Best microSD cards for Moto G4

What are the best microSD cards for the Moto G4?

When you buy your Moto G4, it only comes as a 16GB phone. That may very well be enough for some people, but you’re looking to improve that number significantly. Good thing the Moto G4 comes ready with a microSD card slot, perfect for Adoptable Storage or portable storage (if you want to transfer files between devices). The best microSD cards for you Moto G4 are only a click away!

• Transcend 64GB microSDXC Card
• Samsung EVO Plus 64GB microSDXC Card
• ScanDisk Extreme PRO 64GB microSDXC Card
• PNY U3 Turbo Performance 64GB microSDXC Card
• Kingston 64GB microSDXC Card

Transcend 64GB microSDXC Card

You’re looking for three simple things: quality, storage, and a good price. The Transcend microSD card ticks all three boxes for about $17, and if 64GB isn’t quite enough, you can upgrade a little bit more (for only a little extra bit of money) to their 128GB card.

The 64GB version runs 45MB per second and is great for pictures and videos, for which you want plenty of room to keep around on your Moto G4. Music lovers will be pleased to know that one of these 64GB cards can hold up to 16,000 songs, so your playlist can go on and on. Great price, great card.

See at Amazon

Samsung EVO Plus 64GB microSDXC Card

There’s no denying the quality of Samsung’s products, and the Samsung EVO Plus microSD card will work seamlessly in your Moto G4. It’s built to handle the elements and safely store your files, even if x-rays or magnets are nearby.

The 64GB version features 80MB per second data transfer, and it’s ideal for video and picture taking. It’s inexpensive at just over $20, and if you find you need to max out your storage options, it’s available in a 128GB version as well.

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SanDisk Extreme PRO 64GB microSDXC Card

In all fairness, SanDisk does tend to be a more expensive brand, but it’s popular and trusted for a reason. You’re going to pay about $45 for a 64GB card, but you’re getting solid quality for that money — not to mention a lifetime warranty.

It reads up to 95MB per second, and writes 90MB per second. If you’re in the market for portable storage, SanDisk includes an adapter so that saved files can be easily inserted into another device, like your laptop. This version does max out at 64GB, but it’s mighty fast, and it might be all that you’ll need for a long, long while.

See at Amazon

PNY U3 Turbo Performance 64GB microSDXC Card

For the avid photographer who’s keen to take advantage of the excellent camera capabilities of the Moto G4, the PNY U3 Turbo Performance microSD card is an easy choice. The 64GB version can store over 22,000 photos. Shutterbugs rejoice!

It features a 90MB per second data transfer rate and is perfect for capturing video. The lifetime warranty and price point that just scratches above $25 are icing on the cake.

See at Amazon

Kingston 64GB microSDXC Card

You’ve likely got several Kingston USB flash drives kicking around the house or the office, and for good reason, too. The Kingston brand is popular, trustworthy, high quality, and inexpensive; they’ve applied this same recipe to their microSD cards, too.

For $18, Kingston’s 64GB card gives you 45MB per second read speed and 10MB per second write speed. It’s a good buy if you’re a budding photographer, and it’s got a lifetime warranty just in case. If you’re worried at all about storage space, Kingston also offers a 128GB version of the microSD card.

See at Amazon

Gimme some room!

Are you using a microSD card with your Moto G4? Tell us about your Adoptable Storage experiences in the comments below!

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2TB Xbox One S sold out “for good”

Microsoft has reportedly sold out of its limited edition 2TB Xbox One S consoles, with no plans of manufacturing more. If you didn’t pre-order or snap one up straight after it was released earlier this month, you’ll now have to wait until the 500GB or 1TB models hit the shops.

There is a slim chance you can get a 2TB machine, as pre-orders are still open for the Gears of War 4 limited edition in battle-scarred red. But that doesn’t come in the gorgeous white finish and costs £50 more, at £399. You do get the game and a whole bunch of exclusive in-game content, however.

Eurogamer claims that “most retailers” have sold out of the 2TB white Xbox One S, while those still listing it are charging significantly higher than the £349 launch price. Amazon and Game, for instance, both have machines listed at £479 or more.

