DJI Spark

DJI Mavic Air

DJI Mavic Pro

Update: The sequel to the DJI Mavic Pro – the DJI Mavic Pro 2 – has been spotted in a leaked photo and a catalog ad that appeared online before the drone's scheduled launch date of July 18. DJI has now pushed the launch back, but hasn't announced a new date. We'll keep you updated when we know more. Original review continues below.

When most people think of drones they usually imagine a big, scary, four-armed miniature helicopter. However, drone makers in 2016 have introduced smaller and more portable quad-copters, like the GoPro Karma and Yuneec Breeze.

Now DJI is introducing its smallest, smartest and most approachable drone yet, the DJI Mavic Pro. With the ability to fold up into a water bottle-sized package and a starting price of $999 (£999, AU$1,689), this tiny drone comes priced right and with all the smart features of DJI's other models – plus a few new ones to boot.

Design

Measuring 3.27 x 7.8 x 3.27 inches (83 x 198 x 83mm; W x D x H) when folded up, the Mavic Pro looks downright adorable and has nearly the same size as a water bottle. DJI has also come up with a new ultralight and aerodynamic airframe that weighs only 743g.

Compared to DJI's past drones, it's teeny at half the size and weight of the company's flagship Phantom 4. The Mavic Pro is the first DJI drone small enough to be thrown into a backpack or purse rather than a special hard pack specifically designed for it.

This is all thanks to a new folding design in which the two front arms swing back while the rear limbs flip down and towards the quadcopter's main body. Despite rotors being attached to articulating elements, the Mavic Pro feels solid. It takes a fair bit of force to position everything, but not enough to stop you from getting it setup in a minute.

Your drone for everything

With most devices, going smaller usually means cutting features, but that couldn't be more wrong with the Mavic Pro. It still comes equipped with all the features of DJI's larger drones, including front- and bottom-mounted sensors, built-in obstacle avoidance, subject tracking, self-piloted return landings and geofencing to help keep it out of restricted air zones.

If anything, users lose a tiny bit of speed by going with this smaller drone. The Mavic Pro can achieve a maximum speed of 40mph (65kph) in sport mode – a special setting for drone racing, if you want to cut your teeth at the burgeoning sport – while the Phantom 4 can hit a 45mph (72kph) top speed.

DJI's newest drone is also designed to fly steadily, even in the face of 24mph (39kph) winds. As for range, you'll be able to stay connected to the quadcopter up to 4.3 miles (7km) away and a single charge gives you up to 27 minutes of flight time.

Unlike the GoPro Karma, the Mavic Pro comes with a camera, but you can't take it off for non-airborne adventures due to a non-removeable gimbal. That said, the camera can record 4K video at 30fps or 1080p footage at 96fps – the latter of which it can also live stream to Facebook, YouTube and Periscope at a slower 30fps rate.

Alternatively, users could snap 12MP image stills in Adobe's DNG raw format. Users will also be able to take two-second long exposures. While DJI is confident its new three-axis gimbal will produce sharp results, we'll have to put this to the test in the wild with our full review. On top of stabilizing recordings, they gimbal is also designed to turn the camera 90-degrees for portraits and capturing tall architecture.

Screens up, hands down

Ultimately, the greatest barrier to entry with drones has been intimidating controls, and DJI is trying to change that with a simpler and just-as pocketable solution. We got to try this out of ourselves, taking control of this pocket rocket just outside Lisbon.

While it can be simply used with the bundled controller, with all the flight info you could wish for displayed onto the built-in screen, we had it partnered with an iPhone 6S and the latest DJI app installed, allowing us to take full advantage of the gimbal controlled camera feed displayed on the screen, along with a plethora of telemetry round the edges of the frame and also the controller itself.

This was set-up by opening the two hinged side panels at the bottom of the controller where you can snuggly place your smartphone in-between the rubber grooves (you'll probably want to remove it from its case for a better fit), while there are a range of adapters to make a hardwire connection to the controller – no Wi-Fi pairing here.

This means the controller is very easy to set-up once you've released the two antennas at the top (these click nicely back into place when being stowed away), and you're ready to go.

Ready for take-off

All you have to do now is pull out the two arms at the front, the two from behind, a double-press of the power button (this avoids it being knocked/pressed when it's in your bag and draining the battery) and you're ready to take to the sky. No need to fan the rotors out as the force generated when the motors whirr up will do this for you.

For new users, this doesn't have to be as daunting at this sounds. The controls are incredibly tolerant of your inputs, while it remains perfectly stable in midair when you take your hands away from the controller. Even in some windy conditions when we took it up further than the treeline it still remained pretty perfectly balanced – though it did warn us of the adverse wind speed.

