Tips and tricks to buying a 4K TV, all you need to know to help make a purchase decision
A year ago, buying a 4K TV might not have crossed your mind. Content wasn’t readily available, prices were high and the technology was only in its early stages.
However, just 12 months later everything has changed. If you’re in the market for a new television, there are now more reasons why you should opt for a 4K Ultra HD TV with HDR tech than not.
It can be a little mystifying though, with different technologies, logos and, sometimes, confusing messages on what to look for. That’s why we’ve put together some simple tips, tricks and things to consider when looking for your next TV.
Buying a 4K TV: Resolution
A 4K television is so called because it has a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels, creating a far sharper picture than the current, widely used standard for TVs, 1080p.
A 1920 x 1080 TV is capable of displaying just over 2 million pixels, while a 4K Ultra HD set has more than 8.25 million pixels to play with. That is quite a staggering and impressive difference when it comes to detail and sharpness on a screen.
It’s a far greater jump in resolution than when we switch from HD (720p) to Full HD (1080p), which was roughly twice as many pixels. Ultra HD (2160p) is more than four times Full HD.
Modern TVs, such as the Sony BRAVIA XD93, also has excellent upscaling technology built-in, so even normal HD broadcasts and Blu-rays look better on a 4K set.
Buying a 4K TV: HDR
High dynamic range technology, otherwise known as HDR, increases the depth of an image and presents more accurate colours than on previous TVs. This is because a HDR TV is capable of deep, controlled black levels while displaying brighter areas of a picture more vividly than ever before.
It means that you will see more detail in dark areas of an image, but without washing out the deep black zones. And whites on a screen will be bright and natural.
A wider colour gamut, which allows the TV to display more variants of red, blue and green than ever before, ensures objects on screen look more like they would when viewed with the native eye.
In short, movie directors love HDR tech because it presents their work more accurately – as they intended – than ever before.
Buying a 4K TV: HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2
All external 4K content sources, including 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray players, Amazon Fire TV set-top-boxes require HDMI 2.0 inputs with HDCP 2.2 copy protection, otherwise they are incapable of feeding the TV 4K video.
Modern 4K TVs often have at least one supported input. You should really look out for more though, because unless you plan to purchase an Ultra HD-ready AV receiver, as more 4K devices are released, you’ll need more inputs to hook them up to.
The Sony Bravia XD93 has four HDMI 2.0 ports with HDCP 2.2 compliance, for example.
Buying a 4K TV: Content
Although upscaling your existing Blu-rays and normal TV broadcasts makes the pictures look better on a 4K telly, it isn’t until you’ve seen native Ultra HD content that you realise the potential of the format.
There are several ways you can get 4K video to view, and new Ultra HD movies, TV shows and, even, games are also on their way.
Both Netflix and Amazon Video offer 4K HDR movies and shows, to stream through your new TV if they are available, without the need for a separate set-top-box. You should check to see if the apps for both are supported before you choose your new set. YouTube too offers 4K video, so also check that app is on-board.
There are now a couple of 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray players on the market, with plenty of good quality discs to buy through multiple retailers. You’ll need a HDMI 2.0 input with HDCP 2.2, as detailed above, but 4K Blu-ray images are the best you can possibly get right now. They look stunning.
Paid TV services, such as those from Sky, BT and Virgin Media, have or are soon to offer 4K television broadcasts, for sport and movies. And Microsoft will be launching a 4K-ready console in the form of the Xbox One S in August. It features a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player, Netflix and Amazon support and even has HDR tech for gaming.
In short, there are, or will be very soon, plenty of ways to watch and enjoy 4K HDR content, you just need a compatible television.
Buying a 4K TV: Smart TV
Smart TVs have been around for many years now. A Smart TV is one that can hook up to the internet, through a wired or wireless connection, and offers multiple services, such as TV and movie streaming, games and other information apps.
Different manufacturers tend to have different Smart TV platforms, but one of the best we’ve used is Android TV, as found on Sony’s and a couple of other manufacturer’s sets. Like the mobile phone operating system, it offers access to a rapidly expanding list of apps and games, all of which can be played through the TV.
