Samsung didn't put an S Pen inside the Galaxy Z Fold 5 for a very relatable reason - TechRadar

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 could have included an S Pen. No, not the one currently offered on the optional case, but inside the body of Samsung's largest and most productive foldable. This isn't guesswork, Samsung's design team considered it, going so far as to create an aluminum mockup with the integrated S Pen. I saw it, touched it, and even popped the S Pen out.

Samsung however, chose a different path. In fact, the road to the current Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 was full of such design considerations, something I learned when I (along with an invited collection of international journalists) sat down during Samsung UnPacked last week with the company's mobile design team at Samsung Headquarters in Suwan, South Korea.

The full expression of Samsung's foldable line was developed and influenced not just by last year's model or even the most recent Samsung Galaxy S23 line. 

Choose your aspect ratio. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

According to the man who worked on every Samsung smartphone since 2000, Samsung Head of Foldable Smartphone Design Tae-joong Kim (also known as "The Master" by his colleagues), the new foldables are influenced by everything from the company's first dual-screen folding phone to the thin Ultra Edition 5.9 and Armani Phone, both launched in 2007. The latter was the first collaboration with a third-party design company.

For its latest Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5, the team went through countless prototypes and showed us many of them in their mock design studio.

Along with the pen, Samsung considered a wide variety of aspect ratios for the Z Fold 5, including some that made the cover screen look considerably wider and, yes, more like a Google Pixel Fold.

Some foldable mockups that show the potential impact of different cover screen aspect ratios. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Samsung's design team stuck with the relatively narrow form factor because they believe it offers the best "usability and grip and portability."

That Samsung looked into those other ratios makes me wonder if we'll see a change in the not-too-distant future. When Samsung was the only big-name foldable game in town, it could afford to tell consumers what their foldable experience should be like. Now, though, consumers have seen the well-reviewed Pixel Fold and Samsung may have to take a second look at those aspect ratio studies when it comes time to design the Galaxy Z Fold 6.

Still, the potential inclusion of the S Pen really intrigued me. Based on the Galaxy S23 Ultra, we know Samsung can easily integrate the pen into the body of a not-too-thick smartphone. Plus, as I mentioned to Samsung Head of MX Design Hubert Lee, Samsung should consider including an S Pen in the $1,799.99 / £1,749 price of the Z Fold 5. After all, few people have adopted foldables, and even fewer understand the productivity potential of the Z Fold 5.

What better way to educate consumers than to have early adopters all running around with an S Pen that they pop out of the phone or off the case and use to draw, take notes, or markup a document on the Main unfolded screen? I don't want to speak for Lee, but he didn't dismiss my idea and his assistant appeared to take notes.

Oh, but what a wonder it would be to have a Z Fold 6 that offers an embedded pen.

When I asked why Samsung didn't go ahead with that idea this time, Lee told me, "There's a lot to consider. You can't just stick a pen in there. If you stick in a pen in there are other cost consequences. For now, we decided not to have the pen in the Fold."

Those consequences are probably the weight, thickness, and battery life of the device. All would change with a pen tunneled into the body. The phone might get thicker, it could be a little heavier, and you'd definitely lose some battery capacity. The last bit is especially concerning because the current Z Fold 5 has the same battery capacity and life as the last model. It really can't afford to lose a few hours of performance to an integrated S Pen.

As Samsung EVP and head of R+D office Won-Joon Choi told us later, when developing these products, "every millimeter, every gram matters."

US Editor in Chief

A 35-year industry veteran and award-winning journalist, Lance has covered technology since PCs were the size of suitcases and “on line” meant “waiting.” He’s a former Lifewire Editor-in-Chief, Mashable Editor-in-Chief, and, before that, Editor in Chief of PCMag.com and Senior Vice President of Content for Ziff Davis, Inc. He also wrote a popular, weekly tech column for Medium called The Upgrade.