There are clearly marked auto controls to get the drone in the air, as well as returning it to where it took off - the Mavic Pro will take photos with its downward facing cameras and using this with the GPS data, will know exactly where to return too. In our hands-on time with it, it was incredibly precise, and certainly takes the stress out of landing if you haven't got the confidence to get it back yourself.

As we've mentioned, you can simply use it with the supplied controller, but we'd urge you to hook your smartphone up to it – the feed you get back is incredibly cool, and at 1080p, the level of detail is impressive. The gimbal is also really easy to direct, with dials on either side of the controller to do this and it's possible to get some really smooth panning with it should you wish. IF the gimbal gets knocked out of alignment – ours at one point was tilting at about 45 degrees after we had a fairly rough landing (user error, not the Mavic Pro), it's easy to re-calibrate (though you have to land and set it on a level surface).

Video and stills

The 28mm lens DJI has chosen for the Mavic Pro finds a good balance between getting plenty in the frame without being too wide so that everything is distorted a bit too much – it's actually a similar field of view to most smartphones, while the level of control to adjust exposure goes way beyond a simple point-and-shoot compact.

As well as being able to set white balance and ISO sensitivity (100-1,600) inflight, you can set the focus by tapping the screen and select whether you want to shoot JPEGs or raw files, or both, while shutter speed and aperture are relayed on screen so you can gauge if you need to boost the ISO or not.

Avoid, track and pan

We also got to try out some of the clever tracking that the Mavic Pro's capable of. Some of the fear for new drone users must be the thought of crashing it into some, but with the Mavic Pro's front avoidance controls, try as we might we couldn't get it to fly into a wall or tree - coming to a halt 15m (49ft) away.

For more professional looking videos, the ActiveTrack functionality is brilliant. Set the target you want tracked (a person or a car for example), and then select either Trace (follow from behind or in front of your subject), Profile (follow alongside) and Spotlight (the Mavic Pro will keep the camera trained on your subject regardless of where you fly the drone).

In the time we had with it, it worked really well and the potential to get high-end video footage that would normally require a couple of operators has to be a tempting proposition.

VR Headset

Alternatively, the drone maker also introduced a new DJI Goggles headset that displays an 85-degree view from the drone on a 1080p display. We got a few seconds to try on the headset and we were amazed with the clarity and lag-free quality of the picture.

It's an immersive experience, to be sure, but one most users likely won't need unless they're racing the drone in the aforementioned sports mode.

And if that's still too much for you, DJI has beefed up the mobile controls on smartphones. Going app-only with the Mavic Pro allows users to simply tap on a location for the drone to fly to. Uses can also tell the drone to fly forward while it avoids obstacles on its own.

The Mavic Pro is also the first DJI drone you can control with gestures alone. It's a surprisingly robust mode that allows you to wave your hands to get the drone's attention. From there, you could make a "Y" with your arms to tell the quadcopter to focus on you, or, if you mimic a photo frame with your fingers, the drone will take an aerial selfie.

Beyond these neat commands, you can also orchestrate the drone's flight with your hands. Gesture in a direction and the drone will follow suit. Likewise, if you have the drone focus on you, it will also follow you as you move – from a generous distance, that is.

Early verdict

On paper, the Mavic Pro seems like DJI's most accessible drone yet. It's priced right, and compared to the GoPro Karma, it's also more affordable with an included camera, no less. Between the improved smartphone app and gesture controls, DJI has made a drone that's much easier to control for the less technically minded.

Mavic Pro should appeal to those who have been watching drone footage by the wayside and are itching to make their own. DJI has finally done away with two of the biggest turn offs of drones by making a device that's far more portable and easier to control.

• How to use drones for photography

from TechRadar: Technology reviews https://ift.tt/2cJQWyE

Sony PS4 (Slim)

Even with the 4K-enabled PS4 Pro now on the market, Sony's original PS4 remains a great video games console, especially now that it's been shrunk down to a significantly slimmer form factor. 

Not only is this PS4 model more compact than the original PS4, it's cheaper too. You might think the feature trade-off is worth it: you won't get any form of 4K output, for example, and you have to make do without an optical audio output too. If you can put up with these limitations, you'll find the PS4 Slim is a really capable machine rather than a budget console. 

That smaller size means it's likely to fit better in most rooms, and it also runs quieter and with less power draw than the PS4. As an added bonus, if you live in Europe and Asia, you can get it in Glacier White.

The big question is: should you upgrade? And if you're looking to buy the console for the first time, is this the one to go for?

