Latest news with #JamieHarris
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
‘Final warning' to over 40m Brits as BBC iPlayer to stop working TOMORROW – check if you're eligible for a free upgrade
VIRGIN Media customers are urged to check their TV equipment as BBC iPlayer will stop working on select boxes from tomorrow. The popular streaming service 2 A shop sign for Virgin Media in central London Credit: PA:Press Association 2 The BBC iPlayer logo is displayed on a smartphone screen Credit: Alamy Virgin has told customers with its The Sun previously to drop support last month. They said the change only affected a Households with the older boxes are eligible for a free upgrade to a newer model. read more in tech But as of tomorrow, MAKING THE SWITCH Those with V6 and Virgin TV 360 boxes will still be able to access the streaming service as normal. The platform allows TV fans to catch up on popular BBC shows from Doctor Who to EastEnders. A Virgin Media spokesperson previously told The Sun: "We have written directly to the small proportion of customers with a TiVo box, who have used BBC iPlayer within the past six months, to inform them that their box will not support iPlayer from 23 July. Most read in Tech "As we have previously communicated directly to relevant customers, anyone with a TiVo box is able to upgrade to a new Virgin TV 360 box at no extra cost." It comes as Virgin Media O2 has become the latest The company says it offer "faster, more reliable and more energy-efficient" 4G and . Customers in It will also affect Giffgaff, Sky Mobile and Tesco Mobile customers - as they all use Virgin Media O2's network. WHY DOES TECH STOP WORKING? By Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun It's annoying when tech and gadgets are discontinued, rendering some features useless. Fortunately, companies have got better at lengthening how long they support kit. It tends to only happen after quite a few years have passed and the user numbers have dropped quite low. The truth of the matter is, firms have to keep updating and servicing this older tech which costs them money. When there's only a small number of people left using them older gadgets, it's harder to justify the cost. Moreover, new features on things like apps may not work on dated kit. So ultimately, in the end support is dropped for these gadgets so all their energy, money and time can be put into the newer ones.
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- The Irish Sun
I save £100s on every holiday using easy phone tricks to slash the cost of food, booze and activities
HOLIDAYS don't come cheap, so it's more important than ever to make your spending money go further. I travel frequently throughout the year and have seen prices skyrocket - but there are clever tricks right on your phone that have saved me hundreds on each trip. 5 The Sun's Jamie Harris shares little-known money-saving tricks for hols on your phone 5 I get the prices only locals pay in the supermarket Credit: Getty 5 You can even save on pricey booze Credit: Getty And I'm talking about the big expenditures you can't avoid, like food and booze. All it takes is a little bit of planning before your holiday, and you could end up paying like a local, all thanks to your mobile. Here's how I pull it off and the simple steps so you can too. Sort your data BEFORE you travel I'd encourage anyone on holiday to keep off their phone and enjoy the moment, but that's easier said than done. From showing off your travel snaps on social media to using Google Maps to get around, chances are you'll want data. Where possible, you can rely on your hotel or restaurant Wi-Fi, but it won't always be available when you're out and about. Sadly, most mobile networks, except O2, don't offer free roaming as standard with your existing data plan. Your provider will have add-ons for travel, but these don't tend to be very affordable. Instead, you should try getting an eSIM. eSIMs are virtual SIMs - meaning you don't need a physical SIM card. Flight cancelled or delayed? Top tips for handling travel disruptions The beauty of eSIMs is that you can have more than one loaded onto a phone and working at the same time, so you don't need to lose your existing mobile network provider. Instead, the eSIM will essentially work as a secondary option in the background. My UK mobile network wanted £20 so I could roam for 15 days across Europe. But a quick Google search and I found an eSIM provider offering 5GB of data for £5.90. If you avoid going wild on things like streaming and use your phone for uploading some pictures, checking the news - The Sun of course! - and using maps and web searches, I reckon 5GB will cover you for a week or 10GB for two. I've used Maya Mobile and previously but there are loads of options out there, so shop around. HOW DO ESIMS WORK? Once you've found, picked a plan and paid for it, you'll usually be sent a