For enterprises to hit their next milestone, they need to innovate at speed and at scale. As demand rises for remote working, so does the demand for flexible enterprise technology systems to enable improved accessibility for workers and branch offices. To maintain a dynamic remote working environment, it is also imperative to consider the importance of branch and remote security, but are businesses prioritizing the right cybersecurity measures?

As the use of devices continues to grow, so too does the risk of security threats targeting businesses. According to a recent report from Infoblox, a third (33%) of UK businesses believe there are around 1,000 non-business related IoT devices - otherwise known as ‘shadow IoT devices’ - connected to their enterprise networks. Shadow IoT devices can be defined as IoT devices or sensors in active use within an organisation without the IT department’s knowledge, and they are becoming a major concern for corporate network security professionals. 

Once connected to the network, shadow IoT devices can open the door for cyber attacks that can wreak havoc on a businesses’ IT system. Businesses need to evaluate the principles of their security network architecture in order to prevent data breaches and attacks conducted through shadow IoT devices. It is imperative to build the right IT infrastructure from the offset as this will help to address visibility, reliability and management challenges across the network further down the line.

Flexible working places a strain on network security

According to a 2019 survey on remote-working statistics, almost three quarters (73%) of people in the UK consider flexible working the new normal, and, as the number of people working remotely continues to rise in the UK, so does the amount of connected devices. Research from Strategy Analyst has predicted that almost 40 billion devices will be connected to the internet by 2025, rising to 50 billion by 2030.

While the IoT has introduced greater accessibility and speed, it has also led to increasing concern surrounding the associated risks from shadow IoT devices. In fact, a staggering 88% of UK businesses said that they are concerned about the risk of vulnerabilities that their organisation is exposed to thanks to shadow IoT devices. On an average day, UK businesses reported 30,000 non-business provisioned IoT devices connecting to their network. These unauthorized connections highlight the high degree of the challenges businesses face.

Almost 48% of enterprises believe they have between 1,000 and 5,000 personal IoT devices connected to the network at any one time. Perhaps the biggest concern here is that IT teams are not detecting them in a timely manner, opening up enterprise networks to significant risks of malware and other types of cyberattacks. For example, in 2019 a large-scale botnet attack targeted an online streaming application by using more than 400,000 IoT-connected devices over 13 days. So, with billions of new connected devices slated to appear over the next few years, where do we go from here?

Why security teams should prioritize remote and branch office networks

Although there is clearly some way left to go, 89% of organisations said that they employ a security policy for personal IoT devices on their network. As enterprises continue to expand into branch offices and leverage SaaS and cloud-based applications, they must implement defenses and evolving DDI infrastructures to provide an optimal end-user experience to devices on the network edge. According to the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC), devices that can access more sensitive information or services, including personal data, should be prioritized.

To combat network-centric cyber-attacks, almost three quarters (72%) of organisations worldwide said that they are planning to deploy cloud-based security functions on their on-premise devices over the next three years. These cloud-based functions can include services such as Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), User and Entity Behaviour Analytics (UEBA), Next-Generation Firewall (NFGW) and Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) and will be key in giving staff an overview of their network’s architecture to address visibility, reliability and management challenges. Installing these network security solutions can help organisations successfully mitigate untrusted zones and also offer many benefits, such as lowering costs.

In addition to these cloud-based functions, businesses must invest in secured DNS in order to address the many ways that malware exploits DNS to extract data and spread. When secured, DNS can act as a first line of defense by providing essential alerting and visibility to IT admins, helping resolve security incidents faster by identifying and blocking malicious activity.

Striking the balance between the team and the technology

According to the IFSEC Global Cyber Security Breaches Report 2020, 46% of UK businesses reported having cyber-attacks or breaches in the last 12 months. IT Managers need to stop and consider the wider needs of the business and how identification is improving for cybercriminals. 

By increasing the amount of skilled staff, this will help prevent the many shadow IoT devices from connecting to the network and enforce stricter controls for new devices joining the network. Indeed, when it comes to network security, one of the top concerns for 28% of UK IT professionals is the lack of skilled staff. We won’t solve the problem with technology alone; it is key for training to be prioritized for the wider team as well.

With effective policies and guidelines in place, personal connected devices should not hinder a businesses’ ability to manage its networks safely and effectively. Through the combination of cloud-based security services, secured DNS and security training, network and security professionals will be able to actively manage the threats and reduce the risk of attacks presented by shadow IoT devices.

• We've also featured the best anti-virus for Windows, Mac, Android, and iPhone.

Nintendo Switch deals are back in stock at Very, with a £319.99 price tag on this Pokemon Shield bundle available now. Or, grab this Animal Crossing edition with a download of New Horizons for £319.99 while stock lasts. That's fantastic news if you've been waiting for the Nintendo Switch to come back into stock, and even better news if you've had your eye on the Animal Crossing version. Plus, you're picking up some of the latest releases with this limited offer as well. This is an incredibly in-demand item, and we expect it to be out of stock soon, so move fast to grab your Nintendo Switch while it's still in stock. 

Recent demand surges have pushed the price of any remaining stock up to eye-watering heights over the last few weeks, despite some retailers receiving shipments over the last few days. That means we're seeing flashes of Nintendo Switch deals available across the country, but the speediest of shoppers are snapping them up within minutes. 

It's been a long time coming, but this latest Nintendo Switch stock may just be the start of the console's return to our shelves, but for now, this is going to be an incredible race to the checkout. 

Not in the UK? You'll find the latest Nintendo Switch Lite bundle deals still available further down the page. 

Nintendo Switch bundles in stock at Very

Nintendo Switch stock run out? Here's where you can grab a Switch Lite in the UK and US

We're tracking all the latest Nintendo Switch deals and sales right here on TechRadar, but if you're struggling to find more stock you'll want to check out our guide on where to buy a Nintendo Switch. 

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, the 12th main entry in Ubisoft’s long-running franchise, could run at last-gen framerates on Xbox Series X.  And honestly, that shouldn’t be the case. 

Despite boasting 12 teraflops of computational power and support for 120 FPS, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla looks like it will fall short of hitting the coveted 4K/60 FPS experience that many gamers crave. 

Speaking to Eurogamer Portugal, Ubisoft said, “Currently, we can guarantee that Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will run at least 30 FPS. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will benefit from faster loading times, allowing players to immerse themselves in history and the world without friction. 

"Finally Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will benefit from improved graphics made possible by the Xbox Series X, and we can’t wait to see the beautiful world we’re creating in stunning 4K resolution.”

• Xbox Series X vs Xbox One X: will it be worth the upgrade?
• Xbox Series X games: every exclusive, cross-gen game announced so far
• Microsoft just made its first big mistake with the Xbox Series X

We reached out to Ubisoft UK, who also confirmed that the game will run at “a minimum of 30 FPS”, and placed a further emphasis on “leveraging not only the graphics enhancements offered by the next generation of consoles, but also faster loading times and the new architectures.” 

Graphics over performance

Despite the addition of a few fancy graphical bells and whistles, then, the experience will largely be the same on Xbox Series X – performance wise – as it will be on Xbox One X. Let’s not forget, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey ran at 4K/30fps on Xbox One X and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is also coming to Microsoft’s current-gen console. Will there be enough of a distinction between each version to separate the two?

Of course, it’s unclear whether Ubisoft will make a performance mode available in the game, which usually drops the resolution significantly in favor of a higher, often unlocked framerate. There’s also a chance that Ubisoft will be able to make further optimizations to the game before launch. 

Nevertheless, it’s hard not to be disappointed that one of the biggest third-party titles for Xbox Series X will only output at 30fps when running at 4K resolution, a target that we really shouldn’t have to deal with anymore when you factor in the huge leap in processing power Microsoft’s new console provides.

Dirty thirties

Consoles have been consistently hamstrung by weak CPUs that are often designed for laptops and repurposed accordingly. It’s why 60fps gaming has been possible (and largely the norm) on PC hardware for well over a decade, while console games can often suffer from notoriously unstable performance. Nowadays, most PC gamers far exceed 60fps in favor of higher refresh rates, such as 144fps, so it’s jarring to play console games that feel so sludgy and blurry in comparison.  

And yet, even though both the Xbox Series X and PS5 will feature an AMD Zen 2 processor, it looks like the constraints of 30 FPS aren’t going away anytime soon. We’ve slowly seen more developers move away from the arbitrary frame cap, particularly in competitive games such as first-person shooters and fighting games. 

But single-player titles seem to be more reluctant to take the next step, often prioritizing graphical effects over smoother, more responsive gameplay. Surely it’s time console gamers got to enjoy the benefits of both? 

Power cut

Microsoft is bullishly claiming that Xbox Series X is the most powerful console ever made, which is admittedly hard to deny on paper. However, hitting 4K/60fps might prove to be an ambitious target, with even Nvidia’s top of the range graphics card, the GeForce RTX 2080Ti, struggling to keep a locked 60fps at 4K in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey at max settings. That being said, I’d like to at least see the choice to choose between either resolution or performance, as often the differences between 1440p (a common resolution for PC monitors) and 4K can be negligible, while the jump between 30 to 60fps is instantly apparent. 

