
One of the biggest bits of news surrounding macOS High Sierra is that it will finally bring support for virtual reality headsets officially. Namely, the HTC Vive and Steam VR will work with Macs running the new OS this autumn.
However, to use such a device, you'll need at least a 5K iMac or MacBook Pro – or, any Mac that can run the new OS with an external graphics card box attached via Thunderbolt 3. Support for such devices will come part and parcel with macOS High Sierra, but won't be an active function until spring 2018.
Fortunately, in the act of creating a macOS iteration that only moderately shakes things up, the barrier to entry didn’t change at all. As long as you’re rocking one of the following Mac models, you’ll be good to go with macOS High Sierra on day one:
Late 2009 iMac or newer Late 2009 MacBook/MacBook (Retina) or newerMid-2010 MacBook Pro or newerLate 2010 MacBook Air or newerMid-2010 Mac Mini or newerMid-2010 Mac Pro or newer2017 iMac ProBear in mind that if you want to take advantage of the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) benefits posed by macOS High Sierra, you’ll need a Mac donning – at the very least – an Intel sixth-generation Skylake processor. Unfortunately, that discounts everything released prior to 2015, but on the bright side, everything else macOS High Sierra brings to the table is fair game.
Joe Osborne and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this report
Surface Pro 5 release date, news and rumors
You might suspect that the Surface Pro 2017 is the closest we’ll ever get to the Surface Pro 5, but if Microsoft itself is anything to go by, you would be dead wrong. The Surface Pro 5 doesn’t exist right now, as Microsoft Surface leader Panos Panay confirmed last May, but it will when more meaningful changes erupt from the geniuses at Microsoft’s hardware design lab.
More specifically, echoing Panay, while there’s “no such thing as a [Surface] Pro 5” right now, there will be when the time is right. When Microsoft can come up with upgrades that radically improve the dynamics of its wildly popular Surface Pro 4, it isn’t too far-fetched to presume that we’ll see a name change beyond the confiscation of a numerical value.
2018 could be the year that we see the Surface Pro 5 and all that it entails. Last May, Panay said that if the Surface Pro 5 ever does exist, it will be when it can bear changes more significant than a simple processor refresh. There’s no telling for sure when or if that will take place, but the next time it could will be around the anniversary of the latest Surface Pro.
As the 2017 Surface Pro emerged in mid-June of last year, the next Surface Pro – whether it’s the 5 or the Next or what have you – is months away based on that fact. And although the new and improved Surface Pro of yesteryear introduced a better battery life and a Surface Pen equipped with 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity, that wouldn’t be enough for Microsoft to justify upgrading the number in its title along with amping up its specs. Let’s take a look at what would.
Cut to the chase What is it? The would-be fifth Surface Pro tabletWhen is it out? Spring 2018 at the earliestWhat will it cost? Likely as much as – if not more than – the current model Surface Pro 5 release dateReports dating back to March 2016 led us to believe that the Surface Pro 5 would come out alongside the Windows 10 Creators Update, and that would have made complete sense had it actually come to fruition. Instead, the Creators Update launched, complete with a handful of new designer- and gamer-focused software features, but with no first-party hardware in sight.
Of course, as we mentioned before, the 2017 Surface Pro was revealed not long thereafter at a Microsoft event in Shanghai. We certainly wouldn’t bet on an imminent Surface Pro 5 release given that the rumors are scarce right now and Microsoft is hard at work safeguarding its devices against Meltdown and Spectre.
That goes without mentioning the fact that the Surface Pro with LTE only just came out on December 1 and has since been accompanied by a healthy dose of firmware treats. There’s no way a company would launch a follow-up product a month and some change later. What’s more likely is that Microsoft will continue to deliver system-specific updates to the existing Surface Pro until its sequel is ready in the warmer months of 2018.
Historically, Surface pricing rarely fluctuates with each new variation. At the Shanghai event on May 23, the Surface Pro was revealed to come with a $799 price in the US or £799 in the UK (that’s around AU$1,380) for the entry-level model.
If the Surface Pro 5 is indeed the Surface Pro, then we now know for sure what the price will be. But, if the Surface Pro 5 is the would-be successor to the Surface Pro, then maybe we can expect a higher price tag.
While it wouldn’t be ideal for Microsoft’s loyal following if the company deviated too far from the norm, ambitious upgrades may necessitate that it does. For the price of the next Surface Pro to differ from its predecessors, it would have to offer some serious advantages over its last-gen sibling – not just a run-of-the-mill spec boost.
Regardless, the ball is in Microsoft's court here, and if pricier new additives like, say, a bezel-less display are implemented into the baseline model, it's not unprecedented for PC makers to issue a price hike.
In terms of specs, what little we know is based on tweets from Microsoft informant Paul Thurrott whose sources have told him that the Surface Pro 5 will indeed use an Intel 7th-generation Kaby Lake processor.
More likely, though, is that he was confusing the Surface Pro 5 for the new Surface Pro considering it, too, uses Kaby Lake. Not to be confused with the 8th-generation Kaby Lake Refresh processors, Intel’s 7th-gen Kaby Lake processors are a more than sufficient upgrade for any Windows tablet or laptop purchased prior to 2015.
Port-wise, as it stands (and as Thurrott had also predicted), the Surface Connect proprietary charger is here to stay, meaning the latest Surface Pro – and presumably the Surface Pro 5 – don’t use USB Type-C for charging or data transfers. That said, this is bound to change given that the Surface Book 2 does offer native support for USB-C.
Ahead of its announcement, a leak published by VentureBeat showed off a number of press renders that claimed to be of the Surface Pro 4’s successor. As it turns out, that was only half true. These designs ended up representing the Surface Pro rather than a true Surface Pro 5.
Those who were hoping for an intense overhaul of the Surface Pro 4’s appearance will certainly be in for a rude awakening. Yet, for those of us who adore the SP4’s current look and only care about performance refinements, this will do just fine.
Those who were hoping for an intense overhaul of the Surface Pro 4’s appearance will certainly be in for a rude awakening. Yet, for those of us who adore the SP4’s current look and only care about performance refinements, this will do just fine.
One piece of the puzzle regarding every new Surface is how Microsoft will upgrade its Surface Pen stylus accessory that comes bundled with each tablet. The most recent Surface Pro iteration may have been treated to a helping of 4,096 pressure sensitivity levels, but back in January 2016, we were led to believe that a rechargeable stylus was in the works in Redmond.
Another interesting patent filed by Microsoft describes a renewed Surface Pen loop, designed to latch the Surface Pen onto your Surface devices via a USB connection. Not only would it hold the Surface Pen into position when needed, but it would simultaneously charge the accessory for prolonged continuous use.
Of course, Microsoft also has the Surface Dial in its clasp. The designer-focused puck-like accessory was briefly mentioned in a slideshow presentation in December, with ZDNet having picked up the slides itself for use in a news story. The company claims that peripherals such as the Dial, wearables, headsets and more are factors essential to what is perceived as the “modern PC.”
Also mentioned was the incorporation of “hero features” such as Cortana and Windows Hello, and although a fingerprint scanner didn’t make it into the new Surface Pro itself, there is an optional Type Cover that includes this functionality. With that in mind, we can surmise that if or when a Surface Pro 5 is announced, it will also support fingerprint recognition.
As much as we've been impressed by the Surface Pro 4 and its follow-up – hibernation bugs aside – there will always be room for improvement. (That would be the case even if it had earned our Editor's Choice award.) From the screen size and resolution to the hardware found inside, we have a few ideas for how Microsoft could craft an even better Windows 10 tablet.
Longer battery lifeThis is a bit of low-hanging fruit, but countless customers have lamented the Surface Pro 4's battery life, regardless of issues with its ‘Sleep’ mode. We rated the device for five hours and 15 minutes of local video playback.
That's well below Microsoft's promise of nine hours of video playback, a benchmark that even the 2017 Surface Pro couldn’t achieve in our review (our test resulted in 6 hours and 58 minutes of video playback). Our video playback figure is in line with the average laptop, though it's a far cry from what its nemesis, the MacBook, can achieve.
Ideally, and realistically, we'd like to see at least seven hours of battery life reliably from the next Surface Pro tablet. That would put it closer in line with the MacBooks as well as competing tablets, like the iPad Pro. Surely, you’ll need as many milliampere hours in the Surface Pro 5’s lithium-ion battery as you can get.
That said, if the Surface Pro 5 could garner anywhere near the Surface Book 2 manufacturer’s suggested battery life of 17 hours, you would find no complaints from us. Come on, Microsoft, we know you’ve thought about it.
With the Surface Pro 4 and the subsequent Surface Pro, Microsoft managed to outrank countless rivals in both the laptop and tablet spaces when it comes to screen resolution. With a razor-sharp 267 ppi (pixels per inch) already at 2,736 x 1,824 pixels within a 12.3-inch screen, it's not as if the Surface Pro 5 needs to be much sharper.
However, if the next Surface Pro were equipped with, say, a 4K (3,840 pixels wide at the very least) screen, that would rip its productivity and entertainment capabilities wide open. Film and photo editors could work at the native resolution that's increasingly becoming the norm, while average Joe's (teehee) could finally watch Netflix in 4K on a tablet.
That said, the realm of super sharp resolutions might be reserved for the Surface Book range at this point. So, why not up its size a bit?
The Surface Pro 4 is big enough for almost all tasks, but it's still not the established default size for most laptops: 13.3 inches. Then again, doing so may cannibalize Microsoft's market by negating the need for the Surface Book 2.
On the other hand, maybe the iPad Pro is onto something with its 12.9-inch display. After all, we’re not asking for a gargantuan, monster-sized tablet – just a slight size boost. Assuming the resolution doesn't bump up too much alongside a size increase, the extra space could allow for a battery life boost.
At this point, no Windows device is complete without implementing USB Type-C, the reversible, versatile port that can deliver power, audio and video while also transferring data at rates of up to 40Gbps. Traditional USB ports won’t cut it any longer, at least not on their own, so the Surface Pro 5 needs to get with the times.
As the Surface Book 2 gradually makes its way to eager consumers, perhaps Microsoft will start to realize the potential of its USB Type-C port. The current Surface Pro requires a dongle for USB-C connections at the present, a sentence that those familiar with the criticisms of the new port standard will have a good chuckle at.
At the same time, Microsoft may want to include a standard USB 3.0 port, too, in order to natively meet the system requirements for its own Windows Mixed Reality headsets. If the company wants to lead the pack in the business of affordable virtual reality solutions, it's a no-brainer to make the Surface Pro 5 compatible.
Whether or not you believe it will be called the Surface Pro 5, the next iteration of Microsoft’s Surface Pro tablet is an elusive concept. If one exists at all, we applaud Microsoft for how well it’s keeping its forthcoming hardware under wraps. Nevertheless, we’re sure to see some sort of new Surface product later this spring, whether it be at Build 2018 or otherwise.
Gabe Carey has also contributed to this article
HTC U11 Eyes could bring a big screen and dual selfie cameras
The HTC U11 is a great phone, and a few different versions of it have already launched. But, if this leak from Venture Beat's Evan Blass proves true, the HTC U11 Eyes may be the next take on the phone.
The leak shows a device that looks fairly similar to the standard U11, but a few subtle differences are apparent. The screen takes up a bit more space on the front, as it's a 6-inch display with a 1080 x 2160 resolution. The larger display pushes the fingerprint sensor around to the back of the phone.
A little more subtle is the addition of a second selfie camera above the screen. Dual-camera systems on the rear of phones have been cropping up more and more, and they usually enable some form of depth effect to enhance portraits. But, putting the dual-lens setup on the front can bring that functionality to the world of selfies.
Beyond that, the HTC U11 Eyes is shaping up to be a mid-range standout, as it will have a Snapdragon 652 octa-core processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage, HTC's signature Edge Sense squeezing control, a beastly 3,930mAh battery and IP67 water and dust protection.
Though the phone is expected to launch in just a few days, on January 15, it will won't come with Android 8.0 Oreo, instead going with the Nougat of yesteryear.
Via The Verge
This is the first smartphone with an in-display fingerprint scanner
General Motors has a car without a steering wheel on the way
The New Year has just begun, but General Motors is already looking toward 2019, when it will take the next step for its self-driving cars. It plans to release the Cruise AV, a self-driving car without a steering wheel, pedals or any of the standard driver controls.
The news comes from a GM announcement about its safety petition to the US Department of Transportation for permission to put the Cruise AV on roads as early as next year.
GM acquired Cruise Automation in 2016, and since then Cruise has worked on its technology. Driverless vehicles powered by Cruise are already on the roads in California, Arizona and Michigan for testing, and these car may soon be in New York City.
How voice assistants are coming to your carThe big difference between the existing Cruise vehicles and the upcoming Cruise AV is that this new version, the fourth generation, will be the first production-ready model purpose-built to drive itself.
GM envisions the Cruise AV reducing traffic accidents, giving back the time riders spend stuck in traffic, offering greater mobility for elderly or physically impaired passengers and making the hunt for parking a thing of the past.
Assuming the DOT approves GM's safety petition, we could all be driving alongside robots next year.
Our cars are getting smarter, safer and more entertaining
Best ASIC devices for Bitcoin mining in 2018
If you want to get started with mining your own Bitcoin (BTC), these days you need ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) devices, which are specifically built for the purpose.
In this guide, we’re trying to help you become a profitable Bitcoin miner by highlighting five of the top ASIC mining devices on the market today.
Since everyone is jumping on the mining bandwagon, these devices can be expensive and difficult to buy. In most cases you'll also need to purchase a good quality PSU (power supply) to ensure maximum efficiency.
Your main consideration when purchasing a device should be how soon you're likely to see a return on your original investment. This is determined by the hash power of the device – i.e. the number of BTC it can generate daily – minus your electricity costs, mining pool fees and current mining difficulty.
To help you make your decision, we've listed the current price, hash rate and power usage of each device.
While these numbers are helpful, we encourage you to use a profitability calculator such as the one available from Coinwarz before ordering to estimate your return in BTC. Remember that you'll also need to pay electricity costs and mining pool fees, as mentioned. The profitability calculator allows you to enter these to calculate your ROI (return on investment) more precisely.
The exchange rate between Bitcoin and fiat currencies is very volatile, so if you want to cash out quickly, register with a BTC exchange such as Bitstamp (see our guide on registering with Bitstamp).
We also show you how to mine Bitcoins
The Antminer S9 is manufactured by Bitmain, the largest and most well-known mining equipment manufacturer in the world which has been going since 2013.
The Antminer S9 is one of the most popular ASIC mining devices out there, and other mining hardware is often benchmarked against it. The S9 is also generally considered to be the most energy-efficient miner on the market today, although this will vary depending on electricity costs where you live and the type of PSU used with it (the latter must be purchased separately). Bitmain's APW3++ power supply currently retails for around $100 (about £75).
This extra efficiency comes at a price, and this isn’t the cheapest ASIC miner on the market. That hasn’t stopped the S9 being in very high demand, though, due to its commendable efficiency. Indeed, at the time of writing, the unit is sold out on Bitmain's website, but it should start to ship again later this year. You can buy units from Amazon and auction sites like eBay, although prices are much higher and units may not be covered by Bitmain's warranty (buyer beware, as ever).
Bitmain regularly improves the specs of S9 units, so if you buy second-hand, make sure to check the exact hash power offered. The most recent units due to be shipped out in March 2018 offer an optimal hash rate of 13.5TH/s.
Buy the Antminer S9 here
The Antminer S7 was manufactured by Bitmain and is the predecessor to the S9. Since the S9 arrived, many miners have upgraded, flooding the market with relatively cheap used S7 devices.
Although the S7's hash power is only around a third that of the S9, due to the lower cost and the fact that many second-hand units come with a PSU pre-bundled, you may see a faster return on your investment than with the S9. The S7 may also generate less heat and noise than the S9.
If you do decide to purchase an S7, be sure to check how long it's been in operational use to decide how reliable it might be, and furthermore, check the seller's refund policy in case it develops a fault after you buy. If the unit does come with a PSU, make sure it's a good quality effort for maximum energy efficiency, such as Bitmain's own AWP3++ power supply which also works with the S9.
Even with a high-end PSU, the S7 is still not as energy-efficient as the S9 – on average it consumes 0.25 Joules of power per Gigahash. The S9 is over twice as efficient, requiring less than 0.1. You may still be able to generate a reasonable profit with the S7 if you buy more than one unit and/or use renewable energy such as solar power.
Buy the Antminer S7 here
Avalon, an offshoot of China-based firm Canaan Creative, was amongst the first firms to manufacture Bitcoin-specific ASIC chips, so it's safe to say that the company knows what it’s doing when it comes to Bitcoin mining hardware.
Like its predecessor the AvalonMiner 6, the 7 series has had generally good reviews with miners praising Avalon's innovation in pioneering the A3212 16nm chips employed in the units, as well as how quiet these devices are when running.
