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Buying a Christmas present for friends, family or a Secret Santa? Sticking to a budget can be tricky, so let us help. Just for you, we’ve come up with some great techy gifts for all budgets. We’ve got gift suggestions at three popular price brackets – under £50, £100 and £200. So take a look, and prepare to be inspired! Just one thing to note – please use the prices shown as a guide only. They were correct when we wrote this, but obviously these things can change. Gifts for £50 or less PlayStation alarm clock (£24.99) Buying a gift for a gamer? Then look no further. This alarm clock features the iconic PlayStation button symbols and analogue sticks, and plays video-game inspired sounds when the alarm goes off. Buy it here Google Nest mini (£49) Google Nest Mini is a compact and discreet smart speaker with the always-helpful Google Assistant built-in. It’s just like the original Mini, but now has better voice recognition and bass that’s twice as powerful. Use your voice to play music with Wi-Fi connected speakers, adjust heating with your smart thermostat, and lots more. Just say "OK Google" and ask away. Google Nest Mini will take care of it, and make your life easier. Buy it here Amazon Fire 7 (2017) Tablet (£49.99) Here’s an affordable tablet, with quick and easy access to all of Amazon’s digital services from books to movies to games. The battery lasts up to 7 hours, so you’ve got more than enough power to keep yourself entertained on the commute home or when you’re chilling out at home. Buy it here Gifts for £100 or less Nintendo 2DS & Mario Kart 7 (£79.99) What about buying a legendary handheld game console as a gift? The 2DS has two touchscreens to immerse yourself in the action, and Mario Kart 7 comes pre-installed. So get ready to collect those powerups and beat your friends to the finishing line! Buy it here FITBIT Charge 3 (£99.99) The sleek and comfortable Fitbit Charge 3 gives you heart rate monitor right on your wrist. It also automatically tracks how you're doing in your favourite activities, from running and swimming to cycling and field sports. You’ll get lots of detailed stats to help you keep on top of your health and fitness. Buy it here Logik L20HE 18 20-inch LED TV (£99.00) A 20-inch TV screen is ideal for bedrooms, dens and even kitchens. This one comes with Freeview HD for subscription-free entertainment, and will easily connect to your games console or DVD player. There's even a PC input, if you want it to double up as a monitor. Buy it here Gifts for £200 or less Nintendo Switch Lite (£199.00) It’s a games console that’s always ready to go! The Nintendo Switch Lite has been designed with on-the-go gaming in mind, so you can jump into your fave games on your daily commute, on a flight, out at the park or back at home. Anytime, anywhere. Keep an eye out for our December newsletter for a chance to win a Nintendo Switch Lite with a Mario game! If you don’t get our newsletters, you can opt-in to marketing emails in your account settings. Buy it here Apple Watch Series 3 (£199.00) This smart watch syncs with your smartphone, giving you all the information you need on your wrist. Use it get directions when you’re out and about, ask Siri to set reminders and lots more. It also has a heart rate monitor, to give you a clearer picture of your health. Buy it here Ring Video Doorbell Pro with Chime (£149.00) Keep track of what’s going on around your property at all times, with a video doorbell. When someone presses it you’ll get an alert on your phone, even if you’re miles away. You can the interact with them using two-way audio. Buy it here And there you have it. Our list of tech gifts! But hang on – are you buying for someone especially fussy? Then why don’t you get them a voucher instead? Then they can choose something they’ll be happy with. Lots of websites offer great voucher deals during the festive season, and here are a few of our faves: Red Letter Day. Buy a voucher and give them an unforgettable experience, from pampering to flying. Choose from over 6000 amazing gifts. Activity superstore . Over 1000 gift experiences from short breaks to fun days out. They’ve got a 10% off deal at the moment. Buyagift. Great deals and discounts on experience days and gifts. They’re currently offering a £10 gift code! What do you think of our suggestions? Have you got any of these cool products yourself? Would you recommend them? What would your favourite techy Christmas gift be? Post a reply below, and share your thoughts with the Community!

We’re constantly talking and listening to our customers, identifying ways to improve the service we offer, making mobile better. So we’re delighted to announce we’re on YouGov’s 2019 Top 10 list of improvers for Brand Advocacy! YouGov BrandIndex screened 1,500 brands asking respondents "Would you recommend the brand to a friend or colleague?" and “Would you tell a friend or colleague to avoid the brand?”. And vs. our 2018 score we’ve improved to a 45.8 net score! This is great news and shows the progress we’re making, but we won’t stop there with plenty more improvements planned for 2020 and beyond. You can see the full results here: https://www.brandindex.com/ranking/uk/2019-advocacy

It’s National Text Your Ex Day! Yes, you did read that right. Even if message a former lover may not be your cuppa tea, why not enter our competition and find a reason to celebrate! No, you don’t need to message your ex to win. Instead, we’re offering one winner a chance to get their hands on some extra data this month. All you need to do is share 5 things you’d rather use your data on than texting your ex! Here’s a few things we’d rather spend our data on: 1.Find a date Better to move forward than dwell on the past, right? There’s a stack of different dating apps out there, and each of them offer something slightly different. Tinder is probably the most famous one, with the classic ‘swipe right, swipe left’ system. Then there’s Bumble, where only women can strike up a conversation once you’ve matched. Happn is a little different, too. It works with your location data to show you people you’ve passed while you’ve been out and about. Give it a go! You never know, you could end up meeting that special person. If you’re not sure which app to go for, take a look at our 5 most lovable dating apps. 2.Binge watch your favourite show Everyone has a go-to show that can instantly put a smile on their face (*cough*, Bodyguard). With a little more data, you can disable that ‘WiFi streaming only’ setting on Netflix and dive into a box set without the worry of draining your data. So, why not get reacquainted with the characters you love? 3.Book a holiday Everything is better when you’re relaxing on a beach, and a little spontaneity livens things up. Why not escape National Text Your Ex Day altogether and find yourself a great deal on a city break or beach getaway? With sites like lastminute.com, Love Holidays and Cheeky Trip offering beautiful destinations at a super price, you’re only a few clicks away from bathing in the sunshine with a Pina Colada in hand. 4.Get back in touch with long-lost mates You’re probably wondering how an out-of-the-blue text to your ex-partner would go down, so why not message a friend instead and see how they’re getting on? Everyone’s got a few people in their contacts list that would love to hear from them. Whether they’re mates from school, college or uni, old colleagues or relatives, drop them a line and arrange to meet up! 5.Get home after a night out Picture the scene: it’s late, you’re walking out of a bar or club to head home, and it’s raining. Instead of putting up with the agony of the night bus, that little bit of data could be enough to book a uber that’ll turn up right where you are and take you to your front door. No journey around the houses, no need to side-step dropped kebabs, and no hassle. So, those are just a few of the things we’d rather do than text our exes. What would you rather do? Whatever you’re thinking, let us know below for a chance to win extra data

As you may already know, iD Mobile Black Friday event has already begun. Unlike other retailers, our Black Friday event started on the 4th November, but don’t despair if you weren’t aware (that rhymes), because we’ve just added a heap of new handset and SIM only deals, and you’ve got till the 2nd December to get your hands on them. Introducing the iD SIM Only Big Data plans! As part of our Black Friday event, we have introduced a set of new SIM only deals, with unlimited Minutes, and enough Data for you to talk, stream and browse the web to your heart’s desire, without having to worry about running out of allowances. Our Black Friday deals just got even sweeter. How about unlimited everything for only £23 a month? Check out our Black Friday SIM Only deals: Already an iD customer and want to get your hands on one of these great deals? Don’t worry, why not check if you can change your plan to one of the plans above - check out this article on how to change your plan . Whether you’re on a Handset plan or SIM only (and been with iD for over 31-days), you can change your plan to suit your needs. Alternatively, why not check if you can upgrade , you can do both in the iD Mobile app, with a few simple clicks, and you don’t have to commit to anything until you’re 100% sure. You’ll find plenty more deals on the iD Mobile website, so why not check them out!