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will invade Xbox Series X (and presumably PS5) when it's released this holiday season. We’re likely to find out more about the game at Ubisoft’s E3-style digital event, Ubisoft Forward, which takes place on July 12, and we’ll also get a better picture of developers’ priorities as more next-gen games get announced.

• From Ezio to Cassandra: best Assassin's Creed games

Diablo is the world’s premier action role-playing game (RPG) series. Interestingly, it's a game that's effectively spawned many an imitator. However, very few other games have managed to come close to the original's addictive, gear-gathering, dungeon-crawling grind. 

The development team behind Diablo, called Blizzard, has managed to overcome all of the competition on the PC and has finally won over console gamers with Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition. 

Now Blizzard is making a big move that's a bit unexpected. It's setting its sights on your smartphone, with plans to bring the super popular demon-slaying franchise to your palm with Diablo for smartphones. Which we now know will be called Diablo Immortal.

But there's a problem. The move from PC to console to smartphone has been rather controversial one. And because of this, it already seems to be dividing the game's hardcore fanbase. We're not sure where we stand yet. But we do think that Diablo Immortal could be a genuine antidote to a lot of the horrible Diablo clones that plague mobile game stores, right? 

Surprisingly, Blizzard has remained largely quiet about Diablo Immortal since its controversial reveal. It's just dropped the occasional update instead and has instead focused on Diablo 4 at Blizzcon 2019. But we're still excited to see Diablo hit mobile devices, so here's everything you need to know about Diablo Immortal.

[Update: We could see a HD remaster of the second Diablo game launch along with Diablo Immortal, with the aptly named and rumored Diablo 2: Resurrected. Read on to find out more!]

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Cut to the chase – Diablo on phones

• What is it? A mobile, touchscreen-controlled take on the classic Diablo ARPG formula.
• When can I play it? TBC
• What can I play it on? Android and iOS devices are the platforms announced so far

Diablo Immortal release date

Diablo Immortal doesn’t have an official release date yet beyond a “coming soon” placeholder. We had been expecting a 2019 release, but a statement in February of 2019 from Blizzard CFO Dennis Durkin, aimed at easing investor expectations, stated that the company had no major releases planned for 2019.

It's possible that we could see Diablo Immortal release this year, as the game seems to be fairly far along in development, but we'll have to wait for news from Blizzard on an official release date.

One interesting rumor that may shift the date potentially is the suggestion that a Diablo 2 remake is in the works. The so-called Diablo 2: Resurrected is apparently in development at Vicarious Visions to mark the 20th anniversary of the game, and could be used as stop gap to tide fans over waiting for the releases of Diablo Immortal and Diablo 4.

Diablo Immortal trailers

BlizzCon 2019 brought a gameplay and development update trailer for Diablo Immortal which shows some new character classes, gameplay mechanics and locations. 

Check it out below:

Two trailers were revealed for Diablo Immortal during Blizzcon 2018 – one a relatively extensive look at gameplay, the other a cinematic focusing on the story. 

Feast your eyes on both below:

Diablo Immortal gameplay and story

It may be a mobile game, but for the most part this is going to be the same Diablo you already know and love, albeit with controls designed to make the most out of a phone touchscreen rather than a mouse or controller.

Developed cooperatively between Blizzard and Chinese devs at NetEase (the company which co-operates Overwatch, Diablo 3 and Warcraft in China), the game will be set five years after the events of Diablo 2, and will explore what happened after the Worldstone was destroyed in that game, and the path taken to the dismal world of Diablo 3. 

The likes of Tyrael, Malthael, and Leah and Deckard Cain will all feature in the story, as will the demon hunters Valla and Josen who appeared in Blizzard’s Heroes of the Storm. In terms of foes, expect appearances from Diablo’s buddy Baal and Skarn, the Herald of Terror. Story beats will be dished out via non-playable characters, with additional storylines landing through updates to the game.

Built from the ground-up, Diablo Immortal will introduce new abilities and techniques not yet seen in a Diablo game. While six familiar classes will be present (Barbarian, Demon Hunter, Monk, Necromancer, Crusader and Wizard – with the Witch Doctor notably absent at this stage), they’ll be able to work together in all new ways. 

Abilities will be able to be combined to make cross class co-operative play more exciting. A Wizard for instance will be able to freeze a foe with ice crystals before firing a beam called the Ray of Frost into the crystal. When used individually, the Ray of Frost and ice crystals can only take down one baddie, but if the ray is fired at the crystal, it fragments the beam so it can hit multiple enemies.

Players will be able to use Ultimate Abilities (charged through repeated basic attacks) and Legendary items in order to enhance their powers and unleash well-timed devastating attacks that could give them the edge in a difficult battle. 

Projectile and melee attacks will also be more clearly directional now—many attacks will include a a directional cone within which to fire them off, which will likely be handy when attempting to trigger the combo moves described earlier.

The other big change for the game will be the amount of players who can team up together. Previously, this has topped out at four for Diablo 3. But footage of Diablo Immortal shows as many as ten players banding together to battle foes. Early reports indicate that these large scale battles will be locked to open world areas, with instanced dungeons (and the boss specific loot they offer) instead tied to four-player maximum parties.

There also seems to be a greater emphasis on environmental and platforming obstacles in Diablo Immortal. The gameplay clip showed levels in which players had to abseil down a chasm while battling the forces of darkness, and another where they travelled along what appeared to be a river in a raft, taking on baddies along for the ride.

Those changes aside, expect Diablo Immortal to be very similar to previous Diablo games. You’ll fight enemies, levelling up to acquire new skills while dearly wishing that the next felled foe will drop a more powerful weapon, armour piece or accessory to make your coming battles easier. It’s one of the most addictive loops in all of gaming, and what has made Diablo one of the most revered franchises in all of gaming.

Diablo Immortal reception and controversy

Diablo Immortal’s announcement was met with, at best, a mixed reception. It’s been several years since Blizzard released a mainline Diablo game, and so the trailer seemed a tease for those expecting a full PC or console release. As such, the backlash was immediate, with some accusing Blizzard of cashing in on fans’ goodwill, and that the game was merely a reskin of co-developers NetEase’s previous mobile ARPG titles.

Blizzard has looked to allay fears, saying that it’s taking as much care with Diablo Immortal as any of its titles, and assuring fans that it’s an all-new game worth their time. 

In an interview with GamesBeat, Blizzard president J. Allen Brack defended the decision to create a mobile game stating that while Blizzard would like its core fanbase to give the mobile release a chance, it's understood that "every game is not going to be for every person".

Brack added that as a mobile title, Immortal will, of course, be "different" and that it's not trying to replicate the PC experience" but promised "it’s going to be a good, authentic experience for the Blizzard games we bring to that platform."

However, so great has been the animosity that Blizzard has had to show its hand for further titles earlier than expected. Diablo 4 was officially announced at Blizzcon 2019 but, previous to this, Blizzard revealed that Immortal was not the only Diablo game currently in the works. 

In another interview with IGN, Brack said that the fan reaction to Immortal's reveal had taught Blizzard "a huge number of lessons". Brack acknowledged concern that Blizzard was moving away from PC releases in favor of mobile but said that this mobile release "doesn’t mean we’re not going to be continuing to make awesome PC games and awesome console games like we have in the past".

Diablo Immortal pricing and in-game purchases

Just exactly how Blizzard will be selling Diablo Immortal is yet to be revealed. While many fans are hoping for a one-off, single payment, that seems unlikely given how the lucrative mobile gaming market has been established.

We’d imagine that Diablo Immortal will be free to play, and will include some sort of in-app purchases, be that access to additional classes or, more likely, stat buffing items and cosmetic adornments for your heroes.

In an update from BlizzCon 2019, Blizzard said it's still "too early" to reveal how it plans to monetize the game but assured fans that it's “taking the time to get it right”.

“We want to make a Diablo game players love and to support it for years to come,” the post explains, “We plan to achieve that by creating an ecosystem that accounts for and welcomes every type of player—from our most die-hard Diablo veterans to those who’ll be exploring Sanctuary for the first time.”

Diablo Immortal news and rumors

Alpha Tests

During a recent investor call, Activision announced that there are plans for Diablo Immortal Alpha Tests later in 2020. Although there's no solid final release date just yet, Activision reported (via Seeking Alpha) good progress on the game and "encouraging" results from internal play tests.

For the next stages Activision is planning to hold regional alpha tests in order to garner more "invaluable" feedback. There's been no exact region or date confirmed for when these tests will happen but it's expected to be in mid-2020. 

Rod Fergusson is overseeing the Diablo franchise
The Coalition studio head Rod Fergusson has announced he's leaving the Gear of War developer to oversee the Diablo franchise at Blizzard Entertainment.

