పోలీసులు బలవంతపెట్టారు.. అయినా నేను మాట వినలేదు.. సీక్రెట్స్ బయట పెట్టిన గెహనా!

పోర్న్ మూవీస్ రాకెట్ కేసులో మూడు ఎఫ్ఐఆర్లను ఎదుర్కొంటున్న నటి గెహనా వశిష్ట్ అలియాస్ వందనా తివారీ, ఫిబ్రవరిలో అరెస్ట్ కాగా దాదాపు నాలుగు నెలల జైలు శిక్షను కూడా అనుభవించింది. అయితే తాజా ఇంటర్వ్యూలో ఆమె పోలీసుల మీద కొన్ని సంచలన ఆరోపణలు చేసింది. ఆమె తనను అరెస్టు చేసినా ముంబై పోలీసులు రాజ్ కుంద్రా

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How to watch Can vs Wood: live stream boxing WBA Featherweight title fight

British champ Leigh Wood has a chance to demonstrate he can compete at the top tier of boxing tonight as he takes on China's  Xu Can for the WBA Featherweight (Regular) title.

The first of three consecutive Fight Camp cards over the coming weeks, tonight's event marks something of a new era for British boxing with it being the first card for Eddie Hearn's Matchroom promotions following their newly-penned exclusive deal with streaming service DAZN after moving from Sky Sports.

Read on to discover the fight time, full card and your best Can vs Wood live stream options to watch, with DAZN the main broadcaster around the world.

Can vs Wood live stream

Date: Saturday, July 30

Venue: Matchroom HQ (Brentwood, Essex)

Can vs Wood ring walk time (approx): 6pm ET / 3pm PT / 11pm BST / 8am AEST (Sun) / 10am NZST (Sun)

Global live stream: get DAZN in 200+ countries (exclusding Australia and New Zealand) from just £1.99 p/m 

Can I get a free trial? Yes - but only for DAZN Canada

Watch anywhere: try our No. 1 rated VPN 100% risk-free

Tonight's event had originally been set to be headlined by Conor Benn vs Adrian Granados, but the 24-year-old British welterweight champ was forced to pull out following a positive covid test.

Tonight's main event marks the first time that Can has fought for 20 months, but the 126-pound star has insisted he has never been better prepared coming into this fight.

Can won his title after defeating Jesus Rojas in January 2019, and has since gone on to defend his crown on two occasions. 

The 27-year-old from Jiangxi, will likely be looking at tonight's fight as a stepping stone to a showdown with the winner of next month's clash between Mauricio Lara and Josh Warrington.

Follow our guide below to catch this big fight - here's how to watch Xu Can vs Leigh Wood online and get a Can vs Wood live stream, no matter where you are in the world.

• Related: all your DAZN free trial questions answered

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Xu Can vs Leigh Wood live stream options

You can watch Can vs Wood for free - but only in certain parts of the world. And you can at least get the fight dirt cheap in other countries.

The cheapest of the cheap sees DAZN UK available for just £1.99 a month - a big saving, compared to the steeper DAZN US price of $19.99 a month.

Boxing fans in Canada are also in luck, as while it costs 20 bucks in the Great White North, you can get a FREE trial of DAZN in Canada, as well as in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Brazil and Japan.

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Xu Can vs Leigh Wood live stream: how to watch the fight online with DAZN

Streaming service DAZN  has the rights to show the Can vs Wood fight all over the world, including the US, UK,  and Canada. The only exceptions it seems is that DAZN in both Australia and New Zealand won't be showing the fight. 

A DAZN contract in the US will set you back $19.99 per month, or $99.99 for the year. 

DAZN Canada is priced similarly at $19.99 per month, however a 12-month subscription comes in at $150. It's one of the few places that offers a FREE DAZN trial though.

And a DAZN subscription is currently dirt-cheap in the UK, with it priced at an ultra-affordable £1.99 a month.

Xu Can vs Leigh Wood time

Coverage of the main card starts on DAZN at the somewhat early time of 7pm BST in the UK and 2pm ET /  11m PT in the US and Canada. 

The headline act is expected to start around 10pm BST local time, making it a 5pm ET / 2pm PT on start on Saturday afternoon in the US - though this of course depends on how long the earlier fights last.

What is DAZN? All about the sports streaming service

Pronounced 'Da Zone', DAZN is a sports-centric streaming service that launched in 2016 and is now available in over 200 countries all around the world including the US, Canada, and the UK.

Its offering varies by region, but as an idea, it owns the rights to the Premier League, Champions League, NFL, cricket, snooker, rugby union and more in Canada - one of its original and biggest markets.

It's also seeking to challenge the pay-per-view boxing hierarchy, and is landing an increasing number of coups.

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How to watch Xu Can vs Leigh Wood if you're away from your country 

As we say, DAZN has this wrapped up pretty much everywhere. But if you're abroad and discover that your coverage is geo-blocked, then the only alternative that we know is to use a VPN to dial in to a country that is showing the fight.

The software is perfect for this as it allows you to change your IP address and appear to be in a completely different location - and all through a safe, encrypted connection. Here's how to get started.

Use a VPN to live stream anywhere

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We've tested all of the major VPN services and we rate ExpressVPN as the absolute best. It's compatible with loads of devices including iOS, Android, Amazon Fire Stick, PlayStation, Apple TV and such, and we found it secure, speedy and simple-to-use. 

Another great perk is the fact that it comes with a 30-day money back guarantee and 3-months FREE, so you can see if it's right for you with no strings attached.

Once you've downloaded the software, just follow the prompts to install it then select the location you want to relocate your IP address to - it really is that easy.

- Try ExpressVPN 100% risk-free for 30 days

Remember, there are loads of benefits to using a VPN beyond just helping you regain access to streaming services and content from abroad. One of the biggest is security: by using encrypted tunnels, VPNs give you a robust first-line of defense against cybercriminals and government snooping. This makes everyday tasks like online shopping and banking much safer, and many people choose to use one for that reason alone.

However, those looking to subscribe to DAZN for the first time may find the service manages to effectively block certain VPNs at the point of creating an account. VPNs most notably encounter obstacles starting from scratch with DAZN Canada, though in other places like the US our general sports VPN recommendation was working fine in 2021. 

And if you've already got an account, a VPN should work wherever you are to help you regain access to pre-existing subscriptions.

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Who is Xu Can? 

China may be the world's most populated country, but Xu Can's unique rise through the ranks marks him out as one of the first fighter's from the country to make a big impact on the world stage.

Nicknamed the "The Monster" for his trademark relentless punching, (he managed to throw a stunning 1,562 shots in his title defence against Manny Robles II, a figure that ranked as sixth most punches delivered by a fighter since CompuBox starting taking records), Can has made two successful defences of his title since Jesus Rojas in January 2019.

having not fought since November 2019, his progression has been put on hold largely thanks to the pandemic, but a win tonight should help underline once more that he has the potential to become one of the sport's biggest stars.

Who is Leigh Wood?

Nicknamed Leigh-Thal, 32-year-old Leigh Wood is the current the British featherweight title holder.