It’s the biggest Community Competition ever! Yes, you have three chances to win three amazing prizes… Win a SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab A Perfect for watching your fave films and Netflix binges on a gorgeous 10.1-inch Full HD display. Win a SAMSUNG Galaxy A70 Three superb cameras (including a 32MP main camera, depth and ultra-wide) capture all the action. Win an HP 15.6" 1 TB Laptop Loaded up with Windows 10 and a powerful processer, this compact laptop takes on everyday task with ease. How to enter All you need to do is comment below this post and tell us “What is your favourite event to celebrate?”. Just make sure you logged in first. It couldn’t be easier! Good luck! T&C’s apply

Trick or treat? We’re running a Spooktacular competition to celebrate! Whether you’re dressing up as ghosts , carving pumpkins into glowering jack-o’-lanterns or watching a horror movie to celebrate October 31st, we’ve got a great competition that’ll make your Halloween even better. You’re probably familiar with the short horror story attributed to Ernest Hemingway: “For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn.” The reason it’s so scary is because it raises more questions than it answers. In other words, what’s left unsaid is far more terrifying than what’s written because it’s left to your imagination. In the spirit of Hemingway and all things ghoulish, ghastly and chilling, we want you to come up with a short story that you think will give us the shivers. We aren’t expecting a story as short as six words, so let your imagination run wild! We’re offering two winners the chance to get their hands on the Motorola G7 Power. But, as this is Halloween, there will also be another 2 winner that will be receiving an envelope containing a trick for two unlucky entrants. Reckon you can make us jump? Give it a go! The competition closes on Thursday 7th November, so send in your horror story before the closing date and you could end up winning a shiny new phone.

Ever seen an advert with a strange-looking bar code telling you to scan? Or have you got your eye on a pair of wireless headphones that claim to link instantly to your phone with a quick tap? What you’re looking at are QR (Quick Response’) codes and NFC (Near-Field Communication). Here, we’ll explain what they are and just how they can help you get more out of your phone. What is a QR code? QR codes are pretty similar to the one-dimensional bar codes you see on the back of product packaging or books. However, where 1D bar codes are only able to store up to 30 numbers, two-dimensional QR codes can store over 7000 and be scanned both horizontally and vertically. That means not only are they more practical, but they can also store more information. You’ve probably seen QR codes and haven’t noticed. When you book a flight and download your boarding pass to your smartphone, the QR code on your ticket is the bit that you scan to get you into the departure lounge and through your gate. If you’re reading a magazine and stumble upon an ad, or waiting for a bus and see a billboard, you’ll often see a QR code you’re encouraged to scan. It could take you to the brand’s social media pages, or lead you to a promotional offer. Scanning a QR code is easy. If you have an Android phone, all you have to do is download an app like Red Laser, Barcode Scanner or QR Scanner and use your camera to focus on the QR code. All three apps are free to download and add amazing functionality to your handset. Some even let you create your own QR codes, which is great if you’re building a brand and want to gain some extra exposure, or if you’re in a band and trying to get more followers on your Facebook page. Rather than just providing a link, it’s a great way to get people engaged. If you have an iPhone or Apple device, it’s even easier. The Wallet app that comes with your phone also features a built-in QR code scanner, so no downloading required. Just scan and see where it takes you. Why don’t you have a go? Scan the QR code. You can also create your own QR code What is NFC? NFC is very different to QR codes. It’s a wireless data transfer system that lets two nearby devices communicate without the internet. It’s quick, easy to use and has a whole host of applications. Not all smartphones have NFC, but if yours does, you’ve probably used it already. If you use your phone or smartwatch to pay when you’re out shopping, NFC connects your device to the card machine at the till. It’s the same tech that’s used in contactless debit and credit cards. Try it out during our Black Friday Event! It’s a great way to make payments fast, especially when you’ve found a great deal that you’re worried might sell out quickly, or when you’re on the move and it’s impractical to enter card details. You might have seen a pair of wireless Bluetooth headphones that highlight NFC as a key feature. That’s because unlike most Bluetooth headphones, you don’t have to go through the pain of manual connection whenever you want to listen to music. Instead, all you have to do is make sure NFC is enabled on your device, and place the headphones against your phone to pair. It takes a matter of seconds and is much easier than scrolling through Bluetooth devices to find the right one. It’s not just about headphones and payments. You can use NFC to send directions to a friend via Google Maps, direct them to an app on the Google Play store or even send a document, picture or phone number. You can even buy NFC tags that let you get really creative with the technology. Many apps let you program commands to work with tags. Why not place one in the car and program your phone to connect to the Bluetooth sound system whenever you tap? Or, you could program your phone alarm to only turn off when you tap the phone against an NFC tag on your bedside table. Those are only a couple of ways you can use QR codes and NFC with your smartphone. What’s the most ingenious way you’ve seen them used? Let us know in the comments below.

What's the difference between Google Maps and Sat Nav ? Going on a road trip and planning to use your phone to navigate? We’ll show you the pros and cons of Google Maps compared to sat navs… Most smartphones come with a 'sat nav' (satellite navigation) built in. For Android there's 'Google Maps', while iPhone has Apple Maps. We're going to look at how these navigation systems compare to a sat nav, to see if there's any reason you might want to use one instead of the other. A few years ago, Google added 'full offline navigation' to Maps, meaning you can download routes and maps that you use quite often, so you don't have to use your data when you’re on the move. They expire after 15 days, which means you'll always have the latest version. Needing directions quickly Most of the time, you won’t leave home without your phone. Your sat nav, however, could easily be forgotten and left behind. That means if you’re out on the road and need to find a quicker route to skip the traffic, you could be a bit stuck. With your phone, you can just tap on Maps and find where you want to go. There’s also a built-in search option on your phone. This lets you type in business names, and will show you the results on a map so you can choose the best outlet for you – like a fast-food chain or supermarket. It’s much easier than having to find the specific address to then manually enter into the sat nav. Another advantage of Google Maps is that because it’s connected to the internet, it should be mostly up to date. Roadworks and traffic will usually be picked up and highlighted on your route. If there’s a quicker way, Google will suggest it too. All this means you’ve got the convenience of a sat nav, without having to carry another device and charger. Going the wrong way Something else that Google Maps can do is send anonymous info about speed and location to build up a ‘live traffic map’. This helps give more accurate predictions for traffic and journey time. It doesn’t just apply to driving, either. You can also use it when you’re cycling or walking, so long as you choose that option on Maps. If you choose the ‘public transport’ option, Google will let you know where and what time you need to be there, and any connections you need to take. You can also enter your home and work address via Google Assistant, and it’ll let you know the best route to take and time to leave each day. Wrong turns and low signal There’s still a few areas that could do with improvement on Google Maps. The GPS, for example, can be a little patchy in low signal areas. When this happens, Google Maps can tell you that you’re in a slightly different place, making it confusing if you don’t know the area well. If you know that where you’re going is a low signal area, it’s probably best to download the route beforehand. Sat navs, however, seem to keep full signal in these areas. Another issue is battery life. Using Google Maps with data and location turned on can drain your battery faster than normal. It’s fine for short journeys or if you have a charger handy, but without one, you may find your battery runs out before you make it to your destination. Also, a lot of the features on Google Maps require an internet connection. Things like traffic updates, bike routes and public transport directions all need you to be online. So, which is best? We think that having a sat nav in the car is handy for times when your phone battery is low or you can’t get a signal. Overall though, Google Maps works just as well as a sat nav and has the added bonus of automatic updates. So, you don’t need to buy the latest map packs to keep things up to date. There’s still a place for the sat nav, but mobile apps are getting better all the time, so it might not be long before they overtake their dashboard counterparts. What do you use to get from A to B? Is there an app out there that you think does the job better, or are you sticking with your trusty sat nav? Let us know below!