• Xbox One S review: Best console and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player out there
• Xbox One S vs Xbox One: What’s the difference?
• Xbox One S: Release date, specs and everything you need to know

Microsoft is yet to reveal when the 500GB and 1TB variants will be available, but considering the lack of availability of the launch version, we would expect it to be soon.

And with Sony revealing a PlayStation press event to be held in New York on 7 September, most likely to unveil the PlayStation Neo – a powerhouse of a machine that will trump the Xbox One S on specs – it is likely the Xbox team will want stock in stores beforehand.

If you still don’t know what No Man’s Sky is, let Bill Bailey explain all here

No Man’s Sky is available in the UK now, having also been released in the US yesterday, 9 August. However, we’re still being asked what you actually do in the PlayStation 4 and PC game.

We posted our own guide here, which gives you the basics, but if you are still struggling with the concept comedian Bill Bailey comes to the rescue with a clear and concise explanation. Sort of.

Filmed as part of the UK marketing for No Man’s Sky, a video starring the British funny man is now available to watch below. And you get to see some extra games footage that we’ve not spied before.

• No Man’s Sky preview: 10 hours in and it’s fiercely good fun
• Two players meet in No Man’s Sky, guess what happened next?
• 50 different planets from No Man’s Sky revealed, only 18 quintillion yet to go

“Playing No Man’s Sky is an immersive and fantastical journey of exploration where you can discover and name entire planets, as I did with Bill-topia,” said Bailey while playing the game during filming.

“There’s plenty more planets to go round, in fact an entire universe of 18 quintillion celestial orbs… (that’s 18 billion billion). It’s an extraordinary experience to roam around this galactic wonderland. You can lose yourself in new worlds, and the beauty and mystery of space.”

No Man’s Sky is available now and is already garnering almost as much attention as Pokemon Go.

London buses to show live traffic updates in rear windows

Over time, transport authorities have improved how they share important road travel news. Roadside signs can give a driver an important heads-up during journeys and apps can notify travellers before they’ve even left the house. As part of a new trial, Transport for London (TfL) wants to reduce the temptation for motorists to look at their phones while on the move by displaying live traffic information on the back of London’s buses.

The GPS-equipped digital information boards have been placed on a number of buses on route 344, which run between Clapham Junction and Liverpool Street. TfL says it’s the first in the world to do such a thing and believes it’ll help reduce congestion and improve the “reliability and efficiency of the roads.”

The six-month trial comes just weeks after TfL ended a similar test that put traffic information on taxi-top signage of London’s black cabs. The travel authority says that while double-decker tests are currently limited to one route, there are plans to extend it number 415 buses operating between Tulse Hill and Liverpool Street from the autumn. If they prove successful, the pilot could then be expanded across London.

Uber takes the fight to TfL over new English exam for drivers

Considering the proposals Transport for London (TfL) originally put forward as it looked to update private hire regulations in the capital, Uber escaped relatively unscathed when the authority ended up approving only minor amendments to the rulebook. One of these was a formal English language requirement, but with TfL having detailed exactly what that means since, Uber has a new bone to pick. Starting October 1st, any driver originating from a primarily non-English-speaking country will have to pass a written exam in order to apply for or renew a private hire licence.

Uber argues the two-hour, B1-level test, which features a short essay portion, is more demanding than the British citizenship language requirement (of basic oral competence). Paired with its £200 fee, the fear is this hurdle will lead to fewer drivers on the roads and a reduced quality of service as a result of longer wait times. And so, once again, Uber is calling on the support of its sizable customer base to urge TfL to reconsider.

In an email to users, Uber makes its case for softening this language requirement, as well as protesting a rule forcing all private hire drivers to have year-round commercial insurance, and one that means Uber must notify TfL of any changes to its app ahead of time. These will put off part-time drivers and impede the rollout of new features, Uber argues.

The email also asks users to lobby London Mayor Sadiq Khan to revisit the regulations, and includes a quick-fire button that actually drafts an email to that effect on your behalf. And a quick scan of Twitter shows that some users aren’t exactly thrilled Uber has gone to such lengths to rally the troops and do its dirty work.

