Articles and competitions.

6 gift ideas for every type of dad The iD Community loves celebrating real-life heroes. For most of us, the best heroes on the planet are our parents. They’re the ones who come to our rescue and save the day, time after time. As Father’s Day is coming up very soon (Sunday 16th June), we’ve come up with some exciting ideas every super-dad will love! Buy one for dad to get in his good books, or if you’re a parent yourself – drop some hints with the kids. 1. For the music loving dad Every dad deserves quality time without distractions now and again, and that’s exactly what wireless noise-cancelling headphones are designed for. Our gift suggestion: Sony WH-CH700N Wireless Bluetooth Noise-Cancelling Headphones Sony WH-CH700N Wireless Bluetooth Noise-Cancelling Headphones have clever noise-cancelling technology that shuts unwanted noise out, so you can lose yourself in your favourite sounds. The sound quality is crystal clear, and there’s a smart function on board that lets you temporarily disable the noise-cancellation, so you can hear the world around you without taking them off. The foldable design lets you pack them away neatly in the compact case when you’re not enjoying your favourite music. And the battery will provide up 20 hours of listening on a single charge. And don’t forget – because these Bluetooth headphones are completely wireless, they work on latest smartphones that have ditched the headphone jack. 2. For the dad that wants to be the boss Make your dad feel like he’s the boss of his home with a handy voice-controlled speaker. It gives him the power to issue commands and get things done from the comfort of his favourite chair, and he won’t have to lift a finger. Our gift suggestion: Amazon Echo Amazon Echo can find and play music, read out the latest sports news, give weather updates and answer any trivia question under the sun. And if you connect other smart home products to it (lights, locks, switches, thermostats), you can control your entire home. The days of dad moaning about the heating being too high and telling you to turn it down may finally be over. 3. For the dad that needs to upgrade his phone If your dad could do with a new smartphone, why not treat him to a brand new one that won’t break the bank? Our gift suggestion: Samsung Galaxy A20e The Galaxy A20e really delivers, with a 5.8-inch Infinity-V display that lets you see every inch of your favourite games and videos in incredible detail. There’s also an ultra-wide dual camera, to help you capture the whole scene and get spectacular shots. The best thing about the Galaxy A20e has to be its super low price. You can get it from iD Mobile (who else?) from just £9.99 a month with no upfront cost, and £30 cashback. Check out our Samsung Galaxy A20e deals here 4. For the dad that loves big screen action Is your dad a TV lover? Then give him the power to watch what he wants, when he wants. Our gift suggestion: Google Chromecast Ultra This nifty little dongle simply plugs into the TV, and lets dad stream content onto it from his phone, tablet or laptop. He can now watch his favourite YouTube videos, Netflix movies and catch-up TV shows, even if the TV doesn’t have those apps already built-in. And just because dad’s streaming the picture from his smartphone, it doesn’t mean he can’t do other things on it at the same time. If he minimises the Google Home app, he can take calls or send messages without interrupting what’s playing on the TV. 5. For the dad looking for super power We all get tired of fiddling with wires and ports when we need to power up our phone. So why not go for a wireless charging pad instead? Our gift suggestion: The Belkin Wireless Charging Pad The Belkin Wireless Charging Pad quickly and easily charges any Qi-enabled smartphone, without the need for wires. You simply place your phone on top of it, and it starts charging. Qi is one of the most popular wireless technologies available, and it’s used by leading smartphone manufacturers like Apple and Samsung. The best way of checking whether your phone is Qi enabled is to check the itruction leaflet (or just Google it). 6. For the dad that wants to get fit Obviously, you’ve got to tread carefully if you’re buying a fitness device as a present for someone. But if dad’s been talking about improving his health or shedding a few pounds, he’ll really appreciated getting an activity tracker as a gift. Our gift suggestion: Fitbit Flex 2 Activity Tracker The Fitbit Flex 2 is a great little device for anyone looking to get into shape. With a slim and lightweight frame it can be worn 24/7 to monitor activity throughout the day, as well as checking the amount and quality of sleep throughout the night. It monitors everything from the steps you take to the distance you travel. And, if you spend your days sitting at a desk, it’ll remind you to get moving occasionally to help you keep on track. The Fitbit Flex 2 doesn’t even need to be told what activity to track either… it just knows! Go for a swim, and with ‘SmartTrack' it automatically recognises the activity and starts tracking it. Then when you’re done, it syncs everything to the Fitbit app on your smartphone, making it easy to view your progress towards your fitness goals. With a large display for viewing all your fitness stats, and a water-resistant design that can handle adventures in any weather, the Google Pixel 3 XL is one of the best phones for fitness currently available. What do you think of our suggestions? Will you be buying one for Father’s Day, or will you be treating yourself? Do you have any other gift ideas for different dad types? Post a reply below and share your thoughts with the rest of the Community!

A lot of mobile gamers are getting excited about 5G, the fifth generation of mobile networks – and rightly so. It’s going to be a massive leap forward in terms of speed and performance, and it should make gaming completely seamless and very, very fast. One cloud-based gaming service that look set to harness the power of 5G is Hatch. Let’s check it out. Hatch cloud gaming Hatch is currently the world’s only ‘made for 5G’ gaming service, although you’ll be pleased to hear that it also works just fine over 4G or a good Wi-Fi connection. It’s free to download onto Android phones and will be on other platforms soon, according to the webpage. Hatch has a selection of great mobile games that you can stream straight onto your phone and dive into straight away. You’ve got instant access to the likes of Angry Birds, Monument Valley, Hitman GO, Chameleon Run, Mini Metro, Beach Buggy Racing, Bad Piggies, Leo's Fortune and a whole load more. There are over 100 games to choose from at the moment, and that number should keep growing as its popularity increases. The great thing about Hatch is that you can jump between different games any time you choose. Are you fed up of your wayward flicking on Angry Birds? Have you hit a dead-end on Hitman GO? Then just tap on something else to play, straight away! Hatch is a great way of getting into different games you might not normally try. And if you’re one of those people who has loads of yet-to-play titles on their smartphone, it could be a real space-saver. What is latency and how will 5G affect it? Let’s talk about latency, because 5G could make a huge difference to it. Latency is the amount of time it takes for the game you’re playing to react your button presses or screen taps. You want it to be as low as possible, especially if you’re in a multiplayer battle like Fortnite – because even a split-second delay in a weapon being fired can prove fatal. High latency means a higher response time, and that can be the difference between winning and losing. The good news for latency-weary gamers is that 5G networks are promising extremely low latency. This will make normal mobile game-streaming smooth and trouble-free, and it’ll also make multiplayer VR and AR gaming a real possibility. The slightest amount of lag can lead to feelings of nausea in VR users, and if 5G can cure that for good it’ll be a major breakthrough. The benefits of 5G aren’t going to be obvious straight away, and it might even take some time for game developers to work out how to make the most of it. So in the meantime, why not download Hatch onto your Android phone and give it a go? If you’ve any questions or thoughts on 5G and mobile gaming, post a reply below.

Find out what we know about the latest Beta version of Apple iOS 12.3… It’s always an exciting time when there’s new releases. And, we’re usually kept on our toes with bits and pieces of information being teased out in the run up to the final date. Recently, Apple released the latest Beta update (Beta 4) for its latest iOS, 12.3. Right now, only registered developers are lucky enough to get their hands on it, and it’s likely that we’ll see a few more Beta releases before the final release. What will be in the final iOS 12.3 update?So far we haven’t really seen anything huge, and there doesn’t seem to be any visible changes to the looks of the operating system. The Beta 4 download comes in at around 164MB on an iPhone X, so most of the updates seem to be tweaks to enhancing performance. This is what we’ve found so far: · Faster menu navigation for older iPhones. · Updated modem firmware for better connectivity. · Minor tweaks to battery efficiency. iOS 13 is just around the corner, ahead of the next iPhone release, and it seems that Apple is holding back on some of the bigger updates for now. Which is no surprise really, otherwise there wouldn’t be anything left to get excited about when the final release does happen. We’re excited to see what else the latest version of iOS has in store, and of course for the next iPhone release, because Apple always has something up their sleeve. Let’s hope it’s a peach! What else is Apple working on?We’re also anticipating the release of their new Gaming and TV subscription services, Apple Arcade and Apple TV, where users can pay a fee to enjoy unlimited access to libraries of unique, add-free content. Invites have now been sent out for Apples keynote at the annual Worldwide Developers Conference 2019, and the week-long event is likely to showcase these services alongside the upcoming version of iOS 13, the latest MacOS and possible some other hardware. It all starts on Monday the 3rd June in San Hose, California, and we don’t know if you’ve heard, but there are also rumours that iTunes could be being broken apart in favour of a few smaller standalone apps. Whatever Apple is holding back for the event is sure to be great, so we’ll be keeping up to date with all the latest thrilling revelations. What are you most excited about for the next version of iOS? Let us know in the comments.