One of the biggest shopping days of the year! Our Black Friday event has started, it is a deal hunters dream, but you have to get in quick to grab the best deals. Are you ready? What is iD doing for Black Friday? Phones are actually one of the highest selling products this time of year. During Black Friday 2018, phones and smartphone accessories were big sellers online. And here at iD, we’ll be offering some great deals you won’t want to miss out on. Unlike other retailers though, we’re not waiting around till the end of November to bring our best offers to you! Looking to treat yourself, know a friend or family member looking for a new phone? Or due an upgrade? In our Black Friday Event you can save up to £339 on selected Apple and Samsung devices. Check out all our Black Friday deals on www.iDmobile.co.uk. Feel confident shopping online. We appreciate that shopping online can be daunting at times, that’s why we’ve created a guide on how to protect your identity and information when shopping online.

It’s been a whole year since our first Community newsletter, and we’re celebrating! Since we started the Community newsletter a year ago, we’ve posted all kinds of articles for iD Mobile users to enjoy. From helpful guides on how to get the most out of your new phone, to the best camera phones, to the most addictive apps and games, we love engaging with you and making your smartphone experience even better. We hope you’ve enjoyed reading them, and that they’ve proved helpful along the way. Don’t worry though, this is only the beginning. We’ve got some great features, how-to guides and competitions lined up for the coming year. In the meantime, though, here are the top 10 most loved Community articles from the past year: 1.What is Wi-Fi Calling and why should you use it? Our guide to Wi-Fi calling has proved very popular. If you’re still not sure what it is, Wi-Fi calling is a handy way to call and text when you’re in an area with poor phone signal. Many handsets are compatible with Wi-Fi calling and setup is easy. For iPhone users, you can switch on Wi-Fi calling in Settings > Phone > Wi-Fi Calling. For Android phone users, it tends to vary by manufacturer, but the process is largely the same. So, next time you’re in a remote service station or hotel in the countryside, you’ll be able to call just as easily as at home. 2.14 uses for your old phone To commemorate World Environment Day, we’ve shared 14 ways to keep your old phone in use to encourage you to think twice before putting it in the customary ‘tech graveyard’ drawer. You could use your old handset as a home security camera with a decent webcam app, music player, alarm clock or digital photo frame. And if none of those suggestions tempt you, why not donate it to your local charity shop? ​​​​​​​3.European Language Day Here at iD, we love apps that make learning a new skill easier, more digestible and fun. So to celebrate European Language Day, we’ve posted our top 5 language apps that we think are perfect for helping you on the road to multilingualism. 4.9 mobile security tips to remember when you’re out and about Is your smartphone secure when you’re out and about? Mobile security attacks are on the increase. So help you out, here are nine mobile security tips to keep your handset safe from harm. 5.RIP HQ Trivia. Long live Quiz Planet! Do you miss the mobile quizzing excitement of HQ Trivia? Are you looking for a new quiz game that pits your wits against your family and friends? Then make Quiz Planet your next destination. 6.7 top tips for staying in touch with friends With our lives becoming increasingly hectic, finding the time to make that call isn’t always easy. But, as always, technology is here to help. Here are some great tips for keeping in touch with your mates, no matter how far apart you live from each other. 7.7 tips to stay connected this summer Holidays, festivals, parties in the park… whatever you’re up to over the summer, you don’t want to miss a thing. So, make sure your mobile connection is the best it can be to help you keep in touch when you’re out and about. Check out our connection top tips for maximum fun in the sun. 8.How to beat your post-holiday blues Let’s face it, sometimes you get back from holiday and feel like you need another one. As soon as you’re back to the commute on a rainy old Monday morning, it can seem like you’ve never been away. So, we’ve put together a few hints and tips, together with helpful links and apps, to help you beat those post-holiday blues and arrive at work with a positive attitude. And, if you haven’t been away yet, read on, a little pre-holiday planning can make it much easier when you do get back. 9.5 ways your phone can save Christmas Christmas should be a time of fun and relaxation. But it can also be extremely stressful. From buying the wrong presents to undercooked turkey, it’s full of potential pitfalls. That’s where your smartphone can help. Because by downloading a few handy apps, you can avoid any of the usual festive missteps and mishaps. Sitting comfortably? Then let us show you five ways your phone can save Christmas… 10.Our latest smartphones If you’re looking to upgrade to a new phone, you’re in the right place. Amazing new handsets are being launched all the time - so to help you choose the right one, here’s our roundup of the very best. So, those are our top 10 Community articles this year. Have our guides helped solve a phone issue you’ve had? What’s your favourite Community article this year? Let us know below!