Services such as BBC iPlayer, Netflix and Google’s own movie services are available, as are hundreds of triple-A games titles. It is simple to use and navigate, and uses the Google Play Store to download software – much of which is totally free.
Some sets, again including Sony’s, offer PlayStation Now. This is a cloud gaming service that provides access to hundreds of PlayStation 3 games without you needing to own a separate console. For one monthly fee, you can start any of the games, with the video streaming to your set and your game controller commands whizzing back in the other direction. The end result is a console-like experience without any other external device, save for a PlayStation DualShock gamepad.
Buying a 4K TV: Design
The final aspect of any TV you need to consider is how it will look in your living room. Whether you plan to wall-mount it or place it on a cabinet, or whatever screen size you choose, it has to look as good when switched off as when filling a room with exceptional images.
For us, that means a minimalist design is best – something that blends in rather than dominates a room. Sony, for example, has Slim Backlight Drive technology on its latest range, which ensures HDR picture performance, while keeping a superslim footprint.
Cable management on modern sets is also much better than ever before and is only really applicable when the TV is on the stand, and isn’t really relevant when wall mounted. One of the best cable management systems we’ve seen is on the BRAVIA XD93.
Buying a 4K TV: Audio
A trade off of the slim design of flatscreen TVs can be audio performance. While the built in speakers are perfectly adequate for general TV viewing to be honest, if you want the best audio performance from your movies, games and TV shows, you should really match your new TV with a dedicated sound system, be that a soundbar or home cinema speaker set-up.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the TV you go for has to match your own wants and desires, but we recommend that you also consider whether it is futureproof. With 4K Ultra HD and HDR tech on-board you can’t go far wrong.
There has certainly never been a better time to buy a television than now, with prices at an all-time low for incredible, immersive experiences we’ve never before seen.
‘BioShock: The Collection’ hits PS4, Xbox One and PC in September
Break out the wetsuits — you’re going back to Rapture. BioShock: The Collection contains all three BioShock games and their single-player DLC packs, remastered for current-generation consoles. It’s due to hit PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC on September 13th across North America and Asia (that’s September 15th in Australia and September 16th worldwide), and the whole bundle costs $60.
Specifically, BioShock: The Collection includes remastered versions of BioShock, BioShock 2 and BioShock Infinite, plus all of their single-player DLC packs. There are a few caveats here: BioShock 2 in particular won’t feature multiplayer content in the new bundle. Also, BioShock Infinite has not been remastered for PC because “it already meets current-gen console standards and runs smoothly on high visual settings,” 2K Games says. Note that Infinite landed on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC in March 2013.
A few extra goodies are thrown into The Collection, including a director’s commentary reel called Imagining BioShock starring series creator Ken Levine, and a behind-the-scenes tour of the original BioShock’s development called Museum of Orphaned Concepts. BioShock’s Challenge Rooms also make an appearance in the bundle. The Collection includes BioShock 2’s Minerva’s Den and Protector Trials DLC packs, plus BioShock Infinite’s Burial at Sea, Clash in the Clouds and Columbia’s Finest add-on packs.
Fans have long been clamoring for current-generation versions of the BioShock trilogy, and just yesterday 2K Games revealed the series’ official twitter account. News of the remastered collection leaked a little early thanks to a series of images uploaded to the official 2K Games website this week. But of course, when you’re dealing with an elaborate underwater city, leaks are expected.
Welcome to Rapture! Would you kindly follow @BioShock? pic.twitter.com/f010t1WS0O
— BioShock (@bioshock) June 29, 2016
Samsung releases unlocked Galaxy S7 phones in the US
Waiting for the unlocked versions of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge? We hope you’ve been saving up. They’re now available in the US for those who don’t want to be locked into a contract with a carrier for two years and those who want the freedom to choose their plans. The unlocked devices are still the same phones you fell in love with earlier this year and will work on most GSM and CDMA carriers in the country, including all the big hitters (AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon and US Cellular). You can nab one straight from Samsung’s website, but you can also get either of them from various distributors and retailers, such as Amazon, Best Buy and Target. As always, expect to pay more up front for an unlocked device: the Galaxy S7 will set you back $670, while the Galaxy S7 edge will cost you $100 more.