Fergusson officially made the announcement on Twitter, revealing that he will be joining Blizzard in March where he will, no doubt, join the team in developing the upcoming Diablo 4 and Diablo 4 Immortal.

Check his tweet out below:

Image Credits: Blizzard Entertainment

• The best iPhone games to play in 2019

If you're wondering where to buy the Nintendo Switch, you're not alone. Nintendo Switch stock has been scarce over the last few months, with the US seeing a particular dry spell with nothing on the shelves for weeks. The same can't be said for the UK, however, as we're seeing flashes of new stock popping up at a number of retailers over the past weeks. Amazon, Currys, and Very have all offered Nintendo Switch deals recently, so keep checking back if you're feeling the itch. Scroll down for retailers that still have the console in stock in the US and UK.

Why does the Switch keep selling so fast? It's partly because people have been stuck indoors a lot lately, but it's also because supplies have reportedly been challenging. Read on for more of what we know about the Switch, and when we expect it to come back into stock. 

Check out our Nintendo Switch bundles and deals page for an around-the-clock update on how the console's supplies are doing, but you're much more likely to find a Switch Lite out there right now than the base Switch. 

• Nintendo Switch in stock at Very: Animal Crossing Editon: £319.99 | Pokemon Shield bundle: £319.99

• The best Nintendo Switch games

Where to buy Nintendo Switch now: here's the last remaining Switch and Switch Lite stock

If you're looking for the full, dockable Nintendo Switch console in the US and Australia, you will have to wait. Stock has completely dried up. In the UK, though, Amazon still has limited models available. 

If you're looking for where to buy a handheld-only Nintendo Switch Lite, you may be in more luck. There's still a little stock across US, UK and Australia for you to take advantage of, but grab one now if you want it. We'll keep refreshing this page when we find stock.

Why is the Nintendo Switch selling out?

It's a combination of a few factors: the global pandemic has led to a rush of people buying the console to fill their hours indoors, which isn't surprising. At the same time, Animal Crossing: New Horizons has released, a long-awaited game and a massive crossover hit that's captured the imaginations of a wider, mainstream audience. The Switch has been regularly selling out for a while now. This has just exacerbated the issue. 

In addition, back in February, Bloomberg posted a report warning that a potential bottleneck with component supplies coming out of China (caused by coronavirus) would see stock dry up as soon as April. If the reasoning mentioned in that report was correct, it looks like they were pretty on the money with the timing, except stock looks like it'll be gone even faster than that. 

"Nintendo Switch hardware is selling out at various retail locations in the US, but more systems are on the way. We apologize for any inconvenience," is what Nintendo told THR in a statement. So, more stock is on the way. But when will you you be able to buy a Nintendo Switch?

When will the Nintendo Switch be back in stock?

The situation is hard to predict given that Nintendo has reportedly faced supply line issues over the current health crisis, but Nintendo intends to make 10% more consoles than it did in 2019 to help meet the increase in demand (assuming its supply lines can keep up_. A Nintendo representative told Nikkei, though, that it can't be sure how many Switch units will be supplied as it procures parts for the console.

Our prediction? The Switch will be hard to get hold of all year, but we'd be surprised if we see many more new units released as parts of the world are in lockdown. We're hopeful we'll see the Switch more readily available in the summer months.

Again, this is just our best guess, but you can be guaranteed that when the Switch does come back, folks will be rushing to claim the new consoles. It's very likely to sell out again. 

In the meantime, our advice is to avoid being gouged by third-party sellers who are inflating the price. $299.99/£279.99/AU$469 is the MSRP/RRP for the regular Switch, while $199.99/£199.99/AU$329 is the price for the Switch Lite. Paying above that isn't worth it unless you're picking up a bundle with games and accessories. 

Where to buy Nintendo Switch when stock returns

As soon as those consoles hit that warehouse, retailers are going to want to get them on the shelves. And you can bet they'll be flying into delivery trucks just as quickly. If you hear word that the Nintendo Switch is back in stock in the US, Amazon and Walmart will be your best bet. 

With massive warehouse inventories, speedy delivery, and quick checkout processes, these retailers are primed to pick up your Nintendo Switch order ahead of the queue. Plus, in all our time covering Nintendo Switch bundle deals, these stores have consistently won out in value, meaning you're more likely to grab some extras for your cash. 

In the UK, Currys and Game are likely to offer the first bundles of the pack, though don't underestimate the power of Argos same day delivery if you want your console now. We'll likely see the best prices come out of Currys, who are normally reluctant to increase the cost of the console as demand reaches its peak, and if you're looking for the fastest checkout times to secure yours before everyone else, you'll want to keep an eye on Amazon as well.

If stock has already been wiped clean at these retailers by the time you get there, you'll still be left wondering where to buy a Nintendo Switch. Luckily, plenty of non-tech retailers stock the Nintendo Switch as well, so you'll have luck with John Lewis, Jacamo and Studio among others.

In Australia, Amazon is likely your best bet, though it's worth keeping an eye on other online stores, such as Kogan and eBay. While it might take a while, big retailers such as JB Hi-Fi and Big W are also likely to receive new stock, and game retailers such as EB Games and The Gamesmen are also expected to get more units soon.

Don't leave yourself wondering where to buy a Nintendo Switch on the day, get prepped now and you have every chance of bagging one when the masses flock to the shelves.

Right now, you're more likely to find a Switch Lite than you are a regular Switch, but stock is still selling out fast. Here's a quick price comparison chart for the Switch Lite:

And here, you'll find a quick price comparison chart for the Switch itself. 

We'll keep you updated on the Switch's stock levels. 

Interested in Diablo 4? Then you need this handy guide full of everything there is to know about the upcoming game from Blizzard – including what to expect and the Diablo 4 release date.

It’s been eight years since the initial release of Diablo 3, which means we're dying to find out more about another monstrous loot hunt in the upcoming Diablo 4.

After what feels like years of rumors, Diablo 4 was officially confirmed by Blizzard at Blizzcon in 2019. Now we know that the next core Diablo game is an isometric action role-playing game (RPG), which sees the return of Lilith, the daughter of Mephisto.

It's likely to feature an open-world map with five main regions, day/night cycles and a non-linear campaign. You'll smash and loot your way through this world with one of five customizable classes, three of which are already announced.  

What's more, it's being designed in a brand-new engine for PS4, Xbox One and PC, with plans to simultaneously release it on all platforms (maybe even PS5 and Xbox Series X?). In addition, The Coalition studio head Rod Fergusson has been recruited to oversee development on the whole Diablo franchise - which can only be good news.

But when is the Diablo 4 release date? And what other surprises might be in the new game? Here’s everything to know so far about the long-awaited RPG from Blizzard. 

[Update: We could see a HD remaster of the second Diablo game land ahead of Diablo 4, in the shape of the rumored Diablo 2: Resurrected. Read on to find out more!]

Cut to the chase

• What is it? The next instalation in the veteran action-role playing dungeon crawling series, Diablo.
• When can I play it? The Diablo 4 release date is unconfirmed, but 'not soon' is what we're hearing.
• What can I play it on? Xbox One, PS4 and PC (maybe next-gen consoles).

Diablo 4 release date

Bad news here: Diablo 4 probably won't be released anytime soon. At a Blizzcon 2019 deep dive on the game, the game's director said that he doesn't expect the game to be finished anytime soon, "even by Blizzard's standards of soon."

That said, the fact that the team is developing the game for PS4 and Xbox One heavily implies that the game will be released within the next two to three years - as the lifespan of those consoles will be coming to an abrupt end after the launch of new consoles in late 2020. 

To confuse matters further, the wait could be extended by the suggestion that a Diablo 2 remake is in the works. Rumored to be named Diablo 2: Resurrected, the remaster is said to be in development at Vicarious Visions (an Activision Blizzard subsidiary) to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the game. It'd been long requested by fans, and could be used to eke out some more development time for both Diablo Immortal and Diablo 4, sating fans lust for blood-soaked dungeon crawling.

Diablo 4 trailers

The Diablo 4 release date might be disappointing, but post BlizzCon 2019, GameInformer brought us plenty of gameplay from Diablo 4 to pore over. Familiar in the best possible way, this footage showcases Diablo 4's return to an intensely Gothic game world and that addictive gameplay loop that's made it so famous. 

Given the game's release is some time away (maybe years) it's possible that everything in this footage could change. But it's exciting to get a glimpse of the direction in which the game's development is going. 

Below you can watch videos of the the game's three classes in action: Barbarian, Sorceress and then Druid. All in all it's about an hour of gameplay which is quite something. Given the game is still a while off yet, maybe ration it. 

Diablo 4 was officially announced at Blizzcon 2019 where we got the chance to see both the announcement story cinemati and the first gameplay trailer. 

Check both trailers out below:

Diablo 4 news, previous leaks and features

Rod Fergusson's teasing tweets

After departing The Coalition to lead Blizzard's Diablo team, Rod Fergusson has been posting some interesting tweets about what he's seeing behind-the-scenes of Diablo 4's development in his first few days of his new job. In his short time with the team, Fergusson has praised the "beautiful, yet disturbing" imagery created by the art team. We'll be keeping an eye on his Twitter feed over the next few days to see if he mentions anything else about Diablo 4. 