The AvalonMiner 761 supports cluster mining via a specialist AUC3 'AvalonMiner Controller', based on the Raspberry Pi, which can support up to six devices. The AUC3 controller costs around $80 (£60) and can be connected to others to form larger clusters. For instance, four AUC3 devices could each connect to five AvalonMiners allowing you to manage 20 AvalonMiner 761 units with a staggering combined hash power of 176TH/s.
You will also need to purchase a PSU separately for around $150 (£110). In total, this may still cost less than purchasing a used S7 unit. The Avalon 761's greater hash power and energy efficiency means you'll likely see a slightly faster return on investment.
Canaan offers bulk orders (60 units or more) directly on its website. If you only want to buy a few units, the firm also has a list of official distributors. Despite glowing reviews, the devices aren't as well known as Antminers, so if you're new to mining, you may not find much help online.
Buy the AvalonMiner 761 here
The M3, which was released in late 2017, is manufactured by Chinese firm Pangolin Miner. The manufacturer's website not only provides detailed information on the miner, but an excellent tutorial video on getting set up. This includes connecting the device via Ethernet and configuring your mining pool settings via the M3's web interface.
While the hash rate is slightly less than the Antminer S9, this unit is far cheaper, meaning you could see a return on your investment in around the same time. While the device draws a lot of power, according to a detailed review on the Bitcointalk Forum, the M3's built-in fans dissipate the heat quickly and it's no noisier than comparable miners like the S9. The bundled PSU is also extremely efficient (over 90%).
At the time of writing the M3 is currently sold out of batches shipping in February and March 2018, although the manufacturer hopes to make more available later in the year. Once your unit arrives you'll enjoy a 180-day warranty against defects, the longest of all the devices we've highlighted here.
Buy the WhatsMiner M3 here
The AvalonMiner 821 is a huge improvement on its predecessor, containing 104 A3210 16nm chips, giving it a reliable hash rate of over 20% better than that of the AvalonMiner 761.
The 821 also has a power efficiency of 0.109 Joules per Gigahash, which is about 10% less than the Antminer S9 (at just under 0.098). As the hash rate is also lower than that of the S9, your decision on whether to choose the AvalonMiner 821 will probably revolve around price considerations.
At the time of writing, Avalon has announced the 821 on its page and is offering the device for sale in bulk quantities. The listed price above is for 1/60 of the minimum order quantity of 60 units, so will likely increase over time. Avalon's official redistributor BlokForge has also listed the AvalonMiner 821 for sale in individual units, but the price is still to be confirmed.
Just as with its predecessor, you need to purchase a PSU separately which should cost around $200 (£150). Buyers will also be able to cluster-mine by connecting up to five 821's to Avalon's AUC3 controller, increasing hash power considerably.
Buy the AvalonMiner 821 hereTop image credit: Wikimedia Commons
We’ve also picked out the best graphics cards for mining Ethereum and more
Best ‘no logs’ VPNs of 2018 to stay private and anonymous
For millions of VPN users, privacy is one of the most desirable aspects of a VPN service, if not the most prized benefit of all. And given that, the amount of logs – details recorded on the user and their online activity – kept by a VPN provider is a crucial consideration. And not all VPNs are equal in this respect – far from it.
Almost all VPNs will trot out some manner of blanket ‘we keep no logs’ statement on their website, but the truth is that the various providers’ policies regarding keeping logs can vary quite widely.
The first thing you need to bear in mind is that there are two main categories of logs: connection logs, and usage logs.
Connection or metadata logs include your incoming and outgoing IP address, as well as data like connection duration, amount of data transferred, VPN servers you’ve connected to, and so on.
This information isn’t such a big deal, and is often required to keep tabs on things like data allowances – how else will a provider know that you exceeded your allowance, if it hasn’t recorded the amount of data you have transferred? Because of this and other reasons, some VPN services will log this information, although hopefully they will only store it for a certain period of time (that length of time should be made clear in the company’s privacy policy, with any luck).
Usage or activity logs, on the other hand, are deemed much more important and more invasive in privacy terms, as they essentially cover all of the data beyond those basic connection logs. So we’re talking about information on the exact websites you visited online, the files you downloaded, and so forth.
The good news is that any provider worth its salt doesn’t keep usage logs. The bad news is that not only can it sometimes be difficult to find out what sort of logs a VPN provider keeps, you also need to bear in mind that you’ve only got the firm’s word that it actually sticks to any relevant policies. In other words, whatever might be written on the website, you’ll never really know what actually happens behind the scenes.
Even if a provider says it keeps no logs whatsoever, the chances are that some are stored, although it might only be the barest of connection logs.
The long and short of it is: scouting out the VPN services which provide you with the best levels of privacy and anonymity online is something of a tricky task. Which is exactly why we’ve researched the best VPNs for watertight privacy, and we’re presenting our results in this article.
Here are our top five recommendations for privacy-conscious VPNs that uphold their ‘no logs’ policy with the most unswerving veracity as far as we’re concerned.
Check out the best VPN services of 2018
[57% Off] IPVanish (Official Promotion) - Get up to 57% Off TechRadar's #1 Rated VPN Service with IPVanish's top-tier network delivering some of the fastest speeds in our tests. Zero logs gives you total privacy.
If you're looking for power and performance from your VPN, while still enjoying privacy at the highest levels, IPVanish is just the ticket. This service ticks all the right boxes – it offers fast performance, configurable mobile and desktop clients, tight security, and a clear and commendable ‘no logs’ policy.
The native clients are crammed with features and they’re highly configurable too, with a mode for VPN novices who aren’t keen on messing around with fancy settings. One small downside is that in our testing, we found that the Windows client can be prone to the odd network issue in certain situations – mainly when other VPNs are installed. But your mileage may well vary.
The provider doesn’t keep any logs, as mentioned, and clearly states that it doesn’t log any session data (unlike many other VPN services). The wide range of payment methods such as Bitcoin, Giropay, and more, only adds to the superb effort on the privacy front.
IPVanish doesn’t offer a free trial and prices are slightly more expensive than the norm (unless you sign up through TechRadar’s special discount, that is). You definitely pay for performance here, and choosing an annual subscription is the best value-for-money. The packages available are:
[$7.50 a month] 1-month[$6.74 a month] 3 months - $20.24[$4.87 a month] 1-year - $58.49
For those looking to mesh the fastest speeds with privacy, ExpressVPN is the premium choice. There are some seriously fast servers in this firm’s broad network which spans 94 countries, while on the software front, you get apps for all major platforms (and a few browser extensions too). The native clients are fairly intuitive and user-friendly, featuring both basic and advanced options to satisfy all kinds of users.
A favorable privacy policy is another plus, although there is a small amount of session logging (connection dates, choice of server and the total amount of data transferred). However, the provider doesn't collect your connection times or IP addresses, so this can't be used to identify you.
With a premium service comes a premium price, in this case. ExpressVPN is somewhat more expensive than the rest of the competition, and there is no free trial to test the provider. However, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee for reassurance, and of the three price plans on offer, the 12-month subscription (with three months extra thrown in) is the best choice in the long run. The packages available are:
[$12.95 a month] 1-month[$9.99 a month] 6-months - $59.95[$6.67 a month] 12-months (plus 3 free months) - $99.95
AirVPN is run by ‘activists and hacktivists’ who are all for net neutrality and complete online freedom, so what you get is a provider that is very forthcoming about its service. For instance, you get the full scoop on all available servers and their current load, as well as all you need to know about AirVPN’s practices on the security and privacy fronts.
That said, one obvious weak spot here is the low number of server locations (especially in comparison to some rivals you’ll see on this page). However, this provider makes up for that by delivering a reasonably fast performance, generally speaking, though we found that in our testing, some longer-distance connections can be flaky.
Another performance plus point is that AirVPN guarantees users a minimum allocated bandwidth of 4Mbps (downloads and uploads). Although the Windows client could use some improvement, as it has a somewhat awkward interface that takes a little acclimatization.
AirVPN has five rather affordable plans, including a short-term 3-day plan that acts as a cheap trial of the service. Payment methods include a number of cryptocurrencies, which is always a privacy bonus. The 12-month plan boasts the best value-for-money. The packages available are:
[$1.20] 3-days[$8.39 a month] 1-month[$6.00 a month] 3-months $17.99[$6.00 a month] 6-months - $35.98[$5.40 a month] 12-months - $64.76
The fact that Windscribe allows you to connect an unlimited number of devices is a huge benefit, particularly for those with larger families who will all be connecting to the VPN. And it’s no slouch on the performance front, either, with our testing showing fast speeds over shorter hops, although long-distance connections weren’t so impressive.
The service offers custom apps for major platforms, except for Android – although an Android client was launched last year, it’s still listed as being potentially unstable, so many mobile users will probably want to look elsewhere, at least for the time being.
Generally speaking, the software clients are rather basic, with some low-level options and settings that will just about fulfill most needs.
Another great feature is the free plan with a hefty 10GB monthly data allowance, providing you register with your email address. As expected, the free plan restricts the number of servers available, but it’s still far more generous and usable than the freebie offerings you’ll find elsewhere.
Privacy-wise, things are crystal-clear and detailed: there is no logging of VPN usage, IPs, historical session logs, and no records of incoming or outgoing IP addresses or your individual activities. All good news.
You can even sign up without providing an email address (but your monthly limit drops to 2GB on the free plan, in that case), and the small elements the service does record – OpenVPN username, VPN server connected to, time of connection, and amount of data transferred during the session – expire and are discarded within three minutes of the session being terminated.
There are only two paid plans – the Pro plan with either monthly or annual billing, and this gives you access to the full range of servers. As ever, the annual plan offers the best overall value proposition. The packages available are:
FreePro: $4.50 monthly or $3.75 per month billed annually
TunnelBear is as simple as a VPN service gets. An email address is all you need to start using the service, and for free at that. There are native clients (and a few browser extensions) for all major platforms that focus on simplicity, although there isn’t much you can change settings-wise.
Performance levels can be quite speedy (even with the free plan) on shorter hops, although long-distance connections can be flaky at best.
Apart from requiring only your email address to kick things off, this provider doesn’t record any information about the websites and services accessed online, as well as the session data you’ll often find logged elsewhere.
Regarding the free plan, the bad news is that the default 500MB per month limit is very restrictive – that’s only enough to test the service for a very short amount of time. That said, if you tweet about TunnelBear you get an extra 1GB of data, while an exclusive TechRadar deal lifts the monthly limit to 5GB, a far more attractive proposition.
As for commercial plans, there are only two of them: a monthly or annual subscription. The yearly plan offers the best savings, and the packages available are:
Free plan[$9.99 a month] 1-month - $9.99[$4.16 a month] 1-year - $49.88 We’ve rounded up the best free VPN services of 2018
Brace yourselves, mechanical keyboards are heading to notebooks
Anyone who’s anyone knows that the only keyboards worth their salt are mechanical keyboards thanks to their beautifully engineered switches that type like a dream and last an eternity.
The only problem is that such keyboards tend to be quite bulky. It’s not an issue if you’re using them on a desk, but they’re less appropriate for laptops. This has left billions of notebook users in a lurch with dinky, low-pile keyboards.
That could be about to change very soon, however, with the introduction of a new low-profile mechanical keyboard switch from German manufacturer Cherry. The switches are a full 35% flatter than their full-size counterparts, meaning they could be fitted into a notebook PC without creating a monstrosity, like MSI’s GT80 Titan.
That 'Cherry feeling'If you’ve ever touched a mechanical keyboard, then chances are the switches in it were made by Cherry. The German manufacturer has been in the keyboard business since the early '70s, and produces what are considered to be the gold-standard of keyboard switches.
The new low-profile switches (which, for now, are only available in Red) are just 11.9mm high, compared to the 18.5mm height of a standard Cherry MX switch, but Cherry went to great lengths to ensure that the classic ‘Cherry feeling’ survived the shrinking.
But, somewhat surprisingly, this feeling was maintained not by making a switch with the exact same force curve (which an engineer assured us that they could have done), but by tweaking the force curve to trick you into thinking the switch feels the same when, in fact, the stiffness and actuation point of the switch are subtly different.
A cylinder has been placed around the switch’s stem to reduce wobble, and this also contributes to the switch’s IP40 dust resistance.
We had a chance to play around with the switches on some prototype boards, and they feel almost identical to the standard Cherry MX Red switch, albeit with a much shorter travel distance. However, the same solid feeling and construction still absolutely shone through.
Manufacturers such as Corsair, Cooler Master and Ducky are already signed up to use the new switch
If you want to get your hands on the new switches, then several manufacturers, including Corsair, Cooler Master, Ducky and Vortex are already signed up to produce keyboards using the new switch.
The switches will also be available to buy standalone at a later date for those individuals who like to build their own keyboards - although, because of clearance issues, you’ll need to wait for new keycap designs to enter the market before being able to take advantage of the new switches.
But the real test of the switches will be notebook PCs. Although they’re much slimmer than standard Cherry MX, the low-profile switches are still much taller than the scissor switches found in most keyboards. This means they’re unlikely to take over anytime soon, but they’ll instead be a high-end option for people that want a premium-feeling notebook keyboard.
Cherry eventually intends to make its entire lineup low-profile. The choice to start with the Red switch was apparently a somewhat arbitrary one (we were told the most popular switch tends to vary on a yearly basis), and eventually you’ll be able to get either Blue, Brown, Black or Red switches in the low-profile form-factor.
New year, new tech – check out all our coverage of CES 2018 straight from Las Vegas, the greatest gadget show on Earth!
Best shows on Netflix (January 2018): 60 fantastic Netflix series
Welcome to TechRadar’s constantly updated guide to the best shows on Netflix right now. It's the most authoritative, in-depth guide to the best Netflix series around, offering all the information you need to make sure that you avoid the clangers and get binge-watching the best television shows available on the streaming platform.
[Update: New Good Place Klaxon! You forking read that right - there are new episodes of the Good Place to watch right now. While that makes the world a great place, new series The End Of The F***ing World tries to spoil that notion with its take on teenagers and, well, psychopaths. At 19 minutes per episode, this is one of the most addictive and daring shows to hit Netflix to date.]
We’ve chosen the 60 best Netflix shows that you need to watch. Whether you are into meth-laced dramas (Breaking Bad), talking horses (Bojack Horseman) or fear-inducing dystopias that are far too close for comfort (Black Mirror) there’s something for you on the list.
Netflix is currently the hottest streaming service on the planet. Not only is it creating fantastic original shows - House of Cards, Orange is the New Black - it is teaming up with the likes of Marvel to adapt famous superheroes for the small screen. And it’s just bought its own graphic novel IP so expect more original comic-book content soon.
It’s also trialling news things, such as the Puss In Boots choose your own adventure show and is a big advocate for 4K and HDR. Oh, and it finally did something it said it never would - allow you to download many of its shows to watch Netflix offline.
It's fair to say there’s never been a better time to bag yourself a Netflix subscription and binge watch, so get stuck into our gallery and let us know if your favourite show isn't on the list.
Want to know more about Netflix's take on binging? Watch our very own Jon Porter live on the couch discussing his time at Netflix HQ!
Check out our in-depth and completely updated Netflix reviewWant to test out the rival? Here's our Best Amazon Prime Video TV ShowsWant know the best movies on Netflix. Then this is your in-depth guideWant to know the worst movies on Netflix? The check out Not On My WatchThe best sci-fi movies you can stream right nowThe best horror movies you can scare yourself silly withTV comedy is in a good place right now and, funnily enough, The Good Place is a perfect example of that. Starring Ted Danson and Kristen Bell, this off-the-wall comedy focuses on a recently deceased woman who is sent to a heaven-like utopia called the Good Place completely by accident. In order to stay there she goes to any lengths to hide what a terrible person she was when living.
Season 1 has already aired in the US to great acclaim and now it's coming to the UK through Netflix with new season 2 episodes being added each week in line with their US release.
A great cast, clever writing and an original concept make this a must-watch.
Seasons on Netflix: 2
Visit The Good Place on Netflix
Margaret Atwood is having something of a resurgence at the moment, what with the incredible The Handmaid’s Tale adaptation and now this, a superb take on her novel Alias Grace. Grace is another cutting social commentary that’s wrapped in a mystery, centred on servant Grace Marks who is sentenced to life in prison for the apparent murder of her housekeeper. The plot will keep you guessing, the design of the show is sumptuous and there’s even a surprise cameo from David Cronenberg.