The Nottingham-born fighter has built back his career after his early promise was curtailed following a defeat to Gavin McDonnell for the British Super Bantamweight in 2014.

After making a successful step up to the 125lb division, Wood  claimed the Commonwealth and WBO European featherweight belts, but his progress suffered a setback last year after losing a majority points decision to fellow Brit Jazza Dickens at York Hall.

An impressive TKO win over Reece Mould in February this year however appeared to show he was back to his best, setting up tonight's title challenge.

Xu Can vs Leigh Wood: Fight Camp 2 full card for Saturday's fight

• Can Xu vs Leigh Wood (WBA ‘Regular’ Featherweight Title Fight)
• Tommy McCarthy vs Chris Billam-Smith (Cruiserweight)
• Campbell Hatton vs Jakub Laskowski (Super-Featherweight)
• Anthony Fowler vs Rico Mueller (Super-Welterweight)
• Avni Bildirim vs Jack Cullen (IBF International Super-Middleweight Title Fight)
• Sandy Ryan vs Kirstie Bavington (Super-Lightweight)

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Cellebrite: The mysterious phone-hacking company that insists it has nothing to hide

Cellebrite refers to itself as a digital intelligence company, but this opaque description doesn’t paint a particularly clear picture.

In short, digital intelligence is code for device hacking; Cellebrite helps government and law enforcement agencies break into the smartphones and laptops of people under investigation - provided the client has legal grounds for doing so.

The Israeli firm has attracted plenty of criticism in recent years from data privacy activists who say its practices are ethically unsound. Others have attacked the company for failing to disclose the active vulnerabilities it exploits to break into devices.

• Here's our list of the best secure smartphones on the market
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However, Cellebrite is steadfast in its stance that its technology does far more good than it could possibly do harm. It also points to inconsistencies in the arguments of its detractors; there is little criticism of the execution of physical search warrants, says CMO Mark Gambill, so why should different rules apply in the digital sphere?

“We get lumped with surveillance companies, but that’s not what we do. And you cannot use our technology without a legal warrant, so if used correctly there is no breach of privacy,” he told TechRadar Pro.

“There are countless examples of our technology being used for social good; to find missing children, break up drug trafficking rings and more. But unfortunately, we’re in an environment where sensationalism sells.”

However, whether intentionally or otherwise, Cellebrite has courted an air of mystery that it now seeks to dispel ahead of a Nasdaq listing that is set to value the company at $2.4 billion. According to Gambill, Cellebrite has nothing to hide.

Legislating for abuse

Cellebrite says it serves roughly 6,700 customers worldwide, the vast majority (circa 5,000) of which hail from the public sector. In this context, there are three main facets to the company’s services: data collection, analysis and audit.

As Gambill explains, criminals have become extremely savvy about using technology, and predictably, are often unwilling to volunteer their unlocked devices. With legal approval, Cellebrite’s Universal Forensic Extraction Device (UFED) can be used to extract data stored on smartphones, computers, smartwatches and more, sometimes by exploiting active vulnerabilities in the operating systems.

Cellebrite UFED Touch (Image credit: Cellebrite)

At a software level, Cellebrite’s Physical Analyzer tool then helps clients dig through the terabytes of data often stored on consumer devices today. The company combines keyword-based filtration with artificial intelligence (AI) to surface specific information.

Finally, in order to preserve evidentiary integrity, Cellebrite’s hardware is supported by a management suite that keeps a strict activity log and audit trail.

“It’s critical to have transparency about who is handling evidence, because there are concerns about both privacy and tampering,” said Gambill. “Our solution is able to demonstrate precisely who has accessed what data and when.”

Even more than most companies, Cellebrite has a responsibility to pick and choose which clients it works with. Indeed, Gambill admits there have been instances in which its technologies have been misused, although he stressed these are extremely rare.

To shield against this eventuality, Cellebrite has designed its hardware such that it cannot be used by anyone other than active licensees. Updates rolled out every couple of weeks also mean that out-of-date Cellebrite kit is effectively useless, “unless you want to make a flower pot out of it”, Gambill quipped.

Asked about the potential for a current licensee to misuse the hardware behind closed doors, he told us it would be “very difficult” without Cellebrite finding out. “It’s about having the ability to monitor what’s occurring and, in rare situations where someone goes rogue, to take decisive steps.”

Cellebrite cable kit and ruggedized case (Image credit: Cellebrite)

Gambill also notes that Cellebrite has pulled its products from a number of countries, including China and Russia, that it believes may use its technology in an unethical manner or that rank poorly in human rights indices.

However, multiple privacy advocates, such as non-profit Access Now, claim the company has not gone far enough to legislate against the potential human rights abuses its arsenal is capable of facilitating. Further, they say Cellebrite has been too slow to cut ties with unsavory clients and took action only as a result of public pressure.

In a recent open letter, Access Now and its peers argue that Cellebrite has long been aware of the potential for abuse, yet knowingly continued to sell its products into repressive regimes, in the likes of Saudi Arabia and Myanmar (something ex-Cellebrite employees have corroborated). Until it has “taken sufficient measures to comply with human rights”, the firm should not be allowed to go public, the activists say.

Grey area

Late last year, Cellebrite made an enemy of messaging company Signal. The firm had recently announced support for Signal file types and also released a report suggesting it had cracked the platform’s famous encryption, but this was later debunked and referred to as “embarrassing”.

A few months on, Signal CEO Moxie Marlinspike released a report of his own, in which he demonstrated vulnerabilities in Cellebrite hardware. In the same post, he claimed the company “exists within the grey - where enterprise branding joins together with the larcenous to be called ‘digital intelligence’”.

He also joked he was “willing to responsibly disclose the specific vulnerabilities we know about to Cellebrite if they do the same for all the vulnerabilities they use in their physical extraction and other services to their respective vendors, now and in future.”

Asked about the ethics around holding onto vulnerabilities that could potentially be abused in the wild by malicious third parties, Gambill gave us an indirect response. He described the company’s relationship with device vendors, such as Apple, as one of “coopetition”, an amalgam of cooperation and competition.

“Apple is a key partner of ours in many ways. Certainly, we all respect the right of people to ensure their phones have the right types of security and encryption from the standpoint of privacy,” he said.

“At the same time, we have an obligation to provide technology and tools that aid in investigations. The means by which we do that is part of our secret sauce.”

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Valery Brozhinsky)

Gambill explained he does not recognize a contradiction between the company’s attitude towards privacy and its approach to vulnerability disclosure, partly because it has legal grounds for its behavior and partly because the ends justify the means. 

“What we do is provide technology that you can only use with a legal warrant and to me that does not suggest operating in any grey areas - it’s pretty cut-and-dry,” he told us. “A lot of it is about educating the marketplace further about what exactly our technology does and the positive outcomes that come about as a result.”

And yet, ahead of its Nasdaq listing, Cellebrite is working to establish a standalone committee designed to ensure it always operates within the law and in the most ethical manner possible. This panel will be made up of people with no previous association with the company, says Gambill, but the full purview of the new board is still being ironed out.

Depending on perspective, the move could be celebrated as a laudable effort to nip issues in the bud before they occur, or instead regarded as evidence the company is aware there are immediate ethical problems to be solved.

