Category: Techradar

We’re almost at the big one – only one match separates four teams from the 2019 Rugby World Cup final. Rugby’s quartet of top ranked nations have made it to the final four and so far the tournament has certainly lived up to the hype. You can watch all the action from the semi-final crunch matches – no matter where you are – by following our Rugby World Cup live stream guide below.

Unsurprisingly, the majority of pundits (and bookies) still have New Zealand as favourites, with South Africa and England behind. But we’ve already witnessed more than our fair share of memorable moments. The brilliant hosts Japan shocking Ireland and Scotland, Wales overpowering Australia and that intense match up between New Zealand and South Africa being just some of the awesome highlights.

The balance of power in the rugby world has shifted at least a little towards the northern hemisphere in recent years, with Wales and England both having been in and around the world number one ranking position. Can one of them take the Web Ellis Cup in 2019 for the first time in 16 years? There’s even a chance we may have our first ever all-European final.

New Zealand or England? Wales or South Africa? It all feels too close to call!

If you want to know where you’ll be able to watch every single match, we’ll tell you exactly where you can catch it online with a Rugby World Cup live stream and the broadcasters that are showing it absolutely FREE. No matter where on Earth you are, we’ll make sure you know where to catch the coverage.

How to watch the 2019 Rugby World Cup from outside your country

You don’t have to miss a single minute of the 2019 Rugby World Cup – even if you’re abroad and discover that your home broadcaster’s online coverage is geo-blocked (we hate it when that happens).

If that happens to you and you’re desperate to watch your domestic coverage – whether that be in the UK or Australia (where it’s free), New Zealand or the US (where it isn’t) or anywhere else in the world – there’s still a way to get it that doesn’t involve putting your security at risk with some dodgy, illegal stream from Reddit. You can simply use a VPN to login back to your country that is broadcasting the actions, and it’s really easy to do:

2019 Rugby World Cup remaining fixtures

All times in local Japan time and BST

Saturday, October 26 – Semi-finals

England vs New Zealand at International Stadium Yokohama – 5pm JST, 9am BST

Sunday, October 27 – Semi-finals

Wales vs South Africa at International Stadium Yokohama – 6pm JST, 9am GMT

Saturday, October 26 – Bronze final

TBC vs TBC at Oita Stadium – 6pm JST, 9am GMT

Sunday, October 27 – FINAL

TBC vs TBC at International Stadium Yokohama – 6pm JST, 9am GMT

How to stream Rugby World Cup 2019 live in the UK for FREE

Live stream the Rugby World Cup in Australia for FREE

How to watch the Rugby World Cup 2019 in New Zealand FREE

Live stream the Rugby World Cup 2019 in South Africa

How to watch the 2019 Rugby World Cup: US live stream 

• Hulu with Live TV $40 per month – Hulu with Live TV includes CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN.
• FuboTV $35 for the first month – FuboTV gives you the first month at a discounted rate but after that the price increases to $45 a month. The service includes CBS, Fox, NBC and the NFL Network but does not come with ESPN.
• DirecTV Now $50 per month – DirecTV Now includes CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN and for $5 extra you can add the NFL Network.
• YouTubeTV $40 per month – YouTubeTV gives you access to CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN.

Live stream Rugby World Cup 2019 matches in Canada

What is the format of the 2019 Rugby World Cup?

The Rugby World Cup is a twenty-team tournament. Each country begins in one of four pools that each contain five teams. Each team plays one match against each of the other teams in the same pool.

The teams finishing in the top two of each pool advance to the quarter-finals from where the tournament goes into a familiar knockout format.

Who are the favourites for the Rugby World Cup?

While Ireland go into the tournament as the world’s no.1 ranked team, three-time World Cup winners New Zealand are the clear favourites with Betfair.com to once again lift the Webb Ellis Cup in Japan.

What team won the 2015 Rugby World Cup?

The All Blacks won their second World Cup on the spin back in 2015 in emphatic style with a 34-17 victory over Australia at Twickenham.

What teams are competing in this year’s Rugby World Cup?

Argentina
Mario Ledesma’s side have a decent record to uphold, having advanced to the Rugby World Cup knockout stage four times and finished fourth in 2015. They come into the tournament however on a a losing streak of four defeats on the trot, but those did come at the hands of New Zealand, South Africa and Australia.

Australia
The second-most successful nation in World Cup history alongside South Africa. All the morale of their emphatic 47-26 win against New Zealand in Perth last month has dissipated somewhat after they were crushed 36-0 by the All Blacks in the return fixture in Auckland the following week. 

