Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) are more successful at attracting price-conscious customers when they want to switch provider, new YouGov research has revealed.
MVNOs, such as, use one of the ‘big four’ Mobile Network Operators’ infrastructure (EE, O2, Three and Vodafone) to power their services.
Some, such as Sky and Virgin Media, operate MVNOs to complement their other communications services but others, such as Giffgaff and Tesco Mobile, offer aggressively priced handset and SIM-Only deals to win market share.
MVNO popularity
For mobile users seeking to reduce their monthly outgoings, this is an extremely attractive proposition. Last year, six per cent of UK changed network. However, while MNOS had to absorb a net loss of 21 per cent, MVNOs experienced a net gain of 23 per cent.
Those who switched operator saved an average of £1.88 a month last year however there is a significant difference when that figure is broken down.
Customers who switched from one MNO to another MNO paid an average of £22.33 a month – an increase of £2.14. This contrasts with the £13.48 spent by someone who moved from an MNO to an MVNO – a decrease of nearly £5.
However, there is a large proportion of consumers willing to pay more for their contracts – so long as they get the latest features and handsets. One of the trade-offs with an MVNO is that many don’t offer the most advanced services, additional features, or premium devices.
Indeed, 51 per cent of those who switched to an MVNO kept their handset while the same percentage who moved to an MNO got a new phone. This is especially true of iPhone owners who seek to spread the cost over a number of years.
“The continued rise of MVNOs comes from consumers feeling comfortable about switching phone networks in a way that they don’t when it comes to moving bank,” said Russell Fedlman, Director of Digital, Media and Technology and YouGov.” However, while the growth of MVNOs has clearly been welcomed by the public, it poses several challenges to both MNOs and also the wider industry (handset manufacturers, retailers etc). Only time will tell how the market adapts and responds to this change.”
Google has pulled seven apps from the Play Store after allegations they allowed users to stalk unsuspecting victims.
The seven apps, all apparently built by the same Russian-based developer, were detected by security firm Avast, which alerted Google to their features.
The company says that the apps could have been used to follow employees, children, family members and even romantic partners without their permission.
Stalker apps
Avast says it initially detected four stalking apps, before uncovering a further three from the same developer on the Play Store.
These latter three offerings included “Spy Tracker” which was supposedly designed to help parents track their kids’ movements and access messages and call history.
Also revealed was “SMS Tracker” which could be installed on work phones to let employers follow every move their employees made on their device, including geo-tracking to see what time they arrived at work, as well as noting call history, and messages.
The third app, “Employee Work Spy” worked in a similar way to the parent/child tracker, but would have again allowed company bosses to track employee movements, read text messages and access call history, all under the pretence of protecting the device from malicious workers.
The Employee Work Spy app in action (Image credit: Avast)
(Image credit: Avast)
The apps were detected using Avast’s mobile threat detection platform apklab.io, which discovered that these services had been installed more than 130,000 times, with the most installed both having more than 50,000 installs.
“These apps are highly unethical and problematic for people’s privacy and shouldn’t be on the Google Play Store, as they promote criminal behavior, and can be abused by employers, stalkers or abusive partners to spy on their victims,” noted Nikolaos Chrysaidos, head of mobile threat intelligence and security at Avast.
“Some of these apps are offered as parental control apps, but their descriptions draw a different picture, telling users the app allows them to ‘keep an eye on cheaters’. We classify such apps as stalkerware, and using apklab.io we can identify such apps quickly, and collaborate with Google to get them removed.”
Protect your privacy with the best VPN services 2019
Following on from the announcement of the Amazfit Verge 2 back in June, the company has just introduced a new budget sports watch called the Amazfit GTR.
The Amazfit GTR is suitable for a variety of training scenarios and its main unique feature is a battery that can last up to 74 days, according to manufacturer Huami.
It’s available in two size variants with either a 42mm or 47mm case. Both of these are likely to be large on your wrist, although one will obviously be much bigger than the other.
The watch offers built-in GPS for mapping whatever activities you’re planning to undertake. It also comes with a 5ATM (5m) water resistant design that makes it suitable for tracking your time in a pool.
It’s limited when it comes to smartwatch functionality, but you’ll be able to see phone notifications from third-party apps on the display.
That screen measures 1.39 inches with a resolution of 454 x 454 on the larger variant of the watch, while the smaller one measures 1.2 inches and has a resolution of 390 x 390.