Quarterly Update - February 2019
As promised, Blizzard has posted a quarterly update for the development of Diablo 4. The lengthy update, published to the Blizzard website, has words from Angela Del Priore, Lead UI Designer, and Candace Thomas, Senior Encounter Designer.

Angela Del Priore's update delves into UI changes, couch co-op and controller support. 

UI changes
As far as UI changes are concerned, the inventory will not have different-sized items "to avoid interrupting gameplay with pockets of inventory management". Item icons are being re-approached with the aim of giving them "natural texture and realism" opposed to the "painterly style" initially pursued. In line with achieving greater realism, the brightness and saturation of icon backgrounds has been toned down and rarity indicators are visually more subtle.

Based on more non-specific feedback, the inventory has also been reorganized for a more "balanced composition". 

In addition to this, there will be more flexibility in binding options based on players asking "to rebind their primary skill to anything but the left mouse button so that they could separate moving from attacking." As well as making it possible to assign any skill to any slot from the start, all skill slots can have their keys rebound with the intention to support skill rebinding on controllers too. 

Finally, the game's action bar's location has been up for discussion and based on feedback and field-of-view it's been decided that it will take a left-corner position on consoles while PC players will be able to choose from a corner or centre position. 

Controller Support
Diablo 4 will support controllers on PC and according to Blizzard the aim is to give players "the ability to switch between the two options freely". As a result, a more unified UI is needed while "keeping established keyboard and mouse conventions" and "creating controller-friendly shortcuts or alternate flows". Efforts are apparently being made to ensure both inputs feel "native" to the game. 

Couch Co-op
For Diablo 4 the development team is looking to improve the 2-player co-op experience from Diablo 3 and set up "core progression UI screens such that they can be opened independently or at the same time."

Senior Encounter Designer Candace Thomas, on the other hand, gives fans a look at a new kind of enemy that will feature in Diablo 4: Cannibals. 

New enemy: Cannibal Tribes 

Cannibals are one of the monster families that will feature in Diablo 4 alongside other such as the Fallen and the Drowned. 

For Diablo 4, the team aims to "build Sanctuary as a living, breathing character—especially through its creatures" and so its monsters have been re-imagined in a more gritty style.

According to Thomas they have "lovingly handcrafted every creature you’ll encounter from the ground up: that includes demons, NPCs, Act Bosses, and even the skittering critters you can crush underfoot. Though we still pay tribute to some hallmark gameplay—such as Fallen Shamans resurrecting other Fallen—we have completely reimagined things in other places."

The lore around the Cannibals states that no one knows where they've come from but the rumor is that they're a former band of barbarians, exiled to the Dry Steppes where they prey on caravans and villages. 

The Cannibal family has four members, each with a unique weapon, silhouette or stance so you can tell them apart. Two of them are melee combatants, one with a two-handed greatsword cleaver; the other with a lightweight halberd. 

The bruiser member uses a spiked club in each hand to deliver heavy blows while there are also dual-axe-wielding swarmers that unleash faster, flurried frontal attacks. The members are dangerous individually but combinations of their attacks are positively deadly. 

Something the Cannibal family doesn't have is ranged units. Instead, they rely on speed which can make for a very distinctive and stressful combat experience.  

Rod Fergusson is overseeing the Diablo franchise
The Coalition studio head Rod Fergusson has announced he's leaving the Gear of War developer to oversee the Diablo franchise at Blizzard Entertainment.

Fergusson officially made the announcement on Twitter, revealing that he will be joining Blizzard in March where he will, no doubt, join the team in developing the upcoming Diablo 4 and Diablo 4 Immortal.

Check his tweet out below:

Responding to concerns
In 2019, Blizzard stated its intentions to release quarterly updates on the progress of Diablo 4 in 2020. After a post on Reddit called out a lack of updates from the developer, a community manager has responded to manage expectations. 

In a multi-pointed response, community manager Nevalistis stated that the game is in "very, very early in development" so there's not a lot to share at the moment and what is shareable has been shared already. Not only that, they pointed out that the Diablo team Blizzard is at work on more than one project and pacing is therefore necessary. 

Given the first quarter of 2020 runs up until March, we could see an update on the game any time between now and then. More likely to be closer to then than now. Part of the reason for any time taken will also be to ensure that what is shown is at the highest standard possible. According to Nevalistis "We want to put a lot of time, effort, and polish into these updates because they are so few and we care a lot about our work. However, ultimately, the content will be decided by (1) what's ready to show and (2) what conversations we're ready to have with the community."

The post finishes up by promising that while cool stuff is in the works, the team will be taking its time to create an excellent game for fans as "while we want to maintain transparency, we also don't want to risk over-promising and under delivering. This happens all too often by showing features too early."

No more Ancient Legendaries
Lead systems designer, David Kim, has written an update for fans with regards to Diablo 4's systems. The update reveals that the game won't have Ancient Legendaries and highlights there will be some new stats. 

In order to make Diablo 4's itemisation "deep and rewarding", Kim writes, Ancient Legendaries will be removed and replaced with a new consumable which will make it possible to apply a Legendary affix to a non-Legendary item. 

Affixes on items generally will increase which is expected to raise the importance of non-Legendary affixes with regards to overall power. However, three new stats—Angelic Power, Demonic Power and Ancestral Power—will also appear as new affixes.

As a result, according to Kim, "Legendary powers should no longer completely dwarf the strength of your affixes, and the affixes themselves provide more interesting choices because their strength depends on how much of the relevant Powers you’ve accumulated on the rest of your gear. You might find an amulet with the perfect stats for your build, but some of its Affixes may require Demonic Power when you’ve previously focused on Ancestral. Maybe your current amulet is the primary source of your Ancestral Power, so equipping a new amulet would mean potentially making sacrifices elsewhere.

With this system, it will be easy to identify items with good stats, but it will take some thought and planning to decide whether the item is good for your build."

The team is also streamlining Attack and Defense. Now, attack will only be found on weapons, defence will only be found on armor, and jewellery won't have an impact on either.

Big ambitions
In an interview with AusGamers Diablo 4's Game Director Luis Barriga and Art Director John Mueller have given an insight into the big ambitions the team has for Diablo 4 and its expansions. 

We already know that Lilith will be the main villain for the game, rather than Diablo, but Mueller has suggested that there will eventually more to tell than this, with more characters and stories that could be told in expansions: “Diablo IV is like the first chapter of a book. We want to tell a big story and we want to tell it, hopefully, for a very long time. Treating this like the first chapter of a book and Lilith as a key character in this story, it feels great knowing that there are still all these other characters that could come back in the future. Or, new characters that we haven’t seen before.”

The pair also touch on just how big the world of Sanctuary is going to be:

“There’s going to be five contiguous regions in the world and you can actually go from the North, the Northern most point of Scosglen, which is the area seen in the demo, all the way down through the Dry Steppes and into the deserts of Kejhistan. And you'll never see a loading screen. It's completely seamless. That's the level of detail we've added into creating the world.”

Quarterly updates
In a blog post post-BlizzCon, Diablo 4's game director Luis Barriba has said that fans can expect a "cool update" on the game's progress come February 2020. This update will be the "first in a series of quarterly updates" which will come across the year. 

Baribba also addresses the discussions that have been happening around how Diablo 4 will approach items and stats in the community with a promise that it's being carefully considered and clarifications are coming. 

"We also know that one topic is burning hotter than the rest. We want you to know that we are having the same conversations about items and stats that you are having—whether on the official discussion threads or external sites, we read it all! Getting this right is at the top of our minds, and in the coming weeks our lead systems designer David Kim will provide a few clarifications, share some of his thoughts, and address some of your open questions."

Montetization
During a conversation at BlizzCon 2019, Twitch streamer Quin69 (via PCGamesN) had a conversation with Diablo 4's lead designer Joe Shely during which it was said that the game will likely have microtransactions but that they'll be cosmetic in nature (so no selling Power) and that there'll also be expansions on top of the base game:

“Diablo IV will be available as a base game, and […] we’re going to have expansions. You also will be able to acquire cosmetics in the game.”

Shely added that it's still early days for the game so naturally things could change as development progresses.

Blizzcon 2019 unveiling
Diablo 4 was officially confirmed at Blizzcon 2019 on November 1, where it was revealed the game would focus on Lilith - the daughter of Mephisto.

Like its predecessors, the game is an isometric, action RPG and will have PVP zones in the overworld - with the first three classes being barbarian, sorceress and druid. It's also being developed for PC, PS4 and Xbox One.

Story and setting
For those who haven't been following along in the in-game events, Diablo 4 will be set after Diablo 3 Reaper of Souls. At this point, the gates of heaven have been closed after Malthael, the Angel of Death, destroyed much of Sanctuary.