Ultimately, whether something is legal and ethical are two separate questions, one objective and the other subjective. Although Cellebrite may well operate within the bounds of the law, whether it operates within the bounds of morality will continue to provide fuel for debate.

Ironically, as noted by Stanford researcher Riana Pfefferkorn, the company’s ability to break into devices might actually have a net positive effect on privacy. She says the firm acts as a kind of “safety valve”, relieving pressure on smartphone manufacturers to create backdoors into their devices, which many would consider an unmitigated disaster.

Whether this “uneasy equilibrium” stands the test of time, though, will likely depend on Cellebrite finding a way to make itself more palatable to an increasingly vocal and privacy-conscious technology community.

• We've built a list of the best VPN services around

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Sony sold 10 million PS5 consoles. Don't have it? This is what you're doing wrong

Trust and credibility

(Image credit: Matt Swider / Instagram)

PS5 restock tracker Matt Swider has helped 63,000 people in the US buy a next-gen console in 2021 with his tireless 24/7 tracking, in-stock Twitter alerts and exclusive restock reporting.

Sony has sold more than 10 million PS5 consoles as of today, according to the latest official sales figures announced this week. But this news doesn't tell the whole story.

If you're having trouble finding PS5 in stock, we have our 24/7 PS5 restock tracker Matt Swider, who will send you an alert – if you follow his Twitter account and turn on notifications. But we also have advice on what's been preventing many of the followers from getting the console in the first place.

Here are ways to overcome the "shortage" of PS5 consoles – even though Sony has called this the fastest-selling console to date. You'll still need expert advice, and we have that, along with expanded details below.

Quick PS5 sales advice at a glance

1. When will PS5 be for sale? Follow our PS5 restock Twitter tracker Matt Swider and turn on notifications for restock alerts. It's the fastest way to get updates.
2. Subscribe to live coaching on YouTube: Our PS5 restock live stream videos are helping people check out of retail stores in the US. They're all different and we're coaching you through so you can join those 10 million PS5 units sold.
3. Stop trying to buy PS5 Digital: Seriously stop trying to save $100 on a console that will cost you more money in the long run (Disc games get cheaper faster) because Sony isn't making the PS5 Digital version nearly enough. 
4. Give in and get a PS5 bundle: standalone consoles are targeted by resellers, who can easily turn a profit off of a $499 PS5 Disc console. People refusing bundles are often the ones who have to wait the longest.
5. Don't buy from other Twitter users: they're all scams. Only buy from the US stores Matt alerts you about. No one will sell a PS5 for just $550.

1. Follow a PS5 restock Twitter tracker

Matt sends out these console restock alerts every time the PS5 is in stock in the US. His exclusive reporting on the GameStop PS5 restock led to around 800 people finally getting the Sony console through his alerts.

(Image credit: Matt Swider / Twitter)

Directions: Click on this image of an example of this Best Buy PS5 restock alert from Matt Swider and turn on notifications (that little bell icon) for instant alerts.

(Image credit: Matt Swider / Twitter)

2. Get our live PS5 stock coaching through YouTube

So we've recently expanded our advice from simply sending out alerts on Twitter (we still do that) and breaking news here on TechRadar, to live coaching people on how to check out of the various US retailers via YouTube.

These YouTube PS5 restock live streams have helped walk people through the step-by-step process of buying a PS5. You need an edge if you're going to join the group of Sony fans who are part of its 10 million PS5 units sold.

Click on the image to subscribe to our YouTube PS5 restock tips and tricks.

(Image credit: Matt Swider / Instagram)

GameStop is different from Best Buy, and the checkout process at Walmart is a mess all on its own. Target, which offers online purchases for same-day in-store pickup is the easiest to buy from if you listen to our advice or ask the right questions in the live chat. And you can do exactly that in a PS5 restock live stream.

3. Stop trying to buy PS5 Digital – stick with Disc

PS5 Digital Edition is tempting, and we get it. It costs $100 less than PS5 Disc and who needs a disc drive in 2021, many people will ask. What Sony hasn't disclosed is how many of the 10 million PS5 consoles were PS5 Digital. Our guess? Not even close to half. Probably a lot less than PS5 Disc.

(Image credit: Future)

When American retail stores like Best Buy, Target and Walmart stock the PS5, they always have more PS5 Disc inventory than Digital; the latter runs out almost instantly. And we've also seen real inventory numbers showing this extreme. Target, right before one recent PS5 restock, had 40 PS5 Disc consoles and one single PS5 Digital in several store locations in the United States. Sure enough, PS5 Digital was a flash of a restock the next day While many people got PS5 Disc.

It's more than the 40:1 lopsidedness of PS5 Disc vs PS5 Digital. We also offer advice showing that PS5 Disc will save you more money in the long run. Disc games get far cheaper faster than their digital counterparts where Sony is the gatekeeper of the online PlayStation Store. Competition and used games are what make PS5 Disc a far better – and cheaper – option in the long run in addition to increased availability. 

4. Give in and get a PS5 bundle

"But I don't want those games," said a Matt Swider follower when he complained how impossible it was to buy a PS5 and he's been trying for months. After a five--minute conversation, Matt shot back, "Well, the PS5 GameStop restocks are bundles and they're easier to get... if you really want it." 

The follower was aghast, "Did you just say if I really want it?!" (Note: the games were Ratchet & Clank: A Rift Apart, Spidee-Man: Miles Morales, and Sackboy – not a bad lineup and some GameStop employees will let you exchange a bundled game for another game). 

It's true though. PS5 bundles are easier to buy than the standalone consoles simply because resellers and bots scoop up the inventory before real customers are able to check out. GameStop and Antonline sell bundles, and they sell out in about three minutes (when the retailers don't play funny business with the sometimes working add-to-cart button).

We've seen resellers in line at Best Buy buying RTX graphics cards, including the coveted RTX 3080, asking us "Is this the good one?" No one in that line got the RTX 3080 for gaming. Everyone who did buy it was trying to turn a profit. That's exactly what's happening online – at Best Buy and Walmart especially – when there are no bundles. GameStop has even limited "early access" to restocks to its paid PowerUp members, and in a way, that's a good thing.

Don't fall for PS5 scams 

PlayStation 5 scams are are everywhere these days and it's preventing people from buying a PS5 due to the fact that they just sent all of their money to an overseas scammer.

These PS5 scammers are ruthless, too: they'll change their name and profile picture to match the official PlayStation brand and logo, they eagerly reach out to victims only charging $550 for the "one extra" that they happen to have, and they'll even go as far as sending the victim a photo or video of "their console" right before the purchase – even writing the victim's name on a piece of paper to prove it's not a stock photo.

And people fall for it – daily. Matt gets 100 messages a day asking if these accounts, some of which are verified hacked accounts – are legit. Twitter has done little to stop it. In all cases, the answer is no. If stores like Best Buy don't have PS5 stock for more than a few minutes, no one is going to sell you a console through CashApp for just $550. Think about it.

• How to buy PS5 today: Follow our PS5 restock Twitter account

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Why do 2021’s smartphones - like the Galaxy Note 21 - keep being delayed or canceled?