It'd be an easier decision if Microsoft's Xbox One S hadn't significantly raised the bar by packing a 4K Blu-ray player into the Xbox One, as well as adding 4K upscaling and HDR functionality to its games. 

Meanwhile, further complicating the decision, the 4K PS4 Pro brings improved performance to the PS4 ecosystem. The slim PS4, meanwhile, works more or less identically to the original PlayStation 4.

• Check out our guide to the best PS4 games

The slim retails at £299.95 / $299.99 / AU$449 for the 1TB box, though the 500GB edition is still available in limited quantities for slightly less. Various gaming bundles are available too, which might appeal.

Although the PS4 Slim might have entered the market as Sony's budget PlayStation offering, it doesn't mean it's scrimping on its specs to any large extent. In all key areas it matches the original PlayStation 4 console, and at many points even outperforms it as well.

It's also a far smaller console, shrinking the machine down by almost a third in volume, knocking 16% off the original's weight and offering notable improvements in both power draw and noise output.

• Want to know how the console stacks up against the PS4 Pro? Check out our guide to the PS4 Pro vs PS4

The best PS4 games are among the finest available on any platform at the moment, with showstoppers like Uncharted 4 and Bloodborne the envy of PC and Xbox One gamers alike. They'll all be compatible with the new PS4 Slim, as will every game going forward – Sony made it explicitly clear that every game for the PS4 Pro will work here, too.

On top of the games themselves, the PS Plus network offering is as good a deal as it's ever been, allowing you to partake in competitive or cooperative online multiplayer play and offering up a selection of three free games on a monthly basis too.

In terms of competition, the PS4 Slim really only has two rivals – the Nintendo Switch and the Xbox One S. Sure, Nintendo has created something profoundly unique with the new Nintendo Switch, but it's against the Xbox One S where the PS4 has its toughest fight. 

Only a tad more expensive, the Xbox One S looks great, has a fine selection of its own games, and comes packing a killer 4K Blu-ray player built in, making it a far more rounded media player than the PS4 Slim. 

All that said, it's Sony who's sold 70 million PS4s at the moment. So clearly it's doing something right with its new console.

Does that mean you should join the PlayStation Nation too? Read on to find out.

Design

It may be hard to remember now, seeing how much joy gamers have gotten out of the original PS4, but its off-kilter shape was met with some raised eyebrows when it was first revealed three and a half years ago.

2016's slim PS4 more-or-less retains the core visual identity of the first PlayStation 4, but shrinks everything down into a more dinky parallelogram package, with newly-rounded edges.

Whereas the original PlayStation 4 measured 27.5 x 30 x 5.3 cm, the PS4 Slim is just 26.5 x 26.5 x 3.8 cm. That's roughly a third smaller than what the original measured up as, and its weight is comparably lighter, too.

Whereas the first PS4 had a finish that mixed shiny plastics with matte ones, the PS4 Slim goes with a simple matte black finish all over. It also drops the top-mounted colored light bar indicator – showing sleep, wake and off statuses – in favor of small illuminated dots over the power button. These are more difficult to see, so be careful to check them carefully before unplugging the console from the wall, or risk corrupting your data.

The disk drive slot remains front-facing, sitting above small, physical power and eject buttons. More recent revisions of the PS4 also featured physical buttons on the console, but it'll be a marked difference for gamers used to the launch edition PS4, which favored touch-sensitive controls instead.

Two USB ports sit on the front of the console, as was the same on earlier PS4 models. But they're now spaced much further apart, making them slightly easier to plug into.

Both 500GB and 1TB versions of the PS4 Slim are available, though the former is becoming rarer. If you opt for the smaller of the two you might find your hard-drive fills up surprisingly quickly thanks to the console's reliance on mandatory game installs, but thankfully it's fairly easy to upgrade the internal hard drive or you can even install games to an external hard drive thanks to a recent update. 

Also on the back you'll find the power plug socket (no need for an external power brick here), a HDMI port, the PlayStation Camera's expansion port (an essential part of the PlayStation VR's setup) and an Ethernet network jack socket.

The only casualty of the slimmed-down design is the Optical Out port on the rear. While HDMI will suit the needs of many gamers when it comes to carrying audio signals, the Optical Out port will be missed by those hooking up older home cinema receivers, or souped-up gaming headsets.

The slim PS4 has lots of nice design touches dotted around its chassis though. The iconic Square, Triangle, Circle and Cross symbols of the PlayStation brand are stamped into the side of the console (with the Circle acting as a fixture for those wishing to stand the console upright with a base accessory). And those same symbols are found stuck to the bottom of the new PS4, acting as feet to raise the machine off a surface for improved airflow.

All in, it's a well considered design the complements the existing range, markedly justifying its "Slim" street name.

