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Welcome to Creative Bloq's guide to the Apple New Year sale. If you held out over the pre-Christmas shopping events in the hopes of snapping up an even bigger discount in the New Year sales, now's the time to get shopping. In this article you'll find all the best offers from the Apple January sale. Digging out the best deals can be a daunting prospect – and let's face it, you're probably not functioning at your peak right now. We've split the deals into products, to make it much easier to navigate the Apple New Year sale as you struggle through your carb coma / eggnog hangover / Quality Street stupor. After all, there's nothing worse than making a mistake and ordering the wrong thing, or checking out before finding the same thing cheaper elsewhere. Use the jump links to go straight to the Apple device you're looking for. The Apple Store isn't likely to be the best place to shop the Apple January sale. You'll probably find bigger discounts at other retailers or – if you're not yet ready to leave you living room – online. Below is a list of the retailers that offered the biggest discounts over the pre-Christmas shopping events (Black Friday and Cyber Monday), so it's worth doing a quick check to see they're getting involved in the Apple New Year sale too. Use the quick links below to take a look yourself, or scroll down for sales guide, broken down into products. Amazon (US and UK) Best Buy Walmart Very Currys PC World AO Laptops Direct Apple January sale: iPad deals In the pre-Christmas sales, we saw plenty of excellent iPad discounts across a whole range of models – including the all-new 10.2‑inch iPad. Check out the best prices in your region – including any Apple January sale offers – using the widget below. Figuring out which is the best offer, taking into account the different models, storage options and features, can be difficult. Make sure you pay attention to the specs you're getting before you hit 'Add to cart'. Apple January sale: MacBook deals MacBooks are pretty much always in demand – mainly because, as designers will well know, this kind of top-quality kit doesn't come cheap. Luckily they're also often the target of big discounts, if you're on the ball and looking in the right places. Whether you're after a classic MacBook, a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, chances are you'll be able to pick up a discounted model right now. The price widgets below will display the best prices available right now, so you can see who's getting involved in the Apple January sale. Apple has recently released a new MacBook Pro (read our MacBook Pro 16-inch review). While we might see deals on that model, based on what we saw in the Black Friday sales, we'd expect the best discounts in the Apple January sale to be on slightly older models. If you're happy not having the latest, greatest MacBook then that's a good way to pick up a bargain. Another hot tip is to keep an eye out for refurbished models – there can be some hidden gems on pre-owned models. We saw some okay (but not amazing) discounts on Apple Pencils in the run-up to Christmas. Will Apple's January sale yield any better price cuts? Check out the widget below for the best prices right now. Not sure which version you need? Explore our Apple Pencil vs Apple Pencil 2 comparison. Apple January sale: AirPods deals These are the headphones of the moment, and we saw a fair few good AirPod discounts in the run-up to Christmas, on both the original AirPods and the AirPods Pro. These true wireless earbuds aren't quite as new and exciting now (and there's a fair bit of competition hitting the market from people like Amazon and Microsoft). For the best prices in your area right now, including any gems from the Apple January sale, check out the price widget below. Alternatively, explore our dedicated Apple AirPod deals guide. There were plenty of Apple Watch offers in the run-up to the holidays, with the newly released Series 5 meaning retailers were happy to drop their prices to shift older stock. Check out the best prices right now – on the Series 5 as well as previous models – below. Apple January sale: iMac and Mac deals How to make the most of the Apple January sale To get the best deal possible, it's a good idea to plan ahead. Do your research and decide what product, model and specs will suit your needs. It's also best to have a price in mind that you're happy to spend. You don't want to end up being overwhelmed by the different Apple January sale options and making the wrong decision, or overpaying. Once you've decided on the product you're after, you can start tracking its price on various retailers – or even simpler, bookmark this page and keep checking it. Read more: Adobe deals: Where to get a Creative Cloud discount View the full article

Given that the average time to weaponizing a new bug is seven days, you effectively have 72 hours to harden your systems before you will see new exploits. View the full article

Cybercrime increasingly went mobile in 2019, with everything from Apple iPhone jailbreaks and rogue Android apps to 5G and mobile-first phishing dominating the news coverage. Here are Threatpost's Top 10 mobile security stories of 2019. View the full article