Fresh from giving horror anthologies a new spin with American Horror Story, creator Ryan Murphy has taken this idea and expanded it into the world of crime. The first series of American Crime Story focuses on the very public case of OJ Simpson and the death of his wife Nicole. It's superb TV, dramatising what was one of the most engrossing true stories to come out of the '90s. Cuba Gooding Jr is great as OJ but it's the supporting cast that steals the show. Sarah Paulson, David Schwimmer, John Travolta and Courtney B Vance ham it up to the max and it makes for some of the most entertaining television in years.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
Archer is now into its eighth season and apart from a few hiccups - season 5’s Archer Vice is particularly grating - it’s a brilliant, adult pastiche of Bond. The plot is simple: Archer is a heavy drinking womanising spy for an agency that’s headed up by his mum. The cartoon charts his antics, alongside his co-workers Cheryl, Cyril, Lana, Pam and Krieger. Featuring many of the cast of Arrested Development, and a sprinkling of Mad Men, Archer is hilarious, off-kilter fare.
Seasons on Netflix: 8
Arrested Development is one of the best comedies ever made. So it made sense that Netflix would want to resurrect it for a fourth season. While it wasn’t perfect - primarily because most of the cast were too busy to get into the same room - it was great to see the Bluth family back. Full of in-jokes, jokes that run for entire seasons and more, well, jokes, this is essential TV. And the good news is that a fifth series has been commissioned.
Seasons on Netflix: 4
Babylon is a cutting satire on policing in the UK. Written by the folks behind Peep Show, it focuses on a bumbling commissioner (James Nesbitt), Brit Marling as a PR person trying to modernise the force and firearm officers on the ground. It’s both hilarious and dramatic in equal fashion, making it one of the most highly original shows on British TV in recent years.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
On paper, the idea of a show that mines the early life of Hitchcock psycho Norman Bates is pretty terrible. But over the course of a number of seasons Bates Motel has proved to be a hit. Focusing, with a lot of unease, on the relationship between Norman (a brilliant Freddie Highmore) and his mother (Vera Farmiga) acting more like a psychological thriller than outright horror. The best thing about it is how it manages to keep you guessing as to what is going to happen next, even though the story it is building up to is one of the most famous of all time.
Seasons on Netflix: 4
Season 4 of Black Mirror is out now and is the darkest, most varied season of the show yet. Comprising six episodes of varying (almost feature) length, Charlie Brooker has concocted another dose of dystopian satire that riffs off everything from Star Trek to, well, schlock-horror The Driller Killer.
Before Black Mirror, Charlie Brooker was best known for his snarky looky at the news in Weekly Wipe and his fantastic, caustic look at meeja types in London’s Shoreditch. Now the show has given him superstar status. For good reason, it’s fantastic TV with each episode taking on a different dystopia topic, mostly framed around technology going very long. The third season was commissioned by Netflix and is in 4K, with most of the episodes being feature length.
Seasons on Netflix: 4
‘Clear eyes, full heart’. That’s Coach’s mantra in Friday Night Lights, a fantastic show that everyone should watch - even if you have absolutely no interest in American Football. Kyle Chandler is the coach of a small time football team, who moves to the fictional Texas town of Dillon, a place obsessed with the sport. Over the course of five seasons, the show paints a fantastic picture of America through the lens of sport.
Seasons on Netflix: 3
Better Call Saul is better than Breaking Bad. That’s a sentence we never thought we would write, but it’s now three seasons and it is flawless TV. It doesn’t have the menace or fear that propelled Walter White in Breaking Bad, instead it takes its time to paint a picture of Saul Goodman, someone that was in Bad mainly for comic relief. In his own show, though, creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould have created a well-rounded, means well character whose descent into criminality is a slow burn. Although some characters have started to appear from Breaking Bad, the show doesn’t beg for the appearance of Walter White or Jesse - it’s now it’s own thing and we can’t wait for Season 4.
Seasons on Netflix: 3
Yes, Bojack Horseman is hilarious. Yes, it’s the best thing Will Arnett has done since Arrested Development. And, yes, it should be the next thing you watch if you are into anthropomorphic comedy about a once great TV star who has fallen on hard times. It’s all of that but it’s also a pretty accurate portrayal of depression and should be celebrated as such.
This may make it sound like the saddest show ever. It’s not but it’s far more weightier than most of the cartoon comedies doing the rounds on Netflix at the moment.
Seasons on Netflix: 4
Breaking Bad is must-watch TV and one of the reasons Netflix has risen to the popularity it has. Before Breaking Bad, Netflix was seen as a fairly decent streaming service. After it got the rights to show the final season of Breaking Bad in the UK, Netflix propelled itself to superstardom. Not bad for a show that’s ostensibly about a high-school teacher with cancer who goes on to sell meth to pay for his hospital bills.
It goes without saying, if you haven’t yet spent time with Walter White and Jesse - do so now! But, be warned, the show is as addictive as the stuff Walter is peddling.
Seasons on Netflix: 5
Is The Crown Netflix's crowning glory? Not quite, but it is a sumptuous look at one of the world's most famous families: the Royal family. Charting the early years of the relationship between the Queen (Claire Foy) and Prince Philip (former Doctor Who Matt Smith), the show was written by Peter Morgan and, at £100 million, is one of the most expensive TV series ever made. Which means there's enough pomp and ceremony to keep those pining for a Downton Abbey replacement happy.
The second season is now on Netflix and is a nice improvement on the first series.
Seasons on Netflix: 2
The Confession Tapes does well to fill a Making A Murderer shaped hole. It's a documentary about six true crime cases where the confessions in question may not be all that they seem. Melding in-depth interviews with the actual tapes is inspired and making each episode a separate case (except for the first two episodes which cover one bigger case) means that this is endlessly bingeable.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
When it comes to superhero movies, Marvel are bossing DC thanks to the rich tapestry it has weaved with its cinematic universe. Its TV shows, as fun as Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D and Agent Carter are, haven't had the same success as DC's The Arrow or The Flash. Thankfully Daredevil has come along to change all this. Released in one binge-watching dose, Daredevil is superb television, regardless if you are a superhero fan or not. Matt Murdoch's (Boardwalk Empire's Charlie Cox) rise from blind lawyer to vigilante is brutal and steeped in realism. The reason it works so well is that it doesn't shy away from being violent - each crack and crunch is a world away from Ben Affleck's terrible movie version. And special mention has to go to Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk, his best role since the tortured Private Pyle.
Daredevil season two is out now and adds Elektra and Punisher into the mix. With new showrunners on board, the show has shifted slightly tonally but the brutality of the fight scenes are still there - you just need to check out Episode 3 to see what we mean.
Seasons on Netflix: 2
This is a far from festive addition to Netflix for December but it's certainly a must-watch. Dark is a German-language supernatural thriller in which the disappearance of two children in a small town brings the fractured relationships and dark pasts of the people living there to the surface.
Adding a touch of Scandinavian crime thriller to American drama, this is 10-part series is already generating talk of a second series so it might be one to jump on early.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
There's a reason Iron Fist isn't on our Best Shows on Netflix list: it's terrible. Which is such a shame as the rest of Netflix's Marvel series have been hard-hitting, explosive delights. Thankfully The Defenders sees the Marvel TV universe fighting fit once more, with the mini series proving that all of the characters are better together - yes, even glowy fist man. Given its limited episode run - it's a lean eight episodes - it's a little strange that it takes a good three episodes to get going but once it does, and mostly because of Sigourney Weaver, it's great.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
Streaming on Netflix nowMackenzie Crook was one of the breakout stars from The Office, swapping his brilliant performance as the hapless Gareth for Hollywood roles in Pirates of the Caribbean and Game of Thrones. But it's on home soil where he fares best.
The Detectorists, written by and starring Mackenzie, is a warm, brilliant comedy. Based around the lives of a group of metal detectorists, it features brilliant writing, acting and characters - in any given episode, you will either be in tears of laughter or poignancy.
Seasons on Netflix: 2
Following in the footsteps of fellow 'mumblecore' members the Duplass brothers - whose brilliant Creep was a Netflix exclusive - Joe Swamberg has hit Netflix with a candid and considered look at sex and relationships.
Easy is an eight-episode look at relationships in Chicago. There's a different subject for each episode, although each life portrayed eventually overlaps in the show in some way.
Cast-wise, Easy has some surprisingly big names. Malin Akerman and Orlando Bloom star in one vignette, while the likes of Emily Ratajkowski, Marc Maron and Dave Franco also make an appearance.
Don't go into Easy expecting explosive drama or high-tense action, but as a realistic look at other people's love lives it's a great, if slightly meandering watch.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
There was a collective groan by Coen Brothers fans the world over when Fargo the television show was announced. But what could have been darn tootin' awful ended up being fantastic, thanks to the casting of Billy Bob Thornton who is both funny and psychotic - well, his character is anyway. The series thankfully didn't retread the movie but added to it, acting as a strange but sublime companion piece. It's so good, the Coens initially refused to have their name on the show - until they saw it and loved it.
The second season is also now on Netflix and surpasses the first. The plotline veers away from the original film, but the heart of Fargo is still very much in this TV show. The second series flips back 27 years before the events of the original.
Seasons on Netflix: 2
10 seasons. That's how long Friends lasted for, which is pretty short considering the legacy the show has left. Debuting slap-bang in the Nineties, the decade that brought us such delights as The Spice Girls, Beavis And Butthead and Mountain Dew, Friends is a masterpiece of a sitcom that's based around five friends - the kooky one, the funny one, the cool one, the neat freak and, er, Ross - who live in an apartment block they really shouldn't be able to afford. And that's pretty much it for 236 episodes, but it's an essential watch.
The Get Down has a lot to live up to. It's the most expensive Netflix show ever made - knocking Marco Polo of that perch - thanks to its creator Baz Luhrmann's vibrant style that suits the show's premise. And that premise is a doozy: The Get Down charts the beginnings of hip-hop in the 1970s, telling the tale through the eyes of young rapper Ezekiel. Bombastic in its approach and beautiful to look at, The Get Down is a potent mix of fictional characters and real-life stars of the hip-hop scene, including Grandmaster Flash who also produced the show. All 12 episodes are available to binge now - you'll either love or hate it!
Netflix recently revealed that this will be the only season of The Get Down as it's cancelled the show - which we reckon is a big mistake as it's a great watch.
Seasons on Netflix: 1 (part one and two)
Alison Brie already proved she had comedic chops in Community but GLOW cements her as a comedy genius who can turn on the seriousness when she needs to. In GLOW (gorgeous ladies of wrestling) she plays Ruth Wilder, a struggling actress in '80s LA who turns to women's wrestling to make a star of herself. The show is a look at the underground sensation of ladies wrestling, with all the wit and gender stereotype reversing you would expect from the maker of Orange Is The New Black. It's a great, highly original watch, with a superb cast that includes British singer Kate Nash.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
This seven-part mini series is a Western with true grit. It may be called Godless but it starts off wordless, with an intro that leaves you both breathless and wanting more. Netflix may be touting that Jeff Daniels and Jack O'Connell bring star presence here but this is a series about a town dominated by strong women, after a mining accident takes most of the male population. And it’s the women who shine, especially farm owner Alice Fletcher - played by Michelle Dockery. Despite the premise, much of the dialogue does go to the blokes but that is the only black on a series that plays out like one long Western - complete with 2:39:1 aspect ratio. Lovely stuff.
Him & Her is one of the best British sitcoms in years. Based around the lives of a bored, lazy but happy 20-something couple, the show's plot is slight but it manages to get laughs out of the most mundane happenings. Sarah Solemani is fantastic as Becky whose love for Steve (Russell Tovey) never falters, despite her parents disliking him. And Kerry Howard as Laura, Becky's sister, is the most hateful character since, well, ever.
All four series are now on Netflix and are an essential watch.
Seasons on Netflix: 4
Homeland, now in its fifth season, is a very different show now than it was when it first aired back in 2011. Based on the Israeli series Prisoner of War, the first few seasons were based around the premise of a returning war hero that may or not be holding a dark secret. This duplicity has been a running theme since then but the narrative has moved on. What hasn't changed is the brilliant central performance by Claire Danes as the CIA officer with bi-polar disorder - she's superb and the glue that holds this sometimes disparate show together.
Seasons on Netflix: 5
The IT Crowd ended its run after four series and a special, not because of failing ratings but because the people starring in it just got too big. Richard Ayoade (who plays the brilliantly awkward Morris) was to leave to become a director, while Chris O'Dowd (slacker Roy) was headed for Hollywood. This meant that the show ended on a high rather than a ratings slump. Created by Father Ted's Graham Linehan, the IT Crowd is a harmless, hilarious take on life in the world of IT and thoroughly deserves its cult status.
Initially made on a shoe-string budget, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia first season had a cult following, but low viewing figures meant it was destined to be a one-series wonder. Thankfully, everything changed when Season 2 was eventually green-lit, thanks to some big-time star power. Danny De Vito joined for a 10-episode run that was extended because he loved it so much. He's still in the show that's now in its 11th season, bringing with him huge viewing figures. The antics of Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Mac (Rob McElhenney, the show's creator), Charlie (Charlie Kelly) and Sweet Dee (Kaitlin Olson) won't be for everyone - at its darkest the show's 'comedy' themes range from nazism to drug abuse - but stick with it and this deliciously depraved classic will reward you.
A new, 12th season, has finally landed on Netflix, after airing in the US earlier this year. The show has also been renewed for two more seasons, which will make it the longest running live-action comedy series on TV ever. Impressive stuff.
Seasons on Netflix: 12
And there was us thinking that Daredevil's subject matter was dark. Jessica Jones is another tale set in Hell's Kitchen that may be under the Marvel banned but is about as far removed from the bromance of Thor and Iron Man that you are likely to see.
Breaking Bad's Krysten Ritter is superb as the titular Jones, a private detective with superpowers and super issues. This is nocturnal noir that moves in the same circles as Daredevil - figuratively and literally as both characters will eventually team up in the Defenders. It may not have the bone-crunching violence that Daredevil is famed for, but there's enough booze, sex and black humour on the screen to make this a cracking comic-book caper that's strictly adults only.
Check out our Jessica Jones review
Seasons on Netflix: 1
Netflix struck true crime gold with How To Make a Murderer and its done the same again with The Keepers. This time the case in question is the murder of a nun in 1969 in Baltimore. The case remains unsolved and this documentary series goes back to the scene of the crime, speaking to witnesses and people who worked on the case.
This is a meticulously researched series, and one that has been in the works longer than Making a Murderer. It shows, too. Each episode ends on a new piece of evidence and by the end you'll be horrified with just how this case remained unsolved for so long. Gripping stuff.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
Luke Cage is the latest addition to Netflix's impressive and growing Marvel TV show offering. Marvel has created a rich cinematic universe and although some of its TV shows (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and Agent Carter) have struggled to stay on their feet others like Jessica Jones and Daredevil have flourished.
Luke Cage is more in the same vein as Jessica Jones and Daredevil, with less light-hearted superhero fun and more hard-hitting themes, violence, and grit.
After making his debut in the first series of Jessica Jones, Luke Cage is getting his own show which sees him swap Hell's Kitchen for Harlem, delving into his origins as a hero. Viewers who lamented the fact that they didn't get to see more of him in Jessica Jones will enjoy the opportunity to find out more about what makes his character tick here. Don't worry if you haven't watched Jessica Jones, it's not a requirement to understand or appreciate anything about Luke Cage.
The first season in its entirety is on Netflix now, making it perfect to settle in and binge watch.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
Idris Elba was a relatively unknown actor when he blew us all away as Stringer Bell in The Wire. After starring in the show his career catapulted him into the A List, but he thankfully never forgot his TV roots. Luther is a cop show with a difference, and that difference is Elba. He brings that bit extra to a cop who is battling both deranged criminals and his own demons. He befriends murderers and breaks rules, all amongst the beautiful but broken backdrop of London's East End.
Seasons on Netflix: 4
Five series of Mad Men have arrived on Netflix. While it may not be the full set - there were seven in all - there's enough here to bing watch and get caught up in Matthew Weiner's modern TV classic. On the face of it, Mad Men is about advertising execs - lead by the ever-conflicted Don Draper - in the Sixties but it's much much more. Each episode lingers, taking time to tell its tale, but it's worth the wait. Superb television.
Seasons on Netflix: 5
Aziz Ansari was part of one of the best comedy ensembles ever in Parks and Recreation, but in Master of None he proves he can hold his own when he goes it alone. Channeling Louie CK, by way of Curb Your Enthusiasm, Master of None is a fantastic look at being in your 30s in Hollywood and all the trappings that go with it. Ansari plays the fictional Dev but this sitcom comes off as deeply personal and is all the better for it.
The second season improves on what is a fantastic first season. Dev is now in Italy, making pasta and trying to forget about acting. It's not long before he heads back to New York, though.
Seasons on Netflix: 2
The world's fascination with real crime seems to be at its highest at the moment and it's all thanks to the podcast Serial. Now on to its second series, Serial highlights cases of crime in forensic detail. Making a Murderer is in a similar vein. This 10-part series looks at Steven Avery, someone who spent 18 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit and is then accused of a different crime. The show has been ten years in the making and is gripping stuff.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
David Fincher is no stranger to Netflix, he's heavily involved in House of Cards as producer and directed the first episode, but Mindhunter is Fincher going, well, full Fincher. It's based on John Douglas' book of the same name and charts the life of an FBI profiler whose job it is to track serial killers.