Uber asks its London customers to lobby against Sadiq’s tougher taxi regulations and even writes the email for you. pic.twitter.com/zDmEBpLrip

— Jim Waterson (@jimwaterson) August 8, 2016

Via: The Guardian

Source: Transport for London

Apple Lambasts Australian Banks Over Call For iPhone NFC Access

Apple has strongly criticized an attempt by three of Australia’s big banks to jointly negotiate a deal over access to the iPhone’s NFC mobile payment hardware, claiming it would compromise security and scupper innovation in the field (via Financial Review).

In a clear opprobrium of Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank (NAB), and Westpac, Apple told the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) that “allowing the banks to form a cartel to collectively dictate terms to new business models and services would set a troubling precedent and delay the introduction of new, potentially disruptive technologies.”

The three banks lodged a joint application with anti-trust regulators last month to negotiate with Apple over gaining access to its digital wallet hardware, having so far resisted signing deals to use the company’s Apple Pay mobile payment system.

But in a three-page submission to the ACCC, Apple accused the banks of using “innuendo and misstatements” in their application, and said that granting access to the iPhone’s transmitter to allow bank apps to facilitate contactless payments would compromise Apple’s hardware, harm consumers, and lead to less competition:

Apple upholds very high security standards for our customers when they use Apple devices to make payments. Providing simple access to the NFC antenna by banking applications would fundamentally diminish the high level of security Apple aims to have on our devices. 

Unfortunately, and based on their limited understanding of the offering, the [banks] perceive Apple Pay as a competitive threat. These banks want to maintain complete control over their customers. The present application is only the latest tactic employed by these competing banks to blunt Apple’s entry into the Australian market.

The submission made clear that the banks are “essential to Apple’s ability to offer Apple Pay on a meaningful basis with Australia”. However, it also lambasted their negotiating approach, with Apple claiming that one of the banks had even refused to enter into a confidentiality agreement to allow for initial discussions about the terms of participating in Apple Pay.

Apple asked the ACCC not to provide any authorization for a deal this month and suggested it take the full six-month statutory period to assess the application more thoroughly.

The submitted document was signed by Marg Demmer, a former cards executive at ANZ Banking Group, the only bank in Australia’s “Big Four” that played no part in the original joint application and has already allowed its cards to be used via Apple Pay.

Whenever a bank card transaction takes place, the card-issuing bank deducts what’s known as an interchange fee from the amount it pays the acquiring bank that handles the card transaction for the merchant. ANZ is said to have agreed to give up some of its interchange fee to Apple as part of its deal with the company, but the other big banks appear unwilling to negotiate a similar deal.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay
Tag: Australia
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Google Chrome 53 Browser to Block Flash Content By Default

Google announced yesterday that it will “de-emphasize” Adobe Flash in its Chrome browser in favor of HTML5 from next month.

As of Chrome 53, whenever the web browser comes across a site that loads Flash “behind the scenes” it will block the offending content and switch to the faster HTML5 web standard whenever it is available.

Google notified users of the change to its browser’s behavior ahead of time in a blog post:

Today, more than 90% of Flash on the web loads behind the scenes to support things like page analytics. This kind of Flash slows you down, and starting this September, Chrome 53 will begin to block it. HTML5 is much lighter and faster, and publishers are switching over to speed up page loading and save you more battery life. You’ll see an improvement in responsiveness and efficiency for many sites.

In December, Chrome 55 will make HTML5 the default experience, except for sites which only support Flash, in which case users will be prompted to enable it on initial visit.

The move is another nail in the coffin for Adobe’s web standard, which used to serve the majority of online media content before former Apple CEO Steve Jobs decided not to support it on the iPhone.

In Safari 10, set to ship with macOS Sierra, Apple plans to disable Flash by default, along with Java, Silverlight, and QuickTime, in an effort to focus on HTML5 content and improve the overall web browsing experience.

The plug-in has long been problematic for Apple, requiring frequent security fixes and forced updates to patch a stream of vulnerabilities.

Chrome can be downloaded from Google’s Chrome website or installed using the Chrome browser’s built-in update functionality.