QR code via email. The eSIM won't activate until the start date you set when buying it. When you arrive in your holiday destination, set it as your main SIM for data - and ensure you switch roaming off for your UK SIM. On iPhone, you can do this by going to Settings > Mobile Service > Selecting your phone number > and turn the roaming option off. On Android, head to Settings > Connections > Mobile networks > turn data roaming off Image credit: Alamy LOYALTY CARDS We're all used to And you may have spotted similar at the local supermarket when you're out food shopping on holiday too. In some countries, the savings can be quite substantial, with loads of bonus coupons available digitally to save more. Fortunately, these days you don't need a physical loyalty card anymore, you can simply sign up from your phone and instantly scan the digital QR code they provide you. And that's exactly what I've done on a number of occasions when away. I quite like buying snacks, sandwiches and booze from supermarkets when away on holiday to keep the cost down instead of constantly eating at expensive restaurants - especially if I'm having a day at the beach. Using loyalty programmes has saved me hundreds. 5 Waaoh! has saved me loads on my trips to France Credit: Jamie Harris / The Sun For the best results, it requires a little bit of planning, preferably before you go on holiday, though you could always do it from your hotel room. I tend to look around the area I'm staying in on Google Maps in advance to locate the shops nearby. So, on a recent trip to Paris, I noticed there was an Auchan supermarket nearby and their equivalent of Clubcard Prices is called "Waaoh!". I signed up online and was able to add the virtual loyalty card to my phone, so I get the cheapest prices just like a local. When signing up, I recommend doing it via the supermarket's website if possible, that way you can use the automatic translation tools in Google Chrome to easily understand everything. Also, it's worth noting that this trick may not be possible at every supermarket in every country, so it does require a little bit of digging, but it's well worth the 30 minutes of effort for the huge money savings. SIGN UP TO A DIGITAL BANK 5 I don't have to pay banking fees thanks to free digital alternatives Credit: AFP Pesky foreign transaction fees on your card can also rack up costs on holiday, too. If your bank doesn't offer fee-free transactions from foreign countries, there are some digital banks that do. Both Monzo and Starling have zero fees, and they're easy to use without switching bank providers. I signed up for Starling a few years ago and it's worked wonders on many of my trips. I simply top it up with money every now and again while I'm on holiday. So before your embarking on your next holiday, give these three tricks a go to save a fair bit or even stretch your spending money budget further.
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- The Irish Sun
I'm finally ditching iPhone after 10 years for Android – Samsung's new handset has convinced me to switch in three ways
YES, you read the headline right - a long-time iPhone user is ready to switch to Android. It's a move few people are prepared to make and it's understandable. 4 Jamie Harris trying Samsung's new Galaxy Z Flip 7 Credit: Jamie Harris / The Sun 4 I love the new external display when it's folded Credit: Jamie Harris / The Sun 4 It's so light and thin too Credit: Jamie Harris / The Sun Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 - buy from £1,049 Companies ring-fence their tech so some only work with their own gadgets or at the very least perform better with their own. Prime example, I love my It's frustrating, so ultimately we're all forced to pick a side. Read more about Samsung And if you dare to switch over, well, there's a whole lot of headache making that work too, backing everything up and signing into all your apps all over again is just the beginning. As The Sun's principle smartphone reviewer I'm very used to this process by now and have tested countless Android devices, many of which are great bits of kit. But iPhone has remained my main handset for a good ten years or so now. Suddenly, I've found the urge to switch and it's because of Most read in Phones & Gadgets Find out why in my full review below. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: Look and feel My first reason for switching is quite simple - the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is just so pretty. I've had a try of all the previous Galaxy Z Flip handsets, as well as other clam shell-style flip phones on the market. But the Galaxy Z Flip 7 feels like it's finally got it right. The colour I have is blue shadow, with an aluminium frame and glass back that feels premium. Samsung has drastically improved the smaller external display you can use when closed - known officially as the FlexWindow. I feel like the Flip 7 has injected a bit of much needed fun into mobiles again, all within a stylish body The FlexWindow display now wraps around the two cameras so it blends in, rather than cutting a box around them. You can show slick animations like falling confetti which adds to the beautiful charm of the Flip 7 that makes me want to use it as my main smartphone. And when you flip open the handset the display is ever so slightly bigger than the Flip 6, measuring in at 6.9-inches with that unavoidable crease along the middle only really visible at certain angles. It weighs only 188g, so the Flip 7 feels mega light in my hands and even more so in my pocket. 4 It fits so nicely in my pocket Credit: Jamie Harris / The Sun Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: Performance and features The Galaxy Z Flip 7 runs on Samsung's own take on Android 16, known as One UI 8 - and it's one of my favourites around. While there are some Samsung apps I don't really want - such as Samsung's own web browser - others like gallery and calendar are much simpler than Google's own. But the beauty of it is the choice is yours, whether you prefer Samsung's, Google's or some other from the Google Play Store. I love how vibrant the FlexWindow is - I notice people giving it a stare on the train Features haven't changed a great deal from all the AI we've seen on recent Galaxy phones but you can use One really neat addition is support for Samsung Dex, which allows you to plug your phone into a computer display and it will run like a PC computer alongside a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. It's the first time Samsung has introduced this on its foldables, so you literally have a PC-like experience ready to use in your pocket. Samsung continues to offer seven years of security and operating system updates, so you won't have to pay for an expensive upgrade anytime soon as long as you keep the phone in good physical condition. Who offers free updates longest? The longer you receive updates, the longer you can safely continue using your smartphone - with the latest features thrown in too for free. Samsung For the Galaxy S25 series, Samsung said it would provide at least seven generations of OS updates and seven years of security updates. OnePlus At the launch of the OnePlus 13, OnePlus committed to at least four years of Android updates and six years of security updates. Xiaomi Xiaomi offers four years off Android updates and five years security updates. Google For the Pixel 9 series, Google said that devices would receive at least seven years of support. The chip that keeps things running is the Exynos 2500. This is Samsung's own chip instead of the leading However, most people won't notice any real difference. This bit of kit runs smoothly through any app I throw at it. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: Battery Samsung has given the Flip 7 a battery boost compared to last year's Flip 6. It's bigger - 4300mAh - without making the overall phone physically bulkier. Having used the Flip 7 as my main phone for a week, the battery just about gets me through the day with general use of emails, However, the battery charging speeds haven't been upgrade from its predecessor, sticking to 25W wired and 15W wireless. It took just under half an hour to get the battery to 50 per cent. Sun's tech editor shows NEW 4mm thin folding Samsung – & teases 'flip iPhone' too Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: Camera The camera department hasn't really changed at all since the Flip 6. While the Fold 7 gets a mighty 200-megapixel main snapper, the Flip 7 is only 50-megapixel. Alongside that is a 12-megapixel ultrawide and 10 megapixel selfie. That said, I don't have any complaints about the results with some detailed, vibrant pictures produced. And obviously you have the added bonus of being able to turn the Flip 7 into a stand, so you can easily take group photos without using the lower quality selfie camera (and awkward angles of the person taking the selfie). Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: Price The Galaxy Z Flip 7 starts from £1,049. If you get in fast, Samsung are offering a free storage increase, with the 512GB model selling for the same price as the 256GB model. Don't forget, if you trade in an old phone you can reduce the price tag further, knocking off up to £453. There's also the There are four colours options available. Blue Shadow Jetblack Coralred Mint ( exclusive) Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 - buy from £1,049 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: Verdict By Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun So, why am I prepared to switch from iPhone after all this time? I feel like the Flip 7 has injected a bit of much needed fun into mobiles again, all within a stylish body. I love how vibrant the FlexWindow is - I notice people giving it a stare on the train. It's also great to see Dex support now so I can use it as a PC-like experience, I might even use it at work. However, with a radical overhaul of iOS expected later this year, Samsung - and others - will have to make sure I'm not tempted back if Apple steps up big time. Rating: 4.5 / 5