Canada
An ever-present nation at the World Cup since the inaugural tournament in 1987, they’ve only ever progressed beyond the opening round on one occasion. Currently ranked 22 in the world, the Canucks will be targeting a win as minimum against minnows Namibia in Pool B and build from there. 

England
While they may be one of the favourites, England coach Eddie Jones will be anxious to see his side start their campaign on the front foot and quickly eradicate the ghosts of the last World Cup which saw them make an embarrassing pool stage exit while tournament hosts. They come into this year’s World Cup on a high following a 57-15 victory over Ireland at Twickenham in the run-up, but question marks persist over the squad’s apparent lack of experience. 

Fiji
Traditionally one of the more entertaining teams at the World Cup, despite their much heralded flair, the Flying Fijians have failed to make it out of the pool stage in the preceding last two tournaments. Drawn alongside Australia and Wales this time out, the odds of it being third time lucky for coach John McKee’s side this time out aren’t high.

France
Three-time runners-up France head to Japan ranked 8th in the world. The emergence of young stars like Antoine Dupont and Demba Bambawill will provide plenty of optimism, but Pool C is arguably the toughest group of the tournament and  Les Bleus will do well to make it through to the next phase.

Georgia
Having reached the last four successive World Cups, the Lelos have steadily improved over the years and will fancy their chances of making their chances of making their way out of the pool phase for the first time. The return of all-time leading try-scorer Mamuka Gorgodze to the fold will come as a welcome boost to morale. 

Ireland
The Irish started the year as strong favourites to win their first World Cup following their Grand Slam winning 2018 Six Nations campaign and an impressive win over the All Blacks. Hopes for Japan, however, have since been tempered, with their humbling against England at Twickenham last month setting alarm bells ringing. Two warm-up wins since against fancied Wales will have regalvanised Joe Schmidt’s side, and the starting line-up should be further boosted by the return from injury of Johnny Sexton.

Italy
The Azzurri are putting their faith in youth, with 23 members of their squad having never appeared before at rugby’s main event. One of the few old-head’s is skipper Sergio Parisse, who will be appearing in a record-equaling fifth World Cup.

Japan
The hosts came agonisingly close to making it past the group stage for the first time back in 2015, missing out despite winning five times. Progressing to the last-eight will be a prerequisite this time out for the team playing on home turf. 

Namibia
The rank outsiders have consistently qualified for the World Cup since 1999, but have never have never won a single match once at the tournament, racking up an unwanted 0-19 win-loss record in the process. Their recent 20-0 loss to Russia indicates that getting off the mark in Japan looks unlikely.

New Zealand
Despite having lost their seemingly perpetual place as the world’s no.1 team recently (a spot they had held for a decade), New Zealand haven’t lost their standing as the most fancied team to win the 2019 World Cup. A mixed showing during the recent Rugby Championship won’t have a put off pundits from backing Steve Hansen’s men to lift the Webb Ellis Cup for the third time in a row.

Russia
While they may have made it to the Japan thanks to the disqualification of Spain and Belgium for fielding ineligible players, Russia won’t be going in to the tournament to make up the numbers. They face the hosts in the 2019 World Cup’s opening match and came close to beating Japan back in November last year.

Samoa
Consistent qualifiers for the World Cup, Somoa will be looking to go beyond the quarter-finals for the first time. To pull off that feat they’ll need to improve on their recent form which has seen them lose to both the USA and Tonga during last month’s Pacific Nations Cup.

Scotland
With the likes of flyhalf Finn Russell and fullback Stuart HoggIn in their roster, the Scots aren’t lacking top drawer talent. What they do a have a deficit in is consistency – as exemplified by their two contradictory performances against France last month.

South Africa
Versatility could be the key attribute for two-time champions South Africa this time out. Packed with explosive pace from the likes of Cheslin Kolbe and Makazole Mapimpi, the Springboks also have a kicking game that is the envy of most rivals. In Rassie Erasmus they also have the best named coach in the tournament. 

Tonga
With a squad littered with talented players plying their trade in New Zealand, Australia, England and France, coach Toutai Kefu will be out to finally get his side into the knockout stages for the first time. Having notched up creditable eight wins in their last 21 Test matches, its a goal that looks eminently achievable.

Uruguay
A kind draw with winnable opening matches against Fiji and Georgia gives the South American side a fighting chance of making through to the last eight for the first time. 