Got your new phone but found out it doesn’t come with a radio app? Here’s how to tune into your favourite station on the go. Like most things in today’s tech world, radio – and the way we listen to it – has changed dramatically. No longer do we gather around the ‘wireless’ to listen to The Archers! Radio has evolved, but so have the ways we can access our favourite artists, shows and music. Through the power of the internet and smart technology, we can tune in to the radio through our mobile devices, be it our phones or tablets. While FM radio was eventually a standard feature on most phones, it’s now fallen by the wayside on many current smartphones – particularly the more expensive ones. Now, if your phone does have a built-in radio app, then this is a pretty quick read. Just make sure you use a set of earphones, as they also double up as an antenna! However, if you’ve got a blank space staring at you where FM radio ought to be, or you simply want to broaden your horizons, then don’t worry - there are plenty of options for listening to radio stations. Although you can’t listen to radio transmissions in the conventional sense, you can stream many stations over the internet. In fact, many radio stations have dedicated apps to make it easy to listen online. And there are also dedicated online shows and services that you can take advantage of. On a Wi-Fi connection, you can, of course, stream away to your heart’s content. However, do bear in mind that streaming radio over your mobile network could use a good chunk of data! If you’re not sure of your limit, it’s easy to find your data allowance and how much data you’ve got left for the month on the iD app. 1.BBC Sounds iOS / Android – Free If you love listening to Radio 1’s Essential Mix on Friday nights, or catching up with the best panel shows on the weekend, look no further than the BBC Sounds app. Designed to replace the rather dated iPlayer Radio, BBC Sounds gives you every BBC radio station and over 40 regional stations on one handy platform. If you’ve just missed the start of your programme, you can easily play it from the beginning. Or, just like the iPlayer app, you can catch up with episodes whenever you like or download to listen offline for a limited time. There’s also a huge choice of podcasts available, covering every genre from news to comedy. Based on what you’re tuning in to, the app will give you recommendations for programmes you might like. And the best bit? Because of the way the BBC is funded, the app is completely free and there’s no ads! 2.TuneIn iOS / Android – Free Available across all smartphone platforms, TuneIn is a real gem. With over 100,000 radio stations and millions of podcasts from all over the globe to choose from, there's more music than even in your wildest dreams! You can create your own personalised selection of stations to follow, share your thoughts with other users and receive recommendations of new stations to listen to. You’ll need to create an account first, but this can be linked to your existing Facebook or Google+ pages to make things even easier. You can also sign up to TuneIn online here. 3.Earbits iOS / Android – free Looking for something a little different when you listen to the radio? Earbits has you covered: it's completely free and with no adverts, limitations or other disturbances to hamper your listening. Earbits is designed solely to showcase the music of independent bands and artists and doesn’t include any mainstream content. The chances are you’ve never heard of any of the songs available – so if you’re always on the hunt for new and upcoming music, then this is the app for you. Sign up to Earbits here check out what's available! 4.Beats 1 iOS – free If you’re using an iPhone or iPad then you’ve got access to Beats 1, Apple’s 24-hour streaming radio station. Headed up by former Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe, Beats 1 launched in 2014 as part of the Apple Music subscription service. However, while you need to pay for the main Apple Music subscription, Beats 1 is still currently free to listen to. By all accounts they play a lot of hip hop – but there’s an eclectic range of presenters, from Julia Adenuga to Matt Wilkinson, so you’re sure to find something you like. Listening to Beats 1 couldn't be simpler, you don't need to install anything - simply open the Music app on your device and you'll find it in there. And if you’ve got an Android phone but still fancy listening to Beats 1, simply download the Apple Music app from the Google Play Store. Easy. Tune in and explore! Once you've got your desired app downloaded and installed on your smartphone or tablet, it’s time to explore an endlessly exciting new world of sounds, which is music to our ears indeed!

Win a Samsung 50" Smart 4K Ultra HD HDR LED TV We’re offering one lucky winner the chance to win an amazing Samsung Smart 4K Ultra HDR TV! HDR technology gives you scene-by-scene image mastering, so you can see the finer details in the picture, even when the setting is dark. Witness the true beauty of a sun-filled landscape or discover what’s lurking in the shadows of a horror movie. Better be careful what you watch this Halloween. You could get more spooked than ever before! To be in with a chance to win, comment below and tell us, what’s your favourite horror movie? You’ve got until midnight on Sunday 8th October to enter and we’ll pick the winners at random. Ghoul Luck! (T&C’s apply)

It’s #TechiesDay! Whether you’re a gadget lover, work in technology or are the go-to troubleshooter in the family, today is a day to celebrate the impact that technology makes on our daily lives. To celebrate, we’re running a competition. All you have to do is tell us a feature you’d love to have on your phone (nothing boring like ‘a better camera’!) to be in with a chance of winning a £50 Currys voucher. So, get your techy brains on and take part! You’ve got until midnight on Thursday 10th October to come up with your winning feature, and we’ll pick two winners at random. Good luck! Ts & Cs apply

Great news for mobile gamers! Nintendo’s new Mario Kart game is now available on iOS and Android. It’s called Mario Kart Tour, and we’re glad to report that it looks amazing. 3-2-1-GO! Mario Kart has been a big deal in the gaming world for over 25 years now. As far as we’re concerned here in iD Community HQ, it’s the best racing game of all time. Sure, Need for Speed and Gran Turismo are great. But there’s only one game that lets you throw banana peels and turtle shells into the path of your competitors. And now, that game is available on your mobile phone, in the shape of Mario Kart Tour! What will Mario Kart Tour be like on mobile Mario Kart Tour is massive, with a whopping 64 courses spread across 16 different cups. Nintendo says that the courses are inspired by real-life locations (there’s one called New York Minute) along with a few classics from the Mario Kart series. There are 30 different drivers to choose from, with all your favourite racers making an appearance, from cute Baby Daisy to the dastardly Bowser. As for the gameplay, well, see for yourself below. It’s your typical Mario Kart behaviour of tearing round the track, collecting power ups and using them to get ahead of the competition. Bonus challenge courses will also come into play, where you might need to do something other than simply win the game. And there’s a new Frenzy mode, which gives you an unlimited supply of a certain item and makes you invincible for a short period of time. And if all that wasn’t enough, Nintendo has also promised us a few “special challenges that put a twist on the classic Mario Kart formula.” When is Mario Kart Tour coming out on mobile? It’s out now, folks! Nintendo officially released Mario Kart Tour on Wednesday 25th September 2019. Which phones can I play Mario Kart on? Mario Kart Tour is available on iOS & Android devices. How can I get Mario Kart Tour on mobile? You can download Mario Kart Tour for free right now. If you’ve got an iPhone, get it from the App Store here. If you’ve got an Android phone, get it from Google Play here. And that’s all there is to it! Mario Kart Tour is free to download and play, although there are a few in-game purchases to help you unlock courses and characters. Have you played Mario Kart Tour yet? If so, what do you think of it? Is it as good you were hoping? Even better? Share your thoughts with the rest of the Community by posting a reply below!

Just treated yourself to a stylish new VR headset? Here’s a list of the best apps and games you’ll want to download. These days, even budget smartphones are powerful enough to run virtual reality apps. More and more games and apps are being designed with the first-person experience in mind. With so many great VR headsets out there, there’s never been a better time to get started with mobile virtual reality. Here are some of the best VR apps available for download right now… 1.Chrome Experiments for Virtual Reality (Free) If you want to check out Google’s experiments in VR, look no further than the Chrome Experiments website. Browse the site from your smartphone – then place it in your VR headset to enjoy the weird and wonderful browser-based apps available. As this is web-based, you'll find frequent updates and less storage space taken up on your handset, so bookmark the page and dive into the virtual. 2.YouTube VR (Free) YouTube VR is simply an add-on for your existing YouTube app that’ll let you watch any video in virtual reality. Whether it’s a 360° music video or a trailer for a new PS VR game, YouTube VR drops you right into the middle of the on-screen action. Check out GoPro’s YouTube channel for some wingsuit action or a downhill mountain biking POV. It’s an adrenaline-junkie’s dream. Available on Android. 3.VR Thrills: Roller Coaster 360 (Free, with ads and in-app purchases) No fast-passes necessary for this roller-coaster experience. Roller Coaster 360 combines real-life coasters and 3D-modeled rides that’ll give you theme park thrills on your sofa. As the name suggests, videos are recorded in 360° so you can look around in any direction. It’s just like a real ride, minus the long queue for a front-row seat. Download on Android. 4.Ping Pong VR (Free (with ads) on Android, £0.99 on iOS) VR isn’t just about thrilling theme park rides. How about a gentle game of table tennis? In Ping Pong VR, you can build up your skill level in single player and take on your mates in virtual reality too. It’s designed to be played with a full body motion controller but still works great with only a VR headset. You can even customise your bat and add an avatar so your opponent knows exactly who they’re up against. Available on Android and iOS. 5.Within VR – Cinematic Virtual Reality (Free) You’ll never want to put the headset down once you’ve downloaded Within VR. It offers a huge range of virtual reality experiences on a single platform, with everything from music videos to short horror movies. It’s not interactive, but don’t let that put you off. There aren’t many apps where you can both swim with sharks and watch Mozart’s Coronation Mass performed in a stunning gothic cathedral. Download for Android or iOS. Have we missed your favourite VR app or game out? If you think there’s a VR mobile experience out there that deserves a mention, share it with us below!

