If someone you live with is having a birthday and you’d like to mark the big day with something a bit more special than just giving them the last two Weetabix, or if you want to find celebratory treats you can send to other households, read on. We’ve got ideas for food, drinks, flowers and decorations for special occasions, as well as thoughts on how to keep online hangouts from descending into awkwardness....

Over the course of the last year, video calls have become a fundamental part of many people’s daily lives. For many of us, it’s been the only way to see the faces of family, friends and colleagues. It’s no surprise to see software companies respond, with a wide range of services now offering video calling functionality. However, one you might not have heard of is ‘Meet Now’ a feature built directly into the Windows 10 user interface on recent versions....

Google is holding a launch event today at 5pm (UK time) in which it is expected to announce the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P smartphones alongside Android 6.0 Marshmallow and possible other things including the Chromecast 2 and Pixel C tablet. Here’s how to get live coverage of the event including a video stream and live blog. As per the rumours, Google has scheduled an event for 29 September (that’s today) in San Francisco and London in which is promises ‘unveil some exciting new treats’ and ‘hands-on time’ following a presentation....

Whilst it may have been well over 10 years since Harry Potter last flew onto our screens with his lightning scar and sassy attitude (not counting the controversial Fantastic Beasts series), these magical films are still one of the most popular fantasy series of all time. If you’re wondering where you can watch the adventures of the Boy Who Lived, then never fear. There are still places online where you can get hold of all of the films to watch again and again without having to get all the DVDs....

The NHL Playoffs for 2024 have reached the Finals stage and the Florida Panthers will be taking on the Edmonton Oilers to see who will win the Stanley Cup this year. While American viewers have several basic options for tuning in, it’s not as easy to watch the NHL in the UK compared to some US sports. With that in mind, here’s what you need to know about watching live streams on TV and online....

Forget the Avengers and the Arrowverse – British telly is soon getting a massive crossover event with some of its biggest soaps and ongoing dramas. In a move that nobody expected, Coronation Street, Emmerdale, EastEnders, Hollyoaks, Casualty, Holby City and Doctors will all be teaming up to air episodes around the same plot. Sharon Marshall revealed the news on This Morning and stated that all the stories will be happening concurrently around the theme of climate change....

Apple’s September event is the most eagerly awaited every year, and for good reason. It’s when the brand’s latest phones are launched, and this year we’re looking forward to the launch of the iPhone 16 series . And as Apple officially announced the latest event in September, we expect nothing less. Here are all the key details, including how to watch live and everything we’re expecting. When is the next Apple event?...

The World Athletics Championships is back for another year, and it’s set to be a doozy. Taking place from 4-13 August 2017, it’ll see the world’s top athletes compete to win coveted gold medals. It should be a memorable one too, as it’s set to be both Usain Bolt and Mo Farah’s last athletics championships before Bolt retires and Farah switches to road racing next season. With such an exciting series of events ahead, the only real question is “how can I watch the World Championships?...

After months of rumours and weeks of teasers from the company itself, Huawei has unveiled the worst kept secret of 2021: the Huawei Mate X2. Unlike the Mate XS, which offered the same design as its predecessor, the Mate X2 is a complete redesign. The key change is that the Mate X2 has ditched the outer folding design of the foldable Mates before it and opted for a more traditional book-like inside fold akin to the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 2....

Huawei took to the stage in London to reveal the Huawei Mate 20 alongside the Mate 20 Pro and Watch GT, boasting flagship specs and a stunning design. The Huawei Mate 20 may not officially be coming to the UK, but there are still ways for you to get your hands on one once it’s released. Here’s all you need to know about the Huawei Mate 20, from features and spec to pricing and UK availability....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Our Verdict The P10 Plus is another solid smartphone from Huawei offering attractive design, high-end hardware and much improved software. However, it’s missing a few features compared to rivals such as waterproofing and wireless charging. The phone is also pretty expensive so you’re probably better-off getting the regular P10 or even cheaper options like the OnePlus 3T or Honor 8 Pro. Best Prices Today: Huawei P10 Plus Price and where to buy The Huawei P10 Plus release date is set for 31 March and you’ll be able to get it from all major UK phone networks....

My life revolves around my phone. As hard as that is to admit, it’s the truth. For basically my entire waking life, I’m tethered to my smartphone , and I hate it. As Tech Advisor’s Mobile Editor, using my phone regularly is a necessity. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that – a smartphone offers tonnes of features that can enhance our lives. But all too often, it feels nearly impossible to separate these benefits from the well-publicised downsides....

Google launched a bunch of new accessories alongside the Pixel 10 series earlier this year, but there’s one you might have forgotten about. Amid all the excitement surrounding Qi2 support and the associated Pixelsnap ecosystem , a simple wrist strap has flown under the radar. So much so that there’s no sign of it on Google’s website at all (more on that later). I’ve managed to get my hands on one, though, and so can you....

Picture this: over 50 million tonnes of e-waste is produced globally, every single year. That equates to over 25 million cars being taken off the roads each year and thrown into landfill, without considering the consequences for the world we live in. That’s a wild figure and it’s something we should factor into our buying decisions, because it’s clear that consumers play a significant part in this staggeringly high turnover....

The drawer next to my office desk looks like a graveyard, littered with dark, plain chargers, cables, and power banks. However, few have tried to reinvent the wheel for power accessories. So it’s no surprise, then, that while they have become more powerful, they look and work the same way they did when I bought my first computer ages ago. Over the last few weeks, however, I’ve had more strangers come up to me and ask me about the power brick I was using than ever before....

I still remember when I saw the first mainstream folding phone. The original Samsung Galaxy Z Fold was presented to the media in a back room during the IFA trade show in Berlin, and it was one of the times in my 15 years as a tech journalist where I remember being blown away. Not because it was perfect – it wasn’t, of course – but because it was a defining moment in the last two decades of phones ....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Our Verdict A luxury item that takes us one step closer to the fully automated home, the Shinebot W400 iLife can support a robot vacuum with automated mopping of your hard floors. Performance is very good, even without being able to add disinfectant or bleaching agents, and the W400 can comfortably clean around 50 square metres from a single charge. It leaves flat floors almost entirely dry, collecting the dirty water as it passes over an area....

Here’s Microsoft’s plan: Every new PC sold with Windows 8 will be locked up tight with Microsoft’s UEFI ( Unified Extensible Firmware Interface ) secure boot on. Microsoft says that this is to help secure your PCs from rootkits and malware. It also happens to stop you from easily installing Linux or any other operating system, such as Windows 7 or XP, on a Windows 8 system. Thanks Microsoft. We really needed that kind of protection!...

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Our Verdict The Instax Wide 300 isn’t pretty, and it’s certainly not a convenient size, but that’s the price you pay for larger prints. And on that it delivers – this is the best instant camera around for landscape photos or group shots – you’ll just have to decide if that’s worth the downsides. Best Prices Today: Instax Wide 300 As the name might give away, the Instax Wide 300 takes photos that are wider than other instant cameras....

Despite more competition, Adobe remains the go-to company for creator-focused software. Whether you’re looking to edit photos (Photoshop), edit video (Premiere Pro), create vector graphics (Illustrator) or publish a document (InDesign), there’s an Adobe app for you. In fact, there are more than 20 in total . However, one-off purchases are no longer available. Instead, you’ll have to commit to an expensive Creative Cloud subscription, even if you just want one app ....