It's set in the '70s and all 10 episodes of the show ooze appeal. It's a sinister mashup of Silence of the Lambs and Mad Men and stars the superb Anna Torv - of Fringe fame.
Fincher directs four episodes and the whole thing has been written by Joe Penhall who wrote the screenplay for The Road.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
Narcos is that wonderful thing: a TV show that doesn't scrimp on controversy. Based on the exploits of Columbian drug lord Pablo Escobar, the show examines the criminal's rise to the top of one of the biggest drug rings the world has seen, while constantly trying to avoid the clutches of the DEA.
Uncompromising, uncomfortable but completely unforgettable, Narcos is exactly the sort of thing that Netflix should be commissioning. It's also the sort of thing that HBO would have snapped up just a few years ago - which is very telling as to where television is today.
The third season is available now on Netflix. We're not one to offer up spoilers but it's fair to say that it's all change for Narcos in season 3.
Seasons on Netflix: 3
The OA rounds off what has been an exceptional year for television on Netflix. Co-created by and starring the ever-brilliant Brit Marling, the show consists of eight episodes that rival Stranger Things for, well, strangeness.
Marling is a blind woman who comes back after disappearing for many years. Her sight is restored and she has a tale to tell. Although there are eight episodes they vary wildly in length - from 70 minutes to 30 minutes. The whole thing has been made to make you feel uneasy and it does a great job of that.
Seasons on Netflix: 4
Orange Is The New Black consistently tries to oust House of Cards from the Netflix top spot, with its superb tale of life in a women's prison. It's so popular that its makers have announced that the show will be running until at least season seven.
The show has finally returned for a fourth season and things of gotten very dark! Racial tensions and issues with the US prison system are the main plot points for season four and while the comedy is still there, it's slathered with a fair bit of drama.
Seasons on Netflix: 5
Netflix's latest TV drama has been tipped as the next Breaking Bad, but it doesn't quite deserve that accolade. One of the main reason is that Jason Bateman's Marty Byrde has already broke bad, helping a Mexican cartel to fudge their figures. This means the descent that was so brilliant in Walter White isn't really seen here. But that doesn't mean that show isn't worth a stream - it's a tense, occasionally terrifying watch that mashes stereotypes and cultures as the Byrde family leave their home in Chicago for the Ozarks in Missouri.
Also, Jason Bateman is always worth a watch, even when he isn't winking at the camera Arrested Development style. But the real scene stealer is the ever-brilliant Laura Linney. She acts, directs and produces in this series, proving she's the real star of the show.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
All nine seasons of Peep Show are now on Netflix - and if you haven't seen the show, then you are in for a treat. Charting the rather mundane lives of two flatmates Jez (Robert Webb) and Mark (David Mitchell), the show is a wry look at adults trying and failing to be adults.
All shot in first person - hence the name - Peep Show doesn't shirk from sex, drugs and political incorrectness but it does it all in such a brilliantly British way, that you don't mind at all when you are watching some of the most awkward TV moments, including one of the characters serving up a dead dog for dinner.
Don't ask, just watch.
Seasons on Netflix: 9
From the mind of Jonathan Nolan - Inception writer and brother to Christopher - this twist-ridden series is as high concept as it gets. A computer algorithm offers up 'people of interest' to a crack crime-fighting team which consists of former Jesus Jim Caviezel and Michael Emerson, last seen chewing the scenery as Lost's big bad Benjamin Linus. While the first season is a little by the numbers, this show has blossomed into something of a must watch.
Seasons on Netflix: 4
The Punisher was meant to just play a bit part in Netflix's Marvel world. But Jon Bernthal's depiction of Frank Castle, the vigilante war veteran was so good in Daredevil: Season 2 he's been given his own show. The new show is a surprisingly muted introduction into the world of The Punisher. Not as gung-ho as we were expecting and there's actually some tender moments between Frank Castle and Marvel regular Karen Page. What ensues is a movie about revenge and redemption that is sometimes too dark for its own good but is far more entertaining that the turgid Iron Fist.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
As its third season nears, it's a perfect time to get into Rick and Morty. The show on its most linear level focuses on the relationship between a grandfather and his grandson. But it's oh so much more. It's a meditation on sci-fi tropes, a pop culture cauldron, a high-concept cartoon that's endlessly quotable and also a show that contains more than its fair share of fart jokes. It's endlessly bingeable and very funny - all thanks to its creator, Community's Dan Harmon.
Seasons on Netflix: 3 (new episodes streaming every Tuesday)
Slathered with a fantastic dose of black comedy, Santa Clarita Diet stars Drew Barrymore are the stereotypical TV mum, with one difference: she likes eating people. This brand-new show on Netflix is a great send up of the family sitcom, taking all the tropes that make Modern Family and the like so successful, then turning them on their head, and then eating their head. And be warned: when things are eaten it's all very grizzly. Timothy Olyphant also stars as the dad who is happy for his wife to be a flesh eater.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
The Wachowski siblings have been more miss than hit lately - Cloud Atlas was brave but flawed, Jupiter Ascending was just flawed - but Sense8 sees something of a return to form for the directing duo.
Yes there are problems with Sense8 but this uneven show is brilliantly high concept and packed with interesting characters. Well, eight characters in all, from different parts of the globe that are connected in a variety of ways.
The disparate batch of characters means this is a show that has a lot in keeping with Cloud Atlas, where different genres nestled uneasily against each other. But it's a brave show and one that suits the lavish cinematography the Wachowskis are famed for.
A Sense8 Christmas special helped fill the gap before the second season - but now the second season is here and proves that the show is developing into something great. Unfortunately, the second season will be the last as Netflix has decided to pull the plug on the show.
Seasons on Netflix: 2 (plus a feature-length Christmas special)
Sherlock is a show that has been drip-fed to it audience over a number of years. This is partly due to its stories working better as three-episode arcs but also because its main stars, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman have become bonafide superstars during its run, so pinning them down is somewhat difficult.
Cumberbatch is superb has the modern day Sherlock, but the show works because of a potent mix of scriptwriting (thanks to Doctor Who’s Stephen Moffat), deft direction and a fair bit of challenging the viewer. Superb stuff.
Seasons on Netflix: 3
Wow, well we didn't see this one coming. The Sinner is a fantastic murder mystery tale that will have you wanting to watch it in one sitting. The premise is centred around a mother who kills someone out of the blue and tries to understand why such a thing would happen. Jessica Biel is stunning in the central role but it's credit to the makers of the show who not only keep you guessing throughout its 8 episodes but also manage to unravel an unpredictable backstory that offers reasons behind the motive.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
There's very good reason Sons of Anarchy is the highest rated show on FX ever - its Shakespeare-esque plot (think Hamlet on bikes), following the tumultuous lives of a motorcycle gang, has everyone who watches it gripped. The show ended in 2014 after seven glorious seasons - although later seasons could never quite reach the glory days of one to three - and is perfect fodder for those looking for another Breaking Bad-style fix.
Seasons on Netflix: 7
Now celebrating its 50th year, Star Trek is a movie and TV phenomenon that has no signs of slowing down. The original series, The Next Generation, Voyager and Deep Space Nine have all landed on Netflix but it is the first two series that are the best.
Watching it now, the original Star Trek maybe full of creaky sets and suspect acting but the show was bold, colourful and slathered in '60s sci-fi innovation. The first series is superb, with perhaps the greatest-ever TV double act: William Shatner's Kirk and Leonard Nimoy's Spock. Kirk is all bluster and pomp, Spock is cool, calm and authoritative.
Unlike the original series, the Next Generation took a few seasons to get things right but it still fantastic viewing. Patrick Stewart is effortless as Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the rest of the crew are - including Data, William T Riker and Geordi La Forge - up there in stature with the original crew.
Seasons on Netflix: 3 (Original Series); 7 (The Next Generation)
Star Trek Discovery is yet another Netflix exclusive that looks set to be a smash hit. Set before the exploits of the Starship Enterprise, the show is filled with Roddenberry characters. But while the original series had shades of light this is a much darker look at space exploration. Sonequa Martin-Green is great as the first officer who has a past inartistically linked to Star Trek characters of the past - we can't wait to see where this series goes.
Seasons on Netflix: 1 (episodes weekly)
It was inevitable that Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle would eventually get cancelled by the BBC. But at least we got four series of absolute genius from one of the UK's finest comedians. Three of those seasons are now on Netflix, with subjects for each 30-minute episode ranging from the global financial crisis, satire and London. Lee's comedy is not for everyone but his observations are always spot on and utterly hilarious.
When it comes to TV and movies, the '80s is the nostalgia decade of the moment. Whether it's Jeff Nichols' Midnight Special that plays like a Steven Spielberg film, if Spielberg still made films like he did in the Eighties, or The Goldbergs and Red Oaks mining the decade for laughs, filmmakers can't get enough of the shell suits and Sony Walkmans.
Stranger Things is another brilliant homage to this era. Leaning heavily on Spielberg, John Carpenter and Stephen King - so much King - the story revolves around a small town, a group of friends, a missing person and a dodgy science lab. Writing anything else would give away the myriad twists in a show that is full of brilliant creepy fun.
The second season continues the brilliance of the first and you’ll be pleased to read that the quality has not diminished. In fact everything’s been ramped up - the horror is more horrific, the homages more on the nose and the creatures are, well, you’ll have to find out for yourself but you will not be disappointed.
Seasons on Netflix: 2
The Thick Of It is perfect satire. It is the closest we will ever get to the machinations of politics, until they decide to let cameras roll 24/7 at Number 10. From the ever-sweary Malcolm Tucker to the string of forever-wrong MPs he has to protect with his profanities, The Thick Of It manages to show the world what an omnishambles a government in charge can be, with hilarious consequences.
Seasons on Netflix: 4
As catchphrases go, "Yes, I can hear you Clem Fandango" should be up there with the best. If you haven't witnessed Toast of London the you are in for a treat. It's about the life of a struggling actor who dreams of being on the stage but has to make ends meet as a voice over artist and whatever else his terrible agent (a superb Doon Mackichan) throws at him. Matt Berry is fantastic as Steven Toast, one-part Larry David to two-parts Larry Olivier, the middle aged actor who consistently fails to make it big.
Seasons on Netflix: 3
This is a must watch. It's a fantastic documentary series charting the toys that we all remember and how they have shaped out world. Blending interviews with the creators, the collectors and the toys themselves, each episode charts a popular toy line - Star Wars, Barbie, He-Man and GI Joe - and is packed with brilliant bursts of nostalgia. It's so good, we are going to watch it all over again.
The Trip is the perfect gig for Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon and one that must have been too good to pass on. Based on the flimsy premise that hyper realised versions of the two comedians drive around rural England eating in the best restaurants as food critics, the show shouldn't work but it really really does. Completely unscripted, each episode is strewn with movie star impressions and passive-aggressive jokes, where the two try to one-up each other. Director Michael Winterbottom manages to hold the show together with clever editing and cinematography and manages to add subtle plot through phone conversations with Steve and Rob and their respective families.
The second season has also landed on Netflix and it feels like a sumptuous main course. Italy is the setting and its beautiful surroundings seems to have made the pair more relaxed about life, while still bringing the funny.
Seasons on Netflix: 2
Someone escaping from a Domesday cult shouldn't be a recipe for comedy but Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt manages to squeeze the funny out of this premise. Created by Tina Fey and starring Ellie Kemper as the title character, the show sparkles with wit and is the right side of kooky - unlike some other shows *cough* New Girl *cough* we won't mention.
Season Two of Kimmy Schmidt has arrived and is fizzing with the same energy of Season One and there's not long to wait for Season Three - it's out 19 May.
Seasons on Netflix: 2
The prequel to a film sequel that no one watched, Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp is both fantastic and utterly stupid. It has a cast list to die for - most of Mad Men are in there as is Ant Man's Paul Rudd and Bradley Cooper - and focuses on the goings on at the first day at camp.
These goings on include X-Files style conspiracies, homoerotic dancing, long lost rock singers, journalists going undercover and government hit men. In the original film the cast were in their 30s and were playing 17 year olds. In the prequel, the same cast is now in their 40s and are playing their characters' younger selves. If you can get your head around that, then you are going to love the show.
Its TV sequel Wet Hot American Summer: 10 Years Later has also arrived and follows the gang 10 years after they left school.
Seasons on Netflix: 2 (First Day Of Camp / 10 Years Later)
Netflix shows no sign of slowing down when it comes to creating its own original content. The following shows will be out later in the year and all of them have had A Lot of money spent on them and big stars attached...
The Dark Crystal Out TBAWe may soon have a new must-have watch in our best shows on Netflix guide! Do you remember Dark Crystal, the fantasy, puppet-filled adventure from the brilliant mind of Muppet creator Jim Henson? It's set to make a comeback as an all-new prequel TV series thanks to Netflix. It's vaguely slated to be "coming soon" to the service, but you can get a sneak peek in the trailer.
Jessica Jones: Season 2
Krysten Ritter recently revealed that Jessica Jones: Season 2 will be more 'bingeable' than season one. Quite what that means we don't know but it does point to a faster-paced than the first fun but stretched instalment. Alongside Ritter, Trish Walker (Rachael Taylor) is back and the action takes place after The Defenders show, which debuts in August.
Adapted from the comic book of the same name (mins the ***), The End Of The F***ing World is f***ing brilliant. It tells the tale of two teenagers on a journey; both are loners on the run but one of them just happens to be a bit of a psychopath. It's funny, but brutal TV. It's British and co-funded by Channel 4 and there's a fantastic edge to everything in it - and it's perfectly bite-sized, too at just under 20 minutes an episode. It's so good, it's destined to get a second season. The first ends so perfectly, though, it's actually a real shame that this will happen.
Seasons on Netflix: 1 (and it needs to stay that way)
What lessons has Spectre taught us?
There was a brief period when it seemed that mobile phone users were exempt from the problems that computer users were experiencing. After all, it had been a long time since any phone vendor had used Intel chips in any product, so there was nothing for the Apple fanboys or the Android customers to worry about.
That all changed when it was revealed that there were two processor flaws and the second one, Spectre, most decidedly did affect ARM chips – which meant pretty much every phone and tablet out there.
What followed then was almost a masterclass in how rumor was disseminated and how misinformation can spread. First of all, it should be remembered that this vulnerability was identified and reported seven months ago and was not supposed to have been revealed until next week (coincidentally in a week when the tech world had decamped to Las Vegas for CES and those pesky tech journalists would be otherwise occupied).
But then there was also the uncertainty of what Spectre meant to users and the contrasting messages, on one hand being told it was that it was worse than Meltdown as it wouldn’t have been so easy to apply fixes to it; and, on the other, how it wasn’t quite so bad as it wasn’t something that could be exploited by a script kiddie working on his own, but would need state-sponsored teams on the case.
And according to Zimperium security advisor, Adam Donenfeld, the dangers to individual users are limited. “Spectre is essentially an information disclosure vulnerability. While it is possible to steal information using that vulnerability, stealing a specific targeted piece of information is not as easy as it might appear,” he said.
He pointed out that there was already protection available. “As of now, the average user can either wait or install a 3rd party security solution. Obviously, it’s a new class of vulnerabilities we’ve yet to see, so there might be more to it. But, an upcoming patch will fix the known issues related to that class of bugs.”
That’s not to say that the vulnerabilities aren’t worrying for users. Many Apple users, whether of phones or computers have long been of the belief that their devices are secure against any form of attack, so the news that their phones were vulnerable to attack too – even though Apple put out a statement saying that the company would be reacting to the Spectre vulnerability. According to the company statement, “Apple will release an update for Safari on macOS and iOS in the coming days to mitigate these exploit techniques. We continue to develop and test further mitigations within the operating system for the Spectre techniques, and will release them in upcoming updates of iOS, macOS, and tvOS. watchOS is unaffected by Spectre.”
It wasn’t just Apple, of course, one of the issues that users had concerns about is what was happening to chips that ARM was making for other vendors, such as Qualcomm. The company also put out a statement to assuage customer anxieties. “Providing technologies that support robust security and privacy is a priority for Qualcomm, and as such, we have been working with ARM and others to assess impact and develop mitigations for our customers. We are in the process of deploying these mitigations to our customers and encourage people to update their devices when patches become available.”
HypeWith statements like this, it’s clear that the vendors have been trying to meet users’ worries. According to Donenfeld, the manufacturers have worries beyond the technical issues. “I think mobile vendors are not as concerned about the impact, but rather about the hype behind it: information disclosure vulnerabilities are not new. At the end of the day it’s just a simple patch that fixes those bugs, just like other vulnerabilities. One of the issues here however, is that the vulnerability (and some PoCs) were released before a patch was installed. But those vulnerabilities required more vulnerabilities to chain with, to achieve a full compromise of the device.”