Lance Ulanoff makes frequent appearances on national, international, and local news programs including Live with Kelly and Ryan, Fox News, Fox Business, the Today Show, Good Morning America, CNBC, CNN, and the BBC. 

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2023-07-31 20:30:11Z
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Microsoft argues its Activision Blizzard case with UK regulators - The Verge

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Microsoft wants UK regulators to consider its cloud deals, a Sony Call of Duty agreement, evidence from the FTC case, and much more.

By Tom Warren, a senior editor covering Microsoft, PC gaming, console, and tech. He founded WinRumors, a site dedicated to Microsoft news, before joining The Verge in 2012.

Illustration by William Joel / The Verge

Microsoft has submitted a new change of circumstances document to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in the UK, arguing its case for its proposed Activision Blizzard deal to be reconsidered for approval.

The CMA first blocked Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard in April, with the regulator making it clear it had concerns over the effect Microsoft’s acquisition could have on the emerging cloud gaming market. Weeks later, the European Commission then approved the deal thanks to Microsoft’s cloud gaming agreements with Nvidia, Boosteroid, and others and a commitment to the EU to open up cloud licensing access to Xbox and Activision Blizzard games.

Microsoft now argues the UK regulator should take into consideration its cloud gaming deals and the EU monitoring of them, a new Call of Duty agreement with Sony, and even fresh material from the FTC case “which undermines the [final report’s] conclusions.” Microsoft is also working on a final proposal to modify the merger agreement to address the CMA concerns more directly, which could involve selling off its cloud gaming rights in the UK.

Details on Microsoft’s Sony agreement are heavily redacted.

Image: CMA

Microsoft’s document is heavily redacted, so references to the company’s 10-year agreement with Sony over Call of Duty don’t shed any new light on the deal terms. We also still don’t have details of Microsoft’s final proposal to restructure its Activision deal, either, but the CMA is looking for comments from Microsoft’s rivals by August 4th and will accept final undertakings or make a final order by August 29th.

That means we should get more details on Microsoft’s final proposal in the coming weeks. Microsoft recently agreed to an extension to its $68.7 billion deal with Activision, pushing the new deal deadline to October 18th. The extension gives Microsoft and Activision plenty of time to attempt to address the CMA’s cloud gaming concerns.

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2023-07-31 14:10:49Z
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Nintendo Switch successor reportedly due late 2024 - Eurogamer.net

Nintendo's next-gen Switch console is currently set to debut in the second half of 2024, according to a new report.

Development kits for the console have now been passed to third-party developers, VGC states, ahead of its debut next year.

Eurogamer sources also expect a launch window in the latter half of 2024 for the next Switch console, which will remain playable in a handheld configuration.

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Nintendo Switch is still going strong, with the recent release of Pikmin 4.Watch on YouTube

VGC's report cites development sources which claim Nintendo is looking to debut its next console with an LCD screen rather than OLED in order to cut costs.

The system will also reportedly continue to read physical media via cartridge.

There are questions, though, about backwards compatibility. Will Switch 2 support Switch games? Here, VGC states that "some" third-party publishers have suggested including the feature could cannibalise their ability to re-sell older games on Nintendo's new hardware.

Nintendo is widely expected to be on the cusp of releasing new hardware, as Switch hardware sales continue to slow.

Switch software sales remain hugely profitable at present, however - and Nintendo recently announced a bumper crop of games which will see the Switch's current hardware generation extended into the first half of next year.

The remainder of 2023 will see the arrival of Super Mario Wonder, Super Mario RPG and a new WarioWare game. 2024, meanwhile, will bring a Princess Peach game and an enhanced version of Luigi's Mansion 2.

But these feel likely arrive before the Switch sees its final summer, and before the year's profitable holiday season. The long-delayed Metroid Prime 4 remains undated.

Eurogamer has contacted Nintendo for comment.

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2023-07-31 14:03:43Z
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PS5 Beta Finally Adds Support for Dolby Atmos HDMI Devices, Among Other Things - IGN

Sony is rolling out a new PlayStation 5 beta that adds a number of new features, including Dolby Atmos HDMI device support.