USA 
Ranked 13th in the world, there were mixed fortunes for the USA in the recent Pacific Nations Cup which saw them stutter to a win against Samoa, thrash Canada, but get thumped against Japan. They’ve never won more than one game at a World Cup, but will likely rectify that during this year’s competition.

Wales
The loss to injury of Gareth Anscombe and Taulupe Faletau would be huge blow for most teams, but luckily for coach Warren Gatland, Wales has plenty of strength in depth among the ranks. More concerning will be a dip in form in the run up to Japan which has seen them lose to England and Ireland, a contrast to the 14-game winning streak Wales enjoyed at the start of the year.

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Der har efterhånden gået rygter om Apple AirPods 3 i et års tid, og indtil for nylig så det ud til, at vi ikke ville få dem at se før 2020. 

En række lækager over de sidste par måneder peger dog nu på, at 2019 nu alligevel er en mulighed, og nu er designet af de såkaldte AirPods Pro måske blevet lækket af tilbehørsproducenten ESR. 

• Læs vores anmeldelse af: Apple AirPods (2019)
• Her er de bedste alternativer til Apple AirPods
• Apple AirPods 3: alle lækager og rygter

Billederne, som skulle vise et ‘AirPods Pro Cover’ blev opdaget af MacRumors. Etuiet er bredere end det vi har set til tidligere AirPod-modeller. Men om ESR så vitterligt kan afsløre det nye batterietui til AirPods Pro, eller om der blot er tale om et marketingstung, er på nuværende tidspunkt uvist.

Rygterne ser ud til at holde vand

En nylig rapport fra China Economic Daily påstår, at en opgraderet AirPods-model, kaldet AirPods Pro, i samme stil som iPhone 11 Pro, kan være på vej til at blive lanceret.

China Economic Daily påstår, at AirPods Pro vil have indbygget støjdæmpning, hvilket understøttes af en lydindstilling i koden til iOS 13.2 beta med ordlyden ”med eller uden støjdæmpning”.

Eftersigende vil de komme til at koste 260 dollars (ca. 1.800 kroner før moms).

iOS 13.2 beta afslører samtidig et ikon, som kan vise en designfunktion fra Apples kommende trådløse propper. Ikonet blev opdaget af 9to5Mac og viser, at AirPods 3 har gummi eller silikone-ørepropper– en ting vi gerne havde set i de for nyligt lancerede Apple AirPods (2019).

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The hot new topic in terms of smartphone and computer software right now is Dark Mode, an optional system look that flips the colors of an app or operating system to make it, well, dark. Instagram has a dark mode, as does Chrome, WhatsApp, Gmail, and iOS 13, and it seems apps and developers are tripping over themselves to create a new dark mode for their software.

There’s just one problem which none of these hard-working people seem to have considered that makes their work redundant, and the attention they’ve taken from other projects will be in vain: all in all, dark mode looks totally awful.

That’s not a dig at any dark mode in particular, and no developers have implemented it particularly poorly (well, apart from Android 10). But in the rush for developers to see if they could implement dark mode on their apps, no-one asked if they should – and taken stock of how it might be reworked better rather than just following the trend.

Beyond that, there are legitimate reasons why developers shouldn’t be focusing on Dark Mode. Here’s why the Dark Mode craze is just crazy.

Dark Mode hurts to look at

Have you ever gone onto a website, typically an older forum page from back when web design really kicked off, and seen a black background with white text (usually in comic sans) and found it totally hard to read? 

Pure black backgrounds with white font can be really hard to read, and it causes halation or visual distortion for many people. Having to look at this for long periods of time can cause serious eye strain, which means it’s no wonder modern society uses white backgrounds with black or gray font for… well, everything.

Dark Mode is dark with white text, and it can cause the aforementioned eye problems. More than that, it just looks ugly, and when smartphones are trying harder and harder to look beautiful in terms of design and software, it makes no sense to create a horrible-looking dark filter.

Sure, ugliness is an opinion – but this is an opinion article, so that’s to be expected.

No good for low-light

One of the main reasons behind Dark Mode (or excuses for its existence, if you’re not feeling charitable) is that it’s better for low-light settings, so you can use it in bed without blinding yourself or someone else. And there’s merit behind that reasoning: the blue lights in phone screens have been known to stop people sleeping, as the brain misinterprets the blue light as daylight.

There’s merit behind the reasoning, but not behind the execution, as Dark Mode would only be a useful way of cutting out blue light if functions to this end didn’t already exist. But they do.