Facebook’s private messaging service could be set to return to the main app – here’s what we know… You might remember that back in 2011, the Facebook mobile app split in two - one for your social media feed and Facebook Messenger. At the time, it was unexpected and confusing, and it didn’t get the greatest of responses, but people still continued to use it and now we’ve just gotten used to the idea. Well, that might be about to change. Rumour has it that Facebook Messenger will be returning to the main app, letting you see your newsfeed and your messages all in one place. Don’t worry, the Messenger icon won’t just disappear from your phone, but now instead of opening the standalone app, it’ll just take you to the Facebook app and open a new section, originally called ‘Chats’. That’s how things used to work before things merged, but if you can’t quite remember that far back don’t worry, we’ve slept since then too. The word on the street is that Facebook are making this change to try to introduce a more integrated messaging experience across its services, before it unifies with things like WhatsApp or Instagram. There are said to be thousands of developers working away to make this merger happen, and they plan to launch it later this year or early next year. App researcher, Jane Manchun Wong, spotted the app and was the first to start letting everyone know about it, and in a follow-up Tweet she notes that, at the moment, the “Chats” section only has a limited number of the normal features found in Messenger. You’re able to send and receive messages, but video-calling and sending pictures still needs to be done through the dedicated app. We’re excited to see what the future has in store for the messaging service. What’s your favourite thing about Facebook Messenger? Let us know in the comments!

Our pick of the best photo-editing apps you can use to make the most of your snaps. The cameras inside our smartphones are improving every time a new one is released, and that means we’re all taking more photos than ever. But, there’s more to getting the best pictures than having a great camera phone. The right app can make all the difference. The best photography apps don’t just put a nice filter on your pictures – they let you do so much more. Here’s our quick guide to some of the best photo-editing apps around. 1. Snapseed Snapseed is a filter-friendly app that specialises in giving your pictures a more artistic look and fine-tunes them, ready to share with your online followers. There are 29 filters to choose from, and all kinds of features to edit your photos, such as white balance for colour adjustment, and a healing tool that lets you get rid of unwanted background objects from the scene. A ‘lens blur’ tool even lets you add a bokeh effect (blurry background) just like the pros. And, you can save your edit history, so you can go back to any previous edits. Download on Android Download on iOS 2. VSCO If it’s fab filters you’re after, you’ll struggle to find an app better than this one. Sometimes Instagram filters can be a little heavy-handed with your pictures and lack some subtlety, and this is where VSCO is the perfect antidote. The filters here make your photo look as if it’s been taken on a quality analogue camera – with sliders that’ll give you just the balance you’re looking for. On top of that, there’s still all the stuff you’d expect - cropping, borders etc. Download on Android Download on iOS 3. Adobe Photoshop Express Photoshop is the household name when it comes to editing pictures, and Photoshop Express is the smaller mobile version – but it’s still great at what it does. For something that’s free and easy to use on a mobile screen, it’s pretty advanced too. Smart filters will put some of your issues right automatically –like exposure and colour temperature. You can then add in the other useful tools, for things like brightness, contrast, saturation, cropping and correcting red-eye, and you’ve got yourself a handy little app. First though, make sure you sign up for an Adobe ID account (don’t worry – it’s free). Download on Android Download on iOS 4. Enlight Enlight is one of the best photo-editing apps around if you feel like getting creative. It packs in a ton of features, letting you do almost anything with your photos. Besides the usual crop and effect options, you can also adjust the exposure of your shots, remove unsightly defects, superimpose images and even transform your pictures into works of art. You’ll never look at Instagram the same way again! Download on iOS 5. TouchRetouch This app’s all about getting rid of the things you don’t want in your pictures. Whether it’s that road sign spoiling your beautiful landscape, or an amazing view that would be so much better without that man on the side of the shot eating his lunch. Now you can get rid of ‘em all! And the best bit is it only takes one touch, so you can get your retouched photos ready to share in no time. Download on Android Download on iOS 6. Visage OK – so we all have things that we’d change about ourselves, whether that’s whiter teeth, smoother skin or getting rid of that spot that just decided to appear this morning!! Well, we think you’re great as you are, but if you really must retouch your selfie, you might find Visage useful. It can smooth-out skin, whiten teeth – even add eye makeup for the times you can’t be bothered. Upgrade to the pro version to avoid ads and the watermark that’s added to your final edit. Download on Android Download on iOS 7. Afterlight / Afterlight 2 Afterlight 2 is – in its own words – the “all-in-one feature-packed” photo editing app. Which, to be fair, sounds about right to us. It has all the options that you’d expect to see – crop, brightness, and exposure – as well as some things which are more advanced - selective hue/saturation, curves, clarify and tone. The great thing about this app is that it updates its content each month, and once you’ve paid the initial (very small) one-off payment, there are no extra subscription fees, even when there’s new features. Download on Android Download on iOS 8. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Our final app is another entry from Adobe, and it’s another winner. Imagine taking a lighting studio with you wherever you go, and you’ll get some idea of what is on offer with this app. The mobile version of the professional photo-editing app has everything you need to make your photos look as pro as possible, even on-the-go. You can edit photos in seconds or spend a bit more time and make fancy edits by adjusting lighting curves, exposure and more by simply sliding your finger across the screen. If you’re an Adobe Creative Cloud subscriber, you’ll be able to automatically back up your photos onto other devices as well. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom is a must if you’re serious about photography. Download on Android Download on iOS Got any other photo-editing apps you’d like to share with us? Did we miss out your favourite app? If so let us know in the comments section below…