The new update, released today in beta form, adds audio options that allow 3D Audio powered by Tempest 3D AudioTech to be used with compatible Dolby Atmos-enabled HDMI devices such as sound bars, TVs, or home theater systems.

As detailed by the PlayStation Blog, here’s how to turn on Dolby Atmos:

To turn on Dolby Atmos, go to [Settings] > [Sound] > [Audio Output] > [Audio Format (Priority)], and then select [Dolby Atmos].

The beta also includes more options to quickly find games and console tips, new ways to connect with other players and customize your multiplayer sessions, and support for larger-capacity M.2 SSDs (up to 8TB).

New accessibility features mean you can now assign a second controller to one account as an assist controller, and use two controllers to operate a PS5 as if you were using a single controller. This means you can now play games collaboratively with others, or help a friend or child play a difficult section of a game.

Meanwhile, there is now an option to turn on haptic feedback effects while using your PS5 with your DualSense controller, the DualSense Edge controller, or PSVR2 Sense controller. This means system sound effects for certain events, such as checking a box or when you get a notification or boot up a game, are reflected physically through haptics.

Improvements to social features include a party UI update, which means you can now invite a player into a closed party without automatically adding the player into the group or creating a new group, and Share Screen Preview, which means when someone’s sharing their screen in a party you can join, you’ll now see a preview image of their Share Screen, even before you enter the party. Helpfully, you can now react to messages with emojis.

Other highlights include the ability to search for games in your library, an improvement to Game Help cards, and the ability to mute the PS5 beep sound.

Beta access to the update is limited to those invited in select countries (U.S., Canada, Japan, U.K., Germany and France). Sony plans to release the update globally later this year. If you’re selected, you’ll get an email invitation today when the update is available to download.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

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2023-07-31 09:51:52Z
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People are only just realizing how to make their Wi-Fi faster at home - Daily Mail

People are only just realizing how to make their Wi-Fi faster at home

• A WiFi router is like a lightbulb - so putting anything in the way of it will limit how much 'light' or internet connection you receive 
• There are simple tricks people can do to make sure they get the best connection 

By Claudia Aoraha, Senior Reporter For Dailymail.Com

Updated: 12:26 BST, 30 July 2023

There are simple tricks and changes that people can make in their homes to improve their Wi-Fi connection and get quicker broadband speeds. 

Simply moving the box, elevating it on a shelf, or making sure it's got the latest update can all make vast improvements to your internet experience.  

A Wi-Fi router is like a lightbulb - so putting anything in the way of it will limit how much 'light' or internet connection you receive.  

One of the easiest mistakes to make with your router is putting it on the floor.

Walls, floors, and metal objects can interfere and weaken your router's wireless signals - so if it's placed on the ground, some of your service is going straight into the floorboards. 

Moving the Wi-Fi box off the ground and placing it five to seven feet off the ground will help with the frequencies. 

Alex Tofts, from the broadband comparison service Broadband Genie, told DailyMail.com: 'The general rules to bear in mind are looking for any obstacles nearby that could cause a problem.

'Avoid placing it behind bulky furniture or next to other gadgets that could cause interference with the signal.’

He added: ‘There are certain rooms in the home which can be particularly problematic, so with that in mind, here are the areas that you should think twice about.’

Another trick that homeowners need to know about their Wi-Fi is that the most common wireless technology operates at a frequency of 2.4 gigahertz (GHz). 

But that's the same frequency that cordless telephones, microwave ovens, baby monitors, and garage door openers all use too.

As a result, their signal noise could interfere with the connection between your device and router, Microsoft warns. 

To reduce the interference, they suggest that people buy cordless telephones and other devices that use the 5.8 GHz frequencies to minimize the interference. 

Where you place the box in your home is also significant.

Central locations provide the best signal coverage across your entire home or apartment. 