Tags: Chrome, Adobe Flash Player
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MacBook Pro Lineup Set For ‘Most Significant Overhaul in Over 4 Years’

Apple is about to unveil the most significant overhaul of its MacBook Pro lineup in over four years, according to people familiar with the matter (via Bloomberg).

Today’s claim appears in the second report from the news outlet this week professing insider information on Apple’s upcoming product plans.

Consistent with previous rumors, the article says the updated notebooks are thinner and will include a touchscreen strip along the top of the keyboard, which is expected to present functions on an as-needed basis that fit the current task or application, as well as integrate Touch ID to enable users to quickly log in using their fingerprint.

The new top-of-the-line MacBook Pros will be slightly thinner than the current models but are not tapered like the MacBook Air and latest 12-inch MacBook, one of the people said. The new MacBook Pros have a smaller footprint than current models and the casing has shallower curves around the edges. The pressure-sensitive trackpad is also slightly wider, the person added.

More significantly perhaps, the anonymous source claims the new MacBook Pros will feature more powerful and efficient graphics processors for “expert users such as video gamers”.

An option for a version featuring a higher-performance graphics chip from Advanced Micro Devices Inc. will be available, another person familiar with the matter said. It’s unclear which provider Apple will use for the main processor, but Intel Corp. has supplied this in the past.

Apple is using one of AMD’s “Polaris” graphics chips because the design offers the power efficiency and thinness necessary to fit inside the slimmer Apple notebook, the person said. The new graphics card is more than 20 percent thinner than its predecessor, AMD said earlier this year. AMD declined to comment, referring inquiries to Apple.

As reported previously, the switch to the new Polaris 11 architecture is expected to be a significant performance upgrade over the previous 28nm chips, with AMD promising “console-class GPU performance for thin and light notebooks” and “extraordinary VR experiences” from the new low-power architecture.

The new design will also include USB-C connectivity that can handle charging, data transfers, and display outputs, according to sources. Apple is also reportedly considering whether to offer the notebooks in gray, gold, and silver, although it’s unclear if colored MacBook Pros will be available on initial release.

The new computers have been in advanced testing since earlier this year, according to the article’s sources, although they aren’t likely to debut at an event “currently scheduled for September 7 to introduce next-generation versions of the iPhone”.

With Monday, September 5 being Labor Day, previous predictions tagged September 6 as the day of Apple’s iPhone 7 event, but Wednesday still roughly lines up with Apple’s usual pattern for iPhone releases. Last year, Apple announced the iPhone on September 9, started pre-orders on September 12 and released it on September 25.

Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Tag: bloomberg
Buyer’s Guide: Retina MacBook Pro (Don’t Buy)
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Renault Megane 2016 review: Dynamique or dud?

This is the fourth-generation Renault Megane – the French company’s mid-sized family hatchback, which has been with us since 1995. In that time, Renault has sold over a half a million of the things in the UK.

Whereas its Volkswagen Golf competitor evolves subtly with each iteration, Renault’s hatchbacks have tended to change significantly each time they’re updated. And so it goes with the 2016 Megane – a sharp-suited, yet softly surfaced car, replacing the slightly blobby and bland previous offering.

Whereas once Renault offered a multitude of Megane types – 3-door coupe, folding hard top, MPV – the new car will come as 5-door hatch, sport tourer estate and saloon only. So if you’re looking for sporty, the 5-door is about as good as it gets.

However, this particular class is uber-competitive. The Megane not only has to compete with the ubiquity of seemingly “classless” VW Golf and great-driving Ford Focus, it’s also got the new, super-value Vauxhall Astra and a host of Korean and Japanese cars burgeoning with kit to deal with too. And as you go up the range, looking at this type of car on a company scheme, or lease or PCP deals, you’ll likely become tempted by a raft of small BMWs, Audis and Mercedes too. So can Renault’s latest Megane cut it?

Renault Megane 2016 review: Part of the family

We think the new Megane’s design is a winner. This 5-door hatch continues the design vision that Renault design chief Laurens van den Acker set out on back in 2012. In some ways it completes the “circle of life” theme that the strategy was given.