The episode has done one thing, however, it has concentrated mobile users’ minds on how vulnerabilities their devices are. While users (on the whole) are diligent about updating PCs and installing antivirus software, there haven’t been the same efforts expended on mobiles: could the Spectre flaw change this. Donenfield is non-committal: “I hope so. But Spectre is no different and doesn’t shed light on how users view their phones: a security solution for mobile devices was needed before, and is needed after this patch as well.”
That’s not to say that, a week after Spectre was first reported, that the industry couldn’t improve matters. The fact that news of vulnerability was leaked and disclosure wasn’t handled properly is still contentious. Donenfeld believes it could have been handled better “I think there wasn’t a responsible disclosure. The fact that the vulnerability details, as well as PoCs, were released before some flagship devices were patched, implies miscommunication between the disclosing party and the vendors.”
And it’s probable that these points will have been noted and lessons are certain have been learned – the proof will be when it happens next – we’ll be better prepared: won’t we?
Best mobile deals in January
In-depth look: the world's first smartphone with an in-display fingerprint scanner
It's been one of the most hotly rumored new smartphone features of the past few months, and now we've finally got to see it in action, on a proper handset that's due to launch in the coming months.
We're talking about the in-display fingerprint scanner, a feature that was rumored for both the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and iPhone X in 2017, but which failed to materialize on either handset.
Instead, it's Chinese firm Vivo which has beaten the likes of Apple and Samsung to the punch, and we got hands-on with its yet-to-be-named smartphone at CES 2018 in Las Vegas.
What is it?This is the world's first smartphone with an in-display fingerprint scanner. Vivo did show off the technology in 2017, where it was built into a prototype device, but this time around it's in a phone that will actually be launched.
As the fingerprint scanner is built into the display there's no need for a physical home key on the front of the phone, which means this Vivo handset has slender bezels above and below the large screen.
It also means there's no need for a scanner on the rear of the phone. This gives the manufacturer greater flexibility in terms of design, as the digit reader doesn't have to be considered when planning the aesthetics of the device.
Vivo hasn't broken any new design ground with this handset though, as it probably wants to ensure that the technology works properly before exploring any potential new form factors.
Vivo phone with in-display fingerprint scanner hands-on gallery
The new technology also allows phones to be thinner, and the Vivo phone is certainly slim – which is good, because the huge display makes it both tall and wide.
Its placement within the display also means the fingerprint scanner is ideally located for your thumb, making it easy to hit.
There's no potential smudging of the rear camera lens, or fumbling to find the scanner due to poor placement (we're looking at you, Samsung), and it also means you don't have to pick the handset up from a surface to use the scanner.
How does it work?
This is the optical fingerprint sensor inside the phone
The Vivo smartphone uses an optical fingerprint sensor that's bolted to the rear of the OLED display panel of the phone.
The sensor itself is built by Synaptics, and it uses the light emitted by the OLED panel to read your finger and scan your print.
Most phones use capacitive sensors for their fingerprint readers, which require your finger to have a pulse to be read. The optical sensor can’t physically sense a pulse, but Synaptics told us that it has built in a robust anti-spoofing system to ensure its reader can't be fooled by others trying to imitate your fingerprint.
You'll only know the sensor is there because the phone displays a fingerprint icon on-screen, prompting you to present your digit. Once the phone is unlocked, you won't know the sensor is there.
What's it like to use?
It's easy to use, but it's not as fast as current capacitive readers
There's something rather magical about using the in-display fingerprint scanner. It took us back to the first time we used a traditional fingerprint scanner on a smartphone, and we are just as impressed this time around.
It works really well, and it's surreal to see the phone read your fingerprint but not actually see any signs of the scanner – just a whole lot of screen.
While the technology works, it's not as quick to scan and unlock as current smartphone fingerprint scanners. You have to hold your finger on the screen for a brief moment, allowing the OLED panel to illuminate your finger and authenticate your digit.
We're talking less than a second, so you're not left waiting around, but for those used to rapid fingerprint unlocks you're likely to notice the slight delay here.
Is it easy to set up?
There are three stages to the fingerprint setup
In short, yes. It's a very similar process to any other fingerprint setup on a smartphone, only this time you're tapping your finger on an icon on the display, rather than a physical sensor.
It's one of the longer setup processes though, as it requires three rounds of scanning your fingerprint to build up an accurate image.
We were able to register our fingerprint in around 30 seconds, and you can register multiple fingers.
We'd recommend both thumbs, so it doesn't matter if you're holding the phone with your right or left hand, and both forefingers, allowing you to easily unlock the phone when it's lying on a surface.
Can I see it in action?You certainly can! Check out the short video clip below of us using the fingerprint scanner to unlock the handset.
When does the phone launch, and can I get it?The Vivo smartphone with in-display fingerprint scanner will go on sale sometime in the first half of 2018, but exact markets are yet to be confirmed.
It’s worth noting, though, that Vivo doesn't have a presence in some key global markets such as the US and UK, so if you live in either of these places it's highly unlikely you'll be able to get your hands on the phone.
Pricing is also currently unknown, but the likelihood is that this will be an expensive handset.
What's next for the technology?Rival phone manufacturers are tipped to follow in Vivo's footsteps, and launch their own devices with in-display fingerprint scanners in 2018.
By the end of the year we could have a choice of handsets packing the technology, and the hope is that there will be at least one handset with it available in all major markets.
Looking a little further into the future, we could see multiple optical image sensors built into displays – or even entire displays featuring the technology, which would mean you could place your finger anywhere on the screen and have your fingerprint read.
While it's technically possible to have a full-screen fingerprint scanner right now, it would be too expensive to put into a smartphone in 2018.
Synaptics told us it needs a couple more years of development to reduce the cost and size for such technology to become a viable option for our smartphones and other mobile devices.
New year, new tech – check out all our coverage of CES 2018 straight from Las Vegas, the greatest gadget show on Earth
The best VPN services for China in 2018
As you’re probably aware, China has a history of very strict policies regarding online content. The country recently approved a new cybersecurity law which further establishes firm state control over information flows and tech equipment.
As for the best VPN providers, the situation is no different in the country. China routinely campaigns against VPNs, aiming to interrupt or completely block the services. Still, using a VPN is not illegal in China – the focus is on censorship, rather than punishment.
Indeed, VPNs are very popular in China, especially among expatriates and those in academic circles. But circumventing the ‘Great Firewall’, the nickname given to the country’s vast system of online censorship, is becoming harder. It’s important to note that almost every major internet service provider is controlled by Chinese authorities.
How to choose the best VPN service for ChinaDealing with this level of censorship of the net is far from easy, but some VPNs are willing to tackle the problem, having proven methods of maintaining uptime in a difficult online climate. Obviously you need to look for a capable service in this respect, and pick out a reliable VPN, too.
Choosing one with high quality customer support is also important, for when downtime does rear its ugly head. And obviously the number and range of available servers (particularly those in Asia) will help you obtain a better, faster connection. Tight security and privacy is, as ever, a primary consideration as well.
So which are the best VPN services for those based in China? We’ve picked out five top-notch efforts for your delectation.
Update (July 31, 2017): Note that Apple has banned most VPN providers from its App Store in China. The workaround is to register an iTunes account with a non-Chinese billing address.
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ExpressVPN is one of the most popular VPNs in China, and it’s a go-to provider for many because it deftly navigates around the Great Firewall. The service’s wide array of server locations is a big plus, with Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan-based servers being especially relevant in this case.
ExpressVPN offers consistent and reliable performance, with neat dedicated apps for most devices including routers. For any trouble that might occur, there’s round-the-clock live chat and email support available from China (the website is not blocked).
ExpressVPN actively monitors its network for China accessibility and ensures that their software stays ahead of the censors’ efforts to block connections. Under the hood, ExpressVPN uses obfuscation protocols and advanced technology to provide the best possible experience for China users.
There’s no free trial of the service and the pricing isn’t cheap. Still, the 30-day money-back guarantee at least gives you some fall-back, and the year-long plan provides the best value for money. The packages available are:
Exclusive deal [$6.67 a month], save 49%, 15-month - $99.95[$9.99 a month] 6-month - $59.95[$12.95 a month] 1-month - $12.95
(25% Off) Exclusive VyprVPN Deal: TechRadar readers get 25% off VyprVPN annual plans ($45 USD for 1 year). VyprVPN is a fast, highly secure VPN without third parties. Get VyprVPN here
One of the main advantages of VyprVPN is its proprietary Chameleon security protocol which can help bypass VPN blocking, scrambling OpenVPN packet metadata to ensure it’s safe from the tendrils of deep packet inspection. However, note that there is some logging with regards to connection times and IP addresses.
VyprVPN is a tier-1 VPN network, which means the outfit owns all of its servers. There are enough of them to ensure good performance (14 are located in Asia), along with solid support for mobile operating systems, and 24/7 live chat for troubleshooting.
The much-praised Chameleon protocol is excluded from the basic plan, which offers three simultaneous connections. On top of that, the service is expensive, but does offer a 30-day refund period and a three-day trial. Despite the cost, what’s on offer here could well be worth paying for – your best bet is the annual Premium plan to make sure you get the benefit from Chameleon, and save the most money. The packages available are:
[$5 a month] Basic plan, 1-year - $60[$9.95 a month] Basic plan, 1-month - $9.95[$6.67 a month] Premium plan, 1-year - $80.04[$12.95 a month] Premium plan, 1-month - $12.95
This Hungarian VPN offers a rather enjoyable experience that’s easy to set up. Surprisingly, there is no native mobile support which is a shame, considering you can connect up to five devices simultaneously. Instead, the company offers detailed guides for configuring mobiles manually – although that won’t be ideal for beginners.
There are several servers in Asia which make for reliable and speedy performance, and you get round-the-clock technical support. One of the more interesting features is the refund policy, which is valid for up to 10 hours, 100 sessions or 10GB of bandwidth.
Also handy is the Test Firewall element found in the Windows client. This function allows running a port discovery, which will show all of the available ports on the network a user is connecting through. That certainly helps with getting past the pesky Great Firewall.
Buffered VPN is somewhat expensive, with the 12-month plan providing the best value. The packages available are:
[$12.99 a month] 1-month[$9.99 a month] 6-months - $59.94[$8.25 a month] 12-months - $99.00AirVPN is a very up-front service with an engaging forum community. That’s not surprising when you find out that it’s operated by ‘activists and hacktivists’ in defence of net neutrality and other online freedoms.
The website lists all the available servers and their current load. The number of server locations is low, admittedly, although seven are located in Asia. Nevertheless, the provider has no problems manoeuvring around geolocation restrictions and China is no exception. The service offers solid and reliable performance, even if signing up and getting going is a bit of a hassle.
AirVPN has reasonably priced plans – five of them, to be exact. A 3-day plan offers a convenient way to try the service out, while the 12-month plan boasts the best value for money. The packages available are:
[$1.10] 3-days[$7.65 a month] 1-month[$5.45 a month] 3-months - $16.35[$5.45 a month] 6-months - $32.65[$4.90 a month] 12-months - $58.80
StrongVPN is one of the favourites among visitors and expats in China. It supports the most popular platforms with detailed manual setup instructions for others. This VPN features a decent number of server locations, and has no problems navigating around the Great Firewall, with connections proving reliable and pretty fast.
And if you want security, there’s wide protocol support, up to 2048-bit encryption, along with StrongDNS, the company’s own concoction to protect against DNS leaks. However, there is a limit of two simultaneous device connections which spoils the fun just a little.
StrongVPN offer 24/7 live support which is a nice touch. The plan selection consists of three options to pick from. All come with a 5-day money-back guarantee, with the annual plan clearly offering the best value for money. The packages available are:
[$10.00 a month] 1-month[$8.00 a month] 3-month - $24[$5.83 a month] 12-months - $69.95 We’ve rounded up the best free VPN services of 2018
Best movies on Netflix UK (January 2018): 150 films to choose from
Welcome TechRadar's constantly updated best movies on Netflix UK list - our pick of the films you should be streaming on Netflix right now. Netflix has a lot of movies on offer, but if you only have time for quality then you're in the right place. Here you'll find a list of the best Netflix movies you can get in the UK right now and it's constantly updated so you know you're never missing out.
[Update: Two superb films have been added to our best movies on Netflix list, both of which will leave you with that warm fuzzy glow feeling which is perfect to get rid of the January Blues. The first is the brilliant Pride - the true story about gay rights activists that help the National Union of Mineworkers during their strikes in the '80s. The second is the live-action version of the BFG - which features a wonderful mo-cap performance by Mark Rylance]
Netflix has become known for its TV shows (especially its originals) but that doesn't mean you should be discounting the movies on the platform. Many of them are well worth watching and as you'll see from our extensive list, there are plenty to choose from once you've exhausted yourself by TV binge-watching.
Want to know more about Netflix's take on binging? Watch our very own Jon Porter live on the couch discussing his time at Netflix HQ!
To keep things neat, tidy and easy to navigate, we've broken up our movie picks into categories. For each category we've chosen a selection of movies that you shouldn't miss with further recommendations listed at the end of each category.
In all there's over 150 movies to choose from here, all picked because they are, simply, the best films on Netflix to watch right now.
From comedy to indie, to horror and kids, there's a movie category for everyone.
Keep checking back, too. Unlike its TV output that seems to stay on Netflix for longer, its movies tend to appear and disappear quite fast. We keep this best Netflix movies list updated as often as we can, so please bookmark us. Enjoy!
If you are a TV fan, then check out our best shows on Netflix feature.Want to know the WORST Netflix movies? Check out Not On My WatchCheck out what the rivals are up to with the best movies on Amazon PrimeBest sci-fi movies: fantastic films to stream on Netflix and Amazon nowBest horror movies: scary films to stream right nowThe BFG is brought to (larger than) life brilliantly by Stephen Spielberg and the acting talents of Mark Rylance. While the film may be a little too slow for younger viewers, it's a mesmerising watch. Full of the scatological humour of the book, but also slathered in beautiful imagery that blends the real world and CG seamlessly. Spielberg has done wonders to bring Roald Dahl's big classic to the big screen.
What a brilliant film. Pride manages to weave 'message' with entertainment effortlessly, charting the true tale of gay rights activists in the UK that help raise money for a small mining town when the strikes are happening. There's superb performances by all but it's the ever-brilliant George MacKay whose standout.
Shane Black is never someone to play the Hollywood game. Starting off as a hotshot writer - he penned Lethal Weapon at a ridiculously young age - he went into obscurity, only to come back with Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and cement his relationship with Robert Downey Jr. This then pushed him into the director chair for Iron Man 3, which was a great choice. Fun, overblown and with a surprising twist - it's delicious fun.
Nobody expected Mad Max: Fury Road to be as good as it was - given it was stuck in development hell for ages - but it's one of the boldest, bravest chase movies ever made. Tom Hardy is superb as the monosyllabic Max. But it's Charlize Theron's Furiosa who steals the show - a true modern day badass. Director George Miller decided to do most of the action in-camera and the results are utterly spectacular.
A biographical war drama directed by Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge tells the true story of conscientious objector Desmond T. Doss (Andrew Garfield). Despite refusing to bear arms through his service during WW2, Doss won the Congressional Medal of Honor and adoration and respect of his peers for his bravery and selflessness in the conflict.
Ridley Scott’s bombastic tale of US soldiers caught behind enemy lines when their helicopter crashes in Somalia is frenetic and relentless. You’ll have as much fun watching it as spotting the young actors who you kind of know but don’t know - including Hugh Dancy, Ioan Gruffudd and Ewen Bremner. It’s a bit jingoistic and the bloodshed is sometimes over the top but it’s a superb watch.
“We need guns. Lots of guns.” Okay, that quote is from the wrong Keanu Reeves movies but does sum up the essence of John Wick. This is a movie packed with more Gun-Fu than is healthy but it’s also great fun. The premise is sight: John Wick (Reeves) is a retired hitman, who comes back to avenge the death of this dog. Yup, you read that right. As action movies go, this is one of the most frenetic. Reeves is perfectly cast in the title role and while the plot is paper thin, the hits to a bigger world when assassins rule the roost are fantastic - and something that’s built on in the sequel.
A masterpiece in both filmmaking and fight choreography, Ang Lee's superb Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon tells the tale of a Chinese warrior who steals a sword off of a master swordsman and the cat-and-mouse chase that ensues. Chow Yun-Fat may have been the star of the movie when the was first released, but it is Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi that steal the show. A follow-up was produced by Netflix, which is worth a watch but has none of the charisma of its enigmatic predecessor.
Quentin Tarantino’s bloody brilliant kung-fu opus should have been one big movie. But its distributors got cold feet, which meant we actually got two quite different films. The first is pure Shaw Brothers schlock. A revenge tale that follows Uma Thurman’s Bride looking to kill people on her hit list, for murdering her husband and family on her wedding day and leaving her for dead. The second film is a touch more subdued, but no less brutal - starting with a flashback of the infamous wedding and then furthering The Bride’s mission to ‘kill bill’. If you can, watch them together as it’s an epic movie that should be consumed in one sitting.