The 74 day battery life claim is impressive on paper, but that’s just for using this device in its basic watch mode. If you want to be using more features that we’ve listed above, you’ll get either 24 days of usage in average use or 40 hours direct GPS tracking.
Unclear release date
Those in China will also have access to a third version of the watch with a red colored strap and gold body. This is the Iron Man special edition, but it’s unlikely the company will sell that one in other countries.
When you’ll be able to buy these watches – if at all – remains unclear. Often Amazfit announces and releases its smartwatches in China before bringing them to the rest of the world, and that seems to be no different here.
We’d expect to see the Amazfit GTR brought to the US and UK in the coming months, but we’re doubtful the Iron Man special edition will come in tow. This is a budget watch, so you’ll be able to buy the 47mm variant for around $150 / £120 / AU$210. The 42mm is likely to cost around $120 / £100 / AU$170.
Those prices are likely to change a lot as they are just conversions of the Chinese pricing, but we’ll be sure to update you with the latest on prices for the watch once we know it.
When you’re trying to focus on a specific task, the right display settings can make a big difference. Dimming or disabling secondary monitors, cutting down on harsh screen lighting, or even eliminating color altogether can help draw your eyes to the job at hand and reduce eyestrain.
With the right tools, Windows can make managing these display settings practically effortless. Here are five screen manipulation tools and tricks to help you concentrate:
Automatic dark mode
With the May 2019 update for Windows 10, Microsoft added a “light” mode to complement its existing dark theme, rendering the taskbar, Start menu, and certain app menus in a bright shade of gray. Unfortunately, Microsoft provides no way to switch automatically between light and dark modes, so your display vibes might be too mellow by day and too harsh at night.
Jared Newman / IDG
Auto Dark Mode toggles light and dark themes in Windows 10 based on time of day.
If this bothers you, check out the free Windows 10 Auto Dark Mode app, which can switch between light and dark modes based on the time of day. You may specify the light and dark times yourself, or use your location to switch automatically at sunrise and sunset. (For the latter option, you must enable Allow apps to access your location under Windows Settings > Privacy > Location.) Auto Dark Mode even lets you set up separate desktop wallpapers to complement each mode.
Eliminate blue light at night
For the last couple of years, Windows 10 has offered a “night light” mode that makes your screen look warmer with less blue light. You can enable this setting and make it run on a schedule by heading to Windows Settings > Display, then selecting Night light settings.
Jared Newman / IDG
Windows 10’s night light feature and the third-party F.lux app can give your screen warmer tones after sunset.
For even more control over display temperature, check out the free app F.lux. Instead of just offering a single temperature slider for night mode, F.lux has three separate levels for daytime, sunset, and night. You can edit these settings by hitting the menu button in F.lux, then selecting “Adjust day and night colors together.”
F.lux can also automatically disable warmer colors while using certain programs—useful for late-night photo editing—or while using any program in full-screen mode. Just hit the menu button, then point to Disable…. From here you can override color changes for any app that’s currently open.
Grayscale mode for maximum concentration
When you’re trying to get work done, all those colorful app icons in your taskbar and Start menu are just beckoning you to waste time on social media or peek at email. Setting your display to grayscale mode can help you avoid temptation.
To enable Windows 10’s built-in grayscale mode, head to Settings > Ease of Access > Color filters. Enable the Turn on color filters toggle, then select Grayscale from the list below. You should also check off the Allow the shortcut key to toggle filter on and off option, so you can hit Windows-Ctrl-C to enable grayscale without revisiting this menu.
To take this a step further, try enabling Grayscale inverted instead of standard grayscale. This will make light tones dark and vice versa, so you can write on a black background in programs like Word.
Jared Newman / IDG
Avoid colorful distractions with grayscale and grayscale inverted modes.
The aforementioned F.lux also has its its own grayscale mode, which you can toggle by pressing Windows-End. By using this in tandem with the Windows color filters above, you can have one keyboard shortcut for standard grayscale (Windows-End via F.lux) and a second shortcut for grayscale inverted mode (Windows-Ctrl-C via Windows color filters).
Dim one or more monitors with ease
Multi-monitor setups are great for referencing several apps at the same time—until you spend too much time staring at your off-center screens and wind up straining your neck. With the free PangoBright app, you can dial down the brightness of individual monitors straight from the system tray, thereby keeping the focus on your main screen. Try setting your secondary monitors to 50-percent or 60-percent brightness and see if it makes a difference.
Jared Newman / IDG
PangoBright can dim the brightness of secondary monitors so you don’t stare at them too much.