With massive leaps forward in tech, there’s a huge choice of stunning camera phones available. We’ve picked out a few of the best on the market right now and put them through their paces to see what they can do. Which mobile phones have the best camera? With so many amazing camera phones out, there’s no right answer to this question. But here are a few standouts: Samsung Galaxy S10 With its TrueVision triple rear cameras with wide/ultrawide/telephoto lenses, the Samsung Galaxy S10 delivers amazing results. You can capture super-steady 4K UHD videos with the ultra-wide rear camera and intelligent software for smooth filming, even on bumpy terrain. And when you’re exploring the city at night, the S10 does a great job with low-light photos. Honor 20 Pro Another contender for best phone camera with 4 rear-facing lenses. The Honor 20 Pro’s main camera is a stunning 48 megapixels with a max sensitivity of ISO 204800 and aperture of f/1.4, which delivers incredible low-light performance. It also has an 8MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, a 16MP ultra-wide lens and a 2MP macro camera with a minimum focusing distance of only 4 cm. Honor View 20 You’ll be amazed at the amount of detail captured by the 48MP camera of the Honor View 20, combined with the latest AI. It recognises over 1,500 different visual scenarios and adjusts its settings to give you the best possible shot. With an enlarged sensor sucking the light in, your night-time and low-lit shots will come out beautifully bright and full of colour. Google Pixel 3 The rear camera of the Google Pixel 3 features a 12.2MP sensor, with an f/1.8 aperture and there are two front-facing 8MP sensors which take fantastic selfies. It’s Google software that makes the camera so special, with features like Portrait Mode, Night Sight, Super Res Zoom and Top Shot AI which finds the perfect frame and recommends it. Plus, you can Google search for what you see with the game-changing Google Lens. The best dual camera phones When two is better than one. Take a look at our pick of some of the best dual camera phones. iPhone XS The powerful dual lens 12MP camera of the iPhone XS boasts both f/1.8 and f/2.4 apertures. Optical image stabilisation produces impressive results with natural colours, and the telephoto sensor is great for shooting detail at long distance. Samsung Galaxy Note 9 With a 12MP + 12MP dual camera, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 doesn’t just capture scenes, it sees them. Its built-in Intelligent Camera detects your surroundings and adjusts settings accordingly. So whether you’re shooting a dark sunset on the horizon or a bright portrait close up, you’ll always snap perfectly balanced and detailed shots worthy of a professional. Huawei Mate 20 Lite Take photos like a pro with the Huawei Mate 20 Lite, featuring dual 20MP and 2MP cameras on the back and dual 24MP and 2MP cameras on the front, all powered by Master AI technology. Scene recognition knows exactly what you’re pointing the camera at and works out the best way to take the photo. It adjusts your camera settings too, so you don’t have to. Best optical zoom for a smartphone? If you like to take a lot of long-distance photos, then be sure to look out for a phone with an optical zoom camera. OPPO Reno 10x Zoom As the name might suggest, the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom’s triple cameras offer 10x optical zoom, so you can get the full picture from hundreds of metres away. Perfect for landscape shots of your travels and taking stunning photos at a distance. Whatever you shoot, you’ll capture crystal clarity with bundles of colour. Huawei P30 Pro One of the best camera phones around at the moment, especially in low-light conditions thanks to light fusion sensor technology. The Huawei P30 Pro can achieve an amazing 5x optical zoom, giving you clarity even when your subject is far away. It comes with a Leica quad camera system – A 40MP main lens, an 8MP telephoto lens, a 20MP ultra-wide lens and a time-of-flight camera to sense depth for portraits. The 24MP front camera ensures perfect selfies every time. The iPhone XS, iPhone 11 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S10 all come with 2x optical zoom for great shots at a distance from all-round great phone cameras.

Review your current phone against the iPhone 11 and win £50! To celebrate the launch of the iPhone 11, we’re asking you to turn reviewer and dazzle us. The iPhone 11 is packed with some pretty amazing features, but how does your current phone measure up? Write a short review of your phone, comparing it to the new iPhone, and post it below. To give you a hand, we’ve got all the latest news on the iPhone 11, and it looks pretty impressive. If you fancy getting your hands on one, sign up for updates about the iPhone 11 now. We’ll let you know as soon as it’s ready to pre-order. iPhone 11 specs and features Camera The iPhone 11 boasts a 6.1-inch Liquid Retina Display. The dual-camera setup on the iPhone 11 comes with two 12MP lenses: one wide-angle lens and one Ultra Wide. For black and white photographers, there’s beautiful High Key Mono. When the sun goes down, Night mode will keep your pictures looking great. The front-facing selfie camera now features a Slofie mode for slo-mo selfies. It’ll take Instagram by storm! VideoLove to film? On the iPhone 11, you can shoot in 4K video in Ultra Wide mode at 60 frames per second. It’s lights, camera, action all in one. Performance and softwareThe iPhone 11’s gives a next-level gaming experience. The new A13 Bionic next-gen chip is the fastest CPU ever in a smartphone. But how does your phone match up? How to enter Comment below with a short review of your current phone. In the review, we want you to compare it to the new iPhone 11. When it comes to the latest phones, you guys know your stuff. Now we want you to share that knowledge with the rest of the iD Community. Are there any features that you think your phone can toe to toe against the iPhone 11, or does the iPhone 11 wipe the floor with your device? Keep your review short and to the point, picking a few features to focus on. For the kind of things you should be looking for, check out our iPhone comparison piece for inspiration. We’ll pick 2 of our favourite and send a £50 Currys PC World voucher to the winner. The competition closes on the 30th September - so get reviewing, get posting and (hopefully) get spending your prize money. (T&Capply)