It's through Heaven's ignorance of the events transpiring in Sanctuary that Lilith, the daughter of Mephisto and canonical mother of humanity, is set lose from her prison. 

What we know about the overworld right now is that it's all open, with five unique regions and both a day/night cycle and ever-changing weather. Missions are non-linear and according to the game's director, you're free to take them on however you'd like.

Always online
Other players will appear in your game for shared events, meaning you will have to always be online to play. This isn't an feature you can turn off but you can choose not to group up with others. We don't know the exact details about how this will work.

Skill changes and talent trees
According to Eurogamer, the rune system is gone, instead replaced by a system that sees you spending points on skills to improve them - with some gainer new effects at higher levels.

In addition, each class has a talent tree that allows players to customize their build. You can also enhance equipment and weapons through a new Rune Word socketing system.

Dungeons and loot
Like previous entries, you're going to spend a lot of time in dungeons - all of which will be randomly generated in a similar way to Diablo 3. According to the game's director, there will be 'hundreds of dungeons' in the game to explore 'in which you'll find hundreds of legendary items to equip'.

Abilities
Each class has five abilities including Evade and an Ultimate attack.

Which classes are available?
At launch, Diablo 4 will feature five classes - three of which we already know about. The Barbarian, a series staple will return in Diablo 4 and will be available to wield both double- and single-handed weapons in a single build, and will have four weapon slots. 

The Sorceress, another returning favorite, will have AOE attacks that control the battlefield and will be able to turn into a ball of energy to incinerate enemies, while the Druid has both animal companion NPCs and the ability to shapeshift.   

The Art of Diablo may have revealed Diablo 4 - confirmed
German magazine Game Star found a listing for a glossy new book called The Art of Diablo. Taking a behind-the-scenes look at the art of the franchise, it's set to contain “more than 500 artworks from Diablo 1, Diablo 2, Diablo 3 and Diablo 4.” Yep, Diablo 4, being mentioned in relation to a book officially associated with the developer Blizzard. Though the book is a little way off from release yet, the mention (likely unintentional) all but confirmed that Diablo 4 was on the way.

New hires - confirmed
Tongues started wagging after nine job listings for an "unannounced project" in the Diablo franchise were spotted on the Blizzard Entertainment careers page. The company was looking for key roles, including lead character and concept artists, software engineers, a lead narrative designer and an executive producer.

While it's not certain that the listings were for Diablo 4, the game has since been announced.

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• Diablo Immortal: everything we know about the Diablo game for mobile phones

Professional email client Newton Mail has been given another new lease of life after nearly closing for a second time.

The service was initially shut down last month after previous owners Essential decided to drop their involvement, but now looks set to come back to life with new owners.

Newton Mail has proved popular due to a number of nifty features and clean design, despite a $50 per year price tag, which to many is extremely high when various email services are available for much less, or completely free.

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The new owners have said they aim to stick to Newton Mail's previous payment model and have announced that the same applications will work as they had done in the past. 

Newton resurrected

The new bosses are Maitrik Kataria and Justin Mitchell, who come from a software background and are big fans of the mail service.

Intending to build a profitable venture that can survive, Kataria and Mitchell have suggested rolling out new features like Dark mode within three to six months. They’ve also promised to setup up a forum to drive community discussions around service issues and new features.

Among other features promised by the new team are improving privacy standards, ability to delete the account and take ownership of the data, integration of PGP based encryption and moving towards GDPR compliance.  

However, since both Kataria and Mitchell “aren’t a well funded VC backed company” and are new to acquisition and mergers, they do have a contingency plan in place. The duo has promised to open-source Newton Mail and find a way for self-hosted servers to support the product indefinitely in case something goes wrong again.

Kataria and Mitchell said they drew confidence from competitors such as Superhuman, Polymail, MailSpring, Spike, Spark, Boomerang that have a higher subscription fee than Newton Mail.

• We've also highlighted the best email clients of 2020

Via: The Verge

Vodafone has scrapped its outlook for 2021 due to the coronavirus outbreak but will still dish out a dividend to investors and continue its existing strategy.

Revenues for the year rose by 3 per cent to €45 billion with an improved performance in Europe – boosted by the contribution of the cable assets acquired from Liberty Global – while EBITDA rose 2.6 per cent to €14.9 billion.

In the UK, total revenues rose slightly to €6.5 billion, boosted by a 0.5 per cent increase in service revenues, while losses narrowed.

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Vodafone results

Across Europe, the company has made progress in its infrastructure rollouts over the past 12 months. So far, Vodafone has launched 5G services in 97 cities across eight countries, while its ‘Next Generation Network’ now covers 136 million premises across Europe. By 2023, it hopes to have 50 million customers connected to gigabit speeds.

On top of this it is pressing ahead with plans to achieve €1.2 billion savings through efficiency measures, such as common group functions and digital initiatives. To date, it has achieved €800 million and has completed the separation of its tower infrastructure into a separate entity with a view to an IPO in 2021.

The company’s decision to maintain its dividend will come as a boost given the decision by rivals to suspend theirs due to the uncertainty caused by the ongoing pandemic.

“Vodafone has delivered a good financial performance - growing revenue, adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow – whilst building strong commercial momentum through the year and executing at pace on our strategic priorities,” declared Vodafone Group CEO Nick Read.

Vodafone said its priority had been to maintain service quality and support business and consumer customers during the crisis, citing network initiatives, charitable donations, and support given to government responses.

“The services Vodafone provides are more important than ever and we are committed to playing a key role in society’s recovery to the ‘new normal’,” continued Read. “I am pleased with the rapid, comprehensive and coordinated way we responded to the COVID-19 crisis.

Like other telecoms groups, Vodafone has seen mobile and fixed line data consumption increase significantly as customers increasingly rely on their connection for work, entertainment and communication with friends and family during lockdown.

However this increase has been difficult to monetise in the short-term while other revenues have declined. With this in mind, the company is not offering earnings guidance for 2021.

“The economic impact of the pandemic in our markets, whilst uncertain, is likely to be significant,” Vodafone told investors.

“Whilst our business model is more resilient than many others, we are not immune to the challenges. We are experiencing a direct impact on our roaming revenues from lower international travel and we also expect economic pressures to impact our customer revenues over time. However, we are also seeing significant increases in data volumes and further improvements in loyalty, as our customers place greater value on the quality, speed and reliability of our networks.”

• Here are the best Vodafone deals for May 2020

Ever considered editing already sent messages? And, what good would come out of correcting fat-finger errors once the receiver has read it? Well, Apple believes that there is a lot wrong with the current messaging applications and has sought a patent whereby its iMessage app would be able to edit messages already sent. 

The patent application called Devices, Methods and Graphical User Interfaces for Messaging was filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) late last month in which Apple discusses a slew of features that could get added to its messenger app. 

In the filing, Apple claims that current messaging applications have numerous drawbacks and limitations such as their limited ability to easily acknowledge messages, edit previously sent messages and express what a user is trying to communicate, display private messages, synchronise viewing of content between users etc. 

Apple's iMessage works on iOS, iPadOS and macOS and is competing with device agnostic messaging services like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, and Signal besides several video conferencing platforms like Microsoft Team, Zoom, and Google Hangouts. 

The patent filing also highlights the limitations in terms of ability to integrate with the camera, combine search and sharing, integrate interactive applications, stickers, make payments, interact with avatars, translate languages and grouping of messages. 

While the iMessage has gained a reputation as an all-in-one communication app for messages, video calls, and group video calls, the challenge is that Apple has never considered moving beyond its own ecosystem and designing something for the Android ecosystem and Windows 10.

The editing feature would bring features that have existed on social applications such as WeChat where when the user long presses the text, an edit option appears and allows the sent text to be edited. Of course, the fact is the edited message would display "edited" which means the recipient would know that an error was made.

The ability to edit sent messages also exists on Slack which allows users to edit a message after it has been posted. However, these generally work within a centralised environment as the app does not really transmit a message to another user over a cellular network. In this case, all users are logged into a central server whereby an edit can be applied easily and seen by the reader.

When it comes to text messaging and editing what's been sent over a network, things get complicated. The message needs to be retrieved, edited and sent back while also retaining a version of the unedited one. WhatsApp allows users to delete messages for everyone but doesn't edit an already sent message. 

Which is why Apple's patent becomes interesting in the first place. However, would it see the light of the day is anybody's guess. 

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Protecting your phone with a case has always been a smart plan, but if your phone has a glass back, it's crucial to ensuring your device can survive a drop. The iPhone 8 was the first Apple smartphone to have such a rear, so an accident or hard knock can cover its back in cracks.

That's why getting a great iPhone 8 case or iPhone 8 Plus case can be vital for ensuring your smartphone will keep working for a long period of time, safe from scrapes and drops. While its certainly not the newest Apple phone by any means, the iPhone 8 remains a reliable device for a great price, and it should last you years, as long as it's kept safe from accidents.

Just to be clear, we haven’t tested out these iPhone 8 cases and can't guarantee all will protect (or look cool) to the same degree. But the list includes many that come highly-rated by users, or from reliable brands that we have tested products from before and some look pretty sharp. 