If you’re ready to take the plunge on a brand-new iPhone but just need a little guidance in the right direction, you’ve come to the right place. For the different needs, budgets and lifestyles, there’s an iPhone ready to take on them all. Which iPhone suits what you need? Apple are certainly known for quality, seamless designs and top of the range tech, but how do their entry-level phones stack up against the more premium models? The best camera - iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max If you’re all about getting that perfect family photo the first time around, the iPhone 11 Pro makes it impossible to take a bad shot. Both the 5.8” iPhone 11 Pro and the larger 6.5” Pro Max feature three 12MP cameras on the back, making them the first iPhones to have a triple camera setup. Thanks to a combination of Wide, Ultra-Wide and Telephoto lenses along with 10x digital zoom, you can capture just about any scene. If night time photography is your passion, the new Night mode uses clever AI to bring detail to low-light shots automatically. That means getting that sweeping panoramic photo of the city skyline is as easy as pointing and shooting. And if you prefer shooting videos to taking photos, you can save all those holiday memories in 4K 60 fps quality. So, your footage stays future-proof. Elsewhere on the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max, you get a gorgeous OLED display that makes gaming and movie-watching so immersive, you’ll forget you’re on the commute or in a busy café. Plus, the A13 Bionic Chip makes everything you do a piece of cake, no matter how many apps you flick between. Take a closer look at the Apple iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max Amazing all-rounder – iPhone 11 Launched in September 2019 alongside the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max, the iPhone 11 may be slightly cheaper, but you still get some incredible features. Just like the Pro options, the iPhone 11 has 12MP Wide and Ultra-Wide lenses, so you only miss out on Telephoto. Don’t worry about video, though – you can still capture flawless 4K footage that’s guaranteed to impress! Plus, you’ll definitely up your profile picture game with the TrueDepth camera’s ‘slofie’ function. You can also expect the same lightning-fast responses and effortless multitasking, as the iPhone 11 also features the state-of-the-art A13 Bionic Chip. The Liquid Retina HD display makes everything from action-packed movies to social media jump out of the screen with vivid, true-to-life colour. And if you love losing yourself in a box set on the way home from the office, Dolby Atmos audio places you at the centre of the action with 3D sound. Discover the amazing Apple iPhone 11 Performance and speed – iPhone XR They say it’s what’s inside that counts, so if you want a phone that you can rely on for a smooth and fast browsing experience, then the XR could be the one for you. It’s run by Apple’s A12 Bionic chip – one of the smartest, most powerful chips in a smartphone – and it’s complemented by a super-advanced Neural Engine, which makes use of machine learning to get better at fixing any bugs and speed issues it encounters over time. Freezing apps and loading screens will be a thing of the past. All this power doesn’t put a drain on the battery, though. Apple has made sure that the A12’s 4 efficiency cores (the ones which deal with everyday tasks) use up to 50% less power than the previous A11 chip. This means you’ll still get a huge 25 hours of talk-time from a single charge. Go ultra-efficient with the Apple iPhone XR Incredible photography – iPhone Xs and Xs Max When it comes to camera tech, you’re onto a winner with the iPhone Xs. It’s definitely one for tech lovers, and with a plus-size Max sporting a mammoth 6.5” edge-to-edge OLED display, it’s a head-turning device that’s packed with sharp, rich, beautiful colours. But the big thing to boast about on this phone is the camera. If you thought the iPhone X had the best camera on an Apple device, the upgraded Xs can do it all AND more. It’s even better at low-light photography, thanks to its sensor’s ability to fit in larger pixels that can take in more light. You’ll also get to pick the ‘TrueDepth’ focus level after you’ve taken any pictures in portrait mode, so you can tweak the blurred background to perfection. You get a massive 512GB of internal storage on the device to store all those portraits and selfies, too. That’s over half a Terabyte! And, coupled with the same A12 Bionic processor as the behemoth XR, you can be confident knowing it won’t slow you down any time soon. Buy the incredible Apple iPhone Xs and Apple iPhone Xs Max The stunning edge-to-edge iPhone X Released in September 2017 for iPhone’s 10th anniversary, the X really was a game-changer for the mobiles, and despite it being around for over 2 years, we’re still amazed at all the tech powering it. The biggest upgrade to previous iPhones is generally the screen. The advanced ‘Super Retina’ picture quality and 82% screen-to-body ratio, held together by the iconic notch (which is now recognisable in a lot of the latest smartphones), makes the display one of the most vivid we’ve ever seen on a phone. It’s 5.8 inches of stunning OLED, and you’ll be completely mesmerised by any game or Netflix series or you decide to binge on it. That screen helps to show off the amazing photos you can take, too. Thanks to a 12MP telephoto dual lens on the back, and a 7MP camera facing you, your pictures will be full of colour and detail every time. The sleek and compact iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus The more entry-level option here (by Apple’s premium standards anyway), this iPhone offers nearly all of the fantastic features from its bigger counterparts, but in a more manageable, sleek glass frame. If you’re one to avoid the chunkier handsets because they can be clumsy to use – especially one handed – then the iPhone 8 has a comfortable 4.7-inch screen that’s much easier to handle. You won’t find yourself missing out on Apple’s famous quality either. It still boasts an incredible Retina HD screen display, and is even capable of fast wireless charging. You can get 50% battery in just 30 minutes – perfect if you’re constantly on the move. If you prefer more screen to play with, you could go larger with the iPhone 8 Plus. You get a more satisfying 5.5-inches to watch your favourite films on, but Apple have also added a second camera, letting you take amazing photos with that cool bokeh effect everyone’s loving at the moment. Check out the Apple iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus

Everyone needs some Insta-goals, so we’ve pulled together our top Instagram profiles for all the things that truly matter, Food, Fitness, Tech and Fashion. FOOD: Pie Fiends, Look Jo Further No pie is ever too pretty to eat, right? Well, we’ve met our match with this one. Jojo Harrington is a woman with a tasty-mission: to bake the perfect pie. And from scrolling through her Instagram, we’d say she’s doing a scrumptiously good job so far. But what we really want to know, is what she does with all her pies, and how we can get our finger-licking hands on them. Follow @jojoromancer FITNESS: Join the Kayla movement Bodybuilder, fitness model, best-selling author AND over 7 million followers: it’s safe to say Kayla Itsines is one of those over-achievers we love to hate. Even more annoying, she's only 26. The Australian trainer has abs we’d only have if we painted them on. Just scroll through her Instagram and you’ll see how sickeningly healthy she is: mini workouts, transformation photos and recipes to help you take care of your body. So if you’re looking for fitness inspo - this is the girl for you. Follow @KaylaItsines TECH: Media mogul Marques If you thought Kayla was doing well for her age, meet Marques Brownlee. At the tender age of 16, Brownlee started out making screencasts and software tutorials. Today, the 24-year-old commands millions of views on his tech-and gadget-focused YT channel; his iPhone 7 unboxing video reaching up to 9.9 million views. Get following tech lovers! Follow @MKBHD FASHION: Susie’s style bubble Susie Lau is fashion blogger royalty. Known for blunt bangs and colourful clothing, Susie started her blog back in 2006 and is now one of the most well-respected fashion bloggers around. Rather than just a stream of #OOTDs, Lau's Style Bubble platform is peppered with passionate essays on fashion that have earnt her a reputation as a leader in the industry. Follow @susiebubble And one for the lads looking to sharpen their style game.... Joey London is about as dapper as they come. With his uncanny resemblance to Zayn Malik and suave form, Joey’s snaps will get you itching to travel, as well as buy a whole new wardrobe. Follow @joeylondonstyle

The ‘force touch’ is having a makeover… You may remember back in 2014 when Apple announced one of its most exciting screen features on a range of its devices: 3D Touch. Known as ‘force touch’ amongst the geeks and manufacturers, this innovative tech was a game-changer for the touch screen. Beforehand, most of our devices’ touch screens had no measurement of pressure, which allowed for a few ‘long press’ features but (as the name suggests) took some time to activate. Force touch was able to remove that problem, offering the features as soon as you press the screen a little harder. Historically, Android handsets have only sported the ‘long press’ feature, introduced on the Android 8 Oreo OS. But we’ve heard that the latest OS update Android Q might be finding its own way to incorporate some pressure-touch tech. The idea is that if you press harder on an Android app, it’d offer you different shortcuts to certain areas of it – the ‘Compose an email’ section of a mail app, for example. That’s long been a feature on Apple devices (since the first ever Apple Watch was launched and on iPhone since the 6s in 2015), so we’re excited to see a more seamless approach to app shortcuts on Android going forward. We’re not quite sure how this’ll work yet, is the only caveat. Being an OS update there wouldn’t be any hardware changes to existing Android phones, which could mean that it’ll only be a feature for new Android phones once Q is rolled out. The detail on this is still a little hazy, though, and we wouldn’t be surprised if Google found a clever workaround to put some similar tech onto our current phones. We’ve seen them surprise us before! Take a look at our Android deals here