Many phones have blue light filters, which you can schedule to kick in at a certain time to reduce the blue light from your phone screens – typically this means between 10PM and 7AM, your phone display has a slight red hue. Some smartphones, like Sony phones, have more permanent options that let you customize the RGB makeup of your display to suit your vision.

Then there’s the issue of bright lights in bed waking up your significant other (although if you’re frequently using your phone in bed, that’s a whole different issue). For years now, phones have had adaptive brightness, and before that you could manually change the brightness of your phone. In short, if your handset is too bright, dial down the brightness!

Dark Mode is a solution to a problem that already has a solution – and this second solution is just wasting time that developers could be spending on other projects.

Just turn it off

There are some minor perks to a dark mode, such as its battery saving potential. But since Dark Mode is surprisingly hard to develop (as Chrome for desktop shows), it would be more efficient for developers to work on battery optimization tricks.

Of course, the obvious response to ‘dark mode is bad’ is simply ‘just turn it off then’, and I certainly will, but there’s more to the issue than that.

With every developer around being tasked to create a hasty dark mode, seemingly just because everyone else is, that means manpower is going to be turned away from other tasks that are arguably more important for the longevity of operating systems and apps.

Operating system developers are in the midst of their own battles right now: Apple’s MacOS Catalina is murdering nearly every computer it touches, and Microsoft’s Windows 10 is tripping over basically every hurdle it gets near.

Similarly, apps and social media platforms have bigger issues that need addressing in terms of usability: YouTube needs to sort out the algorithm that its top content creators keep getting shafted by; Twitter needs editable tweets; Instagram needs to fix its auto-ban algorithm that many have ridiculed as overzealous.

In short, developers all have problems they need to face and address, but if they spend their time creating pithy dark modes instead of fixing problems, they’re letting their platforms sink further down into the plughole that the internet is becoming.

• Chrome 78 can force dark mode on any website – here’s how to try it

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Bang & Olufsen is well known for combining audio fidelity with luxe, fashion-forward design, and it’s latest headphones, the Beoplay H4, are no exception. 

Now upgraded to include support for voice assistance as well as a more refined look, these wireless headphones contain some truly smart tech beneath their glossy exterior.

• Interested in the originals? Read our B&O Beoplay H4 review
• The best over-ear headphones of 2019
• Cut the cord with the best wireless headphones

When they were originally launched a couple of years ago, the BeoPlay H4 headphones were the brand’s cheapest over-ear model and, and offered a solid sonic performance (except for some issues with overpowering bass frequencies). 

Bang & Olufsen don’t seem to have made any changes to the sound with the newly upgraded H4s, instead focussing on design and the convenience of built-in support for voice assistants.

What’s new?

For starters, there’s a dedicated button that you press and hold to summon your device’s voice assistant, whether you use Alexa or Google Assistant. This allows you to ask for your favorite song, get news updates, skip tracks, and more – all through your voice alone. There’s also a slider button to turn the headphones on and off. 

Making calls should be easier with the new Beoplay H4s, thanks to an additional microphone that’s designed to improve voice quality. You should also find that watching videos is more seamless, with support for aptX low latency technology for better synchronization between picture and audio.

Bang & Olufsen has made some aesthetic changes as well, including a sleeker braided cable and a new anodized aluminum disc on the outer housings of the headphones, which contrasts beautifully with the other materials. 

A word of warning on the materials; these headphones are not suitable for anyone who avoids using animal products, as the ear cushions and headband are made from lambskin. We’re sure it’s very soft, but it’s by no means vegan-friendly. 

Being made from premium materials, these Bang & Olufsen headphones aren’t exactly cheap, despite being an entry-point to the luxurious brand’s range. They’re available to buy for £250 / $300, which works out at around AU$440, the same price as their predecessors. 

The launch of an upgraded model means that we’re likely to see Bang & Olufsen headphone deals over Black Friday and Cyber Monday. In fact, the original H4s are already discounted in some stores – check out the deals below for more information.

Today’s best Bang & Olufsen headphone deal (US)

Today’s best Bang & Olufsen headphone deals (UK)

• Black Friday deals 2019: all the dates and predictions you need

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Every great website needs a snappy, memorable domain name. Coming up with something new is a serious challenge, but once inspiration strikes, you’ll need to register that name with a domain name registrar before you can use it online.

Registration isn’t difficult, but first you must choose from the hundreds of companies competing for your business, and there are several things for you to consider before signing the virtual dotted line.