2021 has been a weird year for smartphones. Well, it’s been a weird year for a lot of things, but smartphones have been no exception, with a number of them being delayed, canceled or getting a limited launch.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 21 is the biggest casualty of the year in smartphones, as Samsung has now confirmed that it won’t be coming, but it’s not alone in being absent.

The OnePlus 9T is also rumored to be canceled (assuming it was ever planned), while the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE has reportedly been delayed (but may also fail to launch), and the Google Pixel 5a is only confirmed to be launching in the US and Japan, rather than the world at large.

So what’s going on? There are a number of factors at play, and some things we know for sure, while others we can take an educated guess at. Below then, we’ll explain broadly why many anticipated phones are likely arriving late – or not at all.

The Covid-19 factor

The obvious reason that this has been a weird year for phones is the same reason that it’s been a weird year for almost everything else – Covid-19.

The pandemic has meant many employees have had to work from home rather than from their offices, with more people also likely being off sick, and some businesses either closing down or scaling down at points.

This will all have had an impact on smartphone production, and will understandably have led to delays and potentially even cancelations.

Beyond that, the pandemic has also – for these reasons and others – contributed to a shortage of chipsets, which are a core component of smartphones.

Covid-19 could mean there's no OnePlus 9T this year (Image credit: Future)

Chipset shortages

While the pandemic is the obvious explanation for why so many phones are being delayed and canceled, it’s not the only or perhaps even biggest reason, with a global chipset shortage seemingly having had the most impact – though as noted above the pandemic contributed to this too.

There are a whole load of reasons why there aren’t enough chipsets to go around – consumers have bought more consumer electronics than normal during the pandemic, with these devices all needing chipsets, while growing demand for cloud computing when people worked from home also played a role, and all the while chipset manufacturers were having to deal with shutdowns.

Other factors include the high demand for 5G phones, while sanctions against China haven’t helped the situation either. This chipset shortage is a problem that’s not just affecting phones but also computers, consoles and even cars.

Chipsets are in short supply (Image credit: Qualcomm)

It’s also a problem that companies and leakers have specifically pointed to as being behind a number of the delays and cancelations we’re seeing.

For example, back in March, long before the Samsung Galaxy Note 21 had actually been confirmed to be canceled, the company’s co-CEO DJ Koh said: "The disparity between the supply of parts and demand in the information technology (IT) side is severe".

"We are checking the parts supply problem every morning. It is difficult to say that it is 100% resolved. It is a bit of a problem in the second quarter.”

So it seems that the chipset shortage was indeed a problem. And the Note 21 seemingly wasn’t the only affected phone – a leaker has suggested that the chipset shortage is also to blame for the Google Pixel 5a not getting a global launch.

A report also suggested that the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE might have been canceled due to the chipset shortage – though a more recent leak makes it seem like the phone might still land, just later than expected.

Other explanations

Do we need a Note 21 when there's an S21 Ultra? (Image credit: Future)

While the above factors are likely the main reasons for the delay and cancelation of handsets this year, there could be other factors too, most notably the fact that some of these phones arguably aren’t even needed.

The leaker who claimed there won’t be a OnePlus 9T pointed out that there aren’t many obvious upgrades for it, with the main likely one just being a slightly speedier chipset in the form of the Snapdragon 888 Plus.

Similarly, the Samsung Galaxy Note 21 might note be that much different to the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra – that’s already a huge phone with top-end specs, and for the first time it comes with stylus support too. With Samsung additionally bringing the S Pen stylus to foldables, the Note 21 could end up with no clear selling points.

Whatever the reasons though, the absence of these handsets is sure to be a disappointment to many, so hopefully in 2022 things will return to normal.

• There are still plenty of great handsets - these are the best smartphones

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The Crown season 5: everything we know

The Crown season 5, like previous seasons, will adapts real-world events through the prism of prestige drama – and filming is ongoing, with Netflix now having released our first glimpse of Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II (see above for that). 

The Crown seasons 1-4 has used anime-style time skipping to keep the show interesting and to cover broad eras of the royal family's history. For a lot of people who don't know the family's history, Netflix's drama has proven to be an education. 

Season 4 took us up to 1990, while season 5 will take us deeper into the decade. The Crown season 5 will give viewers another cast shake-up as we leap through time once more for the show's final few seasons, and Netflix has finally started talking about who's being added for this next run. Most recently, Jonny Lee Miller was added to the series as former Prime Minister John Major, but there are still a lot of actors we're yet to hear about.

Spoilers follow, as we go in-depth with everything we know about The Crown season 5 so far.

Release date: The Crown season 5 is filming now, so we'd expect to see the show return at some point in 2022.

Story: With The Crown season 4 ending in Christmas 1990, expect this next season to explore the end of Charles and Diana's marriage, John Major's time as Prime Minister, and the Queen's annus horribilis in 1992.

Cast: Imelda Staunton will take on the role of Queen Elizabeth II, with Jonathan Pryce playing Prince Philip, Elizabeth Debicki cast as Princess Diana, Lesley Manville taking on the role of Princess Margaret and Jonny Lee Miller playing John Major.

The future: The Crown has already been renewed for a sixth and final season, which is apparently set to cover up until the early 2000s.

 Diana’s fairytale quickly unravels.  (Image credit: Des Willie)

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A new cast is on the way for The Crown season 5. (Image credit: Mark Mainz)

The Crown season 5 release date

The Crown season 5 release date: 2022

There will be a longer wait than usual for season 5 of The Crown. Deadline reported back in July 2020 that filming wouldn’t start until June 2021, with the series set to hit Netflix in 2022. The break in production is actually not down to the ongoing pandemic – the show had planned to take a gap year long before COVID presented the world of TV and film with numerous challenges. 

The same report says season 6 is set to film in 2022, so the gap between the next two seasons should be slightly shorter. 

Filming has indeed begun on season 5, according to reports, and the fact that we've now had our first look at Staunton as the Queen.

The Crown season 5 cast

The Crown season 5 cast: out with the young  

(Image credit: Netflix/Des Willie)

• Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II
• Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret
• Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
• Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana
• Jonny Lee Miller as John Major
• And many more to be confirmed

The fifth season of The Crown will undergo another sizeable cast shake-up, as our ageing royal family enters the 1990s – The Crown season 4 ended in late 1990, as we'll discuss further down. 

We’ll be waving farewell to Olivia Colman and welcoming Imelda Staunton to take on the role of Queen Elizabeth II. You may recognize Staunton from her role as the abominable Professor Umbridge in Harry Potter. Similarly, Tobias Menzies will be stepping aside to allow fellow Game of Thrones co-star Jonathan Pryce to take over as Prince Philip. 

Additionally, we’ll see Phantom Thread’s Lesley Manville assume the role of Princess Margaret, and Elizabeth Debicki, who you may know from Christopher Nolan's Tenet, will play the slightly older version of Princess Diana. 

While the main cast changes have been confirmed, we are yet to find out who will fill the shoes of some of the key supporting cast. The roles of the Queen’s children, Anne, Edward and Andrew, are still unconfirmed, as are Camilla Parker Bowles and the Queen Mother. A Variety report from October 2020 said that The Affair’s Dominic West was in near-final talks for Prince Charles’ role, but that is also unconfirmed. 

