PlayStation 4 Pro already available to pre-order!

Pre-order your PlayStation 4 Pro.

Sony’s PlayStation Meeting in NYC today turned out to be a lot more exciting than a lot of folks initially suspected. On top of a new, slim PlayStation 4 we got a ton of details surrounding the PlayStation 4 Pro. It’s going to be great for those interested in 4K and HDR gaming, and PlayStation VR gamers will find an even better experience inside the headset. As first impressions go, PS4 Pro looks to be well worth the $399 asking price.

Best of all, it’s available to pre-order now! Amazon currently has delivery listed at December 29th, 2017, but since there’s also no image for the listing at the time of this writing it’s pretty clear the order page hasn’t been fully realized just yet. Sony is planning to make PS4 Pro available on November 10th, and if history is any indicator Amazon will ship to ensure these matte black consoles arrive on that day.

See on Amazon

iPhone 7 preview: Refining the design rather than ripping it up and starting again

After months of speculation, Apple has announced its new iPhone 7 range that consists of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. The new phones, which go on sale on 16 September, will add a number of new features, as the company looks to stay ahead of the competitive smartphone market.

We’ve managed to get a brief hands-on preview with the new iPhone 7 at the Apple Special Event in San Francisco, CA, ahead them being available in the shops.

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Pocket-lint

iPhone 7 preview: Similar design with some tweaks

The new iPhone might come in a similarly designed chassis to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S models, but it looks vastly different, thanks to the removal of the awkward-looking antenna lines, as well as the addition of new colours: Jet Black and Black.

The first is a very fingerprint-friendly gloss model that is hugely reminiscent of the iPhone 3G. The Jet Black hides the newly designed antenna incredibly well, while the colour also makes the transition from metal to glass almost impossible to see. It is “proper shiny”.

In contrast, the new Black model is more the stealth option to the Jet Black design. The colour, which replaces the Space Grey option, is less likely to be prone to smudges and scratches (those old enough will remember that issue made the iPhone 3G look rather tatty by end of the first year), and it is a much blunter and brutal colour to the whimsical Rose Gold and Gold colours.

It is on those models that the new antenna design is more apparent. It now cuts around the top edge of the phone rather than intersecting top and bottom. It is as noticeable as it isn’t.

New colours aren’t the only design changes. The headphones socket has been dumped and replaced with a speaker grill, while the physical Home button has also been changed from a solid state one to one that doesn’t move (more on both in a bit).

Those changes mean Apple can now waterproof the iPhone to IP67, meaning you’ll be able to get it wet without it being the end of the world. Yep, dropping your phone down the toilet or in the swimming pool isn’t going to be the major headache it once was.

Pocket-lint

iPhone 7 preview: New home button

The Home button is one of the most used elements of the design, and upon hearing Apple was ditching the physical element and replacing it with the same technology found in the Apple Watch and MacBook trackpad, we were left worried.

Thankfully, in the flesh, it’s really good. The button is as responsive as you want it to be, still allows you to flawlessly use it for double tapping or Touch ID, and yet gives you a very similar experience to the Apple Watch and the MacBook trackpad. Tap the button, and the Taptic Engine inside the phone vibrates making you believe that the button is moving when in reality it isn’t.

Gushing to say this, but once you try it, you’ll wonder why Apple hadn’t changed it earlier.

iPhone 7 preview: Taptic Engine

The same Taptic Engine that is there to convince you the Home button is physical is also used to greater affect across the iOS 10 interface. While playing Codemaster’s F1 2016 game, we could feel the nuances of the crashing into the barriers or going over bumps throughout the phone. The same goes with other “Taptic”-enabled apps. Feeling your phone is going to be a thing now. But we are looking forward to seeing how much of a difference it will make to everyday use.

Pocket-lint

iPhone 7 preview: Stereo sound

Apple has ditched the headphone socket. For those somewhat panicked by that move, an adapter is included in the box if you aren’t going wireless. The space is now replaced with a speaker, and the iPhone 7 features stereo sound from speakers at the top and bottom.

In a very crowded demo room at the event, we were able to hear the speakers in action. It’s much better than the current iPhone 6S, but we are going to reserve judgement on this aspect until we’ve managed to listen to a number of different sounds (music/video) when we get the iPhone 7 for review.

