Google’s Pixel lineup has always been about delivering a premium Android experience with a focus on camera prowess and clean software. Even before the launch of the Pixel 9 , Google continued this tradition with the release of the Pixel 8a , offering a distinct option for consumers. However, a question arises: can this mid-range phone go against its older sibling, the Pixel 8 , Google’s flagship from last year?...

In my humble opinion, Google’s Pixel phones have the best software of any smartphone. Yes, I did argue back in March that Samsung’s One UI 7 had the upper hand , but Android 16 on the Pixel 10 Pro XL has restored Google’s crown. Apple’s iOS 18 couldn’t compete , and I highly doubt that’ll change with iOS 26 . It’s not a particularly controversial opinion. Many, especially those who use Android on a regular basis, would agree that the Pixel 10 series is as good as it gets for software....

At a glance Expert’s Rating Pros Strong performance Impressive gaming experience Great 120Hz screen Sleek design Cons Underwhelming battery life Slow charging No software update commitment Our Verdict The Honor Pad 9 is undoubtedly one of the best tablets you can buy for under £300. However, a disappointing battery experience and lack of software support prevent it from being a straightforward recommendation. Best Prices Today: Honor Pad 9 Honor’s split from ex-parent company Huawei has reinvigorated the company in Europe, particularly benefitting its smartphones and tablets....

The BIOS is the place which houses the settings for your computer’s CPU, RAM, storage and ports. In years gone by you’d be prompted during the PC boot up sequence to ‘Press F1 to Enter Setup’ or words to that effect. Now, UEFI has replaced the BIOS on many new machines, and the route to these settings can be more convoluted. We show you how to get into the BIOS or UEFI, whether you’re using a new Windows 10 PC or an older one....

If you’re having connection problems when trying to play games online on Xbox One, there’s a decent chance that your connectivity problem stems from your NAT type. Having the wrong NAT type can result in slow speeds, lag, chat problems, and even being disconnected from online games entirely. Sadly there’s no quick setting on the Xbox One to change your NAT type, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible – here’s what you need to do....

Whether you own an iPad or iPad mini, their screens can’t compare to the much larger HD TV sitting in your lounge (or even bedroom). Unlike most Android tablets , the iPad doesn’t have an HDMI output as everything goes through Apple’s dock connector. Fortunately, you can buy Apple’s Digital AV adapter which gives you a full-size HDMI output and a pass-through dock port for charging your iPad at the same time....

Your collection of cassettes might have sentimental value but it has to be admitted that audio quality was never a selling point for tapes. The outcome of this is that there’s not much of point in spending a lot of money on the kit to digitise your mix tapes and convert them to MP3 or CD. Instead, your choice of equipment will be made, primarily, on the grounds of price, availability and ease of use....

So, you’ve got yourself a new Windows 10 PC or laptop. What now? Well first things first, you’re going to need all of your data and files from the previous PC if you want to get anything done. But how can you get them off the old machine and onto the new one? Here’s a few different ways. Create and restore a backup We should all be routinely backing up our data to prevent a sudden hard disk crash from causing disaster....

You might like: How to use Peach, the new Facebook rival that everyone is talking about How to download Snapchat video: Screen recording apps for Android So, how exactly do you download Snapchat videos? The official answer is Replays. Snapchat added replays to its app quite some time ago now, offering users the ability to replay their last viewed Snapchat – although it’ll cost you. Not right away, though; the company offers you a free reply every day, allowing you to replay either a video OR photo (not both) completely free of charge....

The keyboard is probably the area of a laptop that you interact with most, making it incredibly frustrating when something goes wrong. If your keyboard is extremely slow to respond, or one or more keys have stopped working altogether, this is the article for you. Step 1: Find the cause of the issue Working out whether it’s your computer’s hardware or software that’s causing the issue is crucial to finding a solution....

Windows Media Player should play AVI files by default. The emphasis here is on the word ‘should’ because sometimes it flat-out refuses and throws up an error. It is possible to fix this by updating it to the latest version or installing a third-party codec pack, which we’ll explain later. But first, the quickest and easiest fix is simply to install the free VLC media player which will play virtually every type of video file....

Google Play Edition smartphones are great but they are limited to certain models and typically sold in the US. However, you can make your own by installing the Nexus 5 Android 4.4 KitKat launcher so here’s how to do it. Read : The 28 best smartphones: The best phone you can buy in 2014. Either you want to make your own Google Play Edition smartphone or you don’t particularly like the software provided on your handset....

If your glassware gets cracked and your dishes still have bits on them at the end of the cycle, you may not be loading your dishwasher correctly. Here’s the best advice on how to make the most of a wash. Incidentally, if your dishwasher is often not producing clean dishes after normal use, have a look at our article on how to maintain your dishwasher . If you follow all of the tips and its performance still doesn’t improve, then unfortunately it’s time to go shopping....

Thankfully Microsoft has built tools into its all-conquering Office suite that makes this a simple task. We show you how to create an automated table of content in Word. If you haven’t got Word yet, then check out our How to get Word for free guide. How should I format my document? Before we begin, it’s worth mentioning that there’s no magic button that will take a rambling document and transform it into a highly ordered manuscript....

Forget Oculus Rift . Google Cardboard is a DIY project that lets you turn any Android 4.1+ phone or iPhone into a reality headset for £3. Here’s how to get started with Google Cardboard. Also see: Best Google Cardboard apps Update 1 March 2015: Google now has an official VR headset page which links to certified ‘Works with Cardboard’ headsets. Apparently, Google is also selling its own second-gen Cardboard viewer but there’s currently no link to buy this on the page, but when we get the link to buy it in the UK, we’ll update it here....

Who’d have thought it? Zoom has quickly shot up the charts and is the most popular app in the App Store and Google Play. Businesses are using the service (among other video conferencing software) for meetings, schools are holding remote lessons, language schools teaching via video link and many other groups around the world are keeping in touch, face to face using their webcams and phone cameras instead of relying on email, Slack or phone calls....

If you use Microsoft Teams on a regular basis, it’s likely you’re already familiar with the basics of the app. Changing your background, creating separate teams and collaborating on documents are all things most Teams regulars will know how to do. For these people, it’s the lesser-known features that will be of more interest. The ones which are difficult to find, and not necessarily advertised by Microsoft. With that in mind, here are 10 tricks and tips that will help you to get the most out of Microsoft Teams....

Both Windows 10 and Windows 11 can open a variety of different file types natively, but that doesn’t yet include EPUB. Despite being one of the most popular eBook formats around, it means you’ll be relying on third-party software to access them. Fortunately, there are some good free options that are compatible with all recent versions of Windows. Here’s everything you need to know. What is an EPUB file? EPUB, short for Electronic Publication is a file format most commonly associated with eBooks....

The App Store may be awash with a multitude of excellent apps, but should one fail to meet your needs or expectations then you’ll want to remove it from your iPhone. We show you three different ways to free up storage (and home screen real estate) by deleting apps. How do I delete apps on iOS 13? A quick way to delete solitary apps on an iPhone with 3D Touch has always been to press down on the icon until a menu appears....

In this Photoshop tutorial for beginners, we look at how you can extract a person or figure from one image and add them to another picture. It’s an easy compositing process that opens up endless creative opportunities for mixing and matching people, places and times without hopefully raising too much suspicion. Sure, deepfakes it ain’t, but it’ll certainly deepen your Photoshop skills. We’ve used Adobe Photoshop to complete this process, which is available separately or as part of Adobe Creative Cloud ....