• We’ve also rounded up the best web hosting services

How to choose the perfect domain registrar

• Pricing structures can be complicated. A low headline figure could become expensive on renewal, for instance. Prices vary between domain extensions, too, so a registrar that offers great value for a .com domain might give you a poor deal on when it comes to .org.
• There may be extra costs for tasks like transferring your domain to another registrar, too. Read the small print before you sign up.
• Look for any bundled or optional extras. A Whois privacy service prevents your address, phone number and email address appearing as public contact details for the domain, something which could otherwise get you a significant amount of spam email and phone calls. We’ve seen this cost as much as $11.20 a year, but several registrars provide it for free.
• Many domain registrars offer hosting as an extra, but keep in mind that web hosting companies can also register domains. If you have an idea of which web host you’d like to use, check the details of its plans: you may be able to register a domain for free when you buy hosting, and that’s often the cheapest option.
• Finally, take a look at the support a registrar offers. You may never need any help at all, but if anything critical crops up – maybe an issue which might cause a problem with renewal – it’s important that your provider is on hand to ably assist. 
• Balancing all these priorities can be tricky, so that’s why we’ve created this list of top domain registrars to help point you in the right direction. 

With a name like Domain.com, the EIG-owned brand, means business, focusing primarily on small and medium businesses. It offers most popular top level domains and over 25 country code top level domains and also sells premium domains as a broker.

With nearly two decades of online presence, the company – which is one of the world’s biggest domain name registrars – expanded in web hosting and now ranges a number of products including a website builder, a full design service and web hosting.

Domain.com prices tend to be average but we have managed to blag a 25% discount off almost everything in your cart*. Non-premium TLD (.Club, .Men, .Win etc) start from $2.99 for the first year ($2.24 with our code). In line with the rest of the industry, they rise significantly after the second year).

You need to pay for privacy protection, a reasonable $6.99, plus you can add email, web hosting, SSL certificates and malware protection, none of which is compulsory. You can stick with its basic website builder which is free with every domain: you get a drag and drop website builder, tons of mobile-friendly templates, up to six pages, SEO tools, Paypal integration and even access to stock image library.

Support is more than adequate with 24/7 chat, email and phone support. Domain.com may not have the cheapest prices but it provides with a very balanced offering.

*All renewals after the initial discounted period will be charged at the then current standard list price for the selected period. Coupon is not valid with sunrise registrations, landrush registrations, EAP registrations, pre-registrations, premium registrations, renewals, transfers, custom website design, other coupons, or special pricing.

Web giant GoDaddy is the world’s biggest domain registrar, currently managing more than 75 million domains for 17 million customers around the globe.

The company is well-known for its low headline prices, and it’s the same story here, for instance,  .com. domain is available for $0.99 in year one. On the other hand .org is less impressive (though still apparently cheap) starting at $10.17. Beware, though: these aren’t the bargains they initially seem.

The first catch is that GoDaddy’s starting prices only apply if you pay for two years upfront, and the second year is significantly more expensive (.com rises to $18.17, .uk and .co.uk domains are $12, .org and .mobi are ridiculously high, $21.17 for .org and $25.99 for .mobi – at the moment, first year for .mobi is $6.99, due to an offer). 

The second problem is that there are no bundled extras, so adding something like Whois privacy – a valuable service often included for free with other providers – costs $8 a month for year one, and $10 on renewal.

There’s clearly much better value to be had elsewhere, but GoDaddy may still appeal to web beginners looking for a bundled hosting and domain registration deal. The company has an array of products covering every possible requirement, with telephone support if you need it, and buying your domain and hosting from the same provider will make life a little easier.

Just keep in mind that other providers can also combine hosting and domain registration, and GoDaddy may not provide the best package for you. Check out our various hosting guides for possible alternatives.

• You can sign up for GoDaddy domain registration here

Hover is a popular domain name registrar owned by Tucows, which also operates eNom and the domain reselling platform OpenSRS.

Hover’s website is clear and straightforward. A domain pricing page allows for checking registration costs before you start, or you can use the search box to immediately locate your preferred TLD (top-level domain).

By default the results page displays every domain you can register and their prices, giving you a lot to scroll through and read. But a handy sidebar allows filtering domains by categories including Personal, Businesses, Audio and Video, Food and Drink, and more. It’s a neat touch which could help you spot an appealing domain that you otherwise might have missed.

Prices are very reasonable, with .com domains costing $12.99 for year one, .co.uk priced at $10.99, .org costing $13.99 and .mobi reaching $15.99. Shop around and you’ll find slightly lower prices elsewhere, but Hover generally provides good value.