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Surfacing is voluminous, so there’s a differentiation in approach from German cars that’s clear straight away. The details look hi-tech, too, particularly the lights with their edge-LED technology – which fit into a very bold front and rear graphic.

The Renault diamond logo is now massive, too, but it’s hiding the car’s radar sensors behind it, thus avoiding the clumsy array of blanking plates cameras poking out of the grille that many cars wear today.

And if you go for the GT or GT Line version, you get a completely different front and rear lower bumper, bigger wheels and a body kit that makes the car look distinctly more pumped up, without ruining its looks.

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The company is hoping that the focus on design will continue to breathe life back into Renault sales. It’s worked with the Clio and Captur – respectively the best selling cars in their sectors across Europe over the past couple of years. The Renault family resemblance is clear in the Megane, but if we have one criticism it’s that the car looks a little too much like a Clio on steroids.

Renault Megane review: Engine options

On the road, the Megane’s front really seems to catch people’s attention. The car can clear a motorway fast lane effectively – though you might want to spec a bigger engine than this 1.5-litre diesel review car if you’re really planning on this type of driving behaviour.

The Megane is available from launch with two petrol and two diesel engine options. Petrols comes as 1.2-litre Tce with 130bhp and a manual or auto box, and the 1.6-litre with 205bhp, which is auto only. Diesels are the 1.5-litre dCi with 110bhp that we’re testing here. Or there’s a 1.6-litre dCi with 130bhp.

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On the way is a more powerful diesel with 165bhp, and a version with some hybrid assist systems that should present a very interesting economy/performance/low CO2 mix. And although Renault hasn’t officially confirmed it, a RenaultSport version is likely coming, too, which you’d expect to have more horsepower than today’s 275bhp hot Megane.

We drove the 1.6-litre 205bhp petrol with the auto box, briefly, and confess to not really loving it. The gearbox is not the sharpest, despite being a dual-clutch unit, while the engine never felt 205bhp strong – though it was a very new low mile car, so that might improve with mileage.

The GT 205 petrol also comes with 4-wheel steering, which makes the turning circle smaller at lower speeds and the car feel longer and more stable at high speeds. We didn’t love the way it felt from behind a very dead-feeling steering wheel though. The spec in this model is strong – you get one-piece backrest bucket seats for instance – but the interior trim with the blue faux carbon fibre is all a bit chintzy. If you want performance, wait for the real deal Renault Sport version.

Renault Megane 2016 review: Short drive, long drive

Only the lower-powered 1.5 diesel in manual format was available for us to test on a short-term loan. And while it never felt quick – that might have something to do with us stepping out of a Golf R before hand – it is good in numerous ways.

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Primarily – and this is a general new Megane forte – it’s hugely refined in all regards. The cabin is a very relaxing, quiet place to be, while the engine (even when thrashed) remains relatively muted. Wind noise is commendably low, and the cabin noise bests any of the MQB-based products from VW, Skoda or Seat when travelling at speed. Which came as something of a surprise.

That diesel engine is also very linear in its delivery. It’s not boosty, it just pulls gently right through the range with no holes in its delivery. Although the 0-62 time of 11ish-seconds is no great shakes, it’s plenty enough for most. Plus you’ll be rewarded with 50mpg in town, and upwards of 60mpg out of it, in exchange for the its lack of spritely performance.

However, the gearbox action is typically French. Which is to say, sadly, not as good as most. It has a long throw and an indirect, vague feeling.

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The ride on 17-inch wheels is smooth, although occasionally the shudder and dynamic behaviour from the rear gives away that this is a car which has a torsion beam, rather than more expensive independent rear suspension set up of some rivals. The steering is light, but totally lifeless.

We came to rather like the Megane’s relaxed, refined approach to life. It takes a different tack to the dynamic German brands and Ford. And for many people, it will be the better companion for it.

Renault Megane 2016 review: Uptown funk

Like all brands occupying the mainstream market, Renault makes no secret of its desire to be seen as more premium. The new Megane tries to do this in a couple of ways: by shifting the proportions on from the last car; by offering a lot of technology features and the ability to personalise that tech.

