At a glance Expert’s Rating Pros Attractive display Strong main and selfie cameras Excellent software Seven years of updates Cons No telephoto camera Slow charging Polarising design Our Verdict Despite some notable flaws, the Pixel 9a is very easy to recommend. Unless you want the absolute best value for money hardware, Google’s mid-ranger offers everything most people need in a smartphone at an attractive price. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined...

Facebook Horizon Workrooms is the next step in CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s metaverse vision; bringing workplace meetings into virtual reality with a number of features and new technologies that separate it from popular social apps like Rec Room – focussing on work and collaboration, rather than having fun with friends. Here’s all you need to know about Facebook Workrooms, from the key features to the experience on offer, availability, pricing and what you’ll need to get started....

Red Dead Redemption 2 introduces a number of new mechanics that make it one of the most dynamic and expansive open world games to date. Amongst the roster of features are degradation systems that’ll gradually impact various aspects of the game. In the same way that your horse gets dirty and requires a regular brush to avoid negative stamina effects, your weapon has to be maintained to get the best performance possible....

macOS Catalina isn’t quite the upgrade that some Mac owners were hoping for. Despite offering new features that improve the overall experience, including the ability to extend your display to a nearby iPad wirelessly, compatibility issues and bugs have left many Mac owners with a bitter taste in the mouth. Apple has remedied the situation with a number of patches, but if you’d prefer to downgrade to macOS Mojave – or earlier – then that’s also possible, although it’s not quite as straightforward as the update process....

Dark modes seem to be all the rage at the moment. Whether it’s Windows 10, macOS, iOS, Android or pretty much any modern software, your eyes can now be spared the glare of white or bright screens at night, or simply whenever you want a grey interface. Microsoft Office is no exception, so if you prefer to embrace the dark side, here’s how to change the theme to Dark Grey on Word, Excel and other Office apps....

Charitable giving in the UK has steadily risen in recent years, as Britons make a conscious effort to spend their disposable income on those less fortunate. While the large bulk of this remains through offline means, there are now some clever ways to use your tech and online habits to raise money for charity without ever clicking on a ‘Donate’ button. So if you want to do good while you do other things, we’ll show you how....

Many of the latest ultraportable laptops h ave enough battery power to last all day but if you’re reading this then clearly your laptop doesn’t last long enough for you. And since most modern laptops don’t have removable batteries, swapping the fkat one out for a fully charged spare isn’t an option. Here are our top tips on how to improve laptop battery life Some of these are similar to techniques for improving your phone’s battery life ....

As Google Play Music is due to be replaced soon with YouTube Music, this presents an opportunity to try a different service instead. If you’re going to move all of your content anyway, then it pays to see what else is on offer. While Google has made it very easy indeed to transfer all of your details from the old service to the new one, other platforms can be a bit more of a challenge....

At the time of writing, the UK is under lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. Travel is severely restricted and people are being urged to work from home wherever possible. While the UK and many other countries make their first tentative steps back to normality, working from home is still encouraging wherever possible. For some, like freelancers, working from home is a way of life. For others, the last few months might have been their first experience of working within the confines of the house....

Google now sells a whole range of Google Home (recently rebranded Google Nest) devices. If you’ve just bought or received a Google Home, Home Mini, Home Max, or Nest Mini, here’s how to get it set up within minutes. Unpack the Google speaker and plug it in. It will take a few seconds to start up. Download and install the free Google Home app from the Play Store. (If you’re using an iPhone the steps should be the same, but you’ll obviously need to look in the App Store instead....

Trainers, are you ready? The Isle of Armor DLC for Pokémon Sword and Shield is out now. With new Pokémon to catch, legendaries to raise and new locations to discover, there’s plenty on offer to expand the region of Galar. Wondering what you need to do to get started on the DLC in the first place now that you’ve downloaded it? Keep on reading. If you’ve not yet got the Pokémon Sword and Shield DLC, you can purchase Isle of Armor now from the Nintendo Store....

Many modern phones offer fast charging capabilities, although they may not include a fast charger in the box. To determine if your smartphone is charging at its maximum speed, there are several tests to you can perform to find out. How to tell if your phone is fast charging Some phones make it easier than others, as they’ll display ‘Charging rapidly’ or ‘Fast charging’ on the lock screen. However, even if your phone does not display such a message, there are other ways to check if your phone is actually charging to its full potential....

A broken power button can be frustrating, especially when it prevents you from turning on your phone. Fortunately, there are several methods you can use to power on your device without the power button. Plug in your charger One of the simplest methods is to connect your phone to a charger. Many smartphones will automatically power on when plugged in. If your phone has some battery left, connecting it to a charger may wake it up even if the power button is broken....

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War was revealed at the end of August, and it’s due out later this autumn, but there’s still one key area that Activision is yet to discuss: the game’s multiplayer mode. Arguably the main reason to pick up a Call of Duty title, Black Ops Cold War’s success rides on its multiplayer mode, so when are we going to see it? As confirmed in the Black Ops Cold War reveal trailer, the worldwide multiplayer reveal is due to take place on 9 September, and rumours suggest there will be an open beta before release too....

Watching live TV on your laptop or PC is completely legal, providing you have a TV licence if you’re in the UK. There are two ways to do it: via an app or your web browser, or by attaching a USB TV tuner if you don’t have an internet connection. Best online TV apps If you’re at home and for some reason can’t watch live TV on your actual TV set, then it makes sense to use your broadband rather than spending money on a USB tuner dongle....

At a glance Expert’s Rating Pros Solid performance Great port selection Sleek, premium design Webcam back above the display Cons Underwhelming battery life No discrete GPU Display could be better Our Verdict The second-gen MateBook D 14 is a serious upgrade over the original, with performance and video calling among the areas to benefit. But two key pillars of a great laptop – battery life and display – are things you’ll have to compromise on....

Huawei’s mammoth dual-hinged Mate XT Ultimate shocked the world when it was unveiled in China in September last year. Now, it’s finally launching globally, and that means early adopters from around the world can try out this tri-fold tech for themselves – if they can stomach the lofty €3500 MSRP. The question is, should they? I’ve been living with it for the past 24 hours, and using this futuristic tech out and about can be an unnerving experience compared to your bog-standard smartphone ....

At a Glance Our Verdict Two very competent 2-in-1s, one running Windows 10, the other iOS 12. For many this difference alone will inform the final choice, but both are top-notch tablets. Best Prices Today: Apple iPad Pro 12.9in (2018) Microsoft and Apple updated their tablets towards the end of 2018, but it was the new iPad Pro which received the biggest overhaul, with a new design, a USB-C port and an updated Apple Pencil – now with buttons....

At a Glance Our Verdict Apple’s new iPhone 11 Pro looks as though it’ll be one of the most powerful handsets of the next 12 months but despite an improved triple camera experience and unquestionable video prowess, the overall package looks as though it falls short of what the more established Huawei P30 Pro has to offer, and for a lower price too. Best Prices Today: Apple iPhone 11 Pro Take a look at the marketing material for any of Apple’s fresh-faced iPhone 11 series and you’ll see that it’s almost all about that trypophobia-inducing new camera....

Another Apple Event has been and gone and with it, the iPhone 13 has arrived. A new model always begs the question “should I upgrade?” and we’re here to answer that for iPhone 11 owners. While the iPhone 13 might be a minor upgrade on the iPhone 12 , there’s a bigger difference when comparing it two-generations apart. Price & Availability In true Apple tradition, the iPhone 11 is still part of the official range of smartphones but now at a lower price – from £489/$499 ....