Pocket-lint

iPhone 7 preview: Upgraded cameras

The iPhone 7 got a camera update on both the front and back. However, it misses out on the dual-camera offering. That’s saved for the iPhone 7 Plus. Instead, on the iPhone 7, you’ll get a single, but still new, 12-megapixel sensor, as well as an improved lens and improved 7-megapixel front-facing camera. Apple has also added a new flash for better skin tones and plenty of processes in camera to make sure your photos zing.

The camera protrudes the design on the back, and a more circular design means your old cases are unlikely to fit. The protrude is visible, but it’s not enough to warrant any concerns and certainly not enough to make the phone wobble when laid on a desk or table.  

The shots we’ve seen on the phone taken with the camera look good, and a quick play in the demo room proved useful, but again, we are going to reserve judgement until we get a handset to test in various conditions.

Pocket-lint

iPhone 7 preview: Speed and performance

A new iPhone means new speed, and the iPhone 7 gets the new Apple A10 Fusion processor that promises to increase the power and performance over previous iPhones. Ultimately, it means your phone will be able to load things faster, process things faster, and generally not be in any way sluggish.

In our quick play with the iPhone 7, it was as zippy as you would expect, loading powerful games and processing video with minimal effort. We look forward to testing this fully in our full review.

The screen also feels a lot brighter and more responsive, but Apple has held back from adding the Tru Display technology found on the iPad Pro 9.7.

First Impressions

It’s not the massive overhaul that Apple usually presents us with every two years, but there is enough here to keep those upgrading from the iPhone 6 happy. This is Apple continuing to refine a design that has worked well for them over the last two years – rather than tear up the blueprints and start again.

For the iPhone 7, it could be seen as a version of the iPhone 6S, with Apple using the new colours to add some polish to what is already a good design. This is Apple updating in a subtle way; one that will benefit those who are upgrading, but on first glance, not one that will hugely draw iPhone 6S fans who might be upset that their phone is now old and needs to be replaced.

That’s not to be sniffed at, though. The technology that Apple has added is great and works toward making the iPhone a state of the art smartphone.

It’s just, for many critics, we suspect a lack of “exciting” and “brand-new” tech will cause some disappointment.

Here are all of Apple’s adverts and videos from the iPhone 7 event

It’s been a whirlwind day for both Apple and Apple fanboys.

Apple has wrapped up its iPhone 7 event in San Francisco, CA, where it introduced not only two new iPhone models, but also a second-generation Apple Watch, called Series 2, and new types of headphone options, including wireless AirPods that have their own built-in W1 chip. Check out Pocket-lint’s Apple hub as well as the stories below to get fully caught up on what was announced during the company’s main keynote.

• Apple will release iOS 10 update for iPhones and iPads on 13 September
• Apple made these wireless AirPods and Lightning EarPods for iPhone 7
• Apple Watch Nike Plus is designed to be your perfect running partner
• Finally! Apple shows off new Apple Watch Series 2 models
• Apple iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are official
• How to watch iPhone 7 and 7 Plus launch
• Mario coming to iOS with Super Mario Run
• Pokemon Go is coming to Apple Watch by end of 2016

Speaking of the keynote, Apple premiered several adverts and videos during its presentation in order to drum up excitement for its new products. Those videos are now on YouTube, and we’ve embedded them below, with the purpose of helping you better understand what went down. Among the videos is an interesting 107-second mashup of all the highlights. There was even after-the-fact videos published to promote Apple Health.

We’ll also make sure to post a video to Apple’s live stream when that goes up, so keep checking back for all the latest.

Apple – Introducing iPhone 7

Apple – Introducing AirPods

Apple Watch – Introducing Series 2

Apple – Don’t Blink

Apple Health – Sleep

Apple Health – Everything’s Connected

Apple Health – Mindfulness

Apple Health – Nutrition

Apple Health – Activity

PS4 Slim preview: Svelte, smaller but similar

Just before Sony Computer Entertainment boss Andrew House waxed lyrical about the company’s new, more powerful console, the PS4 Pro, he rapidly sped through an introduction to the new model of the standard PS4.

Unofficially dubbed the PS4 Slim, the updated console has been the subject of numerous reports and leaks over the last couple of weeks, and some units even made their way into consumers’ hands, so you can understand why there was so little focus on it. But there will still be some looking for a budget machine this Christmas and the new PS4 will tick some boxes for them.