Setup

Setting up the slim PlayStation 4 is very easy, especially if you're upgrading from the original PS4 (or even a PS3), since you can use the same cables, removing the need to stretch behind your TV.

Simply plug in the included HDMI and power cables and connect to the internet to download the console's various patches and updates.

Alternatively, you are able to skip Wi-Fi or Ethernet altogether and just pop in a game. Unlike the Xbox One, you can get to the homescreen without initially connecting to the web and patching.

Once you do connect to the internet, you'll need to let the PS4 update before you can make purchases from the store or play online.

Media

Since the very first PlayStation, Sony's home consoles have led the charge when it comes to media playback support. The PS One made for a great CD player, the PS2 was many gamers' first DVD player, and the PS3 their first Blu-ray deck and USB playback device.

The PS4, while not introducing a new format of its own, picked up the baton passed by the PS3, offering wide-ranging streaming service support, Blu-ray and DVD playback, USB media functionality and even banging out the tunes with its own Spotify player.

What the PS4 Slim doesn't do, however, is offer an answer to the Xbox One S's 4K Blu-ray player. It instead sticks with the original PS4's standard full HD Blu-ray player. It's still a strong deck, but anyone looking to show off their 4K TVs with the new PS4 will be disappointed. It's a feature that's notably absent from the PS4 Pro, too.

• Need a player for your physical media? Check out our guide to the best 4K Blu-ray players.

You could argue that, with 4K TVs a relative luxury for gamers at the moment and streaming increasingly used to watch media content, it's not a desperately needed feature, especially if it keeps the overall cost down. But it will age the console, preventing it from being fully future-proofed. What's perhaps more annoying is the complete removal of the optical out audio socket, which could cause headaches for those with older AV equipment.

However, one upgrade that is coming to the entire range of PS4s along with the PS4 Slim is HDR support. It adds greater detail to light sources in an image, and is considered the next big thing in TV tech.

All other streaming services and apps featured on the PS4 return for the PS4 Slim. They include (but are not limited to) Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, as well as BBC iPlayer and TV from Sky in the UK, and HBO Go and Hulu in the US. Sony's own movie rental platform is available too if you're looking for the latest Hollywood releases. YouTube is available, as is Twitch game streaming, and a Spotify Connect-enabled version of the popular music streaming service, letting you control tunes on your telly from the comfort of your smartphone.

• Looking out for great savings on the PS4 Slim in Australia? Check out our sister site Getprice to compare prices!

The 2016 PS4 Slim edition debuts alongside a brand new DualShock 4 pad – though you'd be excused for failing to spot the difference.

In the hand, it's practically identical to its predecessor, which was easily the best pad Sony had ever made, and up there with the best of all time.

Though its analogue sticks succumb to wear and tear a little too easily, the DualShock 4 is wonderfully ergonomic, with a responsive D-Pad and comfortable triggers and face buttons. A criminally-underused touchpad sits in the middle of the pad (which also houses barely-used motion control capabilities), while a light bar sits on the rear, indicating player status and used as a tracking aid for PS VR.

It's this lightbar that marks one of the notable changes to the new controller. There's now a slight translucent strip in the touchpad, letting you see the color your controller is set to. It's a small convenience, saving you from twisting the pad upwards to see which player color you are set as.

A more significant addition, especially for pro gamers, is the option to switch between the controller's Bluetooth connection and a wired USB data connection with the PS4. Previously, the USB connection would only supply charge, leaning on the Bluetooth connectivity regardless of whether it was plugged in or not.

This won't mean much to many players, but Bluetooth introduces an infinitesimal degree of lag to your controls. For a pro gamer, that can be the difference between a win (and a pot of e-Sports prize money) or a loss. So they'll no doubt be very pleased.

The feature should also make a welcome addition for PC gamers who want to use the DualShock 4 with their rig who will no longer need to buy a Bluetooth dongle to do so.

With a whole host of streaming services built in, as well as online play and a digital download store, the PS4 Slim is very reliant on its network connection. So thankfully, it's getting a fresh lick of paint for the new model, too.

The new PS4 Slim introduces a 5GHz IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac connection to the console, alongside ol' faithful, the trusty Ethernet jack. Previous PS4s only featured 2.4GHz bands. While Ethernet is still your best bet for a consistently stable connection, the 5GHz band is less likely to suffer from interference from the menagerie of products hogging the 2.4GHz space. In effect, you're less likely to suffer lag and drop out as a result.

The 5GHz connection should improve the quality of the PS4's Remote Play function. With a PS Vita handheld, a PC, Mac or compatible Sony Xperia mobile device, you can beam games from your PS4 to a second device, freeing up the TV set.