Source: Samsung
Juno snaps a pic of Jupiter before it reaches the gas giant
NASA’s Juno spacecraft is diving into Jupiter’s orbit in a few days’ time, five years after it blasted off its launching pad in Cape Canaveral. The gas giant is merely a stone’s throw away, and this image captured by the probe’s camera, the JunoCam, shows just how close it is to reaching its destination. Juno took a photo of the planet and its four biggest moons on June 21st, while it was 6.8 million miles away. That might sound like it’s still awfully far, but don’t forget that the probe will have traveled 1.74 billion miles by the time it enters Jupiter’s orbit on July 4th. JunoCam could only manage a hazy photo at that point in time, but you can still make out Jupiter’s bands. You can also see four dots on one side of the picture, which are actually the Galilean satellites Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto.
To prepare for the start of the mission, a team of astronomers also used the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope to create infrared maps of Jupiter, such as the one we’ve embedded below. According to team leader Leigh Fletcher, “These maps will help set the scene for what Juno will witness in the coming months.”
If you’re now asking “What will Juno see in the coming months, anyway?” Well, NASA equipped the spacecraft with various infrared and microwave instruments. The observations it beams back will help the agency study its composition and magnetic fields, assess the presence of water and oxygen content, as well as figure out the planet’s origin.
[Image credit: ESO/L. Fletcher]
Source: NASA, ESO
ICYMI: Pinterest’s photo recognition and light exosuits
Today on In Case You Missed It: Pinterest wants users to shop for items by taking pictures, then uploading to the site to find similar items. Carnegie Mellon University invented an exoskeleton component that would lighten suits and make them far easier to walk around in, minus the bulky metal frames.
NASA tested a rocket booster this week that may one day go to Mars. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Google’s Spanish offices raided in tax investigation
Google is no stranger to tax investigations, but in recent months, European investigators have taken things up a notch. Coming just a month after tax inspectors raided the company’s French HQ, Spanish officials today cast the spotlight on its operations in Madrid as part of an ongoing probe into its tax contributions.
TechCrunch reports that the raids on the search giant’s Madrid HQ and Google Campus are related to “VAT payments and non-residence tax.” Google, however, is adamant it has done nothing wrong and issued the following statement: “We comply with Spanish tax laws just as we do in all countries where we operate. We are co-operating with the authorities in Spain in order to answer all their questions, as always.”
Google’s European tax practices have come under fire because the company reports the majority of its sales in Ireland, allowing it to enjoy a lower tax rate thanks to loopholes in international tax laws. In January, it announced it would pay the UK government £130 million (around $185 million) in back taxes, but French Finance Minister Michel Sapin has already ruled out a similar deal over the €1.6 billion in back taxes (roughly $1.76 billion) the company reportedly owes.
Via: The Guardian
Source: TechCrunch
Amazon Sets Second Annual ‘Prime Day’ for July 12
Following last summer’s inaugural, one-day sale event called “Prime Day,” Amazon this morning confirmed that it will be bringing back the Black Friday-like discounts this summer on July 12 (via Fortune). The company is referring to the second entry of Prime Day as the “biggest Amazon event ever,” exceeding over 100,000 deals when it launches at midnight PT on the 12th.
As last year, Prime Day is exclusive to those members who subscribe to Amazon Prime, the online retailer’s $99-per-year service which nets users access to exclusive Amazon video series, free two-day shipping, and one-hour delivery on certain orders. The company said last year that its first Prime Day broke sales records set on Black Friday in 2014, and with new deals popping up “as often as every five minutes” this year, it hopes to set a new record again in 2016.