After the brilliance of Skyfall there was a lot riding on Spectre to keep the quality levels of Bond high. Unfortunately, it doesn’t do that. Spectre is rushed, overblown and full of twists that don’t particularly work. But even at its worst, it’s better than most action movies around at the moment. Daniel Craig is, as ever, brilliant as is Léa Seydoux who has more about her than the usual paper-thin token femme fatale. There’s also a barrage of lovely throwbacks from the Bond of old, including a superb intro that smacks of Live And Let Die.
It may be the fifth Mission: Impossible but it’s definitely one of the best. Tom Cruise is back as Ethan Hunt, the secretive IMF operative who is tasked to save his agency as a rogue one is hell-bent on destroying it. Christopher McQuarrie was a great choice for director and while news that he completely reshot the ending of the movie was a worry, it’s lack of bombast is a perfect balance to a film that’s filled with thrilling set pieces. Also, Rebecca Ferguson is by far the best female lead the franchise has had so far - we’re glad she’s been cast in the next instalment too.
With a script by word genius William Goldman and George Roy Hill at the helm, Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid is a wonderful watch. Paul Newman and Robert Redford ooze screen chemistry as the titular pair and the soundtrack by Burt Bacharach is lovely on the ears. It's funny too - mixing both buddy movie and Western tropes with fantastic results.
Focused around a turf war between rival street gangs, The Warriors is an achingly cool cult film. It showcases '70s New York in all its filth and fury and while its focus is on gang fighting, the film never comes across as an exploitation flick. This is because it's shot with such style and flourish by director Walter Hill that 37 years on, it's still as pertinent as ever.
Oh, Paul Verhoeven how we’ve missed you. Elle brings back everything the director is famed for - controversy, satire and, well, more controversy. Elle sees the fantastic Isabelle Huppert play a businesswoman who is raped and decides to exact revenge on her rapist, except she doesn’t know who it is. Elle never goes the way you think it’s going to go and, despite the subject matter, is genuinely funny in places. It’s occasionally a tough watch but doesn’t offer the gratuity that some of Verhoeven’s other films are famed for. It’s Hupert here that makes the movie. She is subversive and simply superb.
Spotlight is that rare beast of a movie: A tense, taught thriller that's based mainly around a newsroom, with nary an explosion or chase in sight. It centres on a team of reporters and editors at the Boston Globe who investigate what they believe is a devastating cover-up by the Catholic Church. A star studded cast propels a fantastic script - Spotlight thoroughly deserved its Best Picture Oscar.
Personal Shopper is a strange, but captivating movie. It shows off the acting prowess of Kristen Stewart who is superb as an American 'personal shopper' living in Paris who caters to the needs of an infuriating supermodel. And it just so happens, Stewart's character is also a medium who starts to interact with what she believes is her not-long dead brother. Personal Shopper is one movie which doesn't let you really know what it wants to be until the end - and that is what makes it great.
Tom Hanks and director Steven Spielberg team up with dazzling results for Bridge of Spies. Based on the true tale of a Russian spy sent back to the cold, in exchange for two US prisoners of war, Hanks plays a lawyer brought in to make sure that the exchange takes place. The tension is high but the voices are low. The quiet chats between Hanks and the superb Mark Rylance are astonishing to watch.
A biographical drama from Danny Boyle and Adam Sorkin, Steve Jobs follows the life of the eponymous Apple co-founder (Michael Fassbender) from 1984 to 1998. The performances in the film and its screenplay were widely praised and received recognition at the Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and the Academy Awards.
American Graffiti is a classic coming-of-age film with a host of stellar Hollywood names behind it including George Lucas, Harrison Ford, Richard Dreyfuss, and Ron Howard. Set in early 1960s California, the film tells the separate stories of a group of recent high school graduates and the rock and roll culture that defined them through a series of vignettes.
Mudbound proves that Netflix is getting serious with the movies it is producing. This superb ensemble drama focuses on two brothers (Garret Hedlund and Jason Clarke) back from the second World War and the struggles they face adjusting back to ‘normal’ life. The film pulls no punches when it comes to tackling racism and sexism, both rife in 1940’s Mississippi, but layers these heady issues with a fair amount of levity and brevity. The cast are superb - Better Call Saul’s Jonathan Banks is riveting as always but Jason Mitchell is standout here - but it’s the tight script and wonderful, sweeping direction by Dee Rees that makes this movie truly and Oscar worthy.
It’s rare that Tom Cruise gets upstaged in his movies but that’s what happens in Rain Man. This is because Dustin Hoffman puts in a performance of a lifetime as Charlie’s (Cruise) autistic brother Raymond. In the film we see Hoffman recite dates of airline crashes when he doesn’t want to fly, and this brings the brothers on a road trip after their father passes away. Cruise’s character in unlikeable for the most part but his softening to Hoffman’s Raymond is a beautiful watch - sometimes hilarious, sometimes tender.
Director Adam McKay was known for creating big belly laughs before The Big Short came out. And that’s what makes this movie such a surprise. It is funny in places, but it’s also a super-sharp look and - shock, horror - endlessly entertaining look at those who betted big the the housing bubble in the US would burst in the mid 2000s. Filled with fantastic characters (played by Brad Pitt, Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling and Steve Carell) and a superb script, this is a must see.
Inherent Vice is a fantastic film but one you may want to watch twice to figure out just what is going on. Director PT Anderson - this is his best movie - tries to make sense of Thomas Pynchon's opaque novel, about a stoner detective trying to figure out the disappearance of his ex-lover's lover. Nothing makes sense in the movie. It's covered in a fog of weed and hallucinogens, dripping in Californian sunshine and swathed in seediness. Don't try and unpick it too much and you will be rewarded with a brilliant, beguiling watch.
This shouldn’t have worked. The manic tale of how NWA came to be may well be larger than life but in the wrong hands it could end up being cartoonish. On the whole, Straight Outta Compton manages to avoid this thanks to director F Gary Gray who also created the brilliant Friday. Casting for Compton is inspired. O'Shea Jackson Jr does a great impression of his real-life dad Ice Cube, but it’s Corey Hawkins that steals the show of Dr Dre. Perhaps the weakest link is Paul Giamatti as Jerry Heller but it doesn’t detract from what is one of the more entertaining biopics in recent years.
The Squid And The Whale is director Noah Baumbach’s masterpiece. It’s a short 81 minutes but in that time he paints a perfect picture of a family frayed at the seams because of a divorce. Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney and Jesse Eisenberg are all fantastic in the film that’s both uncomfortable and claustrophobic but only because the themes will be familiar to all. It’s part autobiographical and it shows - this is proper heart on sleeve stuff.
Dope was a revelation when it was released in 2015. Part coming-of-age drama, part hip-hop homage, the movie is about a group of teenagers who go to a party and end up tangled up in drug dealing. While that sounds all very gritty, the film plays it for laughs more than often, punctuated by moments of drama.
Bette Davis is superb in this classic film about ageing Broadway star Margo Channing and the relationship she has with 'superfan' Eve (Anne Baxter). Joseph L Manckiewicz script (full of biting one liners) and direction is breathtaking - showcasing a story of fame a celebrity in the most scathing and satirical way possible for something shot in the '50s. If you've never seen this movie, be prepared for it to enter your top 10 favourite films.
The movie may now be parodied beyond belief but The Breakfast Club is still a fun watch. It’s an ‘80s movie that’s so ‘80s it should come with its own shell suit. The premise is simple: a bunch of kids are put into detention one Saturday, dubbed the Breakfast Club. They’re all a different stereotype - geek, jock, the pretty one, the angry one - and seemingly have nothing in common but it turns out they have everything in common. Yes, it’s cheesy but you can’t help but smile as the kids ‘find themselves’ to the tune of Simple Minds.
Director John Frankenheimer should be given all of the plaudits for managing to get such a commanding performance from Burt Lancaster in the Birdman of Alcatraz. Based on the true story of the violent murderer Robert Franklin Stroud who is sent to solitary confinement for his actions, where he befriends a bird and becomes an expert on the species - only for things to change when he is sent to Alcatraz. Unfortunately, since the movie was made, some even nastier allegations about Stroud came to light, but this movie is still a fantastic watch.
This is one of the most affecting movies that you will ever see. Based on the true story of Oskar Schindler, a factory owner who begins to help his Jewish workers during World War II after he sees them persecuted by the Nazi Germans, the movie is a study in brevity. Steven Spielberg manages to find the human stories in the atrocity of WWII without shying away from the true horror of what happened during the conflict.
A heartfelt and considered look at Martin Luther King Jr's struggle to gain equal voting rights, campaigning in racially-charged Alabama, Selma was one of the finest films of 2014 and was rightly nominated for a Best Picture Oscar as a result. It may have missed out on the top gong, but David Oyelowo's performance as the civil rights leader is a powerful one, with a supporting cast recreating the inspiring story with great respect.
The Virgin Suicides is a woozy homage to movies such as Picnic at Hanging Rock and Don't Look Now. Fractured in its storytelling, dreamlike in its visuals it's an assured debut by Sofia Coppola. Based on the best-selling novel, the movie charts a spate of suicides in a small town and the cast is lead by the mesmerising Kirsten Dunst.
It is still baffling how Slumdog Millionaire was billed as the 'feel good hit of the summer' when it was first released. There is nothing feel good about this rag to riches tale, apart from the very end. It is a sublime watch, though. Director Danny Boyle relishes the colours in India, using them to great effect while there's a frenetic pace to the whole thing. Lovely stuff.
Adapted from Stephen King’s novella, Shawshank Redemption is a film that tissues were invented for. Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is sentenced to life in prison for two murders he didn’t commit. There he befriends Red (Morgan Freeman) and embarks on both serving his sentence and trying to clear his name. Heartwarming and gut-wrenching in equal measure, Shawshank is a modern classic.
Captain Phillips is a masterstroke of suspense. Directed by Paul Greengrass - the Bourne franchise king - it's about the true story of a 2009 hijacking of a US container ship. By showing the hijack from both points of view - the captain's and the Somali pirates - the film humanises what is a complicated, horrific hostage situation.
Don’t let the title or, for that matter, the plot put you off, Warrior is a fantastic movie, centred on two brothers who find redemption and solace in the biggest MMA tournament ever held. A superb script and superb performances from Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton as the brothers and Nick Nolte as the alcoholic father, make this a must see.
This study of the Holocaust is something we haven’t seen before. It’s from the point of view of someone who was forced to burn the bodies in Auschwitz who comes across a boy that, he believes, deserves a proper burial. Son of Saul is a hard watch. It’s about a time that’s filled with despair, but director László Nemes tells the tale so well that it makes for utterly compelling viewing.
Not only did Network spawn one of the greatest lines shouted in a movie - "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!" - it also shone a light on US network television and its constant push for higher ratings. The plot is great: longtime anchor Howard Beale finds out that he is about to get fired, so to drive ratings he announces he will commit suicide on air. What ensues is a harsh look at TV that's still prescient today.
Nicolas Winding Refn is one of the most divisive directors around and he's not looking to change that with The Neon Demon. Like Only God Forgives and the slightly more accessible Drive, Neon Demon is stylish, blood soaked and, well, cold. It features a fantastic central performance by Elle Fanning and never compromises - this makes for a difficult but ultimately rewarding watch.
Anyone who doubts the acting caliber of Tom Hardy needs to watch Bronson immediately. Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn who found fame with Drive and the divisive Only God Forgives, Bronson is a fragmented, surreal look at one of the UK’s most famous prisoners, Charles Bronson. Hardy commands the screen as the titular inmate, bulking on the body mass and belting out charisma and chaos in equal measure. It’s not for everyone, thanks to its obscure storytelling, but this is a unique film and one that demands your attention.
Pulp Fiction is Quentin Tarantino at his finest. Endlessly quotable and always a refreshing watch, Tarantino re-invents what a crime movie should be. He does this be interlocking seemingly unrelated stories in a non-linear way, riffing on pop culture and breathing new life into old actors - including John Travolta, Bruce Willis and Samuel L Jackson. This film deserves all the accolades it's garnered over the years. It's just a shame Tarantino has never bettered it.
Drive is a brutal but beautiful film to watch. Director Nicolas Winding Refn’s movies are opaque at the best of times, but his fractured storytelling works wonder here, in the tale of a Hollywood stuntman cum getaway driver, who’s played brilliantly by a monosyllabic Ryan Gosling. The look of the movie is iconic, the sound of the movie is sublime - forget neo-noir, Drive is neon-noir.
It may feel a little dated now, but Fight Club was the epitome of male angst when it was first released. It's an angry movie, with work and consumerism in its sights but it's also a brilliant one, thanks to David Fincher's knack of taking the novel and transposing it menacingly to the big screen. Brad Pitt has never been better as Tyler Durden - his role making you want to talk about Fight Club, instantly breaking the first rule.
Django may not be on a par with Pulp Fiction but it's a film that shows how fast Quentin Tarantino has come from the pop-trivia infused movies of his youth to the epic Leone-inspired landscapes of Django Unchained. The plot is great: Django (Jamie Foxx) is a freed slave-cum-bounty hunter who is on a mission to find out what happened to his wife.
Okja is a fantastic movie that proves Netflix really does know what it's doing when it comes to commissioning films. Made by Bong Joon Ho, one of the greatest directors around, the film is the strange tale of a little girl and her best friend, a giant animal called Okja. The friendship is threatened when a CEO (a superb Tilda Swinton) wants to take Okja for nefarious means. The whole movie may well be an ode to animal activism but it's such a refreshing movie that you don't mind it preaching to you on occasion. Now you have this on-board Netflix, can you please grab the UK rights for Snowpiercer - another superb Bong Joon Ho movie that never saw the light of day in Britain.
This is a movie that was close to not being made. Just as shooting began, funding was pulled and it means that star Matthew McConaughey may have had to drop out, as he needed to put all the weight on he had lost for playing Ron Woodroof, an electrician diagnosed with Aids. Money was found, though, and we're glad it was as this is a sometimes harrowing but strangely uplifting account of someone who goes to the extra mile to get their hands on an experimental Aids drug that can lessen the effects of the disease. McConaughey is fantastic as the makeshift drug runner while his partner in crime is Jared Leto as Rayon, a trans woman who helps him on his journey. Despite the budget cut, there was Oscar nominations aplenty for the film with it winning Best Makeup. Considering the makeup was done on $250 budget, this is an impress feat.
While sweding didn't quite make it into popular parlance, Be Kind Rewind should be celebrated for showing what it's like to be someone who just wants to make films, no matter what budget they have. And that's the plot of Be Kind: it's about two video store clerks who erase all the footage from the tapes in their store, so go on to try and make the movies with no budget but a whole lot of charisma.
Looking for a great crime thriller that'll make you laugh? You've found it. Robert De Niro stars as Jack Walsh, a bounty hunter who's offered $100,000 to bring in mob accountant Jonathan Mardukas (Charles Grodin). What starts out as a simple job gets complicated very quickly.
The plot for this one is fantastic. It’s a road movie centred around two teenage bike thieves who go on an adventure after they get word that seven tonnes of cocaine has been shipwrecked off the coast of Ireland. Their plan is to get some of it and sell it for a better life. This is one of the funniest comedies to come out of Ireland for a while. It’s got a distinct Adam & Paul feel but is thankfully a bit lighter. Young Offenders is a coming-of-age story with oodles of charm.
A classic Jim Carey comedy, Ace Ventura Pet Detective follows a PI who specializes in missing animals cases. When the mascot for the Miami dolphins goes missing he's in for the case of his life. Expect a madcap adventure with a lot of energy and laughs.
Richard Linklater's latest is a bedfellow to Dazed and Confused. Instead of the ’80s, though, the '70s is used as a backdrop instead and the focus here is very much what it is like to be a boy growing up into an adult. As with most Linklater movies, not much happens in the movie but the characterisation is so spot on, that it really doesn't matter.
One of the best films you probably missed in 2016, The Nice Guys is cult director Shane Black at his best. Achingly funny and whip-smart, too, the film is about a private eye and a heavy in the '70s and the shenanigans they get up to. While Black went full Hollywood with Iron Man 3, The Nice Guys sees him back where he belongs - among the indie elite.
A cult comedy horror made in the same vein as Shaun of the Dead, Tucker and Dale vs Evil is a whole lot of fun. Hillbillies Tucker and Dale head out to a cabin in the woods for a vacation and, well, all horror breaks loose. With barrels of laughs and buckets of blood, don't expect award-winning performances but it's a lot of fun.