We recently got to try out Samsung's latest mid-range releases, the A80 and A70 smartphones, at their incredible Milan launch event in April. See our first impressions... Getting to grips with the Galaxy A80Samsung have only just finished wowing us with the Galaxy S10 Series, but they went ahead and gave us another amazing range of devices anyway – the Galaxy A range. We were lucky enough to get out hands on one of Samsung’s new additions, the mid-range Galaxy A80, which has some pretty serious specs under the hood. 6.7 inches of edge-to-edge screen That’s right, the screen on the Samsung Galaxy is 6.7 inches of uninterrupted display, so there’s plenty of space whether you love getting wrapped up in your favourite films or getting lost in a mobile adventure game. And when we say uninterrupted, we mean it. It’s the first Galaxy on offer that doesn’t have the infamous notch, so you can enjoy the whole Super AMOLED screen like you’re meant to, with all the images and colours in stunning, vibrant detail. It doesn’t just look amazing though, it’s also able to handle multitasking, so you won’t have to pause your YouTube binge to reply to your messages. What about the camera? Make that cameras. No notch doesn’t mean no selfie camera, and this camera’s another Samsung first. That’s right, it’s the first ever pop-up camera in a device, but not only that, it also has a rotating triple-lens system which means your selfies will now be in the same outstanding quality as any other photos you take. We tried it out in a few different places, and were happy to see that the results were just as good even in low-light conditions. There’s a 48MP main sensor, which is the default when you open the camera app, but you can easily switch to the 8MP ultra-wide camera for those big group shots or picturesque landscape scenes. The third camera has a 3D depth sensor, which is what allows you take those professional looking photos with a blurred background. So, now every photo you shoot for your Instagram will be amazing quality, whether it’s a simple selfie or portraits of the pooch. One touch lets you access everything Unlocking the new A80 is super convenient, with the on-screen fingerprint scanner. With just one touch, everything is available without having to compromise on space or design. Biometrics, or fingerprints are nice and secure too, so you can be confident that the only person who’ll be able to access your phone is you. A battery to power it all, for longer Whether you love spending hours on addictive mobile games, or you use your commute to catch up on your favourite shows, the A80 has a 4,500mAh ‘Intelligent Battery’ which automatically adapts to your routine and saves power, to make sure there’s enough to get you through the day. We love that this isn’t just another power hungry device, because this clever battery has got your back. It looks as good as it feels For a mid-range phone, this really does feel like a premium design. From the glass body to the metal frame, it feels great in the hand and you don’t feel like it’s going slip through your fingers when you’re taking photos. It comes in three different colour variations too; Black, Pink and White, all of which complement the design and we’d be happy to have any of them. All of that with the addition of the futuristic pop-up camera, this beautiful phone definitely gets our stamp of approval. Not forgetting the Galaxy A70Another splendid addition to the Galaxy family is the A70, which isn’t to be missed. It has a similar dual-glass build with a metal frame, the only difference is the absence of the pop-up camera, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less impressive. It also uses a triple-lens system, which gives you the ability to capture stunning photos whether it’s the middle of the day or night. The main 32MP camera along with the 3D-depth camera is what gives you those gorgeous portraits, and gives your subject perfectly framed focus. And, if it’s not perfect, the Intelligent Camera software automatically finds your best shot, and gives you a heads up if it’s not the best picture. It’s also got the same on-screen fingerprint technology as the A80, so you can relax knowing that everything is protected from prying eyes. The A70 has a slightly smaller battery, but it’s still capable of up to 25W fast charging, so you’ll never be left waiting for some extra juice. The tech specs – under the hood · Octa-core · 8GB RAM · 128GB internal storage · 3,700 mAh battery Check out our Samsung Galaxy A70 deals So, are you as excited as we are for the newest additions to the Galaxy family? Keep your eyes peeled because the new Samsung Galaxy A range will land in Carphone Warehouse soon.

Want to take professional looking shots with arty blurred backgrounds? Then the bokeh effect is what you're looking for. Read on to find out more! Bokeh comes from the Japanese word ‘boke’, which means ‘blur’ or ‘haze’, and the first thing you might be wondering is, how on earth do you pronounce it? Some people say “bo-key”, some go with “boo-kay”. So, why not check with a Japanese speaking photography expert? According to Ryu Nagase, Product Management Director at Cannon, it’s actually pronounced “boh-keh”. Now we’ve got that cleared up, let’s take a look at what exactly it is and how you can improve your phone pics with it. What is the bokeh effect? Simply put, it refers to the blur of objects in your image, other than the subject of your photo. If you’re taking a photo of an item or a person, a bokeh effect can really add a sense of depth to your image while giving the subject a lot more definition. Until recently, the only way to capture bokeh images was by using an expensive camera with a high-end lens. But now, thanks to some clever tech, you can take beautiful bokeh shots on some of the latest smartphones. How do you get the bokeh effect? We’re currently going through a bit of a camera-phone revolution, and manufacturers are all trying to outdo each other with ever more impressive photo capabilities. On most phones, the feature is called ‘Portrait mode’ and it works by scanning the scene and determining what should be in focus - and what should be out of focus - to get the best possible result. So, let’s take a look at some of the best phones for bokeh photos. Huawei P30 Pro The P30 Pro is the latest flagship phone from Huawei, and it’s a phone that puts the camera front and centre. Huawei has brought a few new things to the phone’s camera that we’ve never seen before, like a completely re-designed light sensor and 10x lossless zoom. The portrait mode has been given a boost too, thanks to Huawei’s ToF (Time of Flight) sensor, which scans your whole scene in an instant to understand exactly where every object is. The phone then passes everything through its powerful processor to give you one incredible bokeh shot. Buy the Huawei P30 Pro from iD Mobile Google Pixel 3 The Pixel 3 takes a slightly different approach to some other manufacturers. Rather than using a fancy sensor like you get on the P30 Pro, it uses Google’s very powerful on-board software. That does mean it takes a few seconds to process your picture after you’ve taken it, but the results are worth waiting for. The software does an incredible job of figuring out what you’ve taken a picture of, and where the scene should be blurred, to add a real sense of depth to your photo. It’s super easy to use, just open up your camera app and tap ‘Portrait’, then take your photo. After a few seconds, the Pixel 3’s software will have done its job on your image. Buy the Google Pixel 3 from iD Mobile Samsung Galaxy S10 Samsung’s latest flagship phone, the S10 doesn’t just stop at a fancy blur effect, you can adjust the amount of blur in your background and even alter the depth of field. You also get a few extra effects like Spin Bokeh, Zoom Bokeh and Colour Point, so whatever scene you’re shooting, you’ve got plenty of options to make it look incredible. As well as getting stunning bokeh pics from the main camera, the S10 also comes with a dual lens front camera that lets you experiment with the depth of field in your selfies, using the Live Focus feature. This can really change the mood of your selfies, it’ll look like your new profile pic was taken in a studio. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S10 from iD Mobile If you've got any bokeh tips or questions, post them below!

Mental Health Awareness Week starts on Monday 15th May, hosted by the Mental Health Foundation. To support this initiative, we’ve got some tips on digital wellbeing we’d like to share with you. It’s important to feel good when you’re using your smartphone, and we think this advice will help you do just that. Avoid social comparison We all love scrolling through our social media feeds, but the downside is that it’s easy to feel like you’re in competition with others. Remember, what you see online isn’t an accurate portrayal of reality – so if anyone’s images make you feel insecure, try and ignore them. Better still, unfollow or block that person. Be yourself When you’re on social media, be yourself and stay positive. Write posts that will put a smile on your friends' faces, and don't feel like you've always got to put filters on your photos before you share them. You’ll feel better for it. Use mindfulness to stay positive Mindfulness can help you focus on the things you like about yourself. It’s a great way of managing your thought and feelings, and changing the way you relate to experiences. If you’re interested in learning more about mindfulness, we recommend you visit Be Mindful. It’s the Mental Health Foundation’s website on mindfulness. Your smartphone can help too – check out our recent blog article on apps to give yourself a mindfulness refresh. Choose your friends wisely If you’re worried about body image or other personal issues, chatting to your closest friends can often be a great help. We’re talking about your genuine, real-life friends, rather than your social ones. If you’ve got an online friend that you don’t know in real life, think carefully about whether you actually need them. Remember, social media isn’t a popularity contest – so why not go through your friends list and make sure they’re all actual friends? If not, you can easily unfriend them by hovering over the 'Friends' button at the top of their profile, and selecting 'Unfriend’. And in the future, don’t accept every friend or follower request you get – only connect with people you know in real life, or whose identity you know is definitely genuine. Restrict the time you spend on your phone Phones are great fun, but it’s important to spend some quality time away from them. Research has shown that being on our phones too long can take a toll on our mental and physical wellbeing. Some studies even suggest that people who spend more time on social media are less happy. Surprisingly, perhaps, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube have their own activity trackers to help you set time limits and take a break. Or you can dive into your phone’s settings… If you own an iPhone (or you want to monitor a child’s), the Screen Time feature tells you how much time is being spent on individual apps, and lets you set time limits. Go to Settings > Screen Time, and ‘Turn On Screen Time’. If you’ve got an Android phone, Google’s Digital Wellbeing tool does the same thing - showing you how much time you’re spending on apps, and letting you set time limits. Filter out harmful content Harmful and unsuitable content that makes you feel bad is only ever a few clicks away on the internet, unfortunately. So you might want to put some extra safeguards in place. For example, you can block explicit results on Google using SafeSearch, or set up a restricted mode on YouTube. We can help too. The free iD Mobile app has a handy adult content filter that lets you restrict access to 18+ film and video content. Go to ‘My Services’, ‘Adult content filter’ and toggle it on. Never be afraid to ask for help If you’re concerned about your mental health, or the mental health of someone in your family, there are lots of services and organisations that offer help and support. You can find contact details on the Mental Health Foundation’s Getting Help webpage. If you’ve got any questions or thoughts on any of the points above, feel free to post a reply below. It’ll be shared with the rest of the Community.