Due to the current climate, we're more and more reliant on the internet to keep us connected to the outside world. It's allowed us to communicate using video calling within a few clicks, helped us locate and purchase those essential goods (as well as a few other bits we don't really need but want anyway!), binge watch series and movies and a vast array of other things. As we use it more, ensuring your personal information is secure and doesn't get into the wrong hands, has never been so important. Here's our list on how to protect your identity online: Always keep your data security software up to date Those software update notifications may be annoying, but they’re there to give you a heads up. If your phone or computer is infected with malicious software, other safeguards won’t be much help as you’ve already given the criminals the key to all your online actions (and transactions). So, it’s worth making sure that your security software and operating system are both fully up to date. You’ll find useful tools and software at download.cnet.com. Monitor your credit score and finance apps Always keep tabs on your finances to get a head start on fraudsters. Look out for new credit cards, loans or transactions on your accounts that you’re not aware of. If you do find anything suspicious, take immediate steps to have these transactions stopped and investigated. It’s also worth checking if there’s any false info on your credit reports, including your National Insurance number, address, name or employer’s name. Check your privacy settings on social media Have a look at the personal information on your social media accounts. If you’re setting up a profile for the first time, don’t include any info that you wouldn’t want shared beyond your friends. Take a look at your social media privacy settings too. With Facebook, the best way to make your profile more secure is to change all your post settings to ‘Friends only’. That way, you know who’s able to see your personal info on your profile. Facebook often make changes to these settings, so take a moment every now and then to make sure your profile’s as secure as you’d like it to be. Use strong passwords Weak passwords are an identity thief’s dream, especially if you use the same password for every account. Once the thief knows your password, they can log your financial accounts and wreak havoc. If you want to test the strength of your password, try Ask the Geek’s password meter, which hides characters as you type. Ideally, your passwords should be at least 10 characters long, including upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols, and be totally unrelated to your personal info. Password managers like LastPass, Dashlane and Keeper Security are great for storing all your passwords safely in a single handy program, while two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of security each time you log in. Only buy from reputable websites If you don’t know the reputation of a company that you want to purchase from, it’s a good idea to do your homework. How are they reviewed by other users? What’s their Trustpilot score? Above all, look for ‘HTTPS’ at the front of the website’s URL if it’s asking for personal or financial info – it means you’re on a secure connection, away from potential prying eyes. Learn to spot scams Some phishing scams are easy to identify, but others often look legit. Be careful when clicking on links. For example, if an email says it’s from your bank, has all the right logos and knows you’re name, it could be from your bank – but it might not be. Simply find the site yourself via a search engine. That way, you’ll know for sure you’re on the right page and not a mocked-up fake. Be careful using public WiFi Free WiFi might be a nice perk when you’re in a shopping centre or café, but always think twice before joining an unsecure network. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are tools that help you shield yourself from snoopers and opportunists using public WiFi. If you have any other suggestions, please let us know below.

Are you holding out on that shiny new phone purchase because you’re waiting for Google’s latest flagship? The Pixel 4 and XL are both due to be launched on October 15th in New York – but in the meantime, we’ve rounded up all the confirmed features and a few of our own predictions. How good is the Google Pixel 4 camera? We love that mobile photography is constantly improving. When the Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL were released, they represented a new leap forward for phone cameras. The HDR+ feature meant that when you took one picture, the camera captured several more and offered greater clarity and colour. Night Sight was perfect for photos in low light, and Top Shot actually suggested which photo was best. We think the Google Pixel 4 will build on these great features. Images of the Pixel 4 XL shared online appear to show a dual-lens selfie camera and a triple-lens on the back. We’re not sure of the megapixels, but if the previous handset’s single lens capabilities are anything to go by, both front and rear cameras are set to deliver stunning shots and steady, detailed footage. What’s the Pixel 4’s battery life like? Since the previous generation combined a good battery size and some clever power-saving tricks, we’re expecting more of the same from the Pixel 4. Just like the Pixel 3 and XL, we think the bigger handset will have a bigger battery to keep that large screen going. As for the battery life itself, the Pixel 3 XL gave roughly a day’s worth of power, so hopefully the new releases are just as good (if not better). Charging the Pixel 4 and XL Like the previous generation, we’re expecting the new editions of the Google Pixel to have wireless charging capability. However, while wireless charging is definitely the future of phones, it’s still slower than plugging in a good old-fashioned cable. The Pixel 3 can get a 50% charge in only 20 minutes, so it’ll be pretty tough to beat if the Pixel 4 also supports fast charging. What are the screen sizes for the Pixel 4 and 4 XL? According to a hands-on video, the Pixel 4 XL has a 6.3-inch OLED screen, making it the same size as the 3 XL. Other sources say the Pixel 4 will have a 5.7-inch display, slightly larger than the Pixel 3’s 5.5-inches. These days, more of us are spending time watching box sets and YouTubers on our phones, so a bigger screen is great news. Will the Pixel 4 and XL have a headphone jack? Now might be the time to upgrade those headphones. Neither the Pixel 4 or the larger XL appear to have a 3.5 mm jack. It makes sense, as more people are moving over to wireless Bluetooth earphones and headphone jacks tends to break up the smooth feel of a handset. However, it’s not ideal if you’re not ready to ditch the wires. The more recent Pixel 3a did feature a headphone jack, but it’s unlikely we’ll see it again with this release. What processor is in the Pixel 4 and XL? With all those high-end features, the Pixel 4 and XL will need a powerful chipset to run smoothly. The Pixel 3 and 3 XL came with the Snapdragon 845 processor, so we should expect a newer, more powerful version. Do the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL have face unlocking? Google have confirmed that the Pixel 4 will have facial recognition. The difference with other face unlocking software is that Google are claiming a smoother user experience. When you pick up your phone, the facial recognition sensors automatically turn on and unlock the phone as soon as they recognise you. That means no swiping, or making silly faces in public. It’ll even recognise you when your phone’s upside down.