Season 4 also ended with the resignation of Thatcher, which means we’ll see a new Prime Minister enter the fray. Season 5 will follow the tenure of John Major, and we’ll likely also get a short burst of Tony Blair, who was in office during Diana’s death. 

In June 2021, Netflix finally added another cast member to the list: Jonny Lee Miller as John Major. That likely means we're not too far off learning who the rest of the cast is going to be, especially if filming is happening now.

Jonny Lee Miller will play John Major in the fifth season of The Crown. pic.twitter.com/woMcTQtUmbJune 25, 2021

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The Crown season 4 recap

The Crown season 4 recap: where did it begin and end?

The Crown season 4 picked up in 1977, but the first episode honed in on 1979 with the election of Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson). It also showcased the murder of Lord Mountbatten (Charles Dance), claimed by the IRA, which served as the show's entry point into focusing on the ongoing Troubles in Northern Ireland. We also started to see the show come into what might be termed recent history, with focuses on working class struggles, the dissolution of Apartheid, and Diana’s influence on the public.

The Queen (Olivia Colman) also took an early shining to Princess Diana (Emma Corrin) as Charles’ (Josh O'Connor) perfect, prospective bride. After passing ‘The Balmoral Test’ with flying colors, the royal family pressured Charles into marrying Diana. 

The Queen’s relationship with Thatcher also began on kind grounds, but slowly neutralized over the course of the season as ol’ Maggie’s rule got more and more ruthless. The pair’s personal relationship soured, but ends in a dignified fashion with mutual respect shown for the traits they have in common.

Season 4 also did a fantastic job of making each and every cast member pretty unlikeable. The substantial age gap between Charles and Diana makes for a turbulent dynamic – Charles’ petulant reactions to Diana’s personal struggles paired with his unwillingness to let go of Camilla (Emerald Fennell) makes him hard to watch in season 4.

Throughout the season, the Queen observed Thatcher’s weakness when it came to her children, particularly her son Mark who she cited as her favorite. Upon learning this, The Queen sets off on a personal journey to reconnect with her own children, and discovers that they all carry their own indiscretions, emotional baggage and personal struggles. 

The Crown season 4 wrapped up in 1990 with the resignation of an unpopular Thatcher and a particularly frosty Christmas at Balmoral Castle. During the festivities, both The Queen and Prince Philip tire of Charles and Diana’s marriage complaints. While the Queen simply and coldly urged Charles to focus on his royal duty, Philip turned a darker corner, with a quiet warning of the consequences Diana will face if her marriage fails.

Hey, maybe that's why some critics want to see a pre-show disclaimer reminding people that The Crown is a fictional drama, and not a documentary (something Netflix has confirmed it has no plans to do).

The Crown season 5 plot

The Crown season 5 plot: what will happen next?  

 Season 4 suggests the departure of Anderson’s Thatcher.  (Image credit: Des Willie)

With Thatcher gone and Charles and Diana’s unhappy union in full swing, we’ll be sailing full speed ahead into the 1990s. It has also been confirmed that there will be a sixth and final season of The Crown, set to conclude in the early 2000s. Showrunner Peter Morgan has said that "season six will not bring us any closer to present day – it will simply enable us to cover the same period in greater detail."

The season doesn’t have an official plotline yet, but we can take a swing at what might happen in season 5 based on real-life royal events, with an additional season taken into account.

1992 was a particularly rough year for the Windsor clan. It saw the breakdown of not one, but two royal marriages – Prince Andrew’s separation from Sarah Ferguson, and Princess Anne’s official divorce from long-term husband Captain Mark Phillips. Prince Andrew’s wedding featured briefly in The Crown season 4, and we get a glimpse into Anne’s spousal struggles too, which suggests they may have a more pivotal role in season 5.

Of course, we’re in for a further ride with Charles and Diana’s relationship, and that was not shy on scandal. In June 1992, author Andrew Morton released ‘Diana: Her True Story’, a bestselling autobiographical book that detailed Diana’s struggles and the turbulence of her marriage, with her own personal input. The book was published while she was still married to Charles. As you can imagine, it didn’t go down too well with the rest of the family, so we suspect it might crop up in the next season.

(Image credit: Des Willie)

And to top off that year, we may see a fiery, fictionalized spectacle based on the 1992 Windsor Castle fire. The real fire burned for around 15 hours and caused six minor injuries to staff – and a great big castle fire is a good old excuse for some top-notch TV drama, isn’t it?

All in all, the Queen dubbed 1992 her "annus horribilis" in a famous speech. That's bound to be great material for the writers of Netflix's hit series. 

We’ve also got scope for a number of scandals inside the British Government in the 1990s. Notably, we have John Major’s 1993 ‘Back To Basics’ campaign, designed to promote traditional familial values, but ultimately fell into ruin following a number of scandals inside the Conservative Party. 

The Arms to Iraq affair that coursed through the 1990s may also make for juicy plot developments in The Crown, as government-approved sales of weapons to Iraq made John Major quite unpopular in the run up to Tony Blair’s winning election in 1997.

Finally, the core of The Crown season 5 will undoubtedly be the breakdown of Charles and Diana’s marriage, until their divorce in 1996, and Diana’s tragic death in 1997. We all know that there’ll be ample room for tension and drama there, and lots of us remember the impact that Diana’s death left on the world. 

What remains to be seen is how true to real life The Crown will remain, and how much justice it serves Diana in her final moments. With season 6 on the cards, it is also unclear as to whether season 5 will even get to Diana’s death. It may serve as a dramatic season finale, or simply be left for the final series.

Still, we won’t be seeing any of that until 2022 at the earliest. In the meantime, maybe it's worth binging a few documentaries about the royal family and reminding yourself about what truly happened.

• Best Netflix documentaries

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Amazon is being fined nearly $1bn fine over data storage breach

Amazon is facing the largest fine levied by the European Union to date after being hit with a €746m ($888m) penalty for violating the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

As reported by Bloomberg, the ecommerce giant was fined by Luxembourg's National Commission for Data Protection (CNPD) earlier this month over how it allegedly processed personal data in a way that violated GDPR.

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While reporting its second quarter earnings in a 10-Q filing recently submitted to the SEC, Amazon said that the CNPD's decision is “without merit”. The company also provided further details on the situation in a statement, saying:

“There has been no data breach, and no customer data has been exposed to any third party. These facts are undisputed. We strongly disagree with the CNPD’s ruling, and we intend to appeal. The decision relating to how we show customers relevant advertising relies on subjective and untested interpretations of European privacy law, and the proposed fine is entirely out of proportion with even that interpretation.” 

Record fine

The reason why Amazon is being fined by Luxembourg's CNPD is due to the fact that its EU headquarters is located within the small European country

Although the company has publicly commented on the decision, the CNPD has not as local laws prevent it from commenting on individual cases or even confirming receipt of a complaint.

The US-based company has faced increased scrutiny over the past few years due to the amount of data it collects on its customers. Amazon has defended its data collection practices though as they allow it to offer an improved and more personalized customer experience. However, both lawmakers and regulators have voiced concerns that the company has leveraged this data to gain an unfair advantage in the marketplace.