Placing your router on the first floor will help it reach devices on the second floor, rather than having it on the ground floor, for example. 

Generally speaking, you want your router to be in the middle of your home, rather than at the edges, Toft explained.

Toft said: ‘Attic space is not optimal for signal strength.

‘Ideally, you want your router on the ground floor in the middle of your home, this will give it the best chance of reaching all the rooms in your home.

‘Insulation material in the attic can also make it harder to get a better signal. If you use your attic space and need internet up there, you should consider using a Wi-Fi booster.’

Replacing your router antenna can also help.

They usually broadcast in all directions, meaning that if it's placed by a wall, half of your Wi-Fi is going outside. 

Replacing an omnidirectional antenna with a high-gain antenna will allow users to  aim the router’s wireless signal in the most desirable direction. 

If you’re having trouble with one device cutting out or having a slow connection, it can be worth getting old-school and switching to an Ethernet cable for that specific device.

If you’ve got a lot of devices competing for Wi-Fi connection, it can be worth connecting the ones that don’t tend to move about (TVs and games consoles) via a wired connection to ensure they get the best speeds.

This can also ensure that you’ve got a solid connection to the devices that stream Ultra-HD video.

An obvious - but crucial - trick to make sure you're getting the best out of your Wi-Fi is to put a security password on it.

Routers without a password can be accessed by anyone in your vicinity. That means nosy neighbors could be eating up your power without realizing it. 

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2023-07-30 10:55:13Z
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Say hello to longlife tech that can challenge our throwaway culture - The Guardian

It is a habit that has become ingrained in so many consumers that you could be forgiven for thinking there was no other way: dumping your old and tired tech for a shinier model every year or two, shelling out hundreds of pounds in the process.

But a new generation of technology is creeping into the mainstream that is designed to upend this consumerist churn – devices that can be taken apart, repaired and upgraded by the user, and not via an over-priced service.

Once niche, these phones, headphones and laptops are vying for the same customers that buy iPhones and Samsung devices. And legislation being pushed through the EU will eventually force even the big brands to offer more repairable devices. So is it time to make the jump now, or wait to spend later?

Phones

One of the leaders of the repairable, upgradeable revolution is Dutch upstart Fairphone and its eponymous smartphone, which is now in its fourth generation.

The Fairphone 4 is an Android-based device with all the usual features, including water resistance, packed into a slightly chunky design that hides fully modular parts.

This means you can pop the back off and change the battery with your fingernail, while everything else just needs one small Phillips screwdriver. Fairphone even offers a five-year warranty and aims to provide updates for up to seven years.

The catch? It isn’t the fastest, the camera isn’t on the same level as a Pixel and, at £499, is more expensive, spec-for-spec, than rivals costing the same.

There are cheaper alternatives, such as a handful of Nokia phones costing about £120 and up, with user-replaceable parts.

But they aren’t quite as easy to fix as the Fairphone, and Nokia only provides up to three years of updates from release.

Laptops

Most computers used to be modular and upgradeable, with users able to swap out boards and cards to increase their power. But somewhere along the way, in recent years they have increasingly become sealed boxes.

But Framework, a US startup, has changed that with its now third-generation Laptop 13 and upcoming Laptop 16 gaming machine.

The Laptop 13 looks like a standard notebook PC running Windows or Linux. But it is designed to be easily taken apart with memory, storage and wireless cards easily replaceable and upgradeable.

The ports on the sides can be easily changed, too. Plus there’s a DIY kit should you want to build a whole computer from scratch at home.

Framework also provides processor upgrade kits, so, in theory, you could keep the same laptop and just keep changing processor bits to keep you up to date.

Build-your-own desktops still exist, but Framework is the first to take the niche upgradeable laptop towards the mainstream.

The catch, as with the Fairphone, is that the Framework 13 is slightly more expensive than equivalent rivals, starting at £1,049. That’s about £200 extra compared to Dell, Acer or others.