Anyone with a smartphone can be a photographer now, it seems. Yet just as being able to play three chords on a guitar doesn’t make you Keith Richards, so owning one of the best camera phones doesn’t make you a capable image-maker. Alongside skills in things such as typography, layout and strategic thinking, today’s brand designers need to harness the value of great photography, and know how, why and where to use it. When it comes to self-promotional photography across social media posts, such imagery should align with your values and personality as a studio or creative. Are you and your work, for instance, generally playful, modern, understated? Just as you’d include photography style in the brand guidelines you’d create for a client, your own photography style is a key part of your brand. Here we list five key things to consider when using photography on social media. For more advice, explore our ultimate guide to social media, or if you're inspired to get snapping, check out the best camera for creatives. And don't forget to follow Computer Arts on Instagram. 01. Consider context Consider the channels that your imagery will appear on. An image that works in a deck won’t always be one that flies on Instagram, or keeps people on your site long enough for them to want to hire you. 02. Embrace your playful side Consistency as a studio or creative is vital, but you have to carefully consider aspects including crops, use of colour and tone of voice. Platforms like Instagram allow for more playfulness than a straightforward portfolio site, for instance, and let you “speak” directly with your audience in a different way that’s more direct and lively – particularly with more ephemeral posts such as stories. 03. Remember, quality is key Quality is still key in showing off the very best of your work as dynamically as possible – especially since the vast majority of people will only see a maximum of around the first nine images on your feed. 04. Introduce some variety Consider how one project looks alongside another. Retain your own distinctive style, but remember to keep it exciting, too. Variety within limitations is key. Those limitations might be thematic use of colour palettes for instance, but don’t just keep posting the same sort of documentation and use a variety of angles for projects. 05. Go behind the scenes Pop in a few (well-shot) behind-the-scenes or process shots when you feel that they’re exciting enough. If you’re using interesting archive imagery for instance, or processes such as letterpress or screen printing, the build-up of a final image can be incredibly insightful for people and connect them with you as a studio. “There’s a realness, vibrancy and energy to the best work you see on Instagram,” says Superunion executive creative director Stuart Radford. This article was originally published in Computer Arts, the world's best-selling design magazine. Buy issue 297 or subscribe. Read more: Street photography: pro tips Smartphone photography advice Photoshop 2020 review View the full article

Apple AirPods are an accessory that many Apple lovers would love to get their hands on, but they're not exactly cheap. Today, however, Laptops Direct has started the January sales early with this incredible deal, which sees the second generation AirPods with standard charging case reduced to just £125 – that's the lowest price we've ever seen. If you're after the wireless charging case version, Laptops Direct has shaved a whopping £40 off the retail price, meaning you can now get them for less than £160! In the US, Walmart is offering standard AirPods with charging case for just $139, knocking $20 off the original price. AirPods with the wireless charging case offer an even bigger saving, reduced from $199 to $169. We probably don't need to tell you discounts on Apple AirPods are rare, so if you want to get hold of these top Apple accessories, you need to snap these deals up now. And if you're looking for more tech to compliment your new Apple headphones, be sure to check out our best Apple January sales post too. Not in the UK or US? Here are the best Apple AirPods prices in your area: Read more: The best Apple Pencil deals in 2020 Apple Pencil vs Apple Pencil 2: which should you buy? The best cheap Apple laptop deals in 2019 View the full article