We all know what SIM cards are – they manage your number and network connection. But what are dual SIM phones? And more importantly, how do they work? Let’s go ahead and find out. What is a dual SIM phone? A dual SIM phone is a phone that can handle two SIM cards at once - which is ideal for anyone who has two different numbers or data plans. Let’s say, for example, you needed one SIM card primarily for calls and texts and the other has a big data package which you use to browse and use social media with. With a dual SIM phone, you can switch between them depending on what you need at the time. Other examples where you’d need a dual SIM phone is if you had a work number and a personal number, or if you travel frequently and need to switch to the local SIM card as soon as you arrive. But in true dual SIM fashion, there are not one but two types of dual SIM phones. You’ve got DSDA and DSFA. How do DSDA phones work? DSDA stands for Dual SIM Dual Standby and means that when you’re using one SIM card, the other is on ‘standby’. That means if you get a call on SIM 1, SIM 2 will be put on standby, just like if you were engaged or on another call. Also, only one SIM card can be connected to the internet at a time. However, some phones do offer a ‘Hot Swap’ feature, which lets you choose which SIM card to use for data in the settings. If your dual SIM phone doesn’t have the ‘Hot Swap’ feature, then you will need to make sure that one you want to use for internet is always in slot 1 – because only the primary SIM will be able to connect. How do DSFA phones work? DSFA stands for Dual SIM Full Active and lets you connect to both SIM cards so you could get a call on either lines at the same time. If you get an incoming call on one line during a call on the other, you’ll get a little alert and can decide which call to take. You should know – there aren’t many of these types of devices around though. Can you use SIM cards from two different networks? That all depends on the device you’re using. Some phones are ‘locked’ to one network, which means it won’t accept a SIM card on another provider. If that is the case, then you’ll have to use two SIM cards that are on the same network. What features about dual SIM phones do you like the most? Let us know in the comments below.

Creating an actual worldwide web Dial-up may feel like ancient history, but some of the world is yet to catch up when it comes getting online. Getting every part of the world – even the remote parts – onto the web isn’t exactly easy, but some companies are up to the challenge. OneWeb says it wants to see everyone connected, “including those on the move— on the road, in the air, or at sea. We envision a world where all people have access and hold the power to create opportunity for themselves and others wherever they are.” The idea is that by using a global set of low-earth orbit satellites, even the most isolated parts of the world should be able to enjoy high-speed broadband. Sounds ambitious, certainly, but OneWeb has already launched its first successful satellite, and has received funding to continue the next-gen plan. Making a change with Social Media Social media is key to making a real impact these days, both locally and globally. Increasingly, we’re turning to social media for all our news and information. Change.org is one of those companies looking to harness the power of social media for good. Change.org is essentially a petition site. If you want something changed, that’s where you can go. Once your petition’s set up, you can ask the social media community to help you gain support. Get a certain level of signatures, and you’re cooking on gas – your petition may be seen by notable members of that field, who can help make the change. One of the site’s big victories was when Tesco was petitioned to stop selling eggs from caged hens. 270,000 signatures later, the company took notice. See, change can happen! Healthcare in the hands of AI AI – artificial intelligence – is a big deal these days, and Google has taken things to a whole new level with Deepmind Health. It aims to provide better support across the healthcare system, especially within the NHS, where it can help patients, plus doctors and nurses. According to the Deepmind website, “1 in 10 inpatients suffer some kind of avoidable harm because they don't get the treatment they need... To address this, we research and build AI and mobile tools that help hospitals get patients from test to treatment, as quickly and accurately as possible.” This tech could change the way patients receive care, and also how doctors deliver it. A major milestone has already been reached for the treatment of sight-threatening eye disease. Deepmind says its AI system “can quickly interpret eye scans from routine clinical practice with unprecedented accuracy. It can correctly recommend how patients should be referred for treatment for over 50 sight-threatening eye diseases as accurately as world-leading expert doctors.” Sounds promising, and it could save doctors’ time so more people get seen. Watch this space for future developments… Outdoor workers can breathe easier Ever been stuck in the office on a sunny day and wished you had a job where you could work outside? It may look idyllic, but don’t forget all the cold and wet days outdoor workers have to endure – and then, of course, there’s the matter of air pollution. The British Safety Council and King’s College London have teamed up to create an app – Canairy – that gives you real-time information about air pollution levels. It’s currently just for workers based in London, but hopefully this will be rolled out to other cities if this proves successful. The app compares your hourly exposure levels against those published by the World Health Organisation. It then gives information that can help you avoid the worst levels of pollution while you’re working, as well as giving employers help in scheduling work that’ll reduce exposure long-term. Tech that helps take care of other tech More than anywhere else, we rely on the tech in our hospitals. Simply, they can’t be allowed to breakdown or go wrong. One such piece of equipment is an MRI scanner, and Philips’ clever e-Alert system is designed to keep a virtual eye on an MRI’s system performance – checking that it’s running as it should. If any problems are picked up, it sends an alert so it can be fixed straightaway. We reckon this is a great idea – using new tech to keep existing tech running smoothly. Hopefully this is just the start; we can think of loads of other machinery that could benefit from this sort of treatment.

Here’s what we’re expecting to see from Apple’s new online gaming subscription service… What is Apple Arcade?The easiest way to describe Apple Arcade is as an online gaming subscription service – like Netflix but for Apple gamers. The service will feature over 100 games which will all be exclusive to Apple, and there will be a single price plan that lets you play any game on any of your Apple devices. The beauty of a service like this is that, just like Netflix, you can jump from one device to another. Play a game on your iPhone while you’re on the train, then pick up where you left off on your Apple TV when you get home. What devices can I use to play Apple Arcade games?You’ll be able to play Apple Arcade games on pretty much any Apple device, so that’s iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV. And according to Apple, all games will be available offline, so you won’t have any issues playing on the go. What games will be available?The fixed monthly fee will give you unlimited access to over 100 of the top games found in the App Store. All the games on Apple Arcade will be exclusive to Apple, and they’re working with some big-name developers too. SEGA, Konami, Cartoon Network and Disney, to name just a few. As for the types of games you’ll get, it looks like a pretty diverse line-up. You’ve got fun games for the kids like Team Sonic Racing and a modern remake of an absolute classic, Frogger in Toy Town. For the more serious gamers, there’s the sci-fi adventure Beyond a Steel Sky, Fantasy RPG Fantasian, and first-person shooter, Enter the Construct. Whatever your preferred genre, there’s certainly going to be plenty to choose from. How much will it cost?At the moment the short answer is, we don’t know. But, with Google working on a similar service (Google Stadia) to be released later this year, pricing will certainly need to be competitive. One thing we do know is that there will be a single subscription fee which also offers access to up to 6 family members at no extra cost. When will Apple Arcade be released?At the moment there isn’t a specific date for release, but Apple has confirmed that the service will be available in over 150 countries (including the UK) this Autumn.

Whether you’re new to the world of Apple or want to start making FaceTime calls on your current iPhone. Here is your guide to video calling, and the most seamless way to do it… So, why FaceTime instead of calling? Quite simply because if you’re an iPhone user it’s the easiest way to do it. Plus, if any of your contacts use an iPhone, you’ll be able to audio or video call them for free when you’re connected to a strong internet connection. How to set up FaceTime The FaceTime app should come pre-installed on every iPhone, but in the event that you’ve deleted it, re-installing it is super easy. Here’s how: 1. Click on the App Store 2. Search for FaceTime (it’s the green icon with a white video camera icon) 3. Click GET 4. Confirm the free download And then you should have the FaceTime app back on your iPhone’s home screen. How to make a call on FaceTime 1. Open the FaceTime app 2. Press the + button in the top right 3. In the ‘To:’ box, type in the contact you’d like to call 4. Click on the contact and you’ll get the option to Audio or Video Call them 5. Choose which type of call you want to make and then wait for them to pick up Making a video call When you make a call, your face will immediately be displayed via the front camera. Then, when the person you’re calling picks up you’ll transfer to a little box in the corner and your contact’s camera feed will take up the screen. Once you’re chatting away, here are some fun features you can use: You can use the camera button in the bottom left corner to screenshot a moment worth remembering Add a few effects with Apple’s Animoji feature, or put texts or filters on the screen Block out any disturbing background noise going on around you by hitting mute Swap your video feed to the back camera if you want to show the person you’re talking to something in your eyeline Making a group call Want to FaceTime more than just one person? When typing in contacts, just add a couple more. Then follow the exact same instructions as before. If you already have a group chat going in the iMessage app, you can call the members straight through the app itself. Just tap on the contacts at the top of the screen, and you get the option to audio or video call them. Here are a few commonly asked questions about FaceTime Do you need an account for FaceTime? If you already have an iCloud account, you won’t have to spend any time creating a new username or password. If, however, you don’t have an iCloud account yet, check out our guide to setting it up. How do you sync your contacts? If you already have contacts on your phone, you’ll automatically find all of them in your FaceTime app. Is there a FaceTime app for Android? FaceTime is an exclusive app for Apple, therefore is unavailable from the Android store. Can you FaceTime people on Android? No, you can only FaceTime contacts who also have an Apple device. Is there FaceTime for PC? As long as your PC is an Apple Mac or Macbook, you can FaceTime using its webcam. Does FaceTime use Wi-Fi? Connect to Wi-Fi and FaceTime will use that for the call. However, you can also use your mobile internet if you’re on the go. Right, you’re ready to get FaceTiming. Got questions? Ask away in the comments below and we’ll get back to you.