Internally, it is identical to the now three year-old PlayStation 4. It plays the same games, it outputs at the same resolution and it has a similar aesthetic.

It is clearly smaller and thinner though, with a matt rather than glossy finish, and the light bar on the console has switched from the top to the front. It also loses an optical audio connection somewhere along the way.

Pocket-lint

What it does gain though is the new version of the DualShock controller, which now has an extra light strip running across the top of the touchpad.

For all intents and purposes though, the change in design – which matches the look and feel of the PS4 Pro – is more likely to adopt cheaper components and therefore offer a more affordable option.

That’s where this upgraded machine excels most. It’ll be out on 15 September and for the budget price of £259. If you want a PS4 and are not swayed by the magical graphics capabilities of its Pro stablemate, you can’t go far wrong.

We’re not sure it is quite as attractive as the Xbox One S – physical or in feature set – but it’s a reasonably inexpensive way to get into the PlayStation ecosystem.

Illuminate your room with over 16 million colours

When it comes to improving a room’s mood, changing its lighting is often the simplest–and cheapest–solution. With the SMFX Bluetooth Smart Bulb, you can bring a rainbow of iridescent colours to your living space, and it’s controlled straight from your smartphone. On sale for only £22.49 ($29 USD), the SMFX Smart Bulb puts the power of the rainbow in the palm of your hands.

Using your smartphone, you can customize the SMFX Bluetooth Smart Bulb’s appearance with over 16 million colour options. You can alter the bulb’s brightness and even switch it on and off remotely. Using the bulb’s app, you can alter RGBW and power settings directly from your smartphone.

What’s more, the SMFX Bluetooth Smart Bulb is completely programmable. Looking to kill the lights at a particular time? Want to surprise a guest with an impromptu disco party? Simply use the app’s functions and timers to get next-level lighting control.

On top of its vibrant colours, the SMFX Bluetooth Smart Bulb also brings unrivaled efficiency to the table. It’s rated to last over 40,000 hours (27 years of normal use), and it only consumes 10% of the energy a standard bulb uses. Outfit a room with SMFX Bluetooth Smart Bulbs, and you can save a pretty penny on your energy bill.

Bringing power and efficiency together, the smart bulb is the simplest way to brighten up any room. The SMFX Bluetooth Smart Bulb normally retails for £30, but Pocket-lint readers can take 25 per cent off, making the final price just £22.49.

Learn to thwart hackers with the Ultimate Computer Security Bundle (95 per cent off)

Riddled with hackers and cybercriminals, the web has become a dangerous place. While we’re all at risk of being attacked, big companies are especially vulnerable to network breaches, and they’re willing to pay a premium for hacking protection.

With the Ultimate Computer Security Bundle, you can master this in-demand skill set and earn up to six figures keeping hackers at bay. For a limited time, this training is on sale for only £21.83 ($29 USD).

This bundle includes seven cybersecurity courses, but here are just a few highlights:

• Document Hashing and Secure Password Hashing Using the JCA: Learn how to keep hackers from cracking passwords by adding extra layers of protection with the Java Cryptography Architecture
• VoIP Hacking and Penetration Testing Training: Track down vulnerabilities and keep unwanted users out of your company’s Voice over IP communications
• Become a Master of the Applied Encryption and Its Terminology: Dive into the technical side of encryption and master the most popular encryption tools
• Advanced Mobile Application Penetration Testing: Get hands-on training as you sniff out and fix security weak spots on mobile apps.

This bundle comes with nearly 40 hours of training in a wide range of cybersecurity tools. You’ll emerge from this collection as a cross-trained pro in hacking protection. Plus, included in the bundle are prep materials for passing the industry-recognized CISSP Certification exam. With an extra certification backing up your training, you’ll be ready to impress future IT employers.

Normally £521.74, the Ultimate Computer Security Bundle is on sale to Pocket-lint readers for over 90 per cent off, meaning you’ll only pay £21.83 for seven top ethical hacking courses.

iPhone 7 Plus preview: Big changes, but some you’ll still have to wait for

It’s September and that means new iPhones. In particular a new iPhone 7 Plus, the updated 2016 version of the almost ubiquitous smartphone from Apple. But has Apple created a flagship device that the Apple faithful will lust after, or merely and incremental update that will see Samsung being the number one choice for Power users?