There’s a welcome bonus in Whois Privacy, which comes free for as long as the domain is managed by Hover.

The company keeps upselling to a minimum, even in the final shopping cart stage. You’re simply offered three email-related extras: email forwarding at $5 a year, a 10GB email account for $20, or you can opt for a 1TB inbox, file sharing, a calendar and more, for an annual $29.

If you have any questions, support is available via email and chat, although it’s not 24/7. Working hours are 8am to 8pm (Eastern Time) Monday to Friday, and 12pm to 5pm at the weekend.

• You can sign up for Hover domain registration here

Most domain name registrars offer a simple identikit service with little to separate them from the competition, but Dynadot is an interesting exception which has some unusual advantages.

This starts right at the beginning, with your initial search. You can use the website much like any other – type your preferred domain, press Enter, read the results – but you also get Bulk and IDN (Internationalized Domain Name) search tools, and advanced options allow defining which domain extensions to include in your searches, as well as setting those as defaults for all future searches.

These searches can optionally return results from domain auctions, Dynadot’s Marketplace (where other customers sell domains they no longer need) and other sources. There’s also a Backorder option to try and grab a domain that isn’t currently available, if it’s not renewed.

Prices are on the low side, with Dynadot offering both special deals on some extensions and good value at renewal. .com sites are $5.99 initially and $8.99 on renewal. If you’re after a .co.uk domain, that’ll set you back $6.95, .org is $10.99, and .mobi domains are $3.99 initially, $13.99 on renewal.

That’s just the start: Dynadot also piles on the free extras. A Website Builder allows you to build and host a simple one-page responsive website. There’s free domain forwarding if you’d like to redirect visitors somewhere else. DNS support allows creating 50 subdomain records, 10 email addresses, and 5 each of MX and TXT records. There’s even a Grace Deletion list which allows returning a domain if you change your mind.

This requires a small fee and won’t always be allowed (the details on how it works are here), but it’s still a welcome extra you’ll rarely find with other registrars.

Dynadot’s support wasn’t always as impressive, with live chat being offline when we checked. But the website does have a publicly available forum, allowing anyone to browse common questions and see how happy (or otherwise) Dynadot’s customers might be.

• You can sign up for Dynadot domain registration here

Founded in 2000, Namecheap is a popular domain name registrar and web host which now manages more than five million domains.

Namecheap’s excellent website allows searching for individual domains, or in batches of up to 50.

If the domain is taken, you can view the Whois record or offer to buy the domain (via DomainAgents) from the current user.

If the domain is available, results are displayed across four tabs: Popular, New, Discounted and International. This is a neat approach which makes it easier to browse the list and find what you need.

Prices are generally very good at $8.88 (£6.8) for .com domains – $12.98 on renewal, $7.58(£5.8) for .co.uk – $9.58 on renewal, $12.98 (£10) for .org – $14.98 on renewal, and $16.88 (£13) for .mobi (at the moment, you can get .mobi for $2.88 for the first year). There are some special deals available, and Namecheap has an Agent 88 set of domains which are almost always available at $0.48 (£0.35) for the first year (these usually include the following: .site .website .space .pw .press .host .tech .online and .fun – but there may be others as well).

That would be good value all on its own, but Namecheap doesn’t stop there: you get  WhoisGuard domain privacy thrown in for free.

Namecheap’s billing is straightforward and honest, with current and renewal prices clearly described in your Namecheap shopping cart, and Auto-Renew turned off. But if there’s something you don’t understand, helpful FAQ pages and live chat are just a click or two away.

• You can sign up for Namecheap domain registration here

Shopping around for a domain registrar can involve a lot of hassle as you research companies you’ve never heard of, try to separate genuine bargains from marketing tricks, and browse the small print looking for hidden catches. With potential savings only amounting to a few pounds or dollars a year, at best, you might prefer to simply sign up with a big-name provider that you know will give you a reasonable service, even if it does cost a fraction more.

Enter Google Domains, Google’s lightweight domain registration arm, a straightforward provider that puts speed and simplicity at the top of its priority list.

Google Domains doesn’t confuse you with endless sales, or ‘special’ deals that turn out to be not so special after all. Upselling is kept to a minimum. Instead, it’s all about making the purchase process as easy as any other online shopping site: search, click, and check out.

The difference is obvious from the moment you reach the site. There are no animated ads at the top of the page, no ‘Sale!’ banners, no low headline prices: just a search box where you enter a single domain.