Your smartphone can help keep you fit and healthy. One of its neatest tricks is monitoring your heart. In fact, it's so neat that hospitals are now interested in this mobile tech. A study has revealed that a new smartphone-controlled heart monitor is far more effective (and cheaper) at diagnosing cardiovascular issues than a standard ECG monitor. Joint research by the British Heart Foundation and Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland found that a smartphone ECG “increased the number of patients in whom an ECG was captured during symptoms over five-fold to more than 55%”, which opens up a whole realm of possibilities with this innovative, low-expense technology. The device is to be carried by paramedics in A&E departments, who will measure the patient’s heartbeat at the scene and send the data off for a doctor to interpret. Smartphones saving lives? Sounds good to us! Do you use the heart rate monitor on your phone? Have you tried a heart rate monitor out on your smartphone yet? It’s easy to get your heart rate but then what? Do you know exactly what to do when you get that magic bpm figure? Read on for the answers… Your heart rate is an accurate indicator of how hard you’re exercising, so using a monitor can help you calculate your ideal training pace or workout intensity. A good target is 50-85% of your maximum heart rate, and you can calculate your maximum heart rate as 220 minus your age. This is a rough guide only, so if you’re a member of a gym we’d recommend you get advice from a personal trainer. They should be able to do a few quick tests and give you an accurate assessment of your target and maximum heart rates. You can also use a heart rate monitor to track your general health, by recording your ‘at rest’ heart level at the same time each day. The number of beats per minute can help give you a rough idea of your overall fitness levels (between 60 and 100bpm is the normal adult resting heart rate for most people), and any changes could indicate a possible health issue. Heart rate monitoring apps for your phone Even if your smartphone doesn’t have an inbuilt heart rate monitor, there are apps that take advantage of your phone’s camera and flash to monitor your heart rate. One of our favourites is the Runtastic Heart Rate Monitor (free on iOS & Android). This is one of the best apps for measuring your heart rate with your smartphone camera. You can use it to accurately monitor different types of heart rate (pre and post workout, for example) and track the results on user friendly graphs. Simply place the tip of your finger over your phone's camera to turn your phone into a heart beat monitor, and get your instant heart rate reading. Do you use any other apps or devices to keep yourself healthy? We’d love to hear your suggestions, so post a reply below!

Netflix is testing out a new mobile-only app that costs half as much as a full subscription. Here’s everything we know about the trial. A good Netflix binge can be the perfect way to while away a rainy afternoon, and with rumours circulating around price rises for the beloved streaming service, it’s welcome news that they’re also testing a new mobile-only app, which would cost up to half the price of a normal package. What is the mobile-only Netflix app? It’s a version of Netflix aimed at users watching on their mobile phones. In a statement to The Verge, Netflix said “We are always looking for ways to make Netflix more enjoyable and accessible. We will be testing different options in select countries, where members can, for example, watch Netflix on their mobile device for a lower price and subscribe in shorter increments of time.” The last part is interesting because it could mean they start offering lower priced weekly or bi-weekly subscriptions, alongside the monthly plans already available. Can I get the Netflix mobile-only app? At the moment it’s being looked at in India, and has previously been rolled out in Malaysia, There, the basic package costs £6 a month, with the mobile-only version costing around £3, so it’s a good indication of what we could expect to see if the app gets a good response in the testing phase. The release in India makes sense. Black Mirror: Bandersnatch was a huge hit there, and so Netflix are also looking into more original Indian content, aiming to double the production every year. What we have to bear in mind for the mobile app though, is that it’s just a test, so we might never see a full version rolled out anywhere else. So, when can we expect the app to become global? Netflix are keeping their cards close to their chest on this one. There’s lots of non-committal statements floating around about different options being tested in different countries, but the company has highlighted that “not everyone will see these options and we may never roll out these specific plans beyond the tests”. While that doesn’t make it sound very hopeful, India is a big market so that’s a good indication that this test could be a bigger deal than others rolled out recently. What would you most like to see from a Netflix mobile-only app? Let us know in the comments, while we chill and wait to see what unfolds.

We’re not saying you should spend your holiday glued to your phone, but it can be a great help! Make the most of your holiday by checking out our top apps to download and take on your travels… BBC Weather Free to download on iOS and Android We hate our unpredictable weather in the UK, but it can sometimes be just as bad abroad. Download the BBC Weather app ahead of time, so you’ll have the forecast at your fingertips when you’re away. You can then plan your time more confidently, and it’ll also prevent you shelling out for an excursion if it’s going to be in the middle of downpour! It’s quick and easy to check the daily and weekly forecast in pretty much any location in the world. Babbel Free to download on iOS and Android Learning a bit of local lingo if you’re heading abroad can make such a difference to your trip. You’ll feel more at ease communicating with locals and will get much more out of the experience. If you’re up for the challenge, download Babbel and try out some of the great language learning exercises. Go on - even a few phrases is better than none! Monzo Bank Free to download on iOS and Android With this banking app, you can forget about the hassle of taking out loads of cash ahead of your holiday. Oh, and you’ll also make dreaded debit card fees a bad memory! One of the best things about Monzo is that it doesn’t charge you any fees on transactions made in foreign currencies. You get charged using the inter-bank exchange rate, so the price you see is the price you pay. But Monzo is more than just that - it’s a fully-fledged current account, with a great app that gives you instant notifications when you spend money. And if you lose you card while on holiday, you can instantly freeze it and order a new one. Citymapper Free to download on iOS and Android Finding your way around a different city or town, even when you’re on holiday, can be overwhelming. Citymapper makes it easy to navigate your way around with a variety of routes to get you from A to B. Plus, in a lot of cities it won’t just tell you how to make your journey, but also how much it will cost. Goodbye expensive taxi fares! Kindle Free to download on iOS and Android If you’ve ever found yourself finishing your holiday reading early (or even worse, leaving your books at home), you’ll know the pain of trying to find English-language books abroad. But with the Kindle app, you’ll have the choice of loads of e-books to buy and download easily onto your smartphone or tablet. Bookworms can breathe a sigh of relief. Airbnb Free to download on iOS and Android Okay, so you may well already have your accommodation sorted for your holiday, but you might still find the Airbnb app a really handy tool. Airbnb has recently added exclusive experiences to its offering, so you can now book anything from authentic cooking classes and wine tasting to Segway tours. Download, browse and plan something special to make memories that last! Have we missed an essential holiday app you won’t go anywhere without? Comment below and share your top travel app recommendations with the Community.

Twitter has unveiled its new Snapchat-like camera for Android and iOS. Find out what you can expect from Twitter’s new integrated camera... Twitter’s new camera is ready for action It’s been in the works for a while now, but Twitter finally rolled out its new integrated Snapchat-like camera. The feature will be available on Android and iOS mobile apps, where users will be able to take and share pictures instantly, within the app. Tweeting using the new camera If you’ve already been lucky enough to receive the update, you will now be able to swipe left from your main timeline screen in the app, and you’ll open a dedicated camera screen. This then allows you to take a photo, video, or live stream straight to all your followers with Capture and Live Capture. In Capture, just tap to take a photo or long press to shoot a video, while Live will start broadcasting straight away. For even more customisation, you can overlay the image/video with text, your favourite hashtags or a location, and you can also turn the flash on/off when you need extra light. Will my tweets look different? When you post a tweet using their latest feature, it appears like a thumbnail or an enlarged photo, and any related text will be below it. This is a first for the social media platform, who have always been a primarily text-based social network, but since the explosion in popularity for image sharing – Snapchat and Instagram for example – it’s no surprise that a little bird told them to get on board. Previously, users had to concentrate their thoughts into 280 characters (originally 140), but now they can allow a picture to, as they say, speak 1,000 words. Any pictures or videos that you want to share that aren’t taken through the app can’t be shared here though, you’ll still have to do the usual way when sending regular tweets. But, that should encourage people to share more pictures and videos from live events, as they happen. The first time you use this new camera update, Twitter will ask you for permission to access your media files. Don’t worry, it’s nothing sinister, just authorise it and you’ll be sharing instant pictures and videos in no time. What are your favourite pictures and videos from Twitter's new camera? Let us know in the comments.