These are products that we haven't had in our test labs, but based on our experts' opinion and knowledge of the most reputable brands around, we think these are worth looking at.

Our selections, ranked from cheapest to most expensive, take into account online reviews, brand reputation, product capability and unique features, to help you pick through the maze of choices available to you.

•  Looking for the best iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max cases? How about iPhone X cases? 

Best iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus cases at a glance

• Torras Slim Fit iPhone 8 Case
• JETech iPhone 8 clear case
• Spigen Touch Armor case for iPhone 8
• Matone Crystal Clear case
• Speck Presidio Grip case
• X-Doria Defense Clear case
• MNML Thin case for iPhone 8
• Tech21 Pure Clear case
• iPhone 8 Official Silicone case
• Mujjo Leather case
• iPhone 8 Official Leather case
• LifeProof Fre case
• Otterbox Defender case
• Spigen Slim Armor CS case
• Caseology Parallax case
• Otterbox Strada case for iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus
• iPhone 8 faux leather wallet folio case

Best iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus cases

The Torras Slim Fit case is perfect for those who want a simple, inexpensive case that won't glitz up their iPhone 8. It won't have the multi-stage protection of an OtterBox, but buying one of these is certainly better than keeping your phone naked, and this is the next closest thing: aside from a 1mm lip around the camera, the Torras Slim Fit is only fractionally larger than the phone itself. 

This is the case for those who want a no-frills case that will fit in pockets and small bags. Get it for $11 (£8, AU$15) on Amazon here.

JETech's iPhone 8 case is also its iPhone 7 case (it fits both), which tells you a lot about the design: it fits, it works, it's not complicated. This crystal-clear case should protect against basic drops, scratches and scuffs.

In other words, don't expect phenomenal protection from this case, but it's an extremely functional choice for someone who doesn't want to spend much or just needs a quick fix before upgrading to a pricier case.

You can get the JETech Case for under $8 (£6, AU$11) on Amazon here.

Spigen releases Tough Armor cases for plenty of phones, and this iPhone 8 case is much like them: improved protection over basic cases for a bit higher price, but nowhere near as expensive as others in this list.

The case has a flexible TPU body wrapped in a polycarbonate back, providing a little extra cushion between the ground and your phone than simple plastic cases. Plus, it's got a little kickstand if you enjoy watching media on your iPhone 8.

The Spigen Tough Armor iPhone 8 case is just under $16 (£12, AU$22) and available on Amazon here.

Matone's Crystal Clear case is a simple solution for protecting your iPhone 8 Plus. It's a basic, soft TPU bumper case that goes around the edges and back of the phone to absorb shock when dropped.

It comes in four colors, but all of them are see-through, so you'll still be able to show off the full appearance of your phone. And, of course, with simplicity comes a low price tag.

See this iPhone 8 Plus case at Amazon here.

Looking for a simple protective cover that will help you grip your iPhone 8? This option from trusted case manufacturer Speck is basic, but does exactly what you need it to.

It won't protect the screen of your phone, but the grip material at the back will help you keep hold of your phone when you really need to. 

Protection for your pricey iPhone 8 can come at a high cost, but it doesn’t have to. The X-Doria Defense Clear case costs less than most ruggedized cases.

One understated feature this one boasts is that it tucks the iPhone 8’s screen under a bit of its lip so as to avoid scratching it on a table if you like to set your phone face down. This case is no frills, but if all you’re looking for is protection on the cheap, look no further.

If you're looking for a case, but don't want to add any heft or thickness to the iPhone 8, this is the one you're after.

MNML makes, you guessed it, cases with minimal aesthetic. They are cheap and come in a variety of colors. Better yet, they'll work on your iPhone 7 as well, should you have one laying around.

Tech21 offers a great protective case here that will ensure the back or edges of your phone won't get scratched and will hopefully be able to take a bit of the brunt when you next drop your iPhone 8.

There's no front to this case, so you may want to buy a screen protector, but this see through option may be a good idea if you want to be able to see your phone while it's protected.

Apple makes its own official cases for the iPhone 8, and unsurprisingly they're worthy of inclusion in this list. This one is made from a silicone material that should feel comfortable in your hand.

But perhaps the best element is the color choices on offer here. You have the choice of nine colors, including bright red, so you can make your phone look like the red iPhone 7.

If style is your modus operandi, this leather case by Mujjo should fit your tastes nicely. In terms of its looks, it’s reminiscent of Apple’s own leather case, but it’s going for the much cheaper rate of about $38 (around £28, AU$47).

It likely won’t be the most protective case, given that it doesn’t look to hug the camera unit closely, so it’s probably not the wisest choice for those who like to take their phone out in the elements. That said, if you biff, you’ll really be going down in style.

This is another choice you can buy directly in the Apple Store when you grab your iPhone 8, but we really like the leather version of Apple's official case.

Apart from the material it's made of, the design is very similar to the silicone version up above and it comes in a great variety of colors too including pink, brown and bright red.

If protecting your phone is your number one priority when investing in a case, LifeProof’s signature offering looks to fit the bill with its colorful suite of cases.

By hugging around the back and securely over the iPhone 8’s front, it protects its fragile glass build materials on every front. 

While the phone looks as much like an iPhone 6 as it does an 8 while covered, at least you’ll still be able to take advantage of all the new features, like wireless charging and the improved camera. The big downside is that this ruggedized case is nearly $100.

Otterbox’s Defender Series of cases is the perfect choice for anyone who wants to ensure their iPhone 8 is safe from just about anything. This case offers multi-layer protection for the front, back and sides of the phone. An attachable clip can even help you keep it easily accessible without making it more prone to falls.

Spigen’s Slim Armor CS is a handy case for the iPhone 8. It not only protects your phone with a two-layer combination of soft TPU and hard PC, but it also lets you store two card inside. Throw a credit card and license in there, and you’re set for a night on the town. 

Caseology's Parallax iPhone 8 case has a stylish design combining a soft shell with a 3D effect on the back and a hard shell for extra reinforcement.

While it might cover up most of the iPhone 8's own design, the Parallax case's look is interesting enough that you might not even mind. Plus, there are plenty of color combinations to choose from.

See the Caseology Parallax iPhone at Amazon here.

Otterbox makes great cases, and the Strada series for the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus sticks to that trend. The case features mutli-layer protection for your phone. And, thanks to its folio style, it can protect your screen as well.

It may be pricey, but it's a lot cheaper than a serious repair. It also has room for a credit card, so you can store one in your case if you don't like bringing your wallet everywhere.

See the Otterbox Strada case for iPhone 8 at Amazon here.
See the Otterbox Strada case for iPhone 8 Plus at Amazon here.

• We've also made a list of the best iPhone apps

This folio-style wallet is great for anyone who doesn't want to bring their wallet along with their phone. Its faux-leather looks nice (in photos, at least), comes in multiple colors and has three pockets for cards or cash.

It may be a bit cumbersome for frequent texters, but it will keep your phone's front screen a bit more protected from damage. Pick up this iPhone 8 faux-leather wallet case on Amazon here for $19 (£15, AU$26).

Call of Duty: Warzone is combating cheaters with a new security measure that will hopefully make life harder for those who want to spoil the fun for everyone. 

Aimed specifically at PC players - cheating tends to be more prominent on PCs than on consoles - developer Infinity Ward has added mandatory two-factor authentication for those who are using the free-to-play Warzone client.

Oddly, 2FA is not required for those who access Warzone through Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, i.e. those who've bought the game, meaning that Warzone will potentially still be vulnerable to cheaters.

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And considering that PUBG, another game that also isn’t free-to-play, is awash with cheats, it might suggest that people who pay for games will still find a way to break the rules.

Nevertheless, the news that cheaters will have to jump through more hoops before they ruin everyone else’s enjoyment is pleasing. We also found out recently that suspected Call of Duty: Warzone cheaters will be forced to play with each other, and in-game reporting measures are set to greatly improve.

Infinity Ward announced the new measures in a tweet, which you can see below.

It seems that cheating is on the rise, too, as Riot Games' upcoming first-person competitive shooter, Valorant, is already being plagued by hackers, despite the game only being in a closed beta. 

Get in the zone

Warzone has attracted over 60 million players and is set to be supported for many years to come, which is a first for publisher Activision’s annualized series. And there's no sign of the momentum slowing, with regular updates and improvements dropping each week. 

• New to Warzone? Here are top 10 tips for beginners

Facebook-owned social media platforms have been going after cyber bullies in recent times. And as part of these efforts, Instagram has now added new features that helps users manage negative comments. It does so by giving users the controls to restrict who can tag or mention you on the platform. 

The launch of these features coincides with Facebook's Community Standards Enforcement Report that details results of how the company has enforced its policies across the suite of apps. The latest report noted that 1.5 million pieces of content had been removed from Instagram during the first quarter of 2020. 