Headphones

Outside a small band of high-end brands, headphones have been a disposable commodity for decades. The addition of batteries for wireless models made the situation worse by making waste even more toxic. But there are solutions.

Danish firm Aiaiai, which has been making modular headphones since 2010, allows you to easily swap different parts, beyond just the cable and ear cushions.

Its TMA-2 comes in different variants, including a Bluetooth version, and a DIY edition you put together yourself. The headband, speakers, cushions and cables can all be changed, with spare parts and refurbished bits readily available, plus a lifetime trade-in offer. The only thing they don’t offer is noise cancelling, and they aren’t cheap at £200 for the Bluetooth versions.

Another contender is Fairphone’s Fairbuds XL, a set of wireless, noise-cancelling headphones that you can completely take apart. The modules, including the battery, can be replaced by using just a fingernail.

At £219 they may not compete with high-end rivals on sound, but they offer a real alternative to Bose or Sony.

What else?

Beside these cutting-edge products, the big brands are also slowly improving the sustainability of mainstream products. Over the last five years there’s been a shift towards longer-lasting devices, with the best providing key software support for at least five years from a phone’s release.

The batteries are lasting longer, with many maintaining their useful life for in excess of 1,000 full charge cycles, or roughly five years’ charging, if done once every two days.

Battery life is the number one cause of phone replacements, according to data from market research company IDC, so progress here is essential. “Today’s phones are much more resistant to breaking than even five years ago,” says Francisco Jeronimo, IDC’s vice-president of devices analysis.

Another positive trend is the inclusion of more recycled materials. Apple, Google and Samsung all now include recycled plastics and metals in phones, tablets and other devices. All three also offer some degree of DIY repair, but nothing like the simplicity of products from the new generation of companies that focus on sustainability.

These slow, but needed, changes have been driven, in part, by increasing consumer awareness, with a growing percentage of buyers actively seeking out more sustainable, or longer-lasting, devices.

But it is the EU’s upcoming new rules on eco-design that will force the issue.

The overhaul of regulations for batteries, device durability, longevity and repairability will come into force in about 2027. They will ensure any device sold in the European market, and, by extension, probably any other market – including the UK – will have to be designed to be easier to repair, more durable, have much longer software support and user-replaceable batteries.

The big firms are likely to be able to make such design changes, but phones may become thicker and more expensive as a result.

Either way, the Android or Apple phone of 2027 may have a battery you can replace yourself with simple tools, be durable enough to survive drops and dunks in water, and be supported for as many as five years after the device is discontinued.

But the question is whether longer-lasting phones will stop yearly or biannual upgrades.

“Even if manufacturers could make a phone that lasts 10 years, consumers don’t want to keep them that long. They want them to last better in the first two to five years, but most want change, just like in the car market,” Jeronimo says.

If that is the case, the biggest boon may be in the secondhand phone market. A phone with a longer useful life has more value to a second or third owner, which is beneficial to wallet and the environment alike.

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2023-07-30 08:00:00Z
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AI prompt engineering: learn how not to ask a chatbot a silly question - The Guardian

After all the initial excitement over ChatGPT, the language-processing tool driven by artificial intelligence (AI), the use of chatbots is becoming more commonplace. So how do you train your AI for work and home? We answer a few simple questions.

What is prompt engineering?
It’s a technique for effectively communicating with generative AI models. Systems such as ChatGPT, Bard and Dall-E will produce text, images and snippets of music when fed an input – called a prompt – that instructs them what to generate. But the phrasing of a prompt can drastically alter the returned output. Prompt engineering is the process of formulating a prompt for an AI system so that it produces an output that closely matches your expectations.

How is it different from just asking questions?
It requires more care. Throw a question from the top of your head at ChatGPT and it may provide a satisfying answer, or not. Prompt engineering involves considering the idiosyncrasies of an AI model to construct inputs that it will clearly understand. This tends to produce outputs that are more consistently useful, interesting and appropriate to what you have in mind. Formulate the prompt well and the response may even surpass expectations.