Huawei says the P30 “rewrites the rules of photography” and you know what, they might be right… The P30 comes in two options, there’s the regular P30 and the P30 Pro. So let’s take a look at the P30 before checking out what extras you get from the P30 Pro… The triple lens setup on the P30 gives you a 40MP wide-angle lens, 16MP ultra-wide lens and an 8MP telephoto lens. Last year’s flagship, the P20, featured one of the best phone cameras of 2018. So with the huge improvements made to the P30’s camera, could this actually be the best phone camera ever? Let’s take a look… 10x lossless zoomThe P30 combines two new features to deliver an incredible zoom capability. Huawei has developed a new ‘periscope’ lens stacking system which arranges five hidden zoom lenses inside the phone. They’re stacked vertically with light reflected into the lenses using a 90-degree prism – clever stuff indeed. This means the phone is capable of an incredible 5x optical zoom. As well as the clever periscope system, the P30 comes with a 10x lossless zoom feature which digitally zooms in. The image is them sharpened by the powerful P30 processor. The combination of all of this tech gives you some incredible results that until now, weren’t possible on a phone. And Huawei said ‘let there be light’…A revolutionary new light sensor to be exact. Almost all phone cameras have what’s called an RGB (Red, Green, Blue) sensor, and they do a good job of capturing light from the red, green and blue spectrums. But Huawei doesn’t think a ‘good job’ is good enough. The P30 uses a radical new RYYB (Red, Yellow, Yellow, Blue) sensor, which is able to capture much more light, especially in low light situations. Professional looking shots from an all-new Portrait modePortrait mode, also known as the Bokeh effect, is when the subject of your photo is in perfect focus, but the foreground or background is blurred. This can deliver some truly stunning shots, making your photo look like it was taken by a professional photographer. The P30 Pro comes with an extra ToF (Time of Flight) sensor on the back of the phone which scans your whole scene. It then figures out how far from the camera each object is and adds the right amount of blur to give your picture a real sense of depth. And thanks to the powerful processor, all this happens in an instant. AI-powered selfie shotsWe’ve all done it, try to snap a selfie but it ends up coming out as a silhouette, or the background is too dark. Well, the P30 uses AI to adjust the settings on the fly, so it’ll always get the best shot possible. Shooting into the sun? No problem, the phone will adjust the settings so you don’t have to – just point and shoot. Dual Optical Image Stabilisation for super smooth videoThe Huawei P30 combines all those incredible new camera features, like 5x optical zoom, and the RYYB sensor with its new image stabilisation software to deliver some extremely professional looking video. The dual image stabilisation does an amazing job of keeping the subject of your video steady, even when you’re at full 10x zoom. Perfect for capturing fast-paced action. Check out what else the Huawei P30 and P30 Pro can do

Now that most of us are at home for a lot more of the time, it’s more vital than ever that we take care of our health. We’ve seen people building makeshift training circuits in their gardens, doing yoga in their living rooms and resistance band workouts in the kitchen. However, mental health is just as important as physical health. Here are our favourite apps that are great for mindfulness, meditation and clearing your head from stress: Headspace iOS/Android It makes total sense to start with a no-brainer. Headspace is one of the best-known meditation apps out there, and from personal experience, it’s really effective. The app eases you into the essentials of meditation and mindfulness with a free 10-part basics course. Each of these sessions will come in three, five or 10-minute chunks, so you can pick a session based on how much time you have. The meditations are quite easy to follow, too. Once you’ve completed the free trial you’ll need to pay for further sessions – but whether you pay the £9.99 a month subscription or use it as an introduction into meditation, we’d highly recommend it. Calm iOS/Android Another of the more popular meditation apps is Calm - which brings joy, peace and a sense of clarity to everyday life. As soon as you open it, you’re greeted with the immediate sound of falling rain, a crackling fireplace or crickets in the background. Then, you can get a little bit of ‘me time’ with a whole host of short, medium or long meditation sessions. Remember being a kid and nodding off to a bedtime story? Try Calm’s Sleep Stories, read by the likes of Stephen Fry and meditation expert, Tarama Levitt – which will help send you off into a blissful slumber. Like several other mindfulness apps on offer, you get a free trial and then it’s £9.99 for Calm thereafter. Insight Timer iOS/Android Sharing is caring. That’s why Insight Time is such a hit with subscribers. Described as ‘a social network for meditators’, the app lets you share and discuss your mindfulness experience with like-minded people all around the world. Not only is there a whole network of community groups ranging from beginners to expert, but there’s also a vast library packed with guided mediations led by some of the world’s top experts. What better way to learn than from the very best? Aura iOS/Android If you’re looking for a meditative experience more tailored to you, Aura is the app you need in your life. It learns about you by asking questions. You then receive a daily three-minute meditation based on the answers you give. So, if you’re feeling particularly heavy-headed one day, it’ll give you the tools you need to take a much-needed step back from your busy schedule to focus on your mental health. Do you currently use a mindfulness app? Is it one of these? If not, which one do you fancy downloading? Post a reply below, and share with the Community!

Samsung recently launched its new Galaxy S10 range, so we thought it was time we checked out the entry level Galaxy S10e. This is a smartphone with a lot going for it, and we’re not just talking about the low price tag… The S10e looks and feels just as good as the S10 It might be the more affordable version of the Galaxy S10, but the S10e is certainly no budget phone. It’s got a nice big 5.8-inch screen with a crystal clear, Full HD+ resolution. The super-thin bezels make the most of phone’s surface area and the curved screen corners give the phone a super stylish and bang up to date feel. The S10e doesn’t come with the curved screen like you get on most Samsung flagships, but we don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing. A flatter screen can give you a more secure grip. So, if you’re not a fan of wrapping your beautifully designed phone in a big, bulky case, the S10e might just give you a bit more peace of mind. Excellent build quality with an IP68 rating There was a time when an affordable alternative to a Samsung flagship meant plastic, plastic and more plastic – not anymore. The S10e feels just as premium as the S10. The S10e features an aluminium frame with a Gorilla Glass 5 back, just like the S10, and both phones have an IP68 dust and water proof rating. Top notch clarity from the AMOLED display The screen in the S10e uses the same tech you get in its bigger brother, the S10. It’s got a Dynamic AMOLED display with HDR10+, which means you get vibrant colours, excellent contrast ratio, and true blacks. Perfect for gaming or watching movies and TV shows. Where the S10e screen differs from the S10 is when it comes to the pixel density. The S10 gives you 550 pixels per inch, whereas you still get a respectable 438 PPI with the S10e. A dual-lens camera for super sharp photography The S10e comes with a dual-lens main camera setup, rather than the triple lens arrangement you get on the S10. The lens that’s missing is the telephoto zoom lens. What you get is a 12MP wide lens and a 16MP ultrawide lens with all the same tech powering them. So you’ll still get incredible looking shots, and the wide-angle lens is great when you want to capture more from your scene. A side-mounted fingerprint scanner It looks like Samsung is ditching the rear-mounted fingerprint scanner altogether, and we’re not exactly sad to see it go. The S10 comes with the latest in-screen scanner, but unfortunately, that’s a premium reserved only for Samsung’s flagship model. The S10e has a side-mounted scanner built right into the power button. It’s easier to find than the scanners from earlier models and because it’s side-mounted, it’s perfect if you like to browse at your desk. Enough processing power for any task We were surprised to discover that the S10e comes with exactly the same Snapdragon 855 chipset and CPU as the pricier S10. The only difference is that you get 6GB of RAM rather than 8GB, but 6GB is still a lot for any phone. Everything is super snappy on the S10e and apps open in an instant, so when it comes to performance, it’s tough to see the difference. Interested? You can order the Samsung Galaxy S10e from iD Mobile right now!