Christmas is over and the New Year sales have already begun. The January sales offer a great opportunity to grab any creative kit you either didn't get from Santa, or have been saving for all year. Historically it's a time when retailers try to get a head start on the year and therefore drop prices staggeringly low. So if you've been holding out to get a new tablet, need a stylus for your new device or want some new creative software to kick the new year off, you've come to the right place. Here at Creative Bloq we're constantly scouring all the reputable retail sites for all the best offers across the January sales and New Year sales, and curating the best savings just for you. Read on to find out how and where to get the best deals on a range of creative kit for designers of all kinds, from illustrators to graphic designers to 3D artists. Scroll down for a detailed look at how to make the biggest savings, or if you know what you want, use the quick links below to jump to all the biggest sales happening right now! If you're on the hunt for creative kit, there are some retailers worth watching when it comes to the best January sales and New Year sales. Here are the best places to find the lowest prices on everything from creative software and hardware, office supplies and even a mattress to ensure a good night's sleep. Adobe Creative Cloud – Over 60% off Photoshop, Illustrator and more for students and teachers Amazon – Huge savings across the board Currys – Save up to 70% on laptops, monitors and more Best Buy – Holiday deals for all Walmart – Huge savings on iPads, monitors, Lego and much more John Lewis – Need some cheap Lego? This is the place to go Microsoft Store – Savings across the full Surface range Very – Unmissable deals on creative hardware AO – Huge discounts on a range of tech and electricals Argos.co.uk – top savings on monitors, electrical items and more for Christmas Simba Sleep – Huge savings on high-quality mattresses (because every creative needs a good night's sleep, right?) 01. Adobe January sale and New Year sale Adobe has offered huge savings throughout 2019 Adobe January sale – We're going out on a limb a little here as we don't actually know if Adobe has plans to get involved with the January sales. However, if the past 12 months are anything to go by, there's a high chance the creative software giant will come up with some kind of offer over the holiday period. Black Friday saw Adobe reduce it's annual Creative Cloud subscription plan by a whopping 40%, so here's hoping the company follows suit to see in the new year. As always, if it does, we'll be the first to let you know. 02. Amazon January sale and New Year sale Amazon January sale – Amazon is definitely a January sale to watch out for if you're on the hunt for some new, cheap creative kit. We're expecting big savings on everything from iPads, graphics tablets, external hard drives, art supplies, Surface Pros and much, much more. 03. Apple January sale and New Year sale Apple January sale – We used to liken finding a discounted Apple device used to stumbling across a unicorn. Impossible, basically. But the last couple of years we've been pleasantly surprised by the, frankly, impressive savings that have come up. Black Friday 2019 saw retailers place huge reductions on a plethora of Apple products, most notably the new 2019 iPad, AirPods and 16-inch MacBook Pro. We're super hopeful similar offers will surface in the January sales, so much so we've set up a dedicated Apple New Year sale post to help you find the biggest savings on your device of choice. 04. Microsoft January sale and New Year sale Microsoft January sale – Microsoft released a range of new products in October, many of which we were surprised to see included in many great Black Friday offers. The Surface Pro 7 is hugely popular among creative professionals, as is Microsoft's new and improved Surface Book 2. There's also the Surface Pro X, which has, unsurprisingly, had zero discounts applied so far this year. But being that we weren't expecting the new products to see any reductions either, maybe the tech giant is waiting for the New Year sale to release a deal on its powerful new device (although we're not holding our breath). If the recent Black Friday offers on other Microsoft devices are anything to go by, we can expect to see some huge savings in the Boxing Day sales. 05. Walmart January sale and New Year sale Walmart End-of-Year clearance – If you're in the US, you'll want to bookmark this page. Walmart has been knocking it out of the park for the last few months when it comes to price cuts, and, from the looks of it, there's much more in store. Expect some very attractive deals on iPads, MacBooks, monitors, headphones and much more. 06. John Lewis January sale and New Year sale John Lewis January sale – John Lewis' New Year sales are well underway with some great offers (you can currently save big on some of the best Lego sets for adults). When it comes to creative gear, these guys have it in abundance, selling everything from Apple and Microsoft hardware, to art supplies and office furniture (new chair, anyone?). As one of the UK's most trusted retailers, you can be safe in the knowledge that any purchase made at John Lewis comes with an excellent guarantee (on some tech it can last up to 5 years) and its 'never knowingly undersold' promise. This means if you find the same product for a lower price at a UK mainland high street competitor, you can make a price match request. Winner. 07. Best Buy January sale and New Year sale Best Buy January sale – Another one for those of you in the US, Best Buy was on fire with deals in the lead up to and all throughout Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The most impressive discounts for creatives were undoubtedly on the Surface Pro 6 and 7, and various MacBook Pro models (including the 16-inch version). Best Buy has continued it's impressive deal momentum since then, right now offering a whole host of attractive holiday deals. And all of this bodes very well for the Boxing Day sales, which we predict will see some of Best Buy's biggest savings of the year. Can't wait until then? Save up to $500 on select Surface devices right now. Happy shopping! View the full article