Learn a new language with these apps Today is European Language Day, a day to celebrate the huge linguistic diversity across Europe, and raise awareness of the benefits of learning a new language at any age. But what are the benefits, and what’s the best way to learn? Why learn another language? You’ll completely transform your travelling experiences. Whether you’re going on holiday or backpacking across the continent, even speaking a little bit of the local lingo is a good way to immerse yourself in another culture. Locals will be more inclined to help you find beautiful places away from the well-trodden tourist path, and you might even hear about a great restaurant to try out! Unlock new doors in your career. Plenty of companies out there are looking to trade globally or break into new markets, and multi-lingual employees are essential in helping them achieve their goals. The ability to speak another language sets you apart from other candidates when applying for a job, and shows a willingness to learn new skills. And if you’re ever looking to study or work overseas, having another language under your belt is great for discovering new opportunities. Meet new people and develop friendships. There are loads of like-minded people out there, not just in the UK but across the globe. Don’t let a minor thing like language difference be the barrier to making friends. You never know, a simple ‘bonjour’ or ‘buenos dias’ could be the first words that spark a great friendship. Increase your brain power. On top of all the obvious perks of learning a new language, it can actually strengthen your mind. Studies have shown that the ability to speak more than one language increases your attention span, improves your memory and reduces the rate of cognitive decline as you get older. So, how can your phone help you become multi-lingual? Traditionally, getting to grips with a new language has meant paying for classes, studying for a qualification, watching foreign TV shows with subtitles or reading a newspaper repeatedly until the stories make sense. Now though, there are loads of apps out there designed to make learning languages fun. What are the best language apps? Duolingo Since its launch in 2011, Duolingo has grown to be one of the most popular language learning apps in the world, with over 300 million users. The way it works is like a game – you start with basic verbs, sentences and phrases, learning new words each day until you become more fluent. Each lesson is bite-size, perfect for a quick round of brain training on your commute, and you can track your achievements and progress. With 34 language courses to choose from, you’ll be multi-lingual in no time. Download Duolingo on Android or iOS here. Memrise If you like a little structure in your learning, Memrise may be the app you’re looking for. When you choose a language course or category, the app lays out a chronological path for you. Test your knowledge with ‘Speed Reviews’ (timed tests) and set goals like how long you want to study each day. There’s a lot to get your teeth into if you’re trying out the free version, but there’s also a paid membership version that unlocks premium content. Check Memrise out on Android or iOS. Busuu Another language app with a huge community, Busuu is great for improving your accent as well as your vocabulary. Along with well-structured targets and a personalised study plan to keep you motivated, you can even get feedback from native speakers to make sure you’re on the right track. It’s not all about learning new words, either. The app also gives you excellent grammar tips on how to order your words, using the right verb tense and more. It’s worth upgrading to Busuu’s subscription scheme as it unlocks grammar exercises, quizzes, feedback from fellow subscribers and downloads to keep you productive when you’re offline. Download Busuu on Android and iOS. Tinycards Flashcards are a great way to help new phrases stick in your memory, and that’s exactly what Tinycards is for. Made by Duolingo, there’s a ton of flashcard collections covering a broad range of topics, and you can even make your own. The app uses spaced repetition and smart learning techniques to help you get to grips with the language you’re learning. We wouldn’t say it’s the best app to comprehensively learn a language in full, but it’s perfect for adding more terms and phrases to your linguistic arsenal. Check out Tinycards on Android or iOS. Rosetta Stone No doubt you’ve heard of this one. For as little as £5 a month, Rosetta Stone offers a more practical language learning experience. The app teaches you to think in the language you’re learning by displaying a picture with the word, instead of a translation. A handy in-app phrase book helps you speak with confidence as you become multi-lingual. Refine your accent with the apps’ TruAccent technology, and you’ll be speaking like a native in no time. Download Rosetta Stone on Android and iOS. And if you’re not quite fluent yet and need a phrase translated quickly, don’t forget Google Translate! Don’t miss out! If you haven’t already, don’t forget to opt-in to receive iD Mobile emails, newsletters and more great content. With lots of fab prizes to be won in competitions, helpful blogs and community conversations, you’re missing out on a whole iD Mobile community. Be kind to yourself and opt-in today.

Stay healthy with help from technology Now that summer’s over, the nights are drawing in and it’s getting colder, it’s important to stay healthy and keep active. Thankfully, there’s all kinds of ways that technology can help us to do just that. We’ve put together a few ideas and some links for apps and gadgets that can keep you on your toes and fighting fit through the autumn and winter months. Sweet dreams Getting a good night’s sleep is hugely important for our all-round health. If you have trouble sleeping, help is now at hand in the form of sleep tracking apps that can monitor your sleep patterns and help you get those precious all-important hours of shut-eye. Take a look at apps like Sleep Cycle, Tide, or SleepBot and be sure to get your full forty winks. Track your fitness Strap a fitness tracker or smart watch to your wrist and you can monitor your workouts, heart rate and sleep patterns, count your steps and log your food intake. It also serves as a daily reminder to keep exercise and healthy living uppermost in your thoughts. There’s many to choose from including Fitbit, Garmin, Samsung Galaxy and Apple Watch. Professional help available online 24/7 With hectic work and family lives and difficulty getting GP appointments, many people are now turning to virtual doctors to get online health advice, check symptoms and order prescriptions from wherever they are 24/7. Check out Babylon and Pushdoctor. You can also search online to find a vast array of therapists and counsellors, and book sessions on video platforms like Facetime or Skype, or arrange a session in person. You can find therapists and personal trainers listed on sites like Bark or specialised sites such as: https://welldoing.org, https://www.anxietyuk.org.uk and https://www.e-therapy.uk/. Motivate your workouts If you've decided to get healthier or stronger by working out, your smartphone can provide help and motivation. There’s hundreds of apps that can be used to monitor your workouts, and recording what you’ve done makes it easier to see your progress. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, prefer walking, running, cycling or more, there’s an app for you. Check out Strava , Runkeeper , MyFitnessPal and One You Couch to 5K Track your food Keeping track of the food you eat is now so easy thanks to food-tracking apps that download to your smartphone. Some apps use your phone’s camera to scan food label barcodes and make it simple to track the calories, nutrients and protein in your food. There’s a huge choice with something for everyone, including MyFitnessPal, See how you eat , MyPlate and Fitbit. Breathe clean air For many of us living in big cities, air pollution is something that can impact on our health. And, wherever you live, it’s important to create a healthy atmosphere at home where you spend the majority of time. There’s smart home gadgets that can detect air quality level, humidity and temperature in the home and help you to create a healthier environment. Check out Dyson and Philips. And why not invest in a home air purifier or dehumidifier to keep the air clean at home. Take a look at Blueair and Vax. Train your brain We spend so long staring at our phones every day, why not use some of that time doing something to exercise your grey matter and benefit your cognitive health. There’s a host of brain training apps that include games to test your mental skills and help keep your mind fighting fit. Try Lumosity, Peak, Elevate, Fit Brains Trainer and many more, available to download free from the App Store and Google Play Store. Win a Samsung 50" Smart 4K Ultra HD HDR LED TV We’re offering one lucky winner the chance to win an amazing Samsung Smart 4K Ultra HDR TV HDR technology gives you scene-by-scene image mastering, so you can see the finer details in the picture, even when the setting is dark. Witness the true beauty of a sun-filled landscape, or discover what’s lurking in the shadows of a horror movie. Better be careful what you watch this Halloween. You could get more spooked than ever before! To be in with a chance to win, hit ‘Enter now’ to visit the competition blog post and tell us, what’s your favourite horror movie? You’ve got until midnight on Sunday 8th October to enter and we’ll pick the winners at random. Ghoul Luck! Enter now Don’t miss out If you haven’t already, don’t forget to opt-in to receive iD Mobile emails, newsletters and more great content. With lots of fab prizes to be won in competitions, helpful blogs and community conversations, you’re missing out on a whole iD Mobile community. Be kind to yourself and opt-in today.