Though we've had no problems with Remote Play over the 2.4GHz connection of our original launch PS4, the PS4 Slim has so far offered up stable connectivity when using the second screen function. It must be noted however that 5GHz connections can struggle beaming through thick masonry, so line of sight with the console is still recommended when using Remote Play.

PlayStation Store

The PlayStation Store has been around since the PS3, and naturally remains your source of downloadable games on the slim PS4.

The ability to pre-load games makes a return so you aren't left waiting for downloads to complete on launch day, and you can also start playing a game before the download has fully completed by instructing your console to prioritise certain parts of the game.

With games now happily filling up 50GB Blu-ray discs, this ability is pretty essential if you want to not have to leave your games downloading overnight.

You can also use the PlayStation app on iOS or Android to remotely purchase games and set them to download when you're away from your console, or you can always avoid the download process entirely by making use of Sony's ever-expanding PlayStation Now service.

Sharing gameplay images and videos

It should come as no surprise when I say that online gaming video is big news these days, and Sony has fully embraced this with the ability to share videos of gameplay baked right into the console.

Simply press the 'Share' button on the DualShock 4 and your console will immediately save up to the last fifteen minutes of gameplay. You're then free to save this to a USB stick, or you can share it to YouTube, Facebook, or even Sony's own PSN.

Alternatively you can hold the same button to share a screenshot.

Livestreaming is also supported on the console, if you want to allow others to watch you as you play on Twitch. The process is remarkably easy to set up, but make sure you have a fast enough internet connection to upload video in real-time.

PlayStation Plus

When the PS4 launched, Sony took the decision to make its users pay for online multiplayer.

The practice had previously been exclusive to Microsoft's Xbox Live Gold service, while Sony kept its Plus service for optional extras.

If you've already purchased a PS Plus subscription for another Sony device it will automatically carry over to the new console, and will bring with it discounts on PSN, a monthly selection of free games, and occasional early access to DLC.

Cloud saves are a great inclusion for when you need to switch between consoles for any reason, and automatic downloading and installation of game updates is also helpful.

Sony's PlayStation Plus is a great service for anyone who owns a PS4, and brings so many more benefits than just online play.

• Check out our constantly updated list of PlayStation Plus' free games

Share Play

Share Play is an interesting feature that allows you to have friends remotely control your PS4 gameplay, even if they don't own the game in question. This works as a cooperative tool, or a competitive one, depending on how you want to use it.

This functionality is accessed through the same 'Share' button mentioned above, at which point you can choose to send out a share play invitation from the menu that pops up.

Unfortunately both players will need to be PlayStation Plus subscribers for the functionality to work, and each session can only last a maximum of an hour. It's also limited to 720p resolution rather than the PS4's maximum 1080p.

Unlike the PS4 Pro or Xbox One S, the new PS4 Slim is, at its best, a resolutely 1080p gaming machine. It can't compare to the 4K-capable Microsoft rival or its forthcoming premium Sony sibling in this respect. But it's a match for existing PlayStation 4 consoles – and in some respects outperforms them too.

Performance increases lay primarily with power draw and energy efficiency, which Sony claims reduces power consumption by 28% compared to earlier models.

Though unable to test the precise power draw, even to the naked eye (or ear, at least) the improvement is tangible. Fan noise is a great indicator of how much power a gadget is using as, generally, they'll speed up and get louder as a component draws more power and begins to heat up. Compared to a well-used launch edition of the PS4, the PS4 Slim fan noise was noticeably quieter when in use, which would suggest Sony's claims are true.

What doesn't seem to have been made any quieter however is the disc drive itself, which spins up very noisily when a either game is installing, or a Blu-ray or DVD is playing. You might have to crank your speakers up a bit to drown that out.

In pretty much every other performance aspect however, the PS4 and PS4 Slim consoles are identical. There's no perceptible difference in loading times or frame rates for games, which have so far ran all-but identically across all tests. There may be a slight improvement in UI responsiveness, but that could equally be down to our reviewer's older console having been jammed full of games and years of use whereas the newer machine was relatively box fresh.

Sessions with a wide range of games, from indies like Rogue Legacy, to colorful platformer LEGO Jurassic World, to the chilling first-person frights of Alien Isolation, all saw the slim PS4 hitting the same frame rates you would expect from a standard PS4. In other words, it's a top-notch gaming machine, running most games at a tight 1080p/30ps, and many at 1080p/60fps. Though it's not quite a fair comparison given the myriad build options, in PC gaming terms, the PS4 Slim would sit towards the middle of the market in terms of performance. But in reality, it's really like comparing apples and oranges.