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Beyond the rear lighting arrangement – seriously, look at the sweeping lights, they’re great – the Megane’s “techieness” isn’t obvious until you approach the car. Then, if you’ve got Renault’s slightly over-sized keycard in your pocket, the car will “wake”, unlocking as you approach, the mirrors unfolding and the interior lighting washing round the cabin. When you’re done, get out, walk away and the reverse happens – it locks automatically. There’s no fiddling with sensors on handles as with some keyless systems, and while it sounds small beer, it’s actually brilliant. Renault has been trying to get its hands-free system right for some time and has finally nailed it. Not only does it make the car feel semi-human, but once you’ve got used to it, ever other car’s entry/key/keyless system seems clunky.

Beyond this, the new Megane can be festooned with so-called ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) and technology that’s tended to be reserved for bigger cars. “D-sector in the C-segment,” Renault calls it. Try autonomous braking, adaptive cruise control, safe distance warning, blindspot and lane departure warnings, LED headlamps with automatic low/high beam function, self-parking, and not just front and rear – but 360-degree parking sensors that, incidentally, have a small temper tantrum every time you approach a car park ticket barrier.

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Our upper-mid level Dynamique S spec car’s key options were the £500 parking pack (self-parking, 360 degree sensors and blind spot warning), the £400 safety pack (adaptive cruise control, safe distance and autonomous braking), full LED headlamps at £500, and a £500 Bose sound system. This all took the price to £22,925, from a standard £20,400 (for the Dynamique spec, the standard Megan starts at £16,600) – but most pack prices are cheap compared to rivals. Keep in mind that you get things like the 8.7-inch touchscreen and TomTom Live Sat Nav as standard, regardless of optional choices, and it’s a good base setup.

Renault Megane 2016 review: Screen masquerade

It’s that 8.7-inch portrait-aligned screen which ultimately masquerades as the big differentiating factor in the Renault’s interior. Here Renault wants to really sell its big “wow” moment.

Thing is, the screen isn’t quite up to the design standard of the rest of the car. Sure, the graphics are clear and easy to read and the definition in the cluster is decent. But the level of adjustability – the home screen of the centre display can be configured like your smartphone to contain various menu tiles – didn’t feel right for us. Some setups eluded us: you can’t seem to put the phone menu in the homescreen, for instance; nor have a dominant map/nav mode in the instrument cluster. Dare we suggest Renault go look at what Audi lets you do within a digital dashboard?

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There are elements that works nicely, such as the TomTom-based Sat Nav, and the pinch-and-zoom ability of the screen. But overall, the customisation aspect feels gimmicky and made us feel like the tech wasn’t truly optimised. Coloured lights, we can see the appeal of. A sports mode that remaps the engine we get. But the on-screen display could be better thought-out.

Otherwise “personalisation” was obviously a buzz word in the Megane’s development. To the point that there’s a starfish-adorned centre tunnel button, as one of the few remaining physical interfaces in the cabin. This button’s sole purpose is to adjust between modes. Confusingly, of the five modes – eco, neutral, comfort, sport and perso – this button only switches between comfort and sport settings. A separate physical “eco” button sits below the touchscreen to activate that mode.

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Although Renault talks about these modes’ significance in altering the feel of the drive, in this low-powered diesel, without anything as fancy as adaptive dampers or locking differentials to change the settings, the change in the way the Megane feels to drive is pretty limited. Eco mode makes it feel like the engine’s broken. Sport makes everything red and you just have to press the accelerator slightly less far to the floor to get a strong response.

Maybe we’re being harsh. Ultimately it’s not hard to use the Megane’s tech, but there’s so much opportunity with a tech suite like this that we don’t think Renault has taken full advantage.

Verdict

Calm, refined and well-equipped, the new Renault Megane is a car that’s easy to like. It offers an alternative approach to a very German-car centric way of doing things in this class – and we think that’ll make it a hit with some buyers.

If you’re looking for a dynamic drive, however, you might want to take a look elsewhere. And we’re really not convinced about the in-car interface design – worrying, especially considering this suite of tech is going to do service across several other Renault cars beyond the Megane.

This segment of the car market is choc full of high quality products. The Megane does have a design that’ll make you look, but having lived with one for a week we just don’t think it has true standout quality in a number of areas.