Amazon isn't the only tech giant to receive a hefty fine for violating GDPR as Google was fined €50 million ($57m) by France's data regulator CNIL back in January of 2019. 

We'll have to wait and see how Amazon's appeal proceeds to find out whether or not the company will end up paying the CNPD's $888m fine.

• We've also featured the best business VPN

Via Bloomberg

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What is Amazon Kids on Alexa, and how do I turn it on?

The best smart speakers can be a handy tool for children - from helping them with their homework to letting them chat to family and friends and even listen to their favorite music and audiobooks. 

The inbuilt voice assistants are great for education and keeping the kids amused, but there’s a worry that kids could stumble on something inappropriate if left to their own devices with Amazon’s voice assistant. 

You can’t supervise them 24-7 so how can you strike the right balance between keeping them safe and letting them benefit from Alexa’s expertise? 

This is where Amazon Kids on Alexa comes in. The free-to-use service lets you restrict when Alexa can be accessed, the Alexa skills that can be used and even blocks explicit lyrics when listening to Amazon Music, Apple Music or Spotify. 

Initially launched in the US in September 2020, Amazon Kids on Alexa has now been made available in the UK as well.  

• Discover every Alexa privacy setting and how to change them
• Think Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri are gimmicks? You'd better think again…
• Find out which voice assistant is better with Alexa vs Google Assistant

What is Amazon Kids on Alexa?

As we’ve already mentioned, Amazon Kids on Alexa is a free-to-use parental controls service that when switched on, lets you set time limits on when, and for how long the smart speaker can be used.

It also allows pausing access to the device at any point - ideal if you want the kids to concentrate on eating dinner rather than interacting with a voice assistant. 

It comes built-in to the new Echo Dot Kids smart speaker, which is priced at  $59.99 / £59.99 (around AU$80), and is available with either a tiger or panda theme. However if you have an existing Echo smart speaker in your home, including an Amazon Echo (2020), Amazon Echo Dot (2020) and even the Amazon Echo 1st generation, you can enable Amazon Kids on Alexa through the Alexa app.  

If your child has a subscription to Amazon Kids+, which offers unlimited access to child-friendly audiobooks, apps, games and tv shows, this can also now be used on any Amazon Echo smart speaker - although only content that’s audible rather than visual will be available.

We spoke to Amazon and a representative confirmed that Amazon Kids on Alexa and Amazon Kids+  doesn’t work on Amazon’s line of smart displays, such as the Echo Show 5 (2nd generation) and the Echo Show 10. Amazon told TechRadar it wasn’t able to reveal if this will change in the future. 

(Image credit: Amazon)

Amazon Kids on Alexa offers more than just the ability to set use limits. When we activated Amazon Kids, we noticed Alexa’s tone softened and the language it used was more child-friendly.

For example, when we asked Alexa to tell a joke when Amazon Kids was enabled, it responded with a joke that would “tickle your funny bone”.

There were plenty of age-appropriate stories and jokes on offer, and Alexa was also able to provide spelling, definitions and even answer some mathematics questions for us when Amazon Kids on Alexa was switched on, although it can also do this in normal mode.

Crucially however, voice purchasing was disabled by default - so no more remembering to toggle this option in the Alexa app when the kids are around.

Amazon Kids on Alexa also does an effective job at preventing tracks with explicit lyrics being played. We requested a track loaded with swearing from Fatboy Slim album ‘We’ve Come A Long Way Baby’ and were impressed to find it wasn't possible.

However, we were able to play plenty of explicit-language free friendly tracks from Kylie Minogue, Justin Timberlake and even some Disney records.

Voice calling is enabled so children can use an Echo smart speaker to communicate with other Amazon smart speakers in the home or call their friend’s that have an Echo speaker (as long as their friend is assigned as an approved contact by you through the Alexa app)

Finally using the Parent Dashboard, which can be accessed through the Alexa app or on Amazon’s website, we were able to restrict the apps and Alexa skills that could be used when Amazon Kids was enabled, so ensuring kids can’t mess with smart home gadgets or , as well as review the skills that had been used while Amazon Kids on Alexa was enabled.

How do I turn on Amazon Kids on Alexa?  

To switch on Amazon Kids on Alexa, open the Alexa app on your phone or table and select the 'Devices’ tab. Tap Echo & Alexa then select the devices you want to install the parental controls on. 

Choose the settings icon from the top right-hand corner and then select ‘Amazon Kids’ from the options displayed. Move the slider to the on position. 

From here you can add a profile for each child to your household, if they don’t already have any Amazon devices. As well as adding the name, and selecting an icon, you’ll also need to add their date of birth, so age-appropriate content and responses are given. 

If they ‘own’ (well, have control of) Amazon devices, the profile will show up automatically, so you just need to select it from the list given. 

Only one child can use an Echo with Amazon Kids enabled at a time, however you can easily switch the profiles in the Parent Dashboard. 

Once Amazon Kids is enabled in the Alexa app, you’ll still need to ask Alexa on the device itself to open Amazon Kids, otherwise it’ll behave as though there are no parental controls 

We also tried asking Alexa on the device to turn off Amazon Kids and revert back to normal mode, just in case any cheeky children thought they couldn’t circumnavigate the parental controls, but handily Alexa just says it can’t help and to ask a grown-up

If you’re a grown-up and you want to revert your Amazon Echo smart speaker into its full, non-child friendly state, you’ll have to disable it in the app

• Want to get your hands on an Amazon smart speaker now? Then check out these great Amazon Echo deals 

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Should I buy a compact camera in 2021?

Smartphones have evolved so spectacularly that their point-and-shoot brilliance is just one of the many of the icons on our homescreen. So are dedicated compact cameras really still relevant, or worth buying?

They certainly have a fight on their hands. In the space of ten years, phone cameras have turned from after-thoughts into multi-cam, high-resolution, computational wizards that can handling challenging scenarios from low light to popping-portraits. 

One-trick-pony, point-and-shoot compacts that offer similar (or worse) picture quality to recent smartphones didn't really stand a chance in the face of such vast investment and progress from our multi-purpose pocket devices. 

So how exactly are compact cameras still relevant, even desirable, in 2021? Far from conceding, camera manufacturers have redefined what is expected from our pocket cameras and we are continuing to enjoy the fruit today. Here are all the kinds of increasingly capable compact cameras that are still relevant today – and our thoughts on which ones you should still buy.

• These are the best compact cameras you can buy right now

What kinds of compact camera are still relevant?

With point-and-shoot compacts mostly phased out in 2021, the most cutting-edge compact cameras (outside smartphones) can be categorized into seven main groups; premium, big-sensor, travel-zoom, rugged, action, instant and what we'll call vlogging cameras. Here's a brief run-through of each type.

(Image credit: Future)

In 2012, the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 was announced and redefined what a compact camera is. By including a much larger 1-inch image sensor, high-quality fast lens and sturdy metal body, the premium compact was born. Seven iterations on with the Sony RX100 VII (above) facing wide competition, premium compacts are more expensive than ever, but they pack incredible features that can make those life memories look all the better.