Researchers warn that five vulnerabilities that stem from SQLite could enable remote code execution. View the full article

The flaw resides in the Citrix Application Delivery Controller and Gateway. View the full article

The Lego Boxing Day deals are in full swing, so if you're on the hunt for a new set, there's never been a better time to buy. Lego is arguably the world's most creative tool, whether you use it for prototyping or simply as a way to switch off, the humble little brick's possibilities are endless. The tactile nature of Lego combined with intricately detailed sets has made Lego hugely popular among adults (check our best Lego sets for adults round up) and children alike in recent years. One of the most popular set themes is Lego Technic, with many fans placing the epic Bugatti Chiron set at the top of their wishlists. However, the set is far from cheap, which is why we were super-excited to see it as part of the Amazon Boxing Day sales. There are plenty more amazing Lego Boxing Day deals around if the Bugatti doesn't take your fancy. Check these: Read more: Introducing Lego, as you've never seen it before The Knight Bus Lego review Stranger Things Lego set available now – and it's EPIC! View the full article

The Surface Pro 7 was released in October this year, much to the delight of Microsoft and Windows users. However if you'd told us then the shiny new device would play a major part in the Boxing Day sales just a couple of months later, well, we'd have thought it wildly optimistic. But news just in sees an incredible offer on the Surface Pro, which knocks a staggering £440 off the regular retail price. That means you can now get one of these powerful new devices for just 829! The Surface Pro device has become hugely popular among the creative community in recent years. Able to run the full-fat version of Windows, the new Surface Pro is one of the best on-the-go laptops, offering the ability to run creative software without issue, all on a stunning PixelSense Display supporting the Surface Pen and touch. So if you've had your eye on the Surface Pro, there's never been a better time to invest. There's also more deals to be had on the rest of the Surface range, details of which can be found on our dedicated Boxing Day sales article. Need some software to go with your new Surface Pro 7? We've got you covered... Not in the UK? You can still take advantage of some great Surface Pro 7 deals. Here are the best prices in your area: View the full article

Apple's latest iPad Pro is, without doubt, the best tablet a creative person can own. Fantastic apps such as Procreate, Affinity Designer, and Adobe Lightroom and now with native support for Photoshop, means the iPad Pro can pretty much do everything a high-specced laptop can do, but with the added bonus of having a class-leading stylus as well. The great news for anyone looking to upgrade - or to simply to get on board with the iPad Pro - is that Best Buy is having an Apple Shopping Event over the holiday season with up to $200 off the latest models. There are some fantastic offers on all models of the iPad Pro, as well as a great discount on the Apple Pencil, an almost essential buy if you're going to get the most out of the iPad Pro. And, if you're looking for something more traditional in the shape of a laptop, there are some great offers on recent MacBook Pro models too. In order to get the full discounts advertised here, you'll need to sign up for a Best Buy account, which only takes a few seconds if you login with your Google account. Below, we've picked our favourites from the sale. Oh, and be sure to take a look at our pick of the best cheap Apple products deals for iPads, Pencils, iMac and MacBook Pros currently available online in your region. Searching for UK deals on the iPad Pro? Take a look at these... View the full article

The Boxing Day sales kicked off today, and they're off to an impressive start. This MacBook Pro deal from Amazon may be for an older product, but it's hard to pass up such a great saving on what is still a brilliant Apple laptop, which should satisfy the needs of all but the most power-intensive apps. Amazon has the Apple MacBook Pro (2018) 15-inch with either 256 GB or 512 GB SSD storage for £1,899 or £2,179 - that's a saving of £450 and £520 respectively. Very decent, we think you'll agree. Released just over a year ago, the 2018 MacBook Pro is still one of the best laptops you can buy, only superseded by the more recent MacBook Pro refresh, which is significantly more expensive. This 2018 model comes with a 6-core, 8th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, 16 GB RAM, Apple's brilliant Retina display featuring True Tone technology, the customisable Touch Bar and Touch ID, 4GB of video memory and four USB-C ports. So there's enough power, connections, a great screen, and functionality for any aspiring creative professional. Be sure to take a look at our pick of the best cheap Apple products deals for iPads, Pencils, iMac and MacBook Pros currently available. Looking for deals on the 2019 Apple MacBook Pro? Try these on for size... View the full article