Why should I care?
Chatbots such as ChatGPT, Bard and Bing Chat can be tremendously convenient for completing everyday administrative tasks. Advocates have used them to draft emails, summarise meeting notes, compose contracts, plan holidays and provide answers to complex questions nearly instantaneously.

“Anybody can have one of the most powerful personal assistants on the planet that makes them more productive or allows them to create things they wouldn’t normally,” says Jules White, an associate professor of computer science at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. “But you have to understand how to interact with it.” And that means knowing how to prompt effectively.

A touch of prompting savvy may also impress hiring managers. Matt Burney, a talent strategy adviser at careers website Indeed, says the number of job ads asking for AI proficiency is small but growing, and companies across various industries are increasingly looking at how to integrate the models into their workflows. “If you’re not using it right now, you are going to be behind the curve of those that are,” he says.

So how do I do it?
There are several popular prompting techniques. Employing personas is a common trick. Tell the system to act as a lawyer, personal tutor, drill sergeant or whatever else, and it will create outputs imitating their tone and voice. Or, as a reverse exercise, instruct it to complete a task with a specific audience in mind – a five-year-old, a team of expert biochemists, an office Christmas party – and you’ll get a result tailored for that demographic. Crucially, you don’t need to know the persona’s stylistic characteristics yourself, but can leave that to the system to figure out.

Chain-of-thought prompting, meanwhile, is more appropriate for problem-solving. Asking the model to “think step by step” will encourage it to partition its output into bite-size chunks, which often makes for more comprehensive results. Some researchers have also found that showing an AI model an example problem with its step-by-step solution will improve its ability to hit upon the correct answer when solving other, similar questions.

In fact, examples never hurt. If you have a very specific output in mind, upload a text sample or an image illustrating what you want generated and instruct the model to use it as a template. If the result is initially off target, a few more rounds of clearly specified tinkering could do the trick. “You want to think of it as a continuing conversation where you start and you iterate and refine,” says White

And don’t forget the basics of everyday language: clear, imperative instructions that minimise misinterpretation. Explicitly state what you do and do not want from the output, and set a clear word count and format.

What should I avoid?
Vague language. Without additional information, AI models cannot infer your tastes, ideas or the vision of the product that’s in your head. Don’t skimp on specifics or context and don’t assume that if something is missing, the model will correctly fill in the blank.

Can it stop AI from spouting inaccuracies?
No. Large language models will fabricate sources even when explicitly instructed not to and provide information that sounds plausible but is entirely false. “That’s an intractable problem with these models,” says Mhairi Aitken, an ethics fellow at the Alan Turing Institute, based at the British Library in London. “They’re designed to predict a sequence of words that replicate human language, but there’s no connection to truth or reality.”

Shrewd prompting can, however, help deal with falsehoods after they appear. “If the chatbot makes incorrect claims, you can point out the errors and ask it to rewrite the answer based on your feedback,” says Marcel Scharth, a lecturer in business analytics at the University of Sydney.

White suggests asking the model to produce a list of the fundamental facts on which its output relies, so you can verify them individually. Or provide it with a numbered list of facts on which to base its answer and have it reference each when they’re used, to speed up factchecking later.

Could this be a career?
For some people, maybe. AI developers have hired prompt engineers to test the limitations and deficiencies of their models so they can be refined to better handle user inputs.

But the longevity of these positions isn’t guaranteed. Rhema Linder, a lecturer in computer science at the University of Tennessee, suggests developers may come to prefer specialised computer scientists to self-styled prompt engineers, and the absence of industry-recognised certification means assessing a person’s prompting ability is difficult.

In the wider jobs market, prompt engineering will probably go the way of spreadsheet management or search engine optimisation – a skill demanded in a variety of roles and prized by hiring managers as another feather in the cap of your CV.