The results page is equally straightforward, with prices listed for nine common top-level domains, and an All Endings tab listing every option in alphabetical order (domain.academy, domain.bargains, domain.camera).

One potential problem is that Google Domains doesn’t support all the domain extensions you’ll get elsewhere, and this includes some quite common examples (.mobi, .tv). If you think you might ever want to buy something beyond the most popular extensions, it’s a good idea to check that your likely choices are available before you buy.

Prices are standardized to whole numbers, so for example .com, .co.uk and .org domains are all priced at $12. That’s a little above average overall, but better than some, especially as Google Domains throws in free Whois privacy for as long as you’re registered. That’s a valuable extra which could cost $2.80 to $11.20 a year elsewhere.

If you do have any questions, a Help link displays articles on common problems. If that’s not enough, the Contact Us page enables talking to a support agent by email, live chat or telephone (Google calls you), the highest level of domain registrar support we’ve seen anywhere.

• You can sign up for Google Domains domain registration here

• Check out the best website hosting services

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When it comes to PS4 controllers, we can sometimes assume there’s only one option out there: Sony’s own DualShock 4. 

However, despite the official controller being a dynamic and powerful gamepad, there are plenty of other choices out there if you’re wanting to enhance your gameplay experience (or simply make it a bit more comfortable).

We’ve put together this list of the best PS4 controllers on the market for everyone from the casual gamer to a budding pro – and even some options for those that just want a bit of nostalgia, rather than a desperation for the right weight, motion control and sharing access.

We’ve rounded up the best controllers that we’ve tried and reviewed for our list – but also added in a couple of others below that caught our eye to give you a bit more variety and choice in the matter.

It’s worth noting that you may be able to pick up great discounts on some of these controllers during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, so keep an eye on our Black Friday PS4 and PS4 Pro deals page.

If you’re looking to upgrade the power of your console, then make sure you check out our best PS4 Pro deals page – and if you just want something better to play, then our best PS4 games list is, well, just perfect for your needs.

Many of these controllers are officially licensed by Sony, so you’ll know they’re designed to work well, but all the options on this list are ones we’d happily chuck underneath our gaming setup.

While we did say there are plenty of options out there that aren’t the DualShock 4, it would be hard to create a list of the best PS4 controllers without pointing out it’s still the top option. 

The DualShock 4 is perfect for its purpose: sleek, small and wireless. Not to mention the built in speaker, varying light bar colors, touch pad and motion detection that enhance your gameplay experience. 

It’s also extremely simply to attach a gaming headset or headphones to the controller (unlike with the Xbox One controller). However battery life can be a pain, with the controller holding charge for around four to eight hours. 

We find it’s best to have two and always keep one charging or to invest in a charging dock so you can charge both at once (when you’re not playing of course).

We find the DualShock is a great PS4 controller for someone who just simply wants to get on with playing and isn’t fussed about bells and whistles. If you want to spice up its classic black color, then the controller comes in plenty of other colors and designs. 

Check out our full DualShock 4 controller review.

If you are a PS4 player, but prefer the design of the Xbox One controller, then the Nacon Revolution Unlimited Pro Controller might be a better fit for you. Like the Vantage Controller, the Revolution Pro is built for gamers (more specifically esports) with a directional pad that can move eight ways – instead of four – alongside four shortcut buttons. 

However, it’s not quite as complicated to operate as the Vantage, nor is it as expensive.

If you want a PS4 controller with a few extra bells and whistles, but not an overwhelming amount, and prefer a chunkier controller that is a bit more resilient then the Nacon Revolution Unlimited Pro Controller could be for you. 

Check out our full Nacon Revolution Unlimited Pro Controller review.

If you want your PS4 controller to have a bit more bite, and are more specific about your controller’s performance then the SCUF Vantage Controller could be for you. 

Built with gamers in mind, this fully customizable PS4 controller boasts enhanced grip, remappable paddles on the back, side action buttons and an audio touch bar. 

In other words, there are more buttons to give you control over gameplay, allowing you to specifically map controls to the extra buttons and not have to jump back in forth (in issue in some games more than others).

Essentially the Vantage controller is built so you can play more comfortably for longer but unless you know how to optimize its abilities then its maybe it’s best to stick to a more straightforward PS4 controller. 

Especially because the Vantage Controller is much more expensive than your average DualShock 4.

Check out our full SCUF Vantage Controller review.

The Razer Raiju Ultimate Wireless PS4 Controller is more suited to seasoned gamers and pros, allowing advanced customization via the Razer mobile app – that includes remapping and adjusting sensitivity. 