Joe Dante perhaps doesn't get the credit he deserves as a filmmaker. His movies always err on the right side of subversive anarchic fun, and The 'Burbs is no exception. Starring Tom Hanks as part of a neighbourhood watch that have suspicion that the new neighbours that just moved in are killers, the film manages to keep you guessing right up until its fantastic twist. Yes, it's ridiculous, but The 'Burbs is ever watchable and will remind you fondly of the films you used to watch growing up (if you're a child of the '80s that is).
The Coen Brothers have made many a classic movie, but The Big Lebowski is their crowning achievement. The plot is based on a mistake: The Dude (Jeff Bridges) just so happens to have the same name as someone who owes money to the mob. This mistaken identity leads The Dude and his ragtag group of friends deep into the belly of the LA underworld. Endlessly quotable and hugely enjoyable, there is no other film like it.
The Hunt For The Wilderpeople is a fantastic comedy from New Zealand director Taika Waititi. It's a movie about Ricky, a kid who's been passed through the welfare system and his relationship with Uncle Hec - someone who didn't completely agree with having a foster child - and the unexpected whirlwind adventure they have together. Adult themes of loss, hope and love are seen through a child's eyes which makes for some hilarious and sometimes poignant moments. The film was such a success it brought Waititi's talents to the attention of Marvel, who have snapped him up to direct Thor: Ragnarok.
40 Year Old Virgin is pretty much what it says on the tin - a comedy about a man (Steve Carrell) who has yet to understand the joys of sex and whose life is centred on his love for videogames and collectable action figures. Which is nothing like any of the TechRadar team, I can assure you.
One of the finest comedies, featuring one of the finest comedy performances from Bill Murray. One of the finest comedies, featuring one of the finest comedy performances from Bill Murray. One of the finest comedies, featuring one of the finest comedy performances from Bill Murray. One of the finest comedies, featuring one of the finest...
Mel Brooks's career was on a high when he made Young Frankenstein. The success of The Producers and Blazing Saddles had pushed the director into comedy gold territory but it was with Young Frankenstein where he showed his real worth. The movie is a straight spoof of the legend but it's Brooks' most assured movie. It lacks the bite of his previous movies but replaces it with a send up that satirises both the style and content of James Whale's Frankenstein movie. Couple this with some of the best comic performances, not just from the ever-brilliant Marty Feldman and Gene Wilder but Peter Boyle as the monster, and you have a classic as stone-cold as the monster's flesh.
Feel-good fun oozes from this movie, which is loosely based on the life of English ski jumping underdog Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards. While Hugh Jackman is the star power that got this film off the ground, it’s Taron Egerton as the titular character that steals the show. Directed by Dexter Fletcher, he manages to find enough story and sprinkle in some fantasy to create a wonderfully warm watch.
Sing Street’s John Carney plays a familiar tune with his movies: they are essentially musicals that are fine to watch if you're not into musicals. But while Once was great but maudlin and Begin Again was okay and maudlin, Sing Street is fantastic. Centred round a bunch of Irish kids in the 80s who want to start a band, it’s a brilliant and fun movie.
Alexander Payne proves once again that he is one of the best directors around with Nebraska, a film that follows elderly Woody Grant (Bruce Dern) who embarks on a 750-mile journey to Nebraska to cash in the supposed winnings of a sweepstake. Nebraska is full of heart but also home truths when Woody arrives back in his hometown after years away.
One of the funniest movies ever made, Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is a masterpiece by director Stanley Kubrick. Endlessly quotable - "No fighting in the war room" - with a stellar cast headed up by Peter Sellers, the film is a biting satire that still resonates today.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off is the perfect '80s movie. It's got teenagers rebelling, budding romance, a great soundtrack and a huge 'stick it to the man' storyline. It's also got Matthew Broderick at his finest (as Bueller) and some great direction and writing by the legend that is John Hughes. Great stuff.
A film that continued John Travolta's Hollywood resurgence post Pulp Fiction, Get Shorty is a fantastic look at what happens when the world of gangsters and Hollywood combine. Penned by Elmore Leonard, directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and with a cast that includes Travolta, Danny DeVito and Gene Hackman, Get Shorty is good, sharp fun.
Clueless is the best teenage-centred movie to come out of the '90s, which is no mean feat considering how many there were in that decade. The exploits of Cher (Alicia Silverstone) at a Beverly Hills high school spawned a whole host of real-life fashion faux pas, as well as a new line of dialogue that was, well, "totally buggin".
There are so many one liners and sight gags in Airplane that it really doesn't matter when a few of them don't work. The film skewers the many disaster movies of the '70s with a spoof so funny that it hasn't really been bettered. The stars of the movie are Leslie Nielsen as Dr Rumack and Lloyd Bridges, chosen not just because of his comedy chops but because he had starred in many of the films that the movie was sending up.
Let The Right One In is a chilling movie set in Sweden. Based on the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist - the screenplay was written by the novelist - it's a romance of sorts about two children who become friends after one is bullied. Oh, and one of those children just happens to be a vampire. It's a more subdued film than the events in the book but all the better for it. It's a film full of atmosphere, fear and, well, romance.
Creep was a mini indie marvel when it came out a few years back. Ultra low budget, it starred Mark Duplass and was base on his story about a videographer who puts an ad on Craiglist which leads to some terrifying home truths. In the sequel, Duplass is back and this time he lures someone to his home by claiming to be a serial killer. What ensues is a tense, brilliant low-fi ride.
The Purge is low budget but brilliantly high concept. The idea is that there is one day a year when the world can go a bit crazy murdering and looting and it's all completely legal. This makes for a fantastic adrenaline rush of a movie that's modelled on John Carpenter style 80s heist movies. It's really good fun, as is a number of the sequels.
While it was a success at the box office, some were turned off by Crimson Peak because it was a movie that was miss-sold as a horror film. It's not a horror film, but a superb gothic fantasy that's both lavish and intimate. Director Guillermo del Toro weaves a doomed romance tale that's occasionally violent, melodramatic and beautiful to watch. It's a masterclass in the macabre but don't come for scares - chills, yes, but again this is not a horror movie but a movie about horror.
Gerald's Game is one of Stephen King's leaner novels, with the majority of the action taking place in one room, with one woman (Jessie Burlingame) alone, handcuffed to a bed, after a night of passion goes awry, with just her thoughts, her dead husband, and a number of things that go bump in the night for company. With this in mind, director Mike Flannigan has managed to pull off an adaptation that could have been very one note, by creatively bringing Burlingame's - a fantastic Carla Gugino - thoughts to life. It's a bit too melodramatic at times and does suffer from the King curse of never knowing how to properly end his stories, but there's a lot to like about this Netflix exclusive.
A superb '80s-tinged soundtrack backs this fantastic film that plays on the notions of teen sex and angst by throwing in an STD that when transmitted passes a curse on. The movies manages to be filled to the brim with dread, even if the premise of the movie isn't really explained, and is a superb throwback to zombie movies of old, as well as the foreboding Invasion of the Body Snatcher flicks.
Blair Witch, the kind of remake, quasi sequel to the scare classic The Blair Witch Project was a big surprise when it first announced. Director Adam Wingard had made the film covertly with the title The Woods and then when it premiered at San Diego Comic-Con, they announced its link to the Blair Witch story and the crowd went, well, crazy. The film is a worthy addition to the franchise. It keeps the shaky cam stuff but also adds in some modern day twists such as drones and GPS. It takes a while to get going but once the scares start they are relentless.
Eli Roth gets a lot of stick for his movies, with many discounting them as nothing more than torture porn. While that might be true for his Hostel series, The Green Inferno is somewhat different. It’s his take on the exploitation movies of the early ’80s (Cannibal Ferox and Cannibal Holocaust particularly) and it’s a well-made homage to that genre of movie. It may lose itself a little near the end but there’s some genuinely shocking moments in Green Inferno that need to be seen to be believed.
This super-smart horror from Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard is a movie that tries its hardest to turn the horror genre on its head, with continual knowing nods to movies of the past and a post-modern spin of the well-worn 'cabin in the woods' theme. Don't go into this movie expecting a normal film-watching experience but do expect to have fun watching a highly original script at play.
If you are in the least bit claustrophobic, then we wouldn't recommend The Descent. Written and directed by British director Neil Marshall - who is now the ultimate go-to director for Game of Thrones and other TV fare - the film charts a caving expedition that goes very wrong. The (at the time) relatively unknown cast are superb as the victims of something horrible that comes from the deep darkness of the caves.
The real horror in the Babadook isn't the monster, ripped from a children's pop-up book that may or may not be terrifying a mother and son, but the slow and steady psychological decline of the mother Amelia, played by a wonderful Essie Davis. The descent and fear she has at the thought of not being able to protect her child is mesmerising as is the rest of the film. Gripping stuff.
Thanks to Netflix's sometimes surprising rights, Under The Shadow has popped on to the service around the same time as the movie's Blu-ray release. We're glad it has. It's a fantastic horror film set in Tehran in the '80s, focusing on a mother and daughter seemingly terrorised by otherworldly beings in an apartment block. The dread in this film is slow release but palpable, making it a terrific, scary watch.
Given Evil Dead II is a quasi sequel/remake of the original Evil Dead, eyebrows were raised when another remake was announced. Thankfully, the movie is actually decent. Director Fede Alvarez plays the movie straight, piling on the gore and the tension, making for some terrifying moments. It feels like Evil Dead too, thanks to both Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi coming on board as producers.
This ultra low budget movie comes from the Duplass Brothers and is one of the most inventive chillers in years. The plot is slight, it focuses on a man who answers a Craiglist ad to film what he thinks is a video for the person’s unborn son. And that’s all we will say about the plot as it twists and turns in on itself, terrifying the viewer repeatedly in the process.
Daniel Radcliffe has done well to rid himself of his Harry Potter persona and it's all thanks to choosing roles in movies such as Women In Black. Based on the celebrated novel of the same name and in turn the stage play, the film is a gothic delight, harking back to the good ol' days when horror was implied rather than rammed down a watcher's throat. Well, until the final act at least. Prepare to feel your spine tingle.
Insidious is a film that proves, if you want mainstream horror done right, then you have to call up director James Wan. He brings a menacing atmosphere to this film about a family that moves into a house that's not what it seems. While it doesn't quite match up to the scares seen in Sinister - another film produced by Jason Blum - Wan does enough to make sure there's plenty of shocks to go around.
While the cast may err on the side of mainstream - Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson and Matthew Fox all star - the plot of Bone Tomahawk does not. Without giving too much away, it's essentially cannibals versus grizzled men of the Wild West. Russell is superb in this tale that is absolutely relentless and all the better for it.
Hush has a brilliant premise. Directed by Mike Flanagan it revolves around a killer who tries to get the best of a girl in the house on her own. So far so 'every horror movie ever made', but the girl who is being stalked happens to be deaf. Yes, the home invasion genre is getting tired, but Hush manages to quietly breathe new life into it.
A forgotten '70s gem of a horror movie, Let's Scare Jessica To Death is all soft focus and maudlin music as we follow the exploits of a woman who has just gotten out of a psychiatric hospital. While staying in a country house to recuperate, she befriends a strange visitor. It's worth watching just for John D Hancock's dreamy direction.
One of the more high-concept horrors on the list, Would You Rather is about a group of seven people who are invited to a millionaire's house to play a game of 'Would You Rather'. The game turns out to be one of the most sadistic around.
While it never quite reaches the perfection its visuals and stellar cast promises, Tomorrowland is a sumptuous watch. A throwback to the old sci-fi adventures of old, the film is based on the Tomorrowland ride at Disney. Cynics would say that the movie is just one big Disney promotion but the movie is better than that. It's a great story that transcends dimensions - just sit back and go with it.
Given it was made in 1985, the effects of Back To The Future still stand up today. Actually, so does everything about the movie. It's a fantastic old-school romp that showcases Michael J Fox as one of the most affable actors around. Spielberg may have only produced the movie but his fingerprints are all over it. Back To The Future is a classic that is endlessly fun and rewatchable.
There is a disturbance in the Force. To be honest we weren’t expecting a Star Wars movie to grace Netflix, given the Mouse House will be doing its own streaming service but Star Wars: The Force Awakens has landed and what a movie it is. Part reboot, part re-imagining, all Star Wars, The Force Awakens breathed new youthful life into the series and is a worthy sequel. The Force Awakens is a big, fun nostalgia blast featuring some of the Star Wars old guard and introducing new characters, Rey, Finn, Kylo Ren and - most importantly - BB-8/ Watch it now before The Last Jedi lands in cinemas.
The effects may look a tad dated now but The Abyss was SFX filmmaking at its best when it was released in the late '80s. Directed by James Cameron, sandwiched between Aliens and Terminator 2 in his oeuvre, the film is about a diving team looking for a lost nuclear submarine but instead encounter something wholly different. It's a thought-provoking slice of sci-fi that's more thriller than action.
Adapted from Andy Weir's breezy, initially self-published novel of the same name, The Martian is all about Mark Watney (Matt Damon), an astronaut left behind on Mars after he’s presumed dead and the rescue mission that ensues. It’s a great, fun film and without a doubt director Ridley Scott’s best movie in years. It not only looks great but Matt Damon is superb as the shipwrecked Watney, playing more for laughs than action.
The first X-Men was the first in the new wave of superhero movies that proved to the world that you could make an adult movie out of comic-book characters. Director Bryan Singer played on heady themes such as the Holocaust and homosexuality to hook X-Men's metaphors around, which helped ground the characters and make for a great movie. X2 expands on this and is arguably one of the best superhero stories ever made, introducing Stryker (Brian Cox) as the former Army commander who was key to making Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) who/what he is.
When news hit that Edgar Wright was no longer helming Ant-Man, there was very good reason to believe that Ant-Man would be terrible - given Wright had been trying to shape the project into something for years. The result, with Peyton Reed on board, though is a fun, speedy heist movie that bears all the hallmarks of previous Marvel movies but does it all on a, ahem, smaller scale.
Director Neill Blomkamp's debut was years in the making. District 9 started out as a short film which showed off Bomkamp's impressive talent with visual effects and subsequently helped him get the movie greentlit. District 9 is a fun, if on the nose, look at the apartheid in South Africa, it just so happens aliens are the ones that are getting the rough treatment. The film is the debut of Sharlto Copley, who is brilliant as the scientist hiding out in the alien slums.
The original Blade was a fun, gory take on Marvel's vampiric superhero. But it's Blade II where the character really started to have bite. Helmed by Guillermo del Toro, the visionary director adds all sorts of weird and wonderful characters into the Blade universe and also introduced Whistler, a true screen badass.
This disaster movie about zombies taking over the world could well have been a disaster in itself. The shoot was beset with problems and the script was rewritten while filming took place (hence the tonally different conclusion). But what remains is a film that’s a decent slice of action and terror that nods to the book of the same name, rather than adapting it wholly. Brad Pitt is once again great as the dad who is out to save his family and in turn the world. And the ending is something rarely seen in Hollywood fare - it’s a far cry from the bombastic nature of the rest of the movie and all the better for it.
Timur Bekmambetov may be a Hollywood director now, but where his American movies are visually appealing but pretty awful (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, the remake to Ben-Hur), Night Watch, which he made in his native Russia, is fantastic. At the time of its release (2004), it was the most successful Russian movie for all time and for good reason. It's a brilliant, sometimes incoherent fantasy that melds Bekmambetov's great style with a story that involves modern day vampires that are split into two factions: the night watch and the day watch. Don't try and understand it, just feast on the surreal, stunning visuals.
Splitting the last book in the series was a mistake as instead of having one fantastic movie, you instead have two good ones. Mockingjay - Part 2 is by far the darkest Hunger Games movie but it's well made and a fitting end to the franchise. While there's not enough Hunger Games style action scenes, the end showdown is worth the wait and elevates the movie above its YA fiction leanings.
The film that pretty much got Rian Johnson the job to helm Star Wars: Episode VIII, Looper is a timey wimey tale that is set in 2074, when time travel has been invented but subsequently banned. This doesn't stop a band of outlaws (called Loopers) using the technology to assassinate people in the past for payment. Yes it's convoluted but it's also a gripping film that doesn't let up until its twist ending.
The Look of Silence is a hard watch. A sequel of sorts to The Act of Killing - which is sadly not on Netflix - it was created by Joshua Oppenheimer and focuses on a man who confronts the men who killed during the 1965 'purge of communists' in Indonesia in the 60s. He confronts them while giving them eye exams - a ruse to get them to speak. It all makes for uneasy but riveting viewing.
Jim Carey has always been an actor that takes things to extremes - whether it's his face gurning or physical comedy. But nothing was quite like what he did in Man On The Moon, the Milos Foreman directed biopic of Andy Kaufman. Mixing exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes footage of Carey that the studios didn't want released, this is one revealing documentary about the things people do to make people laugh.
Full of hubris that you can only get when a documentary crew gets more than they bargained for (see also: The Jinx), Weiner follows the mayoral campaign of Anthony Weiner only for him to be embroiled in a sex scandal as the cameras are still shooting. And the best bit about it is, the documentary was meant to be about Weiner’s comeback after another sex scandal that happened in 2011. It’s a tough but compelling watch.