• Check out our guide to the best PS4 games available right now.

While the PS4 Slim stands tall against its predecessor then, it doesn't compare as favorably against the Xbox One S, which offers upgraded 4K upscaling alongside its likewise slimmer proportions. However, the console does support HDR visuals, which have now been added via a software update.

The PS4 is a great console, and the PS4 Slim does nothing to change that. Where it takes away an optical port, it gives back with improved power efficiency, networking capabilities and a sleek new form factor.

Launching at a relatively affordable price, and now boasting a superb catalogue of games, it's easy to recommend, even if its Xbox One S rival boasts flashier specs equally worthy of your attention.

We liked

No one likes to waste power and deal with insane energy bills, so it's reassuring to see Sony dialling back the PS4's power consumption. Though the original PS4's looks have become comfortingly familiar, the new smaller, more reserved design will make it an easier fit for many AV setups.

Networking improvements make the PS4 Slim a more stable online gaming machine, and the new DualShock 4 even gives a nod to pro-gaming e-sports players. It's also easier than ever to install a new hard drive (though a 1TB drive comes as standard in most cases now).

We disliked

When sat next to the Xbox One S, which isn't massively more expensive than the 2016 PlayStation 4 Slim, it's hard not to feel a little jealous of the 4K Blu-ray player inside the Microsoft machine. It's a luxury, for sure, but it's a future proofed one that may mean the PS4 Slim is relegated before its time.

Likewise, the audio optical out connection's removal is annoying. Though it was probably only used by a small percentage of PS4 gamers with the original console, those that rely on for their dedicated AV speaker systems will now have a tough choice to make – upgrade to a PS4 Slim, meaning the additional cost of upgrading their audio receivers too, or sit tight with the existing PS4? It's a choice they shouldn't have to make.

Final Verdict

If you've been patiently waiting for the right time to grab a PS4 console, the hour has come. Affordable, newly-shrunken and with a stonking back catalogue of excellent games, the PS4 Slim is a great entry point into Sony's current gaming world.

However, after a slow start, Microsoft has come out swinging, with the Xbox One (especially with the Xbox One S console revision) a mighty gaming machine in its own right, worthy of your attention. It's a decision that may not even be made for you – with both consoles so closely matched (4K Blu-ray players notwithstanding), it may well come down to which machine has already embraced most of your friends for online play sessions.

Go down the PS4 route, and you've another question to ask – should you opt for the pricier, but more powerful, PS4 Pro instead? It'll come at a premium, but has support for 4K resolutions – the next graphical frontier in gaming.

The PS4 Slim is a workhorse. It might not have the flashier specs of the PS4 Pro or the media capabilities of the Xbox One S, but if you want a console to rely on for 1080p gaming at an affordable price, then the PS4 Slim is a great option. 

from TechRadar: Technology reviews https://ift.tt/2bESDYw

LG SK10Y soundbar

A soundbar that aspires to do it all, the LG SK10Y boasts Dolby Atmos support, High-Res Audio certification, Google Assistant functionality and Chromecast compatibility. Thanks to a new partnership with British hi-fi specialist Meridian Audio, it also carries some impressive sonic credentials.

Having driven the luxury TV agenda with OLED, LG now wants to take similar leadership with audio, and Meridian seems the perfect partner to help. The high-end audio outfit has been involved in component choice as well as physical construction, but has this really made a difference? 

The SK10Y heads a trio of LG Dolby Atmos soundbars, along with the smaller SK9Y, and entry-level 2.1 channel SK8Y. Having spent some time with the SK10Y, we can say that it practically ticks every box one might have when looking for the ideal soundbar. 

However, with a suggested price of $1099 (£1,199 / AU$1,699), the LG SK10Y isn't the cheapest Dolby Atmos soundbar around. That said, those who own a recent LG television may want to consider the SK10Y thanks to the South Korean company's seamless integration of the two devices. 

Design and features

The SK10Y is a big beast. A full 65 inches wide (144cm), it’s the largest soundbar LG has ever produced, and requires either a really wide AV table or wall area for mounting.

The latter is achieved via an L-shaped bracket, and this causes the big bar to jut out from the wall significantly – not a great look. The soundbar has integrated Dolby upfiring speakers, so it can’t be positioned in a cabinet, either. 

Potential buyers may also want to consider how LG's high-end soundbar will look underneath their telly. Thanks to its extreme width, LG recommends the SK10Y be used with TVs that are 65 inches and above in size, making it a less-than-ideal choice for those with smaller sets. 

The SK10Y comes with a wireless, 200W, front-firing subwoofer, more than capable of handling deep bass. This just needs to be parked nearby. 