Android Q is coming soon. We don't know exactly what it'll be called yet (quiche, perhaps? ), but we do know that it'll be coming to more smartphones than ever before. Google drummed up a lot of excitement last year when it announced all the Android handsets that were eligible for the 9 Pie operating system. But this time, it’s expected to roll the beta version out to an even wider range of smartphones in 2019 - making this year the biggest rollout in history. This move is part of a wider effort from Google to make it easier and faster for Android users to update their devices, an initiative named Project Treble. What new features will Android Q have? Here are a few of our favourite features that Google confirmed will be on Android Q, according to its recent Android Developers Blog post. Foldable support. Android Q will be offering support for "foldables and innovative new screens". This is more of a back-end feature for developers, but it’s still exciting news for anyone thinking about getting a foldable phone when they become available - at least we know for sure that Google is making plans for them! Better privacy, more protection. Android Q is going to boost your privacy options big time. You’ll have more control over app access, sharing location, microphone access and lots of other stuff you might want to keep private. About time too. Face ID-style authentication for logins and purchases. If your phone has the kind of hardware capable of scanning your face, Android Q might have some cool new features to support it. It's unclear just how this will work, but according an uncovered piece of XDA developers text, you’ll be able to “use your face to unlock your phone, authorise purchases, or sign in to apps." How can I install Android Q beta? If you like the idea of being an early adopter and trying out Android Q beta, you'll find information on how to do it on this Android developer's webpage. It's quite straightforward if you've got a Google Pixel phone, and a little more tricky if you haven't. It's also worth remembering that you'll be trying out an unfinished operating system. Any beta version is a work in progress, so the odd thing might not work as expected. If you don't want to install an unfinished beta, you can expect to download the finished version of Android Q in August sometime, according to Google's official developer beta timeline. So it's not too long to wait, right?

Don’t believe everything you hear. A few mobile myths seem to have cropped up over the years, and they’re simply not true. Here are five of the most persistent tall stories you should be ignoring. 1. “You need to let your battery go down to 0% before recharging” False. Couldn’t be further from the truth. Which is good news, because who has the time to wait for their battery percentage to run right down before re-charging? Nobody, that’s who. And the truth is, you don’t have to. The majority of smartphones these days come equipped with strong Lithium-ion batteries, which are more than capable of handling a full-ish charge at all times. In fact, batteries are under the most strain when they’re fully charged or completely empty. Their real sweet spot is round about the 50% mark. So, if you really want to keep your battery in good nick for as long as possible, you should try and keep it charged between 20% and 80%. 2. “The more megapixels, the better the phone camera” Hogwash. While it’s true that more megapixels give you photos with a higher resolution, unless you’re zooming right up close you won’t be able to tell the difference between the likes of an 8MP or 12MP camera. There’s a lot more to choosing a good smartphone camera than megapixels. It’s also well worth checking out aperture sizes (the lower the better, as they let in more light for decent night-time shots), wide-angle lenses and optical image stabilisation. AI is the next big thing in camera technology, so keep an eye out for that too! 3. “Closing apps improves your phone’s battery life” Poppycock. But it’s easy to see why lots of people might think it’s true. After all, if you’ve got lots of apps open on your laptop, it does put a strain on the battery. However, we’re pleased to announce that this doesn’t happen with your phone – because apps open in a different way. If an app is open – but unused - on your smartphone, it actually freezes. So closing it down has no effect on your battery. You can still do it if you want though – you can’t beat being tidy and organised. 4. “A phone could stop your credit card working. It’s all do to with magnets, you know” Nonsense. Sure, we’ve all heard the rumours that keeping your credit card in your pocket next to your phone could damage the magnetic strip. But there’s absolutely no truth in this. Even though your card contains millions of microscopic magnetic particles, your smartphone doesn’t give off enough power to have a negative effect on it. In fact, you’ll actually do more damage to your card’s magnetic strip by exposing it to another card’s strip – so get yourself a good purse or wallet. 5. “4G uses up more data than 3G” Pure hokum. But we admit, this myth was one that even some of us tech heads thought sounded plausible. Yes, it’s true that 4G is much faster than 3G. But that doesn’t mean it uses more data. All apps and webpage downloads are the same size, at the end of the day. Still have a sneaking suspicion that 4G eats up more of your data? Could it be that you’re just browsing more page in less time, perhaps? That’s what we found ourselves doing. So, there you have it. A handful of persistent smartphone myths you can now stop believing. Be honest, how many of them did you believe? Or do you have any other mobile myths that you’d like to warn your fellow Community members about? If so, post a reply below.

Huawei has released two new versions of its flagship phone, the P30 and the P30 Pro – and they both come packed with plenty of great new features, so let’s dive in… How does the P30 look and feel? Well, the first thing we noticed when we picked up the phone was how lightweight and slim it feels. The stunning colour gradient effect on the back of the phone really sets it off. The Breathing Crystal option is a pale shade of white and blue, with the Aurora Blue glistening from blue to green. Key features: · Updated and great looking design · Slim and lightweight feel · Stunning gradient effect What’s the screen like on the P30? A tiny water-drop notch at the top of the phone means you get even more screen from the P30, 6.1 inches to be exact. So, if you love to use your phone for gaming, or catching up on your favourite shows, the P30 should be perfect. Key features: · 6.1-inch Full-HD+ picture quality · OLED screen offering 16M colours · Subtle water-drop notch The Full-HD+ screen delivers vibrant, natural looking colours and OLED means you get true blacks – perfect for those dark, moody films. How good is the camera on the P30? If we had to pin down one thing that defines this phone, it’s got to be the incredible picture quality from the triple-lens camera. The phone features a 40MP wide-angle lens, 16MP ultra-wide lens for landscape shots and an 8MP telephoto lens for close-ups. Key Features: · Triple lens main camera powered by LEICA · Incredible low-light shots · Ultra wide-angle shots Don’t worry about taking photos at night either, the P30 does an amazing job of capturing vibrant natural images in low-light conditions. So whether you’re on a night out with your mates or front row at a concert, you’ll always get great looking sharp images. The AI in the P30 is super-smart too. It can tell what you’re pointing the phone at and automatically finds the right settings to get the best possible shot of the object in view. When we played around with this feature, we found it worked really well and was able to recognise most objects. On the front of the phone, you’ll find a whopping 32MP wide-angle lens squeezed into the tiny water-drop notch at the top of the screen. You’ll get incredible detail in all your selfies and with the wide-angle lens, you won’t have to worry about chopping people off at the edges. What about security on the P30? You might be looking at pictures of the P30 and wondering “where’s the fingerprint scanner”. Well, no matter how hard you look, you won’t be able to see it, that’s because it’s hidden in the screen. Unlocking your phone has never been easier, just touch your thumb or finger to the screen and you’re in. Don’t worry about unlocking it when it’s wet either, it’ll work in any weather, rain or shine. How long does the battery last on the P30? Not only does the P30 have a massive 3,650 mAh battery (4,200 mAh for the P30 Pro), but it also uses clever AI tech to optimist power usage depending on what you’re doing. In short, it learns how you use your phone and adapts to get the most out of the battery. In addition to the clever battery optimisation, Huawei’s SuperCharge feature is the fastest in the world, giving you a 60% charge in just 30 minutes. How powerful is the P30? The P30 features Huawei’s revolutionary Kirin 980 chipset, which is officially the most powerful AI chipset available. So it’s safe to say, it’ll be able to keep up with whatever you throw at it. Key features: · Kirin 980 chipset · 6GB RAM · 128GB internal storage (expandable up to 256GB) · 3,650 mAh battery (4,200 mAh on the P30 Pro) With numbers like these, the P30 makes everything fast and smooth, from gaming to switching between apps, everything runs seamlessly. Is the P30 Pro better than the P30? The P30 Pro comes with all the great features you get with the regular P30, plus a few extra. For a start, it’s bigger. The screen measures a very generous 6.47-inches, so if you watch a lot of videos, or enjoy mobile gaming, the Pro might be the option for you. The P30 Pro's main camera has four lenses instead of three. The extra one is a ‘Time of Flight’ lens with a flood illuminator and it’s used to scan the field of view in an instant, giving much better depth to your photos. Another very clever feature of the P30 Pro is that it can wirelessly share battery power with other phones and accessories. Just place them back to back, and your other device starts charging. So, how do you fancy upgrading to one of the best phones ever made? Pre-order the Huawei P30 or P30 Pro today.