Director Martin Scorsese may well be known for his Hollywood productions but he has a decent sideline in rock documentaries. The latest to hit Netflix focuses on George Harrison, knitting together archive footage with interviews and home movies. It’s a warm, revealing portrait of arguably the most talented Beatle and one that came out 10 years after his untimely death.
With nuclear war still a threat today (and a growing one at that), a documentary on how atomic warfare came to be was always going to feel prescient but The Bomb feels like more than that. It's a full-on assault on the senses that weaves archive footage together to create a non-linear, experimental piece that's more mosaic than montage, with a message that's pretty clear: we need nuclear disarmament and we need it now. The Bomb toured the film festival circuit with live band The Acid and was even shown at Glastonbury's Shangri-La. While it's no doubt not as potent as it was in a live space, it's still well worth a watch. And if you need a non-Netflix companion piece, then check out Storyville, Atomic, Living in Dread and Promise by Mark Cousins.
"Metal on metal / It's what I crave / The louder the better / I'll turn in my grave."
Like a real-life Spinal Tap, the story of Anvil, the oft-forgotten heavy metal pioneers is as tragic as it is funny and uplifting. A huge influence on the likes of Metallica and metal's megastars, Anvil never got to enjoy the success of their peers, resigned to the axe-wielding history books.
Except...Anvil never went away. Continuing to shred on the toilet circuit, the documentary follows the ageing rockers as they make one last attempt at hitting the big time.
Throw up the horns, but keep a hanky at the ready – Anvil: The Story of Anvil is as good as a rock-doc gets.
This doc about the 1999 Columbine High School massacre is a must watch. It's a frankly frightening look at why the massacre took place and how failings in the US school system and the ease of use guns can be bought in the US were to blame for what happened. Nearly 20 years on, the documentary will still have a profound effect on all who watch it.
The White Helmets is, quite rightly, the winner of Netflix's first-ever Oscar. It was directed by the only British winner of the 2017 Oscars, too. Orlando von Einsiedel directs this stunning look at the day to day operations of the Syrian Civil Defense, volunteers who assist neighbourhoods that have been bombed, helping find survivors amongst the devastation. It may only be 40 minutes long, but the bravery and tragedy you witness will stay with you forever.
Netflix bagged its first Bafta thanks to this stunning documentary. 13th looks at race and the US criminal justice system, showcasing numerous injustices in the way African Americans have been treated in the system. The documentary was made by filmmaker Ava DuVernay, who also made the superb Selma.
Some Kind of Monster is a intimate look at one of the most successful heavy metal bands ever, Metallica. This unflinching doc focuses on the band as they hit a crossroads - the departure of their bass player. We see a band that's been together for 20 years talk through their emotions and pain points. By enlisting the help of a therapist, the documentary is a fascinating fly-on-the-wall look at a rock group in group therapy.
One of the most important documentaries of the decade, Blackfish charts the life of killer whale Tilikum, who sadly died recently. Kept in captivity as a 'performance mammal' at SeaWorld, the doc explores the unsightly side of why keeping whales in captivity is a terrible idea. Blackfish had such an impact that SeaWorld decided to phase out its orca shows and rebrand itself. Powerful stuff.
This Netflix exclusive documentary is a heart-wrenching look at one of the greatest singers of all time. While the highlights are definitely seeing Simone sing live - there's a huge amount of never-before-seen archive footage - it's the eye-opening truths about her troubled life that hit home hardest.
Cartel Land works great as a companion piece to Sicario - found in our Best Thriller list. It's a documentary focused on the bloody and brutal battle between drug runners on the US/Mexican border and a vigilante group of civilians who have had enough and fight back. Produced by Kathryn Bigelow, Cartel Land is a despairing watch punctuated by some stunning cinematography and a fantastic score.
A movie about chess shouldn't be this riveting but Bobby Fischer Against The World is a stunning portrait of a man who was one of the best chess players in the world. Featuring interviews from other chess luminaries, such as Garry Kasparov, the documentary looks into the tumultuous life of Fischer who won everything going in the 60s, only to disappear into obscurity for some 20 years.
This documentary may have gained prominence thanks to its DJ Shadow soundtrack, but it's the subject matter that makes Dark Days such a must watch. Shot and directed by Marc Singer, Dark Days shines a light on those who live in underground tunnels under New York. Criminally, this was Singer's only foray into documentary filmmaking but at least he created a classic.
At nearly three hours' long, Hoop Dreams is an exhaustive and very personal look at two teenagers trying to make it big in professional basketball. The two kids in question - William Gates and Arthur Agee - are from poor backgrounds which makes the push to basketball superstardom even more effective. The film won Best Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival and for good reason - it's one of the best sports movies ever made.
The Queen Of Versailles is a documentary with a difference. It starts off being about the Siegel family, one of the richest in America, who are building the most expensive house in the US. During filming, however, the Great Recession of 2008 hits and David Siegel's timeshare business is hit badly, leaving the building work halted. As his wealth slowly evaporates, the cameras continue to roll.
Also consider: Amanda Knox | Hostage To The Devil | Hot Girls Wanted | Keith Richards Under The Influence | Kurt & Courtney | Catfish | Iris | Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer | The Square | Tabloid
Always one for a conspiracy theory - just watch JFK to see how creative his jigsaw-like thinking can get - Olive Stone was the perfect choice to direct Snowden - a film about Edward Snowden, arguably the most prolific leaker the US has ever had. Charting his life from his cut-short army career to his desk job in the NSA, focusing on cyberwarfare, the story humanises a person who already feels like a myth and adds bones to why he decided to go against the US government and uncover a truth that included mass surveillance and more.
It's nowhere near director Danny Boyle's best, but Trance is still a fun ride. It's a film that reunites Boyle with his old writing partner John Hodge - who also recently went on to make T2: Trainspotting with Boyle - and is about an art heist that goes wrong. To understand what happened, a hypnotherapist is hired to try and find a missing painting. The story ends up being hard to understand - but when the visuals are this good, you won't really mind.
The Stephen King renaissance continues with 1922, a movie based on a little-known short story by the horror author taken from his 2010 Full Dark, No Stars compilation. It’s an assured film with a great central performance by Thomas Jane, who plays a farmer in the 1920 who murders his wife, a crime that sparks off a strange string of events. It’s slow burning but when the horror finally creeps in it’s a tough but mesmerising watch.
American Sniper is a taut, tension-filled tale about Chris Kyle, a skilled sniper who 160 people when he was a US Navy Seal. If you can forgive the embellishing of truth to heighten drama and the fact the film offers up a one-sided view of Kyle’s ‘achievements’, American Sniper is one of Clint Eastwood's more assured movies. It’s a troubling movie, though, one that both tries to moralise war and showcase the after effects of being in a war zone.
Ben Affleck's directorial debut is a superb, taut thriller that's based on every parent's worst nightmare - the disappearance of their child. Ben's brother Casey Affleck and Michelle Monaghan star as two detectives who take on the missing person's case, even though they have little experience in a case of that type. Based in Boston, the film manages to showcase the heart of the city (where the Afflecks are from) as well as tell a tragic tale in the most human way possible.
Kathryn Bigelow is one of the greatest action filmmakers around, so was perfect for helming Zero Dark Thirty. Based on the hunt for Osama Bin Laden, the movie keeps the terrorist mostly in the background and instead focuses on the people who were key to bringing him to justice. No one would like to see Bin Laden caught more than Jessica Chastain's Maya, an operative who has spent most of her career chasing him. Whatever your take on the War on Terror, this is riveting stuff.
With Twin Peaks: Season 3 currently trying to out weird the world, it's a perfect time to immerse yourself in the delicious nastiness of Blue Velvet once more. The film is a triumph of oddness - based around a seemingly wholesome man (Kyle MacLachlan) who gets embroiled in the underworld thanks to his infatuation with a mysterious women. This is David Lynch at his finest.
Based on the amazing true tale of an FBI informant who infiltrated the highest reaches of the mafia, only to nearly be turned himself, Donnie Brasco is a mob movie like no other. Stellar performances from both Johnny Depp and Al Pacino, this is an assured gangster tale.
David Cronenberg was on a role when Eastern Promises came out. It was his second feature to, well, feature Viggo Mortensen - the first is the peerless A History of Violence - and is about the goings on of the Russian mob in the UK. Mortensen is frightening as a mob member but it is Naomi Watts who steals the show as the midwife who has a dangerous secret to tell.
In what is one of the best performances in a long and varied career Michael Caine is utterly brilliant in Harry Brown - a British Falling Down, where a pensioner goes to extremes to avenge his friend's death and battle the crime, drugs and unrule that have taken over his neighbourhood. It's a stark tale that holds a broken mirror up to the UK's inner city life.
To be a fan of Danny Boyle is to be a fan of movies in general - his style, flits and changes with each film he does, you'd be hard pressed to put a label on what is a Danny Boyle movie. But one thing he has with aplomb is style. 127 Hours is a tense, visceral meditation in loneliness. Based on the true story of Aron Ralston (played by James Franco), a thrill-seeker who finds himself between a rock and a hard place when he gets his arm stuck in a canyon. What ensues is a man who, through sheer strong mindedness and some DIY surgery, tries to find his way out of a terrible situation.
One of the most talked about films at 2016’s Sundance Festival, I Don’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore is the directorial debut of Macon Blair - a face you will know very well if you’ve seen the likes of Blue Ruin and Green Room. Starring the ever-wonderful Melanie Lynskey and Elijah Wood, the movie is about two people who go on a revenge mission after they both get burgled. The whole thing plays out like 90s Tarantino-esque thriller, complete with bizarre happenings and fantastic central performances.
Tragically, Green Room is now earmarked as one of the final final films of Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin. He is fantastic in this tale about a band being trapped in a club with a group of skinheads after they witness a horrific murder. It starts off slow but once the events happen, the film ratchets up the tension to almost breaking point.
One of the first movies to be made under the Netflix banner, Beasts of No Nation sees Idris Elba on fine form as a commandant fighting in a civil war. But the biggest praise has to go to Abraham Attah's Agu - a boy soldier caught in the fighting. Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga - who made the first season of True Detective the masterpiece it was - this is a harrowing but great watch.
Gillian Flynn's twisty novel is perfect fodder for director David Fincher. It's dark, almost without a moral compass and probes into the dark recesses of the human condition. Ben Affleck is superb as Nick Dunne, the grieving husband whose wife has disappeared. But it is Rosamund Pike who deserves all the accolades - her portrayal of 'Amazing' Amy is something of a roller coaster.
Fargo is the perfect Coen Brothers film. Funny enough to make you chuckle, it's also filled with some ridiculously dark moments, most of which involve Steve Buscemi's bumbling hitman and William H Macy as the cowardly corrupt Jerry Lundegaard. The star of the film, however, has to be Frances McDormand's heavily pregnant, inquisitive and just darn tootin' nice detective.
Brian De Palma is a magpie filmmaker. His style apes that of his hero, Alfred Hitchcock, and he loves to make remakes. Blow Out is one of his best. A re-imagining of the seminal '60s film Blow-Up, De Palma moves the action from London to the US and focuses on sound not photography as Travolta stars as a sound effects producer who believes he has caught a real murder on tape.
Also consider: Carlos The Jackal | The Purge: Anarchy | Gone Baby Gone | The Spy Who Came In From The Cold | We Need To Talk About Kevin | The Parallax View | Rear Window | Serpico | Natural Born Killers
The ultimate romantic film? Perhaps. It’s definitely one of the best watches you are likely to have. When Harry Met Sally is an all-time classic, brimming with confidence that only comes when you nail the acting, script and direction. Sally is played by Meg Ryan, someone who has been friends with Harry (a pristine Billy Crystal) for years but lost contact. They meet up again, when their lives are a little different, and the rest is history. Rob Reiner does a fantastic, subtle directing job here but top marks go to the script by the late Nora Ephron.
Director Damian Chazelle (Whiplash) does it again with La La Land, creating a fantastic musical romance about two creatives trying to make it big in Los Angeles. One is an aspiring actress (the fantastic Emma Stone), while the other (Ryan Gosling) is a jobbing jazz musician hoping for his big break. The song and dance routines are a wonder to watch, but this isn't just a film that relies on gimmickry - it's a well told modern day love story.
Yes, it was made to capitalise on the huge success of Indiana Jones, but this is no rip off. Directed by the brilliant Robert Zemeckis and blessed with two of the most charismatic stars of the 80s Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, the movie is an absolute blast. It’s a film about a romance author who heads to Columbia to find her kidnapped sister, only to find herself face to face with an adventurer Michael Douglas. With equal measure action and comedy, Romancing the Stone is full of the fun only a rock-solid 80s flick can muster.
Me, Earl and the Dying Girl manages to make the most out of a plot that would normally depress the hell out of everyone. Film fanatic Greg (a superb Thomas Mann) is tasked with looking after Rachel (Olivia Cooke) a local girl who has been diagnosed with leukaemia. Instead of playing on the sadness of the situation, Greg makes the most of their time together by spoofing some of his favourite films and making Rachel a movie tribute. It’s sentimental stuff but not sweet enough to rot your teeth.
Whatever your take on Notting Hill (it's either seen as a AAA rom-com or a slice of schmaltz) there's no denying that it changed romantic movies for the better. Writer Richard Curtis weaves a tale about a Hollywood A-lister who hides out in Notting Hill and falls for bumbling bookshop owner Hugh Grant. It's a fun, fleeting movie that doesn't take itself too seriously and is buoyed by the presence of both Grant and Julia Roberts.
Woody Allen won an Oscar for Best Direction, Diane Keaton for Best Actress and Annie Hall won for Best Film in 1977… it's fair to say this movie has critical clout. Even if it didn't win these awards, it would still be known as one of the very best movies about love, and certainly one of the best movies Woody Allen has made. The titular Annie Hall is 'the one who got away', as Allen's comedian character Alvy Singer tries to figure out what went wrong in their relationship.
As much a love letter to New York as it is a romantic film, Manhattan is a brilliant look at love, through those who are in love and have lost love. Woody Allen plays, well, Woody Allen, someone who is already twice divorced when we meet him, then follow him through a string of affairs throughout the film. Although it could do without the rather sombre third act, the movie is a delight.
Charlie Kaufman does it again with Anomalisa, offering up an adult take on relationships using one of the most childlike forms - puppetry. David Thewlis and Jennifer Jason Leigh lend their exquisite voices to the movie but it's the animation and the heartbreaking story of a man that experiences something out of the ordinary that shines through.
If you can forgive the ending - there was definitely room for Jack on that raft - Titanic is one of the best, and certainly most epic love stories. The sinking of the Titanic plays second fiddle to the romance of Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose (Kate Winslet), two lovers from different social groups that end up on the illustrious liner, the Titanic. Yes, it's overwrought and melodramatic, but it's still one helluva watch.
Wes Anderson’s quirky directing is a perfect fit for Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Fox. Lovingly crafted using stop animation that’s voiced by Anderson alumni, and George Clooney, the film works well as a kids animation, but it’s adults that will get the biggest kicks. Director Anderson is going back to stop animation for his next feature - let’s hope it’s half as good as the fantastic Fantastic Mr Fox.
An animated movie lives or dies by its animation and that's what makes James And The Giant Peach so good. Its unique look is because of Henry Selick, the genius director who also brought Tim Burton's A Nightmare Before Christmas alive. His animation is a perfect companion for Roald Dahl's twisted tale.
Directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, who made the greatest Anime around Akira, Steamboy is a superb Victorian-London infused tale about a young inventor who has to do everything he can to make sure his granddad's inventions don't fall into the wrong hands. It looks amazing, but is sometimes let down by its storytelling. It's definitely worth a watch, though, even if it does get a little too silly.
The geniuses that brought us Wallace and Gromit decided not to use their most famous creations for their first feature-length movie. Instead they chose this brilliant, endearing story about the lives of some chickens in a chicken run. Mel Gibson adds his voice for some A-List star power but it's the stop-motion animation that's standout here.
Roald Dahl's greatest book, Matilda, is given a great adaptation, thanks to director and star Danny DeVito. While brilliant at playing one of Matilda's awful parents, it's his direction that's key here - weaving together hyperreal imagery, a faithfulness to the book and the right balance of comedy and unpleasantness.
Unfairly shunned by critics when it was first released, Hook is a fun spin on the Peter Pan mythos. Directed by Steven Spielberg, he brings his child-eyed wonder to the Pan world, shifting the narrative to a grown-up Pan played brilliantly by Robin Williams. His performance is backed by Dustin Hoffman at his funniest as Captain Hook and too many other great performances to mention.
Muppet madness ensues in The Dark Crystal - yet another classic brought to life by the majesty of Jim Henson and his puppet creations. It may not be as loved as Labyrinth but it's still a brilliant children's tale about the search for a crystal that once brought balance to the world.
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