In terms of usability, the SK10Y excels. We love that it has Chromecast functionality built in, and that it can be integrated into a Google-based multi-room audio system, which you can then control by voice via Google Assistant. Bluetooth streaming is standard, and connections include 4K HDMI passthrough (2x inputs and 1x output) and an optical audio input.

When it comes to controlling the SK10Y, its remote control works well enough, with buttons to adjust volume, mute, change function and to play, pause and skip tracks during music playback, though we found that its streamlined design made it somewhat frustrating to use while adjusting audio settings.

Performance

Fired up, the LG SK10Y certainly creates an impressive wall of sound. It’s designated as a 5.1.2 Atmos solution, which means that in addition to twin top-mounted speakers there’s a triple array on the front fascia (left, center, right), plus side-firing channels at either edge. 

These side drivers aren't designed to bounce sound off a wall; instead they use Acoustic Phase Matching to alter the timing of the audio, which creates an impression of surround sound. 

We tested the SK10Y with a number of 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays with Dolby Atmos tracks and came away very impressed with the three-dimensional audio that the soundbar was able to produce.

First off, we tested Star Wars: The Last Jedi — a film (and series) known for boasting mind-blowing sound effects and music. Kicking off with the film's opening space battle, we experienced soaring dynamics as X-wing starfighters flew over our heads and laser blasts zipped right past us — or at least that's what it felt like.

Next up, we tried out Justice League's punchy Atmos track and came away just as impressed by the immersive soundscape the SK10Y soundbar was able to achieve, particularly during underwater sequences featuring Aquaman. While we didn't necessarily feel like we were submerged in water, the soundbar did help sell the scene. 

The SK10Y isn’t just about movies. It’s High-Res Audio-ready, and 24-bit 192kHz-capable. It supports the usual selection of lossless codecs, but not MQA. 

Aluminum tweeters are able to reach up to a High-Res Audio badge-certifying 40Hz. LG also says these cones provide a higher sound pressure level over silk dome tweeters. The SK10Y had no problem pressure-loading our listening room.

The unit's volume is prodigious. With a total power output rating of 550W, you’ll probably not want to run it on full whack. 

While all Dolby Atmos soundbars feature a height component, they tend not to create a fully immersive listening experience, at least when compared to a Dolby Atmos AV receiver using multiple physical speakers.

The SK10Y tries hard to combat this. For one, it has variable overhead volume, which enables users to compensate for different ceiling heights. The company is also offering a separate pair of wireless rear speakers, the SPK8s. 

This package comprises a pair of diminutive, wireless forward-facing squawkers and a standalone 140W two-channel amplifier. When paired with theses rears, the SK10Y offers full 5.1 surround sound, plus height; effectively 7.1.2, with a total power output of 690W. It was in this configuration that we listened to the system.

The SK10Y has been built around the standard Dolby DAP chipset, and includes features common to that, namely a dialogue enhancer, volume leveler and volume modeler. The latter is used to maintain levels of bass, even when volume levels are decreased. It prevents the audio stage wimping out when sensible listening levels are applied. 

Unfortunately, it also means the SK10Y can’t support DTS:X, the rival immersive audio format. However, the soundbar will decode DTS Master Audio, and this and other non-Atmos sound sources can be upscaled for all-channel listening. 

We tested this DTS upscaling effect with 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray of Interstellar, which lacks Dolby Atmos but carries a strong DTS-HD track that's both bombastic and subtle in its dynamics. 

Truthfully, the difference between Interstellar's DTS HD track and Star Wars' Dolby Atmos track was fairly minor to our ears, with both offering a terrific surround sound experience. Regardless of your chosen film's audio source, it's likely to sound fantastic on the SK10Y. 

Verdict

LG's inaugural partnership with Meridian has resulted in a Dolby Atmos soundbar with surprising clarity and refinement. Capable of creating a wall of sound while also isolating more subtle sonic nuances, LG's SK10Y is a very impressive Dolby Atmos-ready soundbar. 

Whether you're listening to music over Bluetooth or shaking the room with a loud Hollywood blockbuster, the LG SK10Y will offer an excellent listening experience thanks to its expert tuning and powerful speaker setup. 

Admittedly, the SK10Y is a little pricey compared to some other soundbars on the market, and its overly elongated design may not suit all home theater setups. That said, the SK10Y is able to provide a wonderful three-dimensional soundscape capable of bringing the cinematic listening experience right to your living room. 

• The best soundbars you can buy in 2018

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WhatsApp adds group voice and video calling

Many people rely on WhatsApp to stay connected to loved ones, and today the service added a new feature for doing just that.