Welcome to Creative Bloq's guide to the Apple boxing Day sale. If you held out over the pre-Christmas shopping events in the hopes of snapping up an even bigger discount in January, now's the time to get shopping. In this article you'll find all the best offers from the Apple Boxing Day sale. Digging out the best deals can be a daunting prospect – and let's face it, you're probably not functioning at your peak right now. We've split the deals into products, to make it much easier to navigate the Apple Boxing Day sale as you struggle through your carb coma / eggnog hangover / Quality Street stupor. After all, there's nothing worse than making a mistake and ordering the wrong thing, or checking out before finding the same thing cheaper elsewhere. Use the jump links to go straight to the Apple device you're looking for. The Apple Store isn't likely to be the best place to shop the Apple Boxing Day sale. You'll probably find bigger discounts at other retailers or – if you're not yet ready to leave you living room – online. Below is a list of the retailers that offered the biggest discounts over the pre-Christmas shopping events (Black Friday and Cyber Monday), so it's worth doing a quick check to see they're getting involved in the Apple Boxing Day sale too. Use the quick links below to take a look yourself, or scroll down for sales guide, broken down into products. Amazon (US and UK) Best Buy Walmart Very Currys PC World AO Laptops Direct Apple Boxing Day sale: iPad deals In the pre-Christmas sales, we saw plenty of excellent iPad discounts across a whole range of models – including the all-new 10.2‑inch iPad. Check out the best prices in your region – including any Apple Boxing Day sale offers – using the widget below. Figuring out which is the best offer, taking into account the different models, storage options and features, can be difficult. Make sure you pay attention to the specs you're getting before you hit 'Add to cart'. Apple Boxing Day sale: MacBook deals MacBooks are pretty much always in demand – mainly because, as designers will well know, this kind of top-quality kit doesn't come cheap. Luckily they're also often the target of big discounts, if you're on the ball and looking in the right places. Whether you're after a classic MacBook, a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, chances are you'll be able to pick up a discounted model right now. The price widgets below will display the best prices available right now, so you can see who's getting involved in the Apple Boxing Day sale. Apple has recently released a new MacBook Pro (read our MacBook Pro 16-inch review). While we might see deals on that model, based on what we saw in the Black Friday sales, we'd expect the best discounts in the Apple Boxing Day sale to be on slightly older models. If you're happy not having the latest, greatest MacBook then that's a good way to pick up a bargain. Another hot tip is to keep an eye out for refurbished models – there can be some hidden gems on pre-owned models. We saw some okay (but not amazing) discounts on Apple Pencils in the run-up to Christmas. Will Apple's Boxing Day sale yield any better price cuts? Check out the widget below for the best prices right now. Not sure which version you need? Explore our Apple Pencil vs Apple Pencil 2 comparison. Apple Boxing Day sale: AirPods deals These are the headphones of the moment, and we saw a fair few good AirPod discounts in the run-up to Christmas, on both the original AirPods and the AirPods Pro. These true wireless earbuds aren't quite as new and exciting now (and there's a fair bit of competition hitting the market from people like Amazon and Microsoft). For the best prices in your area right now, including any gems from the Apple Boxing Day sale, check out the price widget below. Alternatively, explore our dedicated Apple AirPod deals guide. There were plenty of Apple Watch offers in the run-up to the holidays, with the newly released Series 5 meaning retailers were happy to drop their prices to shift older stock. Check out the best prices right now – on the Series 5 as well as previous models – below. Apple Boxing Day sale: iMac and Mac deals How to make the most of the Apple Boxing Day sale To get the best deal possible, it's a good idea to plan ahead. Do your research and decide what product, model and specs will suit your needs. It's also best to have a price in mind that you're happy to spend. You don't want to end up being overwhelmed by the different Apple Boxing Day sale options and making the wrong decision, or overpaying. Once you've decided on the product you're after, you can start tracking its price on various retailers – or even simpler, bookmark this page and keep checking it. Read more: Adobe deals: Where to get a Creative Cloud discount View the full article