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Scottish Sun
I'm finally ditching iPhone after 10 years for Android – Samsung's new handset has convinced me to switch in three ways
YES, you read the headline right - a long-time iPhone user is ready to switch to Android. It's a move few people are prepared to make and it's understandable. 4 Jamie Harris trying Samsung's new Galaxy Z Flip 7 Credit: Jamie Harris / The Sun 4 I love the new external display when it's folded Credit: Jamie Harris / The Sun 4 It's so light and thin too Credit: Jamie Harris / The Sun Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 - buy from £1,049 Companies ring-fence their tech so some only work with their own gadgets or at the very least perform better with their own. Prime example, I love my Apple Watch but it doesn't work with an Android phone. It's frustrating, so ultimately we're all forced to pick a side. And if you dare to switch over, well, there's a whole lot of headache making that work too, backing everything up and signing into all your apps all over again is just the beginning. As The Sun's principle smartphone reviewer I'm very used to this process by now and have tested countless Android devices, many of which are great bits of kit. But iPhone has remained my main handset for a good ten years or so now. Suddenly, I've found the urge to switch and it's because of Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 7. Find out why in my full review below. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: Look and feel My first reason for switching is quite simple - the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is just so pretty. I've had a try of all the previous Galaxy Z Flip handsets, as well as other clam shell-style flip phones on the market. But the Galaxy Z Flip 7 feels like it's finally got it right. The colour I have is blue shadow, with an aluminium frame and glass back that feels premium. Samsung has drastically improved the smaller external display you can use when closed - known officially as the FlexWindow. I feel like the Flip 7 has injected a bit of much needed fun into mobiles again, all within a stylish body The FlexWindow display now wraps around the two cameras so it blends in, rather than cutting a box around them. You can show slick animations like falling confetti which adds to the beautiful charm of the Flip 7 that makes me want to use it as my main smartphone. And when you flip open the handset the display is ever so slightly bigger than the Flip 6, measuring in at 6.9-inches with that unavoidable crease along the middle only really visible at certain angles. It weighs only 188g, so the Flip 7 feels mega light in my hands and even more so in my pocket. 4 It fits so nicely in my pocket Credit: Jamie Harris / The Sun Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: Performance and features The Galaxy Z Flip 7 runs on Samsung's own take on Android 16, known as One UI 8 - and it's one of my favourites around. While there are some Samsung apps I don't really want - such as Samsung's own web browser - others like gallery and calendar are much simpler than Google's own. But the beauty of it is the choice is yours, whether you prefer Samsung's, Google's or some other from the Google Play Store. I love how vibrant the FlexWindow is - I notice people giving it a stare on the train Features haven't changed a great deal from all the AI we've seen on recent Galaxy phones but you can use Gemini, Google's powerful AI chatbot, on the cover screen. One really neat addition is support for Samsung Dex, which allows you to plug your phone into a computer display and it will run like a PC computer alongside a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. It's the first time Samsung has introduced this on its foldables, so you literally have a PC-like experience ready to use in your pocket. Samsung continues to offer seven years of security and operating system updates, so you won't have to pay for an expensive upgrade anytime soon as long as you keep the phone in good physical condition. Who offers free updates longest? The longer you receive updates, the longer you can safely continue using your smartphone - with the latest features thrown in too for free. Samsung For the Galaxy S25 series, Samsung said it would provide at least seven generations of OS updates and seven years of security updates. OnePlus At the launch of the OnePlus 13, OnePlus committed to at least four years of Android updates and six years of security updates. Xiaomi Xiaomi offers four years off Android updates and five years security updates. Google For the Pixel 9 series, Google said that devices would receive at least seven years of support. The chip that keeps things running is the Exynos 2500. This is Samsung's own chip instead of the leading Snapdragon 8 Elite found on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 counterpart. However, most people won't notice any real difference. This bit of kit runs smoothly through any app I throw at it. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: Battery Samsung has given the Flip 7 a battery boost compared to last year's Flip 6. It's bigger - 4300mAh - without making the overall phone physically bulkier. Having used the Flip 7 as my main phone for a week, the battery just about gets me through the day with general use of emails, WhatsApp, web browsing, YouTube and Spotify. However, the battery charging speeds haven't been upgrade from its predecessor, sticking to 25W wired and 15W wireless. It took just under half an hour to get the battery to 50 per cent. Sun's tech editor shows NEW 4mm thin folding Samsung – & teases 'flip iPhone' too Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: Camera The camera department hasn't really changed at all since the Flip 6. While the Fold 7 gets a mighty 200-megapixel main snapper, the Flip 7 is only 50-megapixel. Alongside that is a 12-megapixel ultrawide and 10 megapixel selfie. That said, I don't have any complaints about the results with some detailed, vibrant pictures produced. And obviously you have the added bonus of being able to turn the Flip 7 into a stand, so you can easily take group photos without using the lower quality selfie camera (and awkward angles of the person taking the selfie). Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: Price The Galaxy Z Flip 7 starts from £1,049. If you get in fast, Samsung are offering a free storage increase, with the 512GB model selling for the same price as the 256GB model. Don't forget, if you trade in an old phone you can reduce the price tag further, knocking off up to £453. There's also the new Galaxy Club which allows you to spread the cost and get 50 per cent of the price back when you upgrade between months 12 and 15. There are four colours options available. Blue Shadow Jetblack Coralred Mint ( exclusive) Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 - buy from £1,049
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Virgin Media customers must check their TV boxes NOW or face being blocked from BBC iPlayer in days
IT'S the final warning to all Virgin Media customers that they could lose access to BBC iPlayer next week unless they upgrade now. The popular streaming service, for everything from EastEnders catch-up to Doctor Who box sets, will stop working on some kit from Wednesday. 2 iPlayer is used by millions to catch-up on favourites like EastEnders Credit: BBC 2 Virgin is offering affected customers an upgrade at no extra cost Credit: Alamy The Sun Virgin told us that they had written directly to the "small proportion" of customers affected about the change. The good news is households impacted can upgrade to a newer box that still has access to iPlayer at no extra cost. It's Virgin TV's older TiVo models that will lose the streaming app from July 23 onward. Read more about Virgin Media V6 and Virgin TV 360 boxes will continue to offer access to BBC iPlayer as normal. "We have written directly to the small proportion of customers with a TiVo box, who have used BBC iPlayer within the past six months, to inform them that their box will not support iPlayer from 23 July," Virgin Media told The Sun. "As we have previously communicated directly to relevant customers, anyone with a TiVo box is able to upgrade to a new Virgin TV 360 box at no extra cost." The move may not come as much of a surprise, what with the first TiVo-powered box launched way back in 2010. Most read in Tech Virgin's most recently box is Virgin TV 360, which burst onto the scene in 2020 with access to more entertainment apps and personalisation. So if you're affected, act now to avoid the nasty surprise of no BBC iPlayer very soon. Virgin Media Launches Two Free Rakuten TV Channels WHY DOES TECH STOP WORKING? By Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun It's annoying when tech and gadgets are discontinued, rendering some features useless. Fortunately, companies have got better at lengthening how long they support kit. It tends to only happen after quite a few years have passed and the user numbers have dropped quite low. The truth of the matter is, firms have to keep updating and servicing this older tech which costs them money. When there's only a small number of people left using them older gadgets, it's harder to justify the cost. Moreover, new features on things like apps may not work on dated kit. So ultimately, in the end support is dropped for these gadgets so all their energy, money and time can be put into the newer ones.