Prime Day is a one-day only global shopping event exclusively for Prime members. On Tuesday, July 12, the second annual Prime Day will be the biggest global Amazon event ever. Members in the U.S. can shop starting at midnight PT, with new deals starting as often as every five minutes throughout the day.
With 100,000 deals exclusively for Prime members, across nearly all departments and product categories in ten countries, there will be something for everyone. In fact on the first annual Prime Day in 2015, worldwide members ordered 398 items per second, exceeding Black Friday records at the time.
Amazon is also promising greater inventory this time around, including a TV stock that is “double what it had for Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined last year.” Increasing the catalog of top tier items is most likely a reaction to last year’s Prime Day, which had copious sales, but saw the best products selling out fast and ending with a collection of random, unwanted marked-down items.
The company is giving members a way to combat missing out on items with new deal alerts as well, which will be sent out via its Amazon app [Direct Link]. Amazon encourages users who want more information to visit its Help page to prepare for Prime Day, and follow these steps to set up notifications for specific deals on its app.
Tag: Amazon
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Take advantage of the Oculus Summer Sale to add some VR games to your collection
It’s time to take full advantage of the currently ongoing Oculus Summer Sale, which will bag you some VR games for your Gear VR from as little as 79p. As noted over on Hot UK Deals, the promotion itself ends on July 5 and you’ll be able to pick up titles like Into The Dead and EVE: Gunjack to bolster your selection of games.
Here’s a full list of games included in the Oculus Summer Sale:
- EVE: Gunjack – £3.99
- Lands End – £1.49
- Bandit Six – 79p
- Bandit Six Salvo – 79p
- Twisted Realms – £1.49
- Anshar Wars 2 – £3.99
- Into The Dead – £3.49
- Hitman GO VR – £3.99
- Drift – £5.35
- Dead Secret – £5.35
- Dreadhalls – £2.79
- Herobound Spirit Champion – £3.99
- Darknet – £4.99
- End Space – £4.49
- Tactera – £5.99
- Archer E Bowman – £2.29
View Oculus Summer Sale
As noted above, you’ll need to hurry as this promotion will come to an end on July 5.
Quick comparison: 2016’s mid-range Android challengers
It’s a great time to buy a mid-range phone.
With the unveiling of the Honor 5C and Wileyfox Spark in Europe this past week, and the imminent arrival of the Sony Xperia XA and ASUS Zenfone 3 internationally, the mid-range market continues to be one of the most competitive spaces for Android phones. With many such handsets launching this summer, we’ve rounded up the top six to see how they compare on paper.
You’ll find out spec showdown down below, along with links to our hands-on coverage with each of these promising mid-level handsets!
| Operating System | Android 6.0.1 | Android 6.0.1 | Android 6.0EMUI 4.1 | Android 6.0.1CyanogenOS 13 | Android 6.0.1ZenUI 3 | Android 6.0.1 |
| Display | 5.5-inch 1080p | 5.2-inch 1080p | 5.2-inch 1080p | 5.5-inch 720p | 5.5-inch 1080p | 5-inch 720p |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 | Hisilicon Kirin 650 | MediaTek MT6735 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 | MediaTek Helio P10 |
| RAM | 2GB | 3GB | 2GB | 2GB | 4GB | 2GB |
| Storage | 16GB | 16GB | 16GB | 16GB | 32GB | 16GB |
| micro-SD | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rear Camera | 13MP | 13MP | 13MP | 13MP | 16MP OIS, Laser AF | 13MP |
| Front Camera | 5MP | 8MP | 8MP | 8MP | 8MP | 8MP |
| Battery | 3000mAh | 2610mAh | 3000mAh | 3000mAh | 3000mAh | 2300mAh |
| Charging | Turbo Charging | QuickCharge 2.0 | 5V/2A | 5V/1A | Unknown (no QuickCharge) | Pump Express+ 2.0 |
| Dimensions | 153 x 76.6 x 7.9mm | 147 x 72.5 x 7.1 mm | 147.1 x 73.8 x 8.3mm | 154.35×78.6×8.75mm | 152.6 x 77.4 x 7.7 mm | 143.6 x 66.8 x 7.9 mm |
| Weight | 155g | 135g | 156g | 163g | 155g | 138g |
| Fingerprint | No | No | No (except Chinese model) | No | Yes | No |
| Materials | Plastic | Glass/Metal | Plastic/Metal | Plastic | Glass/Metal | Plastic |
| Price | £159$199 | £229~$300 (import) | £149~$200 (import) | £129~$175 (import) | ~£230 (import)$299 | £249$279.99 |
Moto G4
The fourth-generation Moto G ups the screen size, CPU and battery capacity, but loses last year’s water resistance. Beyond that, Moto continues to strike a decent balance between cost and hardware muscle, with a muted plastic design on the outside, but important software differentiators like Moto Display lurking within.