The Boxing Day sales are here - hurrah! Now, we don't know about you, but after a few days of indulging in rich food and lots of wine (or is that just us?) a comfy seat on the sofa and bit of retail therapy is just what we need to fend off those post-Christmas blues. The after Christmas sales offer a great opportunity to grab any creative kit you either didn't get from Santa, or have been saving for all year. Historically it's a time when retailers try to rid their shelves of 2019 stock and therefore drop prices staggeringly low. So if you've been holding out to get a new tablet, need a stylus for your new device or want some new creative software to kick the new year off, you've come to the right place. Here at Creative Bloq we're constantly scouring all the reputable retail sites for all the best offers across the Boxing Day and after Christmas sales, and curating the best savings just for you. Read on to find out how and where to get the best deals on a range of creative kit for designers of all kinds, from illustrators to graphic designers to 3D artists. Scroll down for a detailed look at how to make the biggest savings, or if you know what you want, use the quick links below to jump to all the biggest sales happening right now! If you're on the hunt for creative kit, there are some retailers worth watching when it comes to the best Boxing Day sales and after Christmas sales. Here are the best places to find the lowest prices on everything from creative software and hardware, office supplies and even a mattress to ensure a good night's sleep. Adobe Creative Cloud – Over 60% off Photoshop, Illustrator and more for students and teachers Amazon – Huge savings across the board in Amazon's last minute Christmas deals Currys – Save up to 70% on laptops, monitors and more Best Buy – Holiday deals for all, plus don't miss its 12 Days of Deals offer Walmart – Huge savings on iPads, monitors, Lego and much more John Lewis – Need some cheap Lego? This is the place to go Microsoft Store – Savings across the full Surface range Very – Unmissable deals on creative hardware AO – Huge discounts on a range of tech and electricals Argos.co.uk – top savings on monitors, electrical items and more for Christmas Simba Sleep – Huge savings on high-quality mattresses (because every creative needs a good night's sleep, right?) 01. Adobe Boxing Day sale and After Christmas sale Adobe has offered huge savings throughout 2019 Adobe Boxing Day sale – We're going out on a limb a little here as we don't actually know if Adobe has plans to get involved with the Boxing Day sales. However, if the past 12 months are anything to go by, there's a high chance the creative software giant will come up with some kind of offer over the holiday period. Black Friday saw Adobe reduce it's annual Creative Cloud subscription plan by a whopping 40%, so here's hoping the company follows suit to see in the new year. As always, if it does, we'll be the first to let you know. 02. Amazon Boxing Day sale and After Christmas sale Amazon Boxing Day sale – Amazon is definitely a Boxing Day sale to watch out for if you're on the hunt for some new, cheap creative kit. We're expecting big savings on everything from iPads, graphics tablets, external hard drives, art supplies, Surface Pros and much, much more. 03. Apple Boxing Day sale and After Christmas sale Apple Boxing Day sale – We used to liken finding a discounted Apple device used to stumbling across a unicorn. Impossible, basically. But the last couple of years we've been pleasantly surprised by the, frankly, impressive savings that have come up. Black Friday 2019 saw retailers place huge reductions on a plethora of Apple products, most notably the new 2019 iPad, AirPods and 16-inch MacBook Pro. We're super hopeful similar offers will surface in the Boxing Day sales, so much so we've set up a dedicated Apple Boxing Day sale post to help you find the biggest savings on your device of choice. 04. Microsoft Boxing Day sale and After Christmas sale Microsoft Boxing Day sale – Microsoft released a range of new products in October, many of which we were surprised to see included in many great Black Friday offers. The Surface Pro 7 is hugely popular among creative professionals, as is Microsoft's new and improved Surface Book 2. There's also the Surface Pro X, which has, unsurprisingly, had zero discounts applied so far this year. But being that we weren't expecting the new products to see any reductions either, maybe the tech giant is waiting for the after Christmas sales to release a deal on its powerful new device (although we're not holding our breath). If the recent Black Friday offers on other Microsoft devices are anything to go by, we can expect to see some huge savings in the Boxing Day sales. 