If that’s not enough customization for you, you can also make use of interchangeable thumbsticks, the built-in quick control panel, and Hair Trigger Mode – allowing you to be more trigger-happy than ever before.

Much like the other pro controllers on this list, the Raiju Ultimate is chunkier than the DualShock making it more suitable for those who prefer the Xbox One controller style. 

The Raiju Ultimate is a fantastic PS4 controller, but it’s not exactly cheap. Make sure you will make use of advanced customizations before investing – but if you harness the controller’s capabilities then you’ll find your gameplay experience all that much smoother.

Check out our full Razer Raiju Ultimate review.

Looking for a PS4 controller for a young person in your house? Hori’s Mini Wired Gamepad is one we’ve found that would be a good ‘first PS4 controller’ for kids. 

The Mini Wired looks like a retro controller, boasting easier grip, plug-n-play with 10ft cable (no pulling the console off the stand) and it’s 40% smaller than the DualShock 4. 

However, there is no light bar, stereo headset jack, speaker, dual motors, or motion sensor – it’s a much more streamlined version of the DualShock 4.

According to Sony, the Mini Wired Gamepad is compatible with “most” PS4 games. We’re reading that as the less complicated ones, so don’t fire up Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and expect the controller to be able to hack it – not that children should be playing it anyway.

The Mini Wired Gamepad is $30 (around £23/AU$38) from Sony affiliated retailers.

The Nacon Asymmetric Wireless Controller is a comfortable controller that brings the Xbox One gamepad experience to PS4 (and PC) players. It’s robust, classic and well-made, with a chunkier design than the DualShock 4 and asymmetrical toggles. 

It may be a better choice for those who have dexterity issues or simply prefer a bigger controller due to its bigger buttons and triggers. 

However, there are a few performance issues to take into account such as the fact the controller doesn’t have motion controls – meaning you can’t play games that use motion features. 

Check out our full Nacon Asymmetric Wireless Controller review.

• Read more: How to use the PS4 DualShock 4 controller on a PC

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We’ve just reviewed the new Pixelbook Go, and it blew us away – to the extent that it has gone straight in as our number one pick for the best Chromebook out there, as well as proudly muscling its way into our roundup of the very best laptops in the world.

That’s no mean feat, and the same is true of the Pixelbook Go managing to score full marks in our extensive review of the device, in which we concluded that it was the “ultimate Chromebook for the rest of us”.

Meaning that Google’s original Pixelbook might have been the ultimate Chromebook at the premium end of the market, but this is a laptop which is considerably more affordable and therefore accessible to the general computing public.

• Chromebooks have become Windows’ greatest enemy
• Should you buy a Chromebook?
• We’ve highlighted the best cheap Chromebook deals

Affordable is a relative term, mind – we’re talking about the price tag in comparison to the full-fat Pixelbook. So this machine still isn’t anywhere near the budget Chromebook category, but the starting price for the Pixelbook Go is a palatable $649 (£629, about AU$950).

That gets you the entry-level spec of an Intel Core m3 processor with 8GB of RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage. The laptop also boasts a 13.3-inch Full HD resolution LCD touchscreen and a 1080p webcam.

We were particularly stoked to see the Pixelbook Go’s excellent battery longevity, with the laptop managing to exceed 11 hours in the TechRadar video playback battery test. In comparison, the MacBook Air 2019 managed 10 hours. Google’s notebook can also get two hours’ worth of charge from only 20 minutes connected to the mains, which is pretty handy too.

Furthermore, the keyboard is simply superb, and indeed we found that it was the “best combination of silence and forceful feedback that we’ve ever experienced on a laptop keyboard”. High praise indeed.

Achilles heel?

So are there any weak points here? Well, the only real wobbly facet is Google’s pricing at the higher-end of the range.

The Pixelbook Go with an Intel Core i5 CPU plus 16GB RAM / 128GB storage runs to $999 (£949, about AU$1,470), and if you’re going to spend that much, you might as well get the full-fat Pixelbook with its hybrid versatility, sharper display and more besides (even if it does lose out a little on the battery front). And the Intel Core i7 Pixelbook Go with a 4K display is an eye-watering $1,399 (£1,329, about AU$2,050).

Still, for those looking away from the high-end, the Pixelbook Go is a hugely compelling option which is exactly why it has blazed straight up the charts of our buying guides, and snagged the top Chromebook spot.

• These are the best Chromebooks we’ve seen in 2019

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