MORE: Our review of the G4’s big brother, the Moto G4 Plus
Alcatel Idol 4
Alcatel’s successor to its popular Idol 3 ditches the plastic altogether, with a new glass and metal chassis echoing some of Samsung’s recent smartphone designs. Another unique feature sees the company using a fully reversible speaker system, so you can have stereo output whichever way the phone’s facing. Meanwhile the programmable “Boom key” can help you quickly launch the camera, boost your bass or enhance screen visibility.
MORE: Our hands-on preview of the Alcatel Idol 4 series
Honor 5C
Huawei-owned Honor brings a metal-backed design to its most affordable handset of 2016, which also features a new, efficient Kirin 650 processor and a 1080p display. This £149 handset also boasts an large (for this class of phone, anyway) 3,000mAh battery and the cleanest version of Huawei’s EMUI software to date. And around the back, a surprisingly capable 13-megapixel shooter benefits from many of the software features of more expensive Huawei phones.
MORE: Our hands-on preview of the Honor 5C
Wileyfox Spark X
The most expensive member of Wileyfox’s latest Spark range sells for just £129, and includes a 5.5-inch display, a 3,000mAh battery and a clean, feature-packed software experience from Cyanogen. It’s a relatively no-frills experience, but the cheapest handset in our mid-range roundup has a promising spec sheet and a proven software setup, not to mention unassuming but sturdy build quality.
MORE: Our hands-on preview of the entire Spark range
ASUS ZenFone 3
ASUS steps things up a notch for the most affordable of its ZenFone 3 series phones, priced at $299 in the U.S. The ZenFone 3 brings a glass and metal design, fingerprint security and a really impressive 16-megapixel camera experience, backed up by optical image stabilization, phase detect autofocus, laser autofocus and dual LED flash. ASUS’s ZenUI software may be an acquired taste, but you can’t argue with the value on offer here.
MORE: Our preview of all ASUS’s ZenFone 3 series phones
Sony Xperia XA
The entry-level phone in Sony’s new Xperia X series maintains the design language of its more expensive siblings, but in a plastic-bodied chassis with a few hardware trade-offs. Still, you’re getting a 1080p handset with a 13-megapixel camera and Sony’s imaging chops for under $280, which isn’t at all bad.
MORE: Our hands-on preview of the Sony Xperia XA
Will you be picking up any of this year’s mid-range Android phones? Let us know which one down in the comments!
Amazon Prime Day makes its triumphant return on July 12
Amazon is bringing back Prime Day, the day in which it offers an abundance of awesome deals for Prime members. Beginning July 5 Amazon will begin running a number of specials leading up to the big day, which will be July 12. Last year the retailer slashed pricing on Chromebooks, Kindles, televisions, security cameras and more.
Remember, you will need to be a member of Amazon’s Prime program. If you don’t happen to already be one, you can sign up for a 30-day free trial so you can take advantage of the deals and test the membership out.
Amazon will also be offering some awesome promotions around Amazon Prime Music, which can score you a complete musical experience with artists like Carrie Underwood, Blink-182, Flo Rida and more. You can also sign up for a 30-day trial of the music service for your chance to win one of these amazing packages.
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