Managing negative comments

To manage negative comments on Instagram accounts with a large following, typically those of a celebrity, Instagram has provided a feature that allows account holders to delete comments in bulk or restrict multiple accounts from posting negative comments. This takes care of an oft-felt need amongst celebrities during a surge of negative responses in case the post goes viral or during a coordinated attack from trolls. 

The feature could be the answer that celebrity accounts and corporate ones have been looking for in recent times. On its part, Instagram says that the early feedback from user testing was entertaining, which is why they have now opened it up to all users on mobile, the company has said in a blog post. 

Users on the iOS need to tap on a comment to bring up the dotted icon on the top right corner and choose "Manage Comments." Then choose up to 25 comments to delete at one stroke or tap "More Options" to block or restrict commenters' accounts in bulk. On Android, the user just needs to hold on a comment and then tap on the dotted icon.

Dealing with positive comments

The post also said that Instagram would soon be launching the Pinned Comments, a feature that aims to give users a means to amplify positive comments.  Once again, the feature is directed at the community to have more positive interactions with brands or celebrities and influencers. Once it goes live, users will be able to select and pin several comments to the top of their comments threat so that it's more visible. 

Instagram is also bringing a set of expanded controls that allow users to choose who can mention or tag you in the comments, captions or Stories. There would be a choice of selecting "Everyone," "Only People You Follow," or "No One," in the case of tags as well as mentions. This feature can be toggled on and off. 

Looks like Facebook has suddenly become aggressive in its approach to handle cyber bullying, given that competitors such as Twitter have released similar features some time ago. 

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Windows 10's search function has been notoriously wonky in recent times, and now yet another problem has now cropped up – possibly related to a recent optional update for the OS – affecting some users and leaving them scratching their heads.

Worse still, the way this fresh search bug manifests itself makes it look something like a malware infection, causing folks to worry that their PC may have been compromised by a virus somehow.

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When some users click on the Start menu and run a search (ie start typing to find, say, an app), they are reporting that a weird-looking screen pops up saying ‘This is taking too long to load’ with a blank background and a ‘Refresh’ button.

However, a long string of characters in the bottom right-hand corner presents itself – presumably some kind of installation version – and that looks like something Microsoft’s operating system shouldn’t be displaying, hence the worry that somehow this is the result of malware.

It certainly doesn’t present itself as a typical Windows 10 bug that you might see in the release version of the OS (a preview version, maybe), but there is nothing malicious going on behind-the-scenes (at least not looking at the cures – more on that momentarily – and reports of those who have run virus scans to check if anything is amiss, which have come up empty).

Only a limited number of users appear to be affected by this problem, but there are certainly reports of several PCs suffering from the search gremlin, as highlighted on Reddit in a couple of threads, as well as on Microsoft’s Answers.com forum and other places online (like Superuser.com).

As we mentioned at the outset, many of these incidents are being linked to the installation of a recent optional update for Windows 10, namely KB4550945, but other users are reporting that they are encountering the issue without having that particular update installed.

Another point worth bearing in mind is that if you click the ‘Refresh’ button in the odd-looking error screen, the problem will go away and your search results will appear. However, the search flaw will return, although possibly not until you next reboot your computer, and it’s a fairly annoying issue as such.

Fixing search

What can you do to get rid of the problem? Detailing any solution is slightly more complicated given that the link to KB4550945 isn’t fully demonstrated from what we’ve seen.

However, if you have installed that particular update – and you may not have done, given that it’s an optional affair – one obvious step you can try is to uninstall it. We’ve seen a couple of reports suggesting this may get rid of the issue.

The second thing to try is simply installing all the latest updates for Windows 10. Making sure the system is fully up to date has resolved the gremlin for some folks, and that includes feature updates, with some reports indicating that upgrading to Windows 10 November 2019 Update (if you haven’t already done so) can get rid of the strange error.

If none of these relatively easy to implement fixes work, then there’s something else you can try, as mentioned on Reddit and highlighted by Windows Latest, which spotted all this.

What you need to do is get Windows 10 to look for corruption errors, which can be achieved via the command prompt like so.

First, press the Windows key + ‘R’ to open the Run window. Inside this window, you need to type ‘cmd’ and then press the Ctrl+Shift+Enter keys together to open the command prompt as an admin.

Inside the command prompt window, you need to type the following and press Enter:

Then wait for the process to complete. If nothing else worked, fingers crossed that this could banish the bugbear.

Note that running the above command is done at your own risk, and alternatively, if you don’t fancy diving into the command prompt and trying this, if you hold on, we’re betting the problem will be swiftly resolved by an incoming update (assuming you’ve installed all the current ones as advised above).

We’ve contacted Microsoft for a comment on this problem – and whether a fix might be in the pipeline – and will update this story if we hear back.

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With its lineup of past champions, it' set to go down as one of the best seasons ever of the long-running reality show - read on to find out how to watch Survivor: Winners at War‘s epic finale, no matter where you are in the world.

The latest run of the show is all set to wrap up with a marathon final 3-hour episode today - the longest in its 40 season history - with host and showrunner Jeff Probst teasing that it has "so much happening that we could not make it any shorter”.

Billed as "the biggest battle in Survivor history," season 40 has united no less than 20 past winners to compete against each other for a historic $2 million prize.

Denise Stapley, Ben Driebergen, Sarah Lacina, Michele Fitzgerald, and Tony Vlachos are the remaining five players to have reached the final phase. They're set to be joined by one Edge of Extinction returnee, strongly rumoured to be the season’s first eliminated contestant, Natalie Anderson.

The show's usual format of a live finale reunion to crown the Sole Survivor has been scuppered thanks to the coronavirus crisis, but a reunion of shorts still looks set to take place with the show using a video chat platform like Zoom.

Ready to see who will win the $2 million prize and become the "Sole Survivor"? Keep reading to find out how to watch Survivor: Winners at War finale online from anywhere - and what to do if you find yourself stranded away from home.

• Want more hardcore reality TV? See how to watch The Challenge online

Watch Survivor: Winners at War online from outside your country

Geo-blocks making you feel like a pariah on the Edge of Extinction? If you find yourself away from home for business or on an extended vacation when the latest episode drops, don’t despair. You can still enjoy all the latest Survivor schemings.

Or say you’re in a region where this content hasn’t been made available. Utilizing a VPN will let you stream the Survivor: Winners at War finale no matter where you’re watching from. This basic bit of software can change your IP address so you can access each episode live or on demand as episodes become available, just as if you were at home.

How to watch Survivor: Winners at War finale online in the US for free

• FuboTV: $55 p/m for around 90 channels, including local stations like CBS.
• AT&T Now: Of their numerous plans, the cheapest is $65 p/m for over 40 channels, including HBO.
• Amazon Prime Video: You’ll need to sign up to Prime for $12.99 p/m and include CBS All Access, which is an additional $5.99 p/m. Both come with free trials though.

How to watch the Survivor: Winners at War finale online in Canada

How to watch Survivor: Winners at War online in Australia for FREE

Can I watch Survivor: Winners at War online in the UK?

Sadly, UK fans aren't invited to the closing Parvati party. There's no direct means of viewing CBS shows either live or on-demand at present.

Anyone in the UK from abroad can grab a VPN as mentioned above, but note that many services require credit card or cable provider details to sign-up, so make sure to read the fine print and have whatever's required to hand for your convenience.

iPhone SE deals have now been available for a little while, flexing its affordability, powerful processor, and suspiciously iPhone 8-shaped body. And if this is a device that has caught your eye, you might want to act fast; one of the best offers yet is rapidly coming to an end.

• See what all the fuss is about with our iPhone SE 2020 guide
• Or compare them to today's other best iPhone deals

The big-name (not so high-street anymore) retailer Carphone Warehouse has been going all in on the iPhone SE. Offering up £80 gift cards on any of its iPhone SE deals, Carphone has made this a tempting offer.

Those vouchers can be for M&S, Uber Eats, Tesco, or you can just pile it all onto a Mastercard for personalised spending. Rather go SIM-free? Carphone will still offer you a voucher... it just drops to £15 instead and switches out M&S for Just Eat.

All sounds good, right? The only clause worth noting is the time you have to get it. This promotion comes to a close on 17 May, leaving you with a few days to make a snap decision. If that's too soon or you miss the deadline, check out our guide to the best mobile phone deals for everything else out there right now.

Carphone Warehouse's best iPhone SE deal:

Best of the rest: more iPhone SE deals from Carphone Warehouse

If you want to spread the payments over 24 months, then a contract is the way to go. Sign up for the offer here and then select your favourite tariff. Some of the best currently going are:

• iD Mobile | 500MB data | 250 mins | £9 upfront and £23.99 a month
• Vodafone | 18GB data | Unlimited mins | £29 upfront and £30 a month
• EE | 20GB data | Unlimited mins | £65 upfront and £31 a month
• EE | 45GB data | Unlimited mins | Free upfront and £36 a month
• Vodafone | 72GB data | Unlimited mins | Free upfront and £35 a month

Just want that handset to combine with an existing or new SIM-only deal? Then do yourself a favour and click this link to become eligible for that £15 bonus when you buy.

