Another week, another seven days of indoors hibernation, waiting for this whole thing to just blow over. The world may be a mess, but good old dependable tech news will give you something to look forward to once we're able to raid the piggy bank the other side of lockdown.
This week's movers and shakers? Well, we've still got lots to learn about the Samsung Galaxy Note 20, Christopher Nolan's Tenet has been delayed... again, and there's a whole new memory card format for photographers to wrap their heads around.
Would you rather listen to TechRadar's dulcet tones, straight to your ears? Scroll down and you'll find the latest episode of our Noise Cancelling Podcast for in-depth commentary on the latest tech news, too.
5 things the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 still needs to show us
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 is almost certainly going to be unveiled at the Samsung Unpacked virtual product launch event on August 5, but there are still several things we don’t know about the Android phone.
Samsung has traditionally releases its stylus-packing phones in August, and it always seems to incorporate the features introduced in that year’s S-series phones from six months prior. But there’s still plenty to wonder about the Note 20.
Will the Note 20 pack all of the Samsung Galaxy S20's cameras and specs? Will it be as big, or bigger, than the Galaxy S20 Plus? Will there be a top-specced Note 20 Ultra model? Read on for everything we still want to know...
Getting a portable monitor was the best move I made all lockdown
Lockdown has been an opportunity for self-discovery for us all. Maybe you’ve used Zoom to re-ignite a long distance friendship once thought lost, or mastered a home workout routine. Maybe you’ve tackled your gaming pile of shame, or binged an entire Netflix boxset.
But, what’s happened for many, is that the ‘new normal’ has turned your home into an office. Those four walls of sanctuary after the commute have become your one-stop-shop for work, play and everything else in between.
What’s helped me get into my regular working rhythm was picking up a portable monitor for my ageing (2012) MacBook Pro. I’ve been using the Lepow Portable Monitor, and it’s been really great at giving me the digital space to get my work done – without taking up too much space in the physical world. Here’s what I’ve found.
Waiting for Tenet? Watch Inception again – it's still amazing
Christopher Nolan's Tenet, after a series of very sensible delays, will finally release in theaters this August or September depending on where you live. Even if the notion of going to the cinema might feel strange to you at this point, it's largely seen as the movie that'll supercharge theater attendance after they closed worldwide back in 'spring', due to the ongoing health crisis.
I have really mixed feelings about going to theaters again right now, especially in England where I feel like people aren't taking social distancing rules or mask wearing that seriously. But damn: I want to see Tenet a lot.
In the meantime, I've been dipping into Nolan's older movies again. Last weekend I rewatched 2010's Inception at exactly the right moment. I don't think I've seen that film since maybe 2014, when Interstellar was released, and it means I'd forgotten enough of the movie to truly enjoy it again.
Games of the Generation: Stardew Valley is a welcome break from the chaos of the world
Have you ever just wanted to leave your busy city life behind and move to a small, country town? No more Starbucks queues. No being sardined onto the subway. Just you, the clean country air and locals who don't wither when you accidentally make eye contact.
It's a dream typically reserved for Hallmark films, dripping in cliché and usually fronted by some city slicker who learns to love their hometown roots. But somehow Eric Barone's Stardew Valley pulls it off.
Stardew Valley is an indie gem that not only lets you live out this fantasy, but does so with humor and emotional depth – making it one of the greatest games of this generation.
- Want more from our Games of the Generation series? Check out: Marvel's Spider-Man | God of War | No Man's Sky | Inside
Electric bike maintenance: how to keep your e-bike running like a dream
Maintaining even the best electric bike isn't difficult, but there are some important things to know if you're going to keep it in top condition and get the best performance every time you head out on a ride.
To find out exactly what you need to know to keep your e-bike in perfect shape, TechRadar spoke to Julian Thrasher, Head of Training at Shimano. Buy your Shimano products and support local bike shops at www.freewheel.co.uk.
DTS:X vs Dolby Atmos vs DTS Play-Fi: surround sound and multi-room explained
Home audio is evolving. Both surround sound and multi-room technologies have taken a giant leap forwards with three technologies in recent years: DTS:X, Dolby Atmos and DTS Play-Fi.
The first two are surround sound technologies that promise to make your movies and TV shows more immersive than ever, while DTS Play-Fi is a manufacturer-agnostic multi-room platform that can link devices of all kinds in many rooms throughout the house.
You may well have heard of one, two or all three of these technologies. But do you really know what they mean, how they work, and how they differ from each other? Prick up your ears, as we explain all.
What is CFexpress? The new camera memory card format explained
You may have heard: there’s a new kind of memory card in town, and it’s called CFexpress.
CFexpress cards look like a pocket-drainer at first glance, starting at $199.99 / £210 for 80GB. But they’re important if you want to take advantage of the latest camera features, including 8K video capture, in-camera uncompressed video recording and ultra-rapid burst modes.
New cameras like the Sony A7S III and Canon EOS R5 have put CFexpress in the spotlight, but it’s not a brand-new format. It was announced in 2016, and the first cards came out in 2017, with the Nikon Z6 and Z7, and Canon EOS C500 Mark II video camera among the first models to have a CFexpress slot.
There’s a little more to learn about CFexpress cards, other than that they cost more than SD cards, though. Here’s everything you need to know.
Garmin hack, OnePlus Nord and PS5 leaks: Noise Cancelling podcast episode 23
Can't find the time to keep up with tech news? Looking for some awesome lockdown listening? We have you covered with the Noise Cancelling podcast, which is brought to you by TechRadar and our sister sites Laptop Mag and Tom's Guide.
The show is presented by Gareth Beavis, Global Editor in Chief of TechRadar, and features Sherri L. Smith, Editor in Chief of Laptop Mag.
This week our guests are John McCann, TechRadar's Deputy Editor, and Sam Roberts, TechRadar's Senior Entertainment Editor, who join us (remotely, of course) to talk about the last seven days in tech.