(Image credit: Future)

One step up from premium compacts (in terms of size) is what we call the big-sensor compact. While it's sometimes a stretch to label them 'compact', these cameras include either an APS-C or full-frame sensor paired with a moderate wide-angle, fixed-focal length and fast aperture lens. Ideal for low light, environmental portraits, street and reportage photography, they include cameras like the Fujifilm X100V (above) and Ricoh GR III.

(Image credit: Panasonic)

A travel zoom is based on two main qualities; compact size and a vast optical zoom range. A case in point is the Panasonic TZ200 (above) with its 15x optical zoom range, covering anything from landscapes to close-ups of far away action – it's a slip-in-your pocket camera for traveling and offers better optical zoom than the latest smartphones.

(Image credit: Future)

Rugged compacts such as the Olympus TG-6 (above) are designed to withstand the toughest environments, being fully waterproof, shockproof and freezeproof. When your smartphone's just malfunctioned after a brief dunking in a paddling pool, the appeal of rugged cameras is all too clear.

(Image credit: Future)

An action camera is a tiny, mountable box-camera with an ultra-wide-angle lens that's primarily designed to capture your adrenaline-filled adventures in 4K. Immortalized by GoPro but with many other brands jumping on the bandwagon, the latest GoPro Hero 9 Black (above) is worth checking out.

(Image credit: Future)

Instant cameras synonymous with Polaroid are in an entire category of their own. Downright fun and simple to use, their charm is their appeal, providing immediate mini photo prints to keep or share. Our current favorite entry point is the Fujifilm Instax Mini 11, though there are now genuinely compact alternatives like the Polaroid Go (above). 

(Image credit: Future)

One final category rides the current surge in demand for vlogging cameras. Although many cameras can vlog, in 2021 we are seeing cameras primarily marketed and designed with the solo vlogger in mind, such as the compact Sony ZV-1 (above). 

• These are the best travel cameras you can buy right now

In what ways are compact cameras still better than smartphones?

The laws of physics restricts the physical size of image sensors and lenses in a smartphone. Why is size so important? Well, image quality is hampered by small sensor size and compact cameras provide more physical depth to play with, making larger sensors possible.  

At their best and often with jaw-dropping efficiency, smartphones rely on 'computational' photography as a workaround of small-sensor limitations – for example, 'portrait mode' can blur the background for popping-portraits. However, computational photography is never 100% reliable.

(Image credit: Future)

Portrait mode works by applying a uniform blur to your subject's surroundings with no true depth, and even in 2021 remains susceptible to digital artifacts. Those with a keen eye notice these imperfections. Conversely, a large sensor, fast-aperture compact creates genuine depth of field blur. 

Another limitation to sensor size is dynamic range, because a smaller sensor captures less highlight and shadow detail in a single picture. Again, smartphones use computational photography via a multi-frame capture called HDR to increase dynamic range. Such an approach is fine when your scene is static, but if there is fast movement going on, then you'll get unwanted ghosting.

(Image credit: Apple)

Phone 'night modes' pose the same headache regarding movement, because they use long-exposure and stabilization to get bright, sharp shots. Ultimately, computational photography is tackling smartphone sensor size and is certainly closing the image quality gap, but real-world limits remain. 

Smartphone multi-cam units offer different focal lengths and optical zooms are creeping into high-end smartphones in 2021 such as the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. However, smartphone lens technology is still no match to compact cameras like travel-zooms that offer a much greater reach. 

Other handling benefits with dedicated cameras include those with the option of a viewfinder, which is especially helpful for clear viewing in bright light. Those with tilting screens also make shooting at awkward angles a breeze, while superior weather-proofing and build quality (especially in the case of rugged compacts) are also great reasons to have a dedicated camera. Lastly, autofocus performance is an entirely different proposition on compacts. 

• These are the best camera phones you can buy right now

What are the downsides of compact cameras?

Creating more cutting-edge compact cameras comes at a literal cost. If you are going to buy a good one, it'll set you back the same amount as a decent smartphone, which is obviously way more than just a camera. Cost aside, there is more to the smartphone camera case. 

Convenience is up there as the single biggest reason in favor of smartphones over compact cameras. As the cliché goes, the best camera is the one that you have with you – and who doesn't walk around with their smartphone? There's still a degree of intentionality required in keeping a dedicated compact camera to hand, even if it easily slips into your pocket.

(Image credit: Future)

One underrated benefit of the smartphone's ubiquity is also its ability to give you a degree of inconspicuousness, which ideal for something like documentary and street photography, or relaxed family portraits. 

Convenience stretches to more than just availability, too. The whole process of using a smartphone camera is about as easy as it gets. As we said earlier, computational photography gets you the best possible quality image at the click of a button; auto HDR, portrait mode, night mode shots. These kind of effects can take a lot more effort to apply to compact camera shots. When the scenario is right, you can't beat the image processing of a smartphone.

(Image credit: VSCO)

Then there is sharing pictures. No Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections to fiddle with, smartphone pictures are in your smartphone immediately for further editing, instant sharing and hassle-free cloud storage. 

There are also strides towards 'pro' camera features in smartphones; manual exposure control, histogram display and shooting in raw format. But the reality in 2021 remains that auto computational photography does, in most cases, a better job of squeezing the best quality from the sensor than manually tweaking a raw file. 

• Why the Fujifilm X100V is a better street photography camera than my iPhone 11 Pro

What are the best compact cameras you can buy in 2021?

Let's now take a closer look at our favorite compact cameras in 2021 and why you would use them instead of your smartphone.

(Image credit: Future)

A premium pocket camera with pro features, the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII (above) outmuscles any smartphone especially for capturing action pictures and videos. This is thanks to its autofocus, image stabilization prowess, and high-speed shooting modes, all in a camera with a much larger sensor than a smartphone and decent optical zoom range.

(Image credit: Future)

The retro-chic Fujfilm X100V street-shooter (above) boasts excellent image quality thanks to its large APS-C image sensor – this combines nicely with its sharp, edge-to-edge 35mm f/2 aperture lens to make it especially at home when shooting in low light. It's packed with dedicated exposure control dials that are sure to please photo enthusiasts, too.

(Image credit: Future)

Smartphones struggle to get you close to subjects in the same way as a travel-zoom like the Panasonic TZ200 (above). Its 15x optical zoom has a 24-360mm range, whereas a smartphone typically starts at 28mm and, at longer focal lengths, usually only offers a digital zoom that dramatically decreases image quality the further you zoom in.

(Image credit: Future)

Rugged and action cameras usually have a similar-size image sensor to smartphones and comparable image quality, but they are designed to be taken into scenarios that you simply wouldn't want to risk your phone in. Strapped to a helmet for hitting the slopes, underwater action, the GoPro Hero 9 Black (above) and Olympus TG-6 are the ones for your extreme adventures.

(Image credit: TechRadar)

It might be easy to share your smartphone images on social, but can you print photo keepsakes on-the-fly? Our favorite easy-to-use instant camera, the Fujifilm Instax Mini 11, uses one of the most affordable film stocks that produces prints with gorgeous colors.