“Experience of using a large language model or generative pretrained transformer is going to be a requirement for pretty much every office-based job,” says Burney. “Because if you can’t do it, you’re going to be slower achieving your goals.”

Will this all become obsolete?
Just as the AI models aren’t stable, neither are prompt engineering best practices. The techniques that work with systems now may prove less useful in updated versions, although it’s unclear how sweeping the changes could be.

“I think there will be core concepts and patterns that don’t change,” says White, who suggests AI developers will take note of common prompting techniques. “A lot of these ways of phrasing things are going to become the benchmarks that the new models are trained against, so some prompt engineering will feed back on the models themselves.”

More significantly, the models’ abilities to comprehend even the vaguest, un-engineered prompts could improve dramatically. “As these systems become more conversational, and as interacting with them becomes more intuitive, we maybe don’t need prompt engineering in the future,” says Aitken.

For some developers, that’s the goal.

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2023-07-29 14:00:00Z
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Asda stocks new Fire TV rival and it offers a cheaper way to watch telly - Express

If you fancy upgrading your current telly then a trip to Asda could be a good idea with the supermarket now selling a new Roku-powered smart telly for a very reasonable price. This screen takes aim at Amazon's tellies which were introduced in the UK earlier this year and offer an easy way to access popular streaming services without needing any additional devices.

Now the online retailer is facing some stiff competition with Asda announcing that it has begun selling a new smart telly that's powered by Roku.

The Polaroid Roku TV features a giant 55-inch 4K display along with full access to popular apps such as Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+ and Prime Video right from the home screen.

Along with those paid services, owners will find plenty of free content to watch as well including shows from The BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and the Roku Channel.

This telly should also offer some impressive visuals thanks to upgrades such as Dolby Vision which boost the colours and contrast plus there's Dolby Audio for better sound.

Those with Apple gadgets will also be able to beam content straight from their devices to the big screen thanks to Airplay 2 compatibility.

If that sounds enticing then you should find it in some Asda stores for a price of £349.

“This summer, Asda customers can upgrade their home entertainment and catch every unmissable TV moment with these new Polaroid Roku TV models,” said Bart Bomers, VP EMEA at Roku. “Roku TV models are designed with ease in mind, with a simple home screen, powerful search function, and automatic software updates with new features, so your TV experience gets even better over time.”

So how does that cost compare to Amazon's screens?

Amazon's tellies start from £249 but that only includes a 32-inch HD only screen.

To upgrade to 4K you'll need to switch to a 4-Series model which start from £429.99 for the 43-inch screen and rise to £549.99 for the bigger 55-inch display.

Those are the standard prices for Amazon's Fire TVs but the firm currently has a sale on which does drop things considerably.

Here's full pricing and deals available on Amazon's screens.

Amazon Fire TV 2-Series • 32-inch
WAS £249.99 - NOW £179.99
SEE THE DEAL

Amazon Fire TV 4-Series • 43-inch
WAS £429.99 - NOW £279.99
SEE THE DEAL

Amazon Fire TV 4-Series • 50-inch
WAS £499.99 - NOW £329.99
SEE THE DEAL

Amazon Fire TV 4-Series • 55-inch
WAS £549.99 - NOW £379.99
SEE THE DEAL

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2023-07-29 06:01:00Z
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“The Amp That Started It All Returns”: Marshall Announces New JTM 45-Inspired Studio JTM Designs - Guitar Player

Back in 1960, drummer Jim Marshall (1923-2012) opened up his first musical instrument shop in Hanwell, London. It soon became a hub for young electric guitar players who were requesting louder, more powerful tube amps to perform with.

Inspired by Fender’s 5F6-A Bassman circuit of the late ‘50s, the “Father of Loud” set out to create an amp that would fulfil the needs of London’s burgeoning electric blues/rock and roll scene. Subsequently, with the help of electronics engineers Ken Bran, Dudley Craven and Ken Underwood, the first Marshall amp was born in 1962.