• 64GB iPhone SE - £419
• 128GB iPhone SE - £469
• 256GB iPhone SE - £569
  
  Read more:

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Oppo Find X2and Find X2 Pro are the company’s premium flagship smartphones in the X2 lineup. Oppo India, today, has teased the launch of the devices in India soon.  

Oppo India took the twitter platform to share the teaser of the Oppo Find X2 series. The teaser says “witness the Perfect Screen Of 2020 with a Billion colours and ultimate smoothness” which refers to the 10-bit colour rendering capability of the display present on the Oppo Find X2 series.

The Oppo Find X2 is the second generation all-screen lineup of premium flagship smartphones from the company. The Oppo Find X2 and Find X2 Pro were announced globally in March and is finally making its way to India. Amazon India's "notify me" page is also live now.

Oppo Find X2 specs and differences

Both X2 and X2 Pro come with 6.7-inch AMOLED screens with a 120Hz refresh rate. They feature a QHD+ resolution (1,440 x 3,168 pixel), a peak brightness of 1,200 nits, and HDR10+ certification. With its O1 Ultra Vision Engine processor the phones can upscale regular content to 60fps or 120fps. Under the hood, they are powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset paired with up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. 

Both the smartphones feature 48MP Sony IMX586 primary camera. The Find X2 packs in a 12MP wide-angle lens and a 13MP telephoto lens. On the other hand, the Find X2 Pro features a 48MP wide-angle lens and a 13MP telephoto lens. 

The Find X2 Pro is packed with a 4,260mAh battery and the Find X2 is packed with a 4,200mAh battery. Both of them support 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 fast charging via Type-C port.

Oppo Find X2 series launch date

The company did not reveal the launch date with the teaser. But, popular tipster, Ishan Agarwal tweeted that the Oppo Find X2 series could be launched in India on May 18. We expect the company to officially announce the launch date soon. 

In global markets, the Oppo Find X2 starts at £899, which converts to about Rs 83,000.

• Oppo Find X2 screen is just as good as Samsung Galaxy S20's, according to brand
• Oppo Find X2 Pro review

The OnePlus 8 series, which went up for pre-bookings on April 29 on Amazon, will be available by the end of May, according to a statement by a top company executive. The series is being manufactured at the company’s Noida factory in India. A few days back, the sale date for the series was declared as May 11 on Amazon.

The official didn’t mention the exact date but we expect to see the handset go on sale by May 31, at the latest. The OnePlus 8 starts at Rs 41,999 while the beginning price of the Pro model is Rs 54,999. Amazon also has launch offers for pre-orders where customers will receive Rs 1,000 as cashback on both the models. 

"We are expecting it to transition into robust sales in the coming months. The OnePlus 8 series will be available in the Indian market by May end," said Vikas Agarwal, General Manager of OnePlus India to IANS.

"We have resumed operations in the Noida facility last week itself in line with the health safety regulations laid out by the government," he added.

To avail the discount, an Amazon e-gift card worth Rs 1,000 is to be purchased before May 10. The gift card should then be used between May 11 and June 30 to get the promised discount. It should also be noted that the OnePlus 8 base model (6GB + 128GB) is exclusive to Amazon and will not be sold via any other channel. 

Besides the two flagship phones, OnePlus also announced that its Bullets Wireless Z will go on sale from 10 May. The wireless earphones went on sale on OnePlus’ website and Amazon. In fact, OnePlus recently entered into a partnership with OnePlus with Flipkart which is a first. The earphones cost Rs 1,999 and will come in four colours – black, blue, mint and oat. 

• OnePlus 8 series now available for pre-bookings in India
• OnePlus 8 Pro review 
• OnePlus 8 review 

Intruders have stolen over 756GB of data from one of the world's top entertainment law firms that includes private correspondence, confidential agreements, and contact details of various celebrities.

The hackers have now threatened to release the entire database belonging to Grubman, Shire, Meiselas and Sacks in case their undisclosed extortion demand is not met. 

Experts believe the company is facing a ransomware attack from a notorious group of hackers known as REvil or Sodinokibi. The group are infamous for taking down foreign currency super-exchange Travelex, as well as HSBC and Royal Bank of Scotland.

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• Sodinokibi ransomware has got even nastier

Sodinokibi ransomware

As proof of their heist, the hackers have posted two letters signed by Madonna’s agent and Christina Aguilera's music rights apart from several other files with the names of celebrities like Nicki Minaj, Bruce Springsteen, Priyanka Chopra, Sir Elton John, Run DMC, Bruce Springsteen, Barbra Streisand, and Lady Gaga.

Grubman, Shire, Meiselas and Sacks, which also represents sports stars, as well as big names from the TV and film world, has stated that they are in touch with the experts to handle the matter. 

"We can confirm that we've been victimised by a cyber-attack," the firm said in a statement. "We have notified our clients and our staff. We have hired the world's experts who specialise in this area, and we are working around the clock to address these matters."

According to cyber experts, hackers involved in ransomware attacks have started to attack in a two-pronged way and rather than just encrypting devices to extort money, they upload troves of confidential data before encrypting the devices. 

If the victims do not agree to pay, this data is then used to blackmail victims and force them to agree with the ransom demands.

• Protect your devices with the best antivirus software packages

Via: The Register

Google Meet is now free for anyone with a Google account, letting you make video calls with up to 100 participants without paying a penny.

Previously, Google Meet was only available to businesses with a premium G-Suite account, but last month the company announced that it would be doing away with the charges and opening it up to everyone for free. The company has now announced that the rollout is complete, and anyone with a Google account can log in and start chatting.

Calls are technically limited to one hour, but Google won't start enforcing this until the end of September. Until then, your meetings can last all day.

According to Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and its parent company Alphabet, Google Meet has also been updated with real-time subtitles and a low-light mode for better picture quality.

To give the new Google Meet a try, visit https://meet.google.com, or download the app for iOS or Android. You can also set up meetings and invite people through Google Calendar – just click a time slot and follow the instructions.

The more the merrier

Apart from opening up access to the tool, Google has sought to make the most of the current situation by improving support for Meet, adding new features and making it directly accessible from Gmail.

The expanded tiled layout option now lets web users see up to 16 call participants at once, as opposed to just four. To share higher-quality video content with other callers, users can now choose to present a Chrome tab rather than just presenting their window or the entire screen. 

With Facebook Messenger Meet (which will soon be integrated with WhatsApp), Skype, Google Duo and Zoom all offering free multi-way video calls too, the hardest part of video conferencing app might soon be getting everyone to agree on the same app.

• The best video conferencing software

An investigation released today from cybersecurity firm Proofpoint has found that 80% of banks currently accredited by the UK government for Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) loans could be putting loan applicants at risk of fraudulent email attacks during the application process.

Only 13 out of the 64 accredited banks have implemented the adequate level of protection, which stops cybercriminals from spoofing their identity to defraud victims (known as DMARC - Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance). This protocol stops cybercriminals spoofing an organisation’s identity and decreases the risk of email fraud for customers. 

Cybercriminals regularly use spoofing to pose as government bodies or respected institutions, such as banks or financial organisations, by sending an email from a supposedly legitimate sender address. This makes it almost impossible for an ordinary internet user to identify a fake sender from a real one.

While the findings suggest 80% of accredited banks are not proactively blocking fraudulent emails from reaching targets, of the 64 accredited banks, 61% have no published DMARC record at all. This is leaving them wide open to impersonation attacks.

It comes at a time of heightened risk as the volume of cyberattacks utilising Covid-19 has increased dramatically. Initially, Proofpoint was seeing about one campaign a day worldwide but the team is now observing three to four each day across several languages.

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Preventative measures

“By not implementing simple, yet effective email authentication best practices, these accredited organisations are putting already vulnerable businesses at even greater risk, whilst Covid-19 related attacks are on the rise.” said Adenike Cosgrove, Cybersecurity Strategist, International at Proofpoint.

“In times of urgency and uncertainty, individuals are much more susceptible to these kinds of attacks, particularly if a fraudulent email looks like it has come from a genuine domain. In tandem with the fact that the UK government has mandated this email authentication standard for public sector organisations, having the recommended level of DMARC protection is essential for any organisation accredited for the CBILS.”

In light of the increased risks, businesses should be wary of any communication that instructs them to hand over personal information or financial details. People should also ignore all unexpected solicitations by email. Banks will not ask for highly sensitive information via these channels.

Business owners should also avoid clicking on unknown links, even from senders that appear official. If the information contained in an email looks legitimate, corroborate it with an official source. In addition, keep an eye out for spelling and grammatical errors. If an official-looking email includes spelling mistakes, it’s unlikely to be legitimate.

To assess the level of DMARC adoption among CBILS-accredited lenders, Proofpoint conducted an analysis of the corporate domains of the 64 organisations featured on British Business Bank’s list of current accredited lenders and partners as of May 11th 2020.

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