Pocket-lint was at the Apple Special Event in San Francisco to get a hands-on preview with the new dual lens packing camera phone to find out ahead of it being available in the shops.

Pocket-lint

­iPhone 7 Plus preview: Similar design with some tweaks

The new iPhone might come in a similarly designed chassis to the iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 6s Plus models, but looks vastly different thanks to the removal of the awkward looking antenna lines, and new colours; Jet Black and Black.

The first is a very fingerprint friendly gloss model that is hugely reminiscent of the iPhone 3G but now made of metal rather than plastic, even if Apple did once call it unapologetically plastic.  

The Jet Black hides the newly designed Antenna incredibly well, while the colour also makes the transition from metal to glass also almost impossible to see. It is “proper shiny”.

In contrast, the new Black model is more the stealth option to the Jet Black Patten design. The colour, which replaces the Space Grey option, is less likely to be prone to smudges and scratches – those old enough will remember that issue that made the iPhone 3G look rather tatty by end of the first year – and it is a much blunter and brutal colour to the whimsical Rose Gold or Gold colouring.

It is on those models that the new antenna design is more apparent. It now cuts around the top edge of the phone rather than intersecting top and bottom. It is as noticeable as it isn’t.

New colours aren’t the only design changes. Like the standard sized iPhone 7, the iPhone 7 Plus also loses the headphones socket, instead replaced with a speaker grill. The physical Home button has also been changed to one that doesn’t move (more on both in a bit).

Those changes mean Apple can now waterproof the iPhone to IP67 meaning you’ll be able to get it wet without it being the end of the world. Yep, dropping your phone down the toilet or in the swimming pool isn’t going to be the major headache it once was.

Pocket-lint

iPhone 7 preview: Cameras

The big differentiator of the iPhone 7 Plus over the iPhone 7 is the introduction of a dual camera setup. Found on the back of the device you’ll find two cameras to the iPhone 7’s one. Apple isn’t the first to offer a dual camera setup on a smartphone, but it does take a different approach to how other manufacturers are tackling it.

Apple’s offering is two 12-megapixel sensors on the rear – one of which is wide-angle, the other telephoto. The wide-angle lens has an aperture of f/1.8, while the telephoto lens has an aperture of f/2.8. This new setup means the iPhone 7 is capable of optical zoom at 2x and digital zoom up to 10x. 

In the camera app and this zoom is represented with a single 2x icon that you can tap at any time to instantly switch the lens you want to use. A longer press means you can zoom beyond the optical zoom and achieve up to 10x optical zoom over the current 5x offering on the iPhone 6s Plus. Designed to be used one handed, by pressing and then moving your thumb in an arc, it works really well in the flesh when we tried it on the new smartphone at the event.

Beyond basic zoom controls, which can be used in any of the cameras shooting modes including video, Apple has also tried to be clever by merging the results of the two lenses together to create something Apple calls “Depth Effect”.

Depth Effect promises to deliver a more DSLR like photo with a greater depth of field by combining photos from the two cameras together. It will only be available in a new Portrait mode though.  

Disappointingly the new feature won’t be available at launch and will come as a software update later in the year. It wasn’t available to see in action at the hands-on event after the Apple keynote presentation, but the pictures showed by Apple in its presentation look very impressive indeed. 

Pocket-lint

In theory it should work, but in practice we’ve seen other manufacturers try and fail to produce good results. The problem lies in the software struggling to find and compute the finer details of the photograph.

If Apple can crack the problems presented by effectively merging two photos together it should be great and we look forward to testing it when it becomes available. But the sheer fact that it’s not ready for launch suggests Apple is still tweaking the experience.

Like the iPhone 7, the iPhone 7 Plus camera protrudes from the design on the back more so that Its smaller counterpart. The rectangular design means your old cases won’t fit. The protrude is visible, however it’s not enough to warrant any concerns and certainly not enough to make the phone wobble when laid on a desk or table.  

The shots we’ve seen on the phone taken with the camera look good, and a quick play in the demo room proved useful, but again we are going to reserve judgement until we get a handset to test in more testing conditions.

The iPhone 7 Plus has a number of other features too including a Quad-LED True Tone flash, body and face detection and wide colour capture for photos and Live Photos. The front camera also sees an increased resolution to 7-megapixels with an aperture of f/2.2.