12th September is Video Gaming Day, which means you have even more reason to pick up your pad and bash some buttons. Grab your mates, fire up your favourite console and play the day away! It’s time to celebrate how great video games are and how far they’ve come. And to celebrate the big day, we’re giving away a PRIZE. When was the first video game? Although early video games were little more than lab experiments, the first created purely for entertainment happened in October 1958. Tennis for Two (a predecessor to Pong) was put on display at the Brookhaven National Laboratory for visitors to enjoy. But its inventor, Physicist William Higginbottom, had no idea what he was unleashing on the world. Back then, players used a small analogue computer and twiddled some knobs to make a light (representing the tennis ball) bounce from side to side on the screen of an oscilloscope – a piece of equipment used to measure electronic signals. The biggest video games out now Since then, computer games tech has evolved from oscilloscopes to VR headsets. Some of the biggest recent titles arrived earlier this month: · Catherine: Full Body (PlayStation 4, Xbox One) – September 3 · Warsaw (PlayStation 4, Switch, PC) – September 4 · River City Girls (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) – September 5 · Creature in the Well (Xbox One, Switch, PC) – September 6 · Monster Hunter World: Iceborne (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) – September 6 · NBA 2K20 (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) – September 6 · eFootball PES 2020 (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) – September 10 · Gears 5 (Xbox One, PC) – September 10 · Greedfall (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) – September 10 Upcoming games in 2019 And we’ve got a lot more to look forward to this year: from online tactical shooters like Ghost Recon Breakpoint to graphic adventure sequel, Life is Strange 2. · Ghost Recon Breakpoint (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia, PC) – October 4 · Concrete Genie (PlayStation VR, PlayStation 4) – October 8 · Indivisible (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) – October 8 · Pokémon Shield (Switch) – November 15 · Pokémon Sword (Switch) – November 15 · Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) – November 15 · Life Is Strange 2: Episode 5 (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) – December 3 While you wait for the big new titles, how about getting your hands on a new release video game? How to enter It’s easy! Dig out your old consoles, then comment below telling everybody in the iD Community about your favourite console and what’s great about it. We’ll pick the best 2 comments and announce the winners on the thread. If you’re the lucky gamer, we’ll send you a private message. We’ll be sending you a gaming bundle worth £160 including a console game and gaming accessory. You’ve got until 19th September to enter, and we’ll then pick a lucky winner at random. T&Cs apply. Good luck have fun, gamers!

Are you thinking about buying your child their first smartphone? There are loads of great handsets out there, but which ones are best suited for young owners? Here’s what to look out for… What’s the best mobile phone for kids? SIM free phones are the most popular option for parents. Buy the phone upfront without a SIM, then you can choose a SIM only deal that’s perfect for your child. If you don’t want to buy a phone outright before choosing a SIM, Pay Monthly combines the cost of the handset and airtime in monthly bills over a certain period, usually 24 months. You won’t need to break the bank, either. There are plenty of good value mid-range models that have flagship features that kids will love. 1. Display These days, even cheaper smartphones have pretty great screens. Budget phones usually have an HD 720p resolution display, which is still great if they want to play games or stream their favourite YouTuber. 2. Camera Kids love taking photos and selfies, and the MP (megapixel count) of each lens will give you a good idea of the phone’s camera quality. Anything over 5 MP is ideal for capturing colour and detail. 3. Design Flagship phones are usually made from glass and metal and look slim. Less expensive phones tend to be made from plastic and look slightly bulkier, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing if you’re buying it for a child. A tough plastic shell offers better protection against bumps, scratches and scrapes. That said, it’s always worth getting a case for peace of mind. 4. Battery life If your child will be using their phone to keep in touch with you when they’re out and about, they’ll need to stay powered up all day. The good news is that most budget smartphones have great battery life – quite often better than flagships. This is because budget phones tend to have lower resolution displays and less powerful processors, so the battery doesn’t need to work as hard. As a rough guide, a 2,000 mAh battery should be big enough to keep the phone powered throughout the day. Best parental control apps One big concern for parents is that their kids could be exposed to inappropriate content online, or that they’ll be in contact with someone they’re not supposed to. Fortunately, there are some great parental control apps out there for keeping an eye on their online habits, and even their whereabouts. Here are two of the best: Kidslox is the perfect way to manage your kids’ phone time. You can set daily screen time limis, block third-party apps individually or by category, create daily schedules and set period of lockdown. And don’t worry about your tech-savvy kid finding ways to change the restrictions – it’s all PIN protected. Get Kidslox for Android or iOS. Qustodio filters web content, monitors and block calls, and has a ‘child location’ feature with a 30-day history. It even includes a panic button, so your child can contact you in an emergency with just one click. Get Qustodio for Android or iOS.

It’s finally here. After months of speculation, Apple has released three cracking new handsets; iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone Pro Max. So, what’s all the fuss about? iPhone 11 The 6.1-inch Liquid Retina iPhone 11 might be the lowest-priced of the three new Apple phones, but don’t let that fool you – it’s packed with premium features that are bound to cause a buzz. A camera that’ll turn heads First, it’s got a dual 12MP lens camera setup featuring a wide-angle and 120-degree ultra-wide lens. Whether you’re hiking through the valleys or taking a family snap, you’ll get bundles of detail, and you won’t need to switch to panorama to get that perfect shot. You can even take ultra-wide photos in portrait mode, helping you get that professional looking headshot first time. Footage ready to share What about video? Ultra-wide is great for your footage too, letting you shoot videos in beautiful Ultra HD at 60 fps. That means your recordings will look incredible on your TV. And when a photo opportunity becomes a video opportunity, just hold the shutter button in photo mode to start recording. Capture the moment as it happens, without fumbling around. Another feature that’s bound to capture the imagination of social media lovers is the slo-mo selfie (or ‘slofie’) function. The front camera can record videos at 120 fps, so let’s just say profile pictures are about to get a whole lot more entertaining. Lightning-fast processor That superb camera setup might be the headline grabber, but the iPhone 11 is as much about processing power. The new A13 Bionic chip has both the fastest smartphone CPU and GPU to date, making the phone a powerhouse for gaming. You’ll be able to level up and compete online without any lag to throw you off your game. iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max The iPhone 11 Pro features a 5.8-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, while the Pro Max offers the same gorgeous screen resolution at 6.5-inches. Both phones have a stylish matte finish body that keeps the handset sturdy in your palm. Back to the cameras… So, what’s different about the Pro and Pro Max camera setups? Well, along with the same wide and Ultra-Wide lenses, you also get a third telephoto lens. It offers 4x optical zoom, giving you the ability to capture distant scenes with as much clarity as a selfie. And after the upcoming software update, it’ll get even better with the new Deep Fusion feature. When you take a photo, your phone will take 9 images before you press the shutter. It’ll then analyse every photo and knit them together for a stunning picture, first time. Powerful processing The Pro and Pro Max also come with Apple’s new A13 Bionic chip, tweaked to deliver high performance with low power consumption, making it their most efficient processor to date – and up to 20% faster. What about battery life? Don’t worry about carrying your Lightning cable everywhere with you. The A13 chip’s efficiency means you’ll get an extra 4 hours browsing time with the iPhone Pro, and an extra 5 hours with the Pro Max. When does it come out? Pre-orders will be available from the 13th September, with all three iPhones available to buy from the 20th September. Find out more about the iPhone 11 and the iPhone 11 Pro

Win a Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.5" Tablet! We’re offering 2 lucky winners the chance to win a Samsung Galaxy Tab A. With a distraction-free 10.5” Full HD display, Dolby Atmos quad speakers and impressive battery life, you can be immersed in your favourite TV show, reading a best-seller or downloading a fitness app or meal recipe on your way to work. To be in with a chance to win, comment below and tell us what is your dream holiday destination? You’ve got until midnight on Sunday 8th to enter and we’ll pick the winners at random. Good Luck! (T&C’s Apply)