If you’re already using the popular multi-monitor utility DisplayFusion, you can set up something similar without installing more software. Open DisplayFusion settings, head to the Functions menu, click Scripted Function, then choose Download Scripted Function. Select Dim All Monitors Except Primary from the list, then click Download Function. Create a keyboard shortcut with the Edit button in the top-right corner, then click OK.
Auto-disable your second monitor for certain apps
This last trick might be overkill, but if you have a multi-monitor setup, you can create a batch file to shut down secondary monitors automatically when you launch specific apps. This can be useful when you want to concentrate on writing or playing games without extra screens in your peripheral vision. While you could accomplish the same goal by pressing your monitors’ off buttons or using the Windows-P shortcut to disable secondary screens, automating the routine is much more satisfying.
We’ll use Valve’s Steam launcher as an example. Start by creating a text file in any directory—the same directory as your Steam install is fine—with the following lines:
displayswitch /internal
C:Program FilesSteamSteam.exe
displayswitch /extend
Jared Newman / IDG
Note that if you’ve installed Steam to a different directory than the default, or want to open a different application, you’ll need to replace C:Program FilesSteamSteam.exe with your install directory and file name.
Save the text file, then rename the file to Steam.bat using File Explorer.
Next, we’ll make a shortcut to this file that looks like the regular Steam icon. Right-click on the desktop and select New > Shortcut, then type cmd /c “C:Program FilesSteamSteam.bat” into the location bar. Select Next, then give the shortcut a name, such as Steam. (Kudos to WinAero for this shortcut tip.)
Jared Newman / IDG
To change the shortcut’s icon, right-click and select Properties, then select Change Icon. Navigate to your Steam directory, then double-click Steam.exe. You may also want to select Minimized in the Run section from the same Properties menu, so you don’t see a command prompt window when this batch file runs.
You’ll end up with an icon that looks just like your regular Steam app on the desktop, except it will disable your secondary monitors upon launch, and reenable them when you exit. You can also right-click on this icon to add it to your Start menu. Try pairing this trick with Steam Big Picture mode for dramatic effect.
The police and other authorities should suspend use of automatic facial recognition technologies, according to an influential group of MPs.
The House of Commons’ Science and Technology committee added there should be no further trials of the tech until relevant regulations were in place.
It raised accuracy and bias concerns.
And it warned that police forces were failing to edit a database of custody images to remove pictures of unconvicted individuals.
“It is unclear whether police forces are unaware of the requirement to review custody images every six years, or if they are simply ‘struggling to comply’,” the committee’s report said.
“What is clear, however, is that they have not been afforded any earmarked resources to assist with the manual review and weeding process.”
As a consequence, the MPs warned, innocent people’s pictures might illegally be included in facial recognition “watch lists” that are used in public spaces by the police to stop and even arrest suspects.
After a day for the sprinters to shine on the flat, the 2019 Tour de France riders get back in to the mountains today climbing and descending the foothills of the Pyrenees. To see the sights and the cycling from just about anywhere on Earth, be sure to follow our Tour de France live stream guide for Stage 12.
Tour de France Stage 11 – where and when
Stage 12 of the 2019 Tour de France sees the riders race on the flat roads between Toulouse and Bagnères-de-Bigorre. The official stage length is 209.5km.
It’s set to take place on Thursday, July 18 with the riders getting started at 11.30am local time (so that’s 10.30am BST, 5.30am ET, 2.30am PT).
After a short stay in the gastronomic Pink City of Toulouse, the 2019 Tour riders head south west towards the Spanish border and the vertiginous landscape of the Pyrenees. Yep, this is climber country, as Belgians Tim Wellens and Thomas De Gendt both of Lotto Soudal will seek to close the gap on the leaders.
Reigning champion Geraint Thomas has really started making a move in recent stages in what’s looking like a spirited defence of his title. He and Colombian Egan Bernal – also of Team Ineos – are now loitering well within range of the top spots, while French native Julian Alaphilippe retains the yellow jersey…for now.
To make sure that you don’t miss a single minute of the action, keep reading our guide. We’ll tell you all the best (and FREE) ways to watch Stage 12 with Tour de France live stream options no matter where you are today.
Live stream Tour de France Stage 12 from outside your country
We have details of all the UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand broadcasters further down this guide. Good news in the UK and Australia where it’s on free-to-air TV.