Smartphones are the most convenient tools for vlogging, but the Sony ZV-1 takes the quality up a notch thanks to its larger 1-inch sensor and fast lens, which combine to create some lovely shallow depth of field. Its blazing autofocus offers an AF mode that's ideal for product influencers, while there's also a flip-out LCD screen, hotshoe for accessories and 3.5mm mic port. 

Compact cameras vs smartphones: which is the best for me?

If you're looking to take pictures that go beyond the scope of your smartphone, there are a few ways to do it – and compact cameras remain one of those options. But as we've discussed, it's important to pick the right model, as it's now no longer the case that dedicated cameras always carry a hardware edge or image-taking edge over phones.

Each compact camera mentioned in this article offers specific tools for specific scenarios – for example, a large APS-C sensor for taking your image quality or creative control up a level, or rugged models for those times when you don't want to risk a precious slab of glass with your entire life on it.

(Image credit: Future)

While the image quality gap is closing in general, computational photography is not 100% reliable, and there are ways in which compact cameras make better quality pictures for specific scenarios; lens reach, larger image sensors, better autofocus performance. 

Of course, image quality is only one consideration when it comes to choosing a camera. The fact that a phone is most likely to be the camera in your pocket, and is a multi-purpose device that keeps those around you at ease in a way a dedicated camera do not, may just provide photo opportunities that you would otherwise not get. 

A smartphone is also the most convenient picture-taking and sharing tool. If the scenario is fitting to a smartphone camera's strengths – for example, wide-angle, bright light, or simple compositions – then you're unlikely pine for more. Take time to learn how to use a smartphone for photography, though, and you may just elevate your pictures to the point where you start to want a dedicated camera.

• Still need a dedicated camera for snapshots? Here's our guide to the best point-and-shoot cameras

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Mi 12 Tipped to Integrate Newly Announced LPDDR5X RAM, Could Come With Snapdragon 898 SoC

Mi 12, Xiaomi’s upcoming flagship, may pack the newly announced LPDDR5X memory. The new RAM configuration offers maximum data transfer rate of 6,400Mbps to 8,533Mbps, double of what LPDDR4X can manage. Mi 12 is also rumoured to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 895 SoC

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Galaxy Z Flip 3, Fold 3, Watch 4, more: what we expect from Samsung's August event

With the next Samsung Unpacked event of 2021 scheduled for August 11, we're just around the corner from learning all about the new tech Samsung is hiding up its sleeves.

We're expecting loads of new devices, with four gadgets likely according to leaks, rumors and also teases from Samsung itself. There are also a few new things some fans are hoping for, but that likely won't show up - we've listed them below as well.

One thing we're certain isn't showing up is the Samsung Galaxy Note 21, which the company has already confirmed has been canceled.

Visit TechRadar on August 11 for coverage of all the new gadgets that do show up, as well as analysis and commentary on this suite of devices.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

Samsung has confirmed there will be foldable phones at its August 11 event, and the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is one we're expecting to see. This is Samsung's third-generation book-style folding device, which might also act as a Galaxy Note replacement.

We're expecting a handset with three rear cameras, a 7.5-inch 120Hz main screen (for when the device is opened up), a smaller battery than the Galaxy Z Fold 2, and compatibility with Samsung's S Pen stylus - with one possibly coming bundled with the smartphone.

The odds on this phone coming are pretty high, since the Z Fold 2 debuted at Samsung's similarly timed event in 2020, and loads of leaks are pointing to the device being on the way.

Reserve your new handset at Samsung.com
If you're in the US and you want to be the first to get your hands on the new Galaxy phone, reservations are already open. It's not an obligation to buy it, but it gives you the option if you wanted to be first in line and offers trade-in credit and other extras too.

- Head to Samsung.com to reserve your phone

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip (Image credit: Future)

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3

Another foldable phone that could come alongside, or instead of, the Z Fold 3 is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 - there wasn't actually a Z Flip 2, not unless you count the Z Flip 5G (and we don't). This is set to be a small-body 'clamshell' style foldable phone, similar to the original Galaxy Z Flip.

According to leaks, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 could have a 6.7-inch screen when unfolded, with a smaller information panel on the front of the device when it's folded up, a bigger battery than the original Flip, and perhaps up to three rear cameras, though this sounds unlikely.

There have been a good few Galaxy Z Flip 3 leaks, but we're still struggling to get a clear picture of the folding device, so our eyes will be peeled during the event to get a better picture as to how it could look and function.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4

Samsung's smartwatch game may be a little confusing - we were expecting the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch Active 4, but leaks suggest there will actually be the Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic, with the 'Classic' replacing the standard watch and the 'Active' name being dropped from the sporty version.

In any case, we're expecting two different smartwatches, both running Google's brand-new Wear OS 3 software. Leaks suggest different sizes for both, ranging between 40mm and 46mm, with perhaps three side buttons and a brand-new Exynos chipset.

It's hard to know for sure though, both with the naming confusion, and the myriad contradictory leaks we've seen. More so than the other devices on this list, we'd recommend watching the Samsung stream with an open mind and no expectations.

Samsung Galaxy buds (Image credit: TechRadar)

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2

We're expecting the newest version of Samsung's true wireless earbuds at the event, apparently called the Galaxy Buds 2 (though they're actually the third new hearables since the original Galaxy Buds, with the Buds Pro and Buds Live coming out more recently).

According to rumors, the Buds 2 could have a similar design to the original Galaxy Buds, but with more color options; they're said to tout improved sound quality from their predecessor but perhaps the same noise cancelation tech.

Leaks suggest the Buds 2 will launch at the August event, though Samsung hasn't teased them as it has its foldable phones. However the Buds Live launched at Unpacked in mid-2020 so the timing lines up.

Not expected: Galaxy S21 FE

Like the Note 21, it seems the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE has possibly been canceled, and even if not it's very likely to be delayed. We say this because, though there are quite a few leaks about the phone, recent leaks suggest it won't appear in August.

The S21 FE will apparently have similar specs to the Galaxy S21, including the Snapdragon 888 chipset, three rear cameras and a similar amount of RAM. We're also expecting a 6.4-inch screen, a 4,500mAh battery and 45W wired charging.

While the Galaxy S21 FE might not show up at Unpacked, it might come in the following months, with an October launch date rumored. It probably won't get a dedicated launch event though, as the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE didn't.

Not expected: Galaxy Tab S8

While the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 was launched at the late 2020 Samsung Unpacked event, the Galaxy Tab S8 is said to be delayed, something the relatively-recent launch of the Tab S7 FE backs up.

We're expecting a Galaxy Tab S8 Plus and Ultra as well as the standard device, with screens of 11, 12.4 and 14.6 inches, which would make the Ultra pretty huge. The super-spec Ultra has been leaked most and is said to have a 12,000mAh battery, Snapdragon 888 chipset, multiple rear cameras and a 120Hz screen refresh rate.

Most recent leaks suggest the Tab S8 line will launch alongside the Galaxy S22 range in early 2022, and with all the tech already slated to appear at Unpacked on August 11, we seriously wouldn't expect three tablets to be in attendance too.

• Here's an early look at all the devices Samsung is launching on August 11

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