Group calls for voice and video are launching on WhatsApp for Android and iPhone today. You can make a group call with up to four people at once. To get a group call going, start a one-on-one voice or video call and then that the "Add Participant" button in the top right corner.

WhatsApp says that group calls are always end-to-end encrypted, adding that it's designed the calling feature to work reliably around the world in different network conditions.

WhatsApp users spend more than 2 billion minutes on calls every day, so it's clear that voice and video calling is an important feature of the app. Now those calling features are getting even better by letting users get several people on a call at once to catch up, collaborate, and more.

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Would Fortnite be a big enough incentive to buy a Galaxy Note 9?

In August, Samsung is going to announce its newest phablet device, what will probably be called the Galaxy Note 9. As is par for the course with any major release, the rumor mill has already put in quite a bit of work to undermine Samsung's forthcoming big reveal and show anyone who's willing to pay attention what's coming down the pipe. And if the rumors pan out --and they probably will-- we will more than likely have a pretty familiar handset on our hands.

The Galaxy Note 9 will look a lot like the Galaxy Note 8 before it, based on leaked images of the handset. We've seen the phablet in several different colors, too, including brown. And the blue model (which is still my favorite color on a smartphone up to this point) will actually come with a S Pen that's yellow and blue.

But, hey, Samsung is going to reposition the fingerprint reader on the back, so there's that.

All-in-all, the Galaxy Note 9 sounds like it is going to be a pretty quiet update. And let me reiterate a point I've said in the past: I don't think that's a bad thing. Not every year has to give us some wildly different phone from the handset it's replacing. As long as it beefs up the specs and offers some significant improvements in the camera department, that's about all we should ask/expect from a yearly update.

But maybe the fact the Galaxy Note 9 isn't going to offer up a huge change this year has Samsung wanting to pull some extra work to make sure it has a fighting chance going into the tail-end of 2018. After all, rumor has it Apple is going to launch a new, bigger iPhone X Plus. So, what can the house that built the Galaxy Note do?

How about nab a huge exclusive? According to reports, Samsung actually managed to get the exclusive launch of the mega-popular Fortnite Battle Royale pegged down. If the rumors pan out, it means the game will be an exclusive title for the Galaxy Note 9 for 30 days. What's more, folks who pre-order the phablet will reportedly get as much as $150 worth of V-Bucks (the in-game currency to buy new characters, emotes, gliders, and more). That's quite the deal, and the exclusive is a huge win for Samsung if it is indeed the case.

But, is it an actual incentive? I do know that there are some Apple fans out there that actually like the fact that iOS devices get some games (like Super Mario Run and Alto's Odyssey, among others) before Android. So that exclusive window is certainly a real bonus to some folks. But is it enough to actually get people to buy a new phone?

I think an exclusive launch window for the Galaxy Note 9 and Fortnite is a big win for Samsung if they did manage to achieve it. But I have to wonder if it's actually going to get anyone who isn't already planning on upgrading to a Galaxy Note 9 to buy one. Is it that big of an incentive? I see it as a pretty great bonus. You're getting a powerful smartphone with top-notch stylus support/features, and you also get an exclusive window with one of the most popular games on the planet. Win-win, right?

What about you? Do you think that Samsung can boost sales of the Galaxy Note 9 if it also offers an exclusive 30-day launch window for Fortnite's battle royale mode? Let me know what you think!

Samsung

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Unlocked Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium is now available

Does the 4K HDR screen of the Xperia XZ2 Premium have you interested in Sony's high-end Android handset? If so, you can now order one of your very own.

The Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium is now available from Amazon in Chrome Black and Chrome Silver color options. The phone is being sold unlocked, and it's compatible with GSM carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile in the U.S. Also included is a U.S. warranty.

The highlight feature of the Xperia XZ2 Premium is its screen. It's a 5.8-inch 3840x2160 HDR screen, which is a higher resolution than most other smartphones currently available. The rest of the XZ2 Premium's specs aren't anything to sneeze at, though, as it's packing features like a Snapdragon 845, 6GB of RAM, and a dual rear camera setup with a 19MP color sensor and 12MP monochrome sensor. Sony also touts the phone's ISO of 51,200 for low light photography.

Other features of the Xperia XZ2 Premium include a 13MP wide angle front-facing camera, 64GB of built-in storage, and a microSD card slot. There's a 3540mAh battery that you charge using USB-C as well as Android 8.0 Oreo. One thing that's missing, though, is a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium definitely doesn't come cheap, but the good news is that it at least has some high-end features to back up its premium price tag. If its 5.8-inch 4K HDR display has you reaching for your credit card, you can buy an Xperia XZ2 Premium of your own at the link below.

Sony

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