If you’re obsessed by watching Le Tour and refuse to miss a stage – even when you’re away on business or on holiday – then you’ll be disappointed to see your domestic coverage geo-blocked when you try to stream online from abroad. That’s where utilising a VPN (Virtual Private Network ) really helps. It let’s you virtually change the ISP of your laptop, tablet or mobile to one that’s back in your home country. Thus letting you watch as if you were back there.
They’re surprisingly easy to use and have the double benefit of giving you an extra layer of security as you surf the web. There are lots of options, and we’ve tested loads of them – our #1 pick is ExpressVPN due to its speed, security and sheer simplicity to use. We also love that it can be used on so many operating systems and devices (e.g. iOS, Android, Smart TVs, Fire TV Stick, Roku, games consoles, etc).
Sign up for ExpressVPN nowand enjoy a 49% discount and 3 months FREE with an annual subscription. Or give it a try with its 30-day money back guarantee.
Or read more with our pick of the best VPN services out there today.
How to live stream Tour de France Stage 12 FREE in the UK
We’re delighted to say that ITV4 is showing all of the stages on Le Tour. You can watch via a TV, online or you can stream via mobile or tablet using the ITV Hub app.
Today’s coverage begins at 10.30am BST with the stage itself kicking off shortly afterwards.
Want to watch this stage but out of the UK? You can use a VPN to relocate your ISP to a server in the UK and watch as if you were back at home.
How to watch Stage 12 of Le Tour in the US
NBC Sports is the official broadcaster for the Tour de France 2019 in the US. You’ll need to sign-up if you’re not already receiving this channel.
For the most extensive coverage NBC has to offer, you can subscribe to NBC Sports Gold, which is offering a Cycling Pass for $54.99, delivering live, on-demand and commercial free coverage of the Tour.
If you’re not interested in cable but still want to watch then there are plenty more TV streaming services available to watch on. Here’s a selection of the best, most of which also have a free trial:
Live stream Tour de France stage 12 in Australia for FREE
Getting a Tour de France live stream Down Under is absolutely free thanks to SBS and its apps.
Of course watching this stage as it happens depends on whether you’re prepared to stay awake for it – SBS coverage starts at 9.30pm AEST.
If you happen to be outside outside Australia as it happens but still want to catch that SBS broadcast, using a VPN will let you watch as if you were back at home.
Stream Tour de France 2019 Stage 12 live in Canada
Sportsnet – the specialist subscription sports station – will be showing this and every stage of Le Tour. If you don’t already have access, you can sign up to Sportsnet NOW for a live HD stream on your computer or mobile device. You can go for a 7-day pass for $9.99 or $19.99 for a month that will sort you for every single stage. For French-speaking coverage in Canada, viewers will need to tune into RDS Sports.
However, if you want to watch while away from Canada, your best bet is to use a VPN and access the coverage.
How to watch Tour de France 2019 in New Zealand
Sky Sports will be showing this stage of the Tour de France – sorry, there’s no free ways to watch in New Zealand annoyingly. But that won’t bother you if you’re obsessed by Le Tour – and neither will the unsociable coverage times.
We fully expect Apple to launch a trio of new smartphones in September, and things may have taken a step closer to reality thanks to a video supposedly showing the body of the rumored iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Max and iPhone 11 R.
The video from Mobile Fun claims to show dummy units of the three handsets that is has acquired from its “teams in China direct from case testing for the upcoming Olixar range and are correct in terms of physical size, port orientation and screen size.”
While there’s no firm guarantee that these devices are what we’ll see launched later this year (and Mobile Fun has a checkered history with accurate ‘leaks’), they do fall in line with a number of previous rumors which point to a largely similar design with the only major change being a bigger camera block on the rear of the new iPhones.
Same size
According to Mobile Fun, the screen sizes and dimensions of the new iPhones are exactly the same as the current series of handsets.
That means the iPhone 11 would have a 5.8-inch display and measure 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7mm, although it’s expected to gain an extra rear camera, taking the count up to three.
The iPhone 11 Max is set to be the largest of the trio, with a 6.5-inch screen and 157.5 x 77.4 x 7.7mm footprint, plus it’s also tipped to get a triple rear camera setup.
Finally, the rumored iPhone 11R would sit in between its siblings in terms of size, with a 6.1-inch display and dimensions of 150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3mm. It too is claimed to gain an extra rear camera, moving it from one camera on the iPhone XR to two snappers on the new iPhone.
While this latest iPhone 11 leak appears pretty convincing, it’s still worth taking it with a pinch of salt as Apple is yet to reveal any details on new devices, and we’re still over two months away from any potential launch.
Jared Newman / IDG