Pocket-lint

iPhone 7 preview: New home button

The Home button is one of the most used elements of the design, and on hearing Apple were ditching the physical element and replacing it with the same technology found in the Apple Watch and Macbook trackpad did leave us worried.

Thankfully in the flesh it’s really good. The button is as responsive as you want it to be, still allows you to flawlessly use it for double tapping or Touch ID, and yet gives you a very similar experience to the Watch and the Macbook Trackpad. Tap the button and the Taptic Engine inside the phone vibrates making you believe that the button is moving when in reality it isn’t.

Gushing to say this but once you try it you’ll wonder why Apple hadn’t changed it earlier.

iPhone 7 preview: Taptic Engine

The same Taptic Engine that is there to convince you the Home button is physical is also used to greater affect across the iOS 10 interface. Playing Codemaster’s F1 2016 game we could feel the nuances of the crashing into the barriers or going over bumps throughout the phone. Feeling your phone is going to be a thing now. The same went with other “Taptic” enabled apps. We are looking forward to seeing how much of a difference it will make to everyday use.

iPhone 7 preview: Audio

Apple has ditched the headphone socket. For those somewhat panicked by that move, an adapter is included in the box if you aren’t going wireless. The space is now replaced with a speaker and the iPhone 7 features stereo sound from a speaker top and bottom.

In a very crowded demo room at the event we were able to hear the speakers in action. It’s much better than the current iPhone 6s, but we are going to reserve judgement on this aspect until we’ve managed to listen to a number of different sounds (music/video) when we get the iPhone 7 in for review.

Pocket-lint

iPhone 7 preview: Speed and performance

A new iPhone means new speed and the iPhone 7 Plus gets the same Apple A10 Fusion processor found in the iPhone 7. It promises to increase the power and performance over previous iPhones by 120x over the original iPhone launched in 2007 in fact.

Ultimately it means your phone will be able to load things faster, process things faster, and generally not be in any way sluggish.

In our quick play with the iPhone 7 it was as zippy as you would expect, loading powerful games and processing video with minimal effort. We look forward to testing this fully in our full review.

The screen also feels a lot brighter and more responsive, but Apple has held back from adding the Tru Display technology found on the iPad Pro 9.7.

Storage options are 32GB, 128GB and 256GB. Apple claims the battery capacity for the new device is also an hour longer than the iPhone 6S Plus but these gains have been made through processor power improvements rather than a bigger battery.

First Impressions

Unlike the iPhone 7 where you could be forgiven for it being a rather lukewarm upgrade, the iPhone 7 Plus is a very big jump over the iPhone 6s Plus launched in 2015. 

For your money you’re going to get the tweaked design, the option of new colours, the stereo speakers, the new Home button, bigger storage options up to 256GB, and that new dual camera system.

Frustratingly the dual camera system won’t see its full potential from day one, but has the potential to be great if all the pieces can come together.

Like the iPhone 7 though, this is Apple continuing to refine a design that has worked well for them over the last two years, rather than tear up the blueprints and start again.

The technology that Apple has added is great and works towards making the iPhone a state of the art smartphone.

Ceramic Apple Watch Edition in pictures

Apple has retired the 2015 Apple Watch Edition – that’s the super expensive gold one – and replaced it with a white ceramic version instead to sit at the top of the Apple Watch pile.

The new Apple Watch Edition (Series 2) is available in two different case sizes, 38 mm and 42 mm and starts at £1,249 from Apple.com, and we couldn’t resist putting it on to see what it was like on the wrist.

The new watch, which Apple describes as lustrous, is four times harder than the stainless steel version and comes in a white, pearl-like finish, making Apple Watch Edition extremely scratch-resistant.

Pocket-lint

On the wrist and it is incredibly glossy and white, with the white hiding any smudge marks, delivering a clean and crisp look. The top of the digital crown is grey while the overall dimensions of the watch are ever so slightly thicker than the first series of the Apple Watch. 

The new watch will be “Swim proof” to 50m water resistant and will run WatchOS 3 as standard which adds a number of new features to the watch including the ability to access widgets quicker, as well as, using it to unlock your laptop. 

Where the ceramic version will shine for fashion conscious Apple Watch fans is that it can be paired with virtually any strap and still look cool. Coming with a white silicon strap, we could easily see this looking stunning with a yellow or red leather strap for example.

The Ceramic Apple Watch Edition is out on 16 September.