Branded the JTM 45 (in reference to Jim and his son Terry Marshall’s initials, and the amp’s claimed 45-watt power rating) Marshall’s debut design appeared with a white fabric front and red-on-silver metal logo badge. Within months, the JTM 45 changed to a black and white ‘sandwich’ front design, and by 1964 Marshall had settled on their classic all-black livery.

Honoring what would have been Jim Marshall’s 100th birthday this week, Marshall Amplification has announced their all-new Studio JTM. “The amp that started it all returns, now in a more compact, lightweight package,” reads a press release as the firm salutes its JTM 45 heritage.

An original 'sandwich front' 1964 Marshall JTM 45 MKII amp head sits atop a 1968 Marshall 1960A 4x12 speaker cabinet loaded with 'greenback' G12M Celestion drivers. What more could a Gibson Les Paul Standard ask for? (Image credit: Future)

Rather than simply putting out a reissue, Marshall has developed a new design that recreates the sound and feel of the original JTM 45 amp famously used by Gary Moore, Ritchie Blackmore and Angus Young.

“I was demonstrated the [Studio] JTM and it just took me back to my original JTM 45. It was my sound,” said Terry Marshall. “This is my new love.”

Sporting a retro look that harks back to Marshall’s early years, the new 20W Studio JTM amp appears in head and combo formats alongside matching 1x12 and 2x12 cabs loaded with G12M-65 Creamback Celestion speakers.

Touted as “ideal for both home use or smaller stages,” players can alternate between 20- and 5-watt settings using power reduction technology. Furthermore, this flexible amp has the modern features of an FX loop and DI jack built in.

While the design has been brought up to date to suit the needs of the modern guitarist, the Studio JTM range retains some of the components that helped define the Marshall sound, including ECC83 (12AX7) preamp and phase splitter tubes, 5881 output tubes, and 12-inch Celestion speakers.

Hand-built at Marshall’s U.K. factory in Milton Keynes, the Studio JTM ST20H 20W head and ST20C 20W combo are priced $1,749.99 and $1,949.99 respectively. The ST112 1x12 and ST212 2x12 cabs are priced $1,099.99 and $1,399.99 respectively.

Visit Marshall for more information.

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2023-07-28 11:11:57Z
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Sony's first PS5 sale brings steep price drops to UK, Germany, India, and beyond - The Verge

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The PS5 is dropping to £399 in the UK and can be found for €459 in Germany as part of a summer promotion.

By Tom Warren, a senior editor covering Microsoft, PC gaming, console, and tech. He founded WinRumors, a site dedicated to Microsoft news, before joining The Verge in 2012.

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

Sony is running a PS5 sale in the UK, India, Ireland, and Germany where the price of a standard console is dropping by around 16 percent. In the UK the PS5 can now be found for £399.99, below its regular £479.99 price and even far below the £449.99 price at launch, before a PS5 price hike outside the US last year.

The UK £75 off promotion is available immediately and runs until August 10th. In Germany Sony is also taking €75 off the PS5, with Amazon Germany selling a PS5 for even less at €459.99, down from the regular €549.99 pricing until August 7th. You can also find €75 off the PS5 in Ireland and Austria and ₹7,500 off in India.

The price drop promotions come just as Sony has announced it has sold 40 million PS5s since the console’s launch in 2020. PS5 shipments have increased this year, after Sony revealed it has tripled the number of consoles it shipped from January to March at 6.3 million units compared to 2 million in the same period last year.

A temporary PS5 price drop is also in place just before Sony is expected to announce a PS5 Slim model. Insider Gaming reported last year that Sony was preparing for a PS5 with a detachable disc drive for September 2023.

Microsoft referenced the rumors in the FTC v. Microsoft hearing recently, predicting that the PS5 Slim could be priced at $399.99. If such pricing is accurate the PS5 Slim would maintain the same price point as the Digital Edition of the PS5, but potentially offer consumers the choice to add a disc drive at a later date.

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2023-07-28 08:07:48Z
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