05. Walmart Boxing Day sale and After Christmas sale Walmart Boxing Day sale – If you're in the US, you'll want to bookmark this page. Walmart has been knocking it out of the park for the last few months when it comes to price cuts, and, from the looks of it, there's much more in store. The main after Christmas sale – or week, as Walmart is calling it – begins on the 26th, and you'll find lots of great deals right. Expect some very attractive deals on iPads, MacBooks, monitors, headphones and much more. 06. John Lewis Boxing Day sale and After Christmas sale John Lewis Boxing Day sale – John Lewis' Boxing Day sales are well underway with some great offers (you can currently save big on some of the best Lego sets for adults). When it comes to creative gear, these guys have it in abundance, selling everything from Apple and Microsoft hardware, to art supplies and office furniture (new chair, anyone?). As one of the UK's most trusted retailers, you can be safe in the knowledge that any purchase made at John Lewis comes with an excellent guarantee (on some tech it can last up to 5 years) and its 'never knowingly undersold' promise. This means if you find the same product for a lower price at a UK mainland high street competitor, you can make a price match request. Winner. 07. Best Buy Boxing Day sale and After Christmas sale Best Buy Boxing Day sale – Another one for those of you in the US, Best Buy was on fire with deals in the lead up to and all throughout Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The most impressive discounts for creatives were undoubtedly on the Surface Pro 6 and 7, and various MacBook Pro models (including the 16-inch version). Best Buy has continued it's impressive deal momentum since then, right now offering a whole host of attractive holiday deals. And all of this bodes very well for the Boxing Day sales, which we predict will see some of Best Buy's biggest savings of the year. Can't wait until then? Check out Best Buy's 12 Deals of Christmas offers, plus save up to $500 on select Surface devices right now. The Boxing Day sales have evolved a bit in the last few years, and while the name refers to one specific day, the sales actually last much longer than just 24 hours. This year we're already seeing some retailers kick off their Boxing Day sales and we're still a week away from Christmas. The sales will almost certainly last up to the end of the year, when the New Year sales will come in to play. The short answer is that anytime between now and the beginning of January, you stand a good chance of making a great saving. However, make sure to research the items you want to buy first and check that whatever discount is being offered is actually a good deal. Boxing Day sales has never been a recognised retail event in the US. However, the 26 December usually marks the start of many US retailers 'after Christmas sales', which is basically the same thing. US-based retail giants like Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy are already offering some excellent last-minute Christmas deals, and we fully expect such offers to continue throughout the holiday period. Happy shopping! View the full article

We know that good design doesn't happen by chance. Design is about communication and just like a writer or a speaker needs to choose the correct words to carry a message, designers needs to carefully select the right visual elements to convey their intended message. Through oversight or lack of feedback, sometimes the wrong choices are made, leading to confusion or unintended interpretations. Sometimes the mistakes can be so big that anyone outside the process wonders how the work got signed off. But one designer's blunder is another designer's lesson on what not to do. From logo design to packaging and UI, here, we round up seven humongous fails that offer us all something to learn from. 7 fantastic design fails – and what we can learn from them 01. The OGC logo The Office of Government Commerce takes a firm grip The UK Office of Government Commerce existed from 2000 to 2011 with the objective of improving efficiency in public spending. In 2007 it commissioned FHD to design a new logo that would show the body's bold commitment to driving up standards. The problem was that the logo devised was printed on pens, mouse mats, and all manner of other stationery items that would lead to it being viewed from different orientations, meaning that it took the government department's employees mere seconds to notice something that the logo's designers hadn't. Rotated 90 degrees the logo looks rather rude. Incredibly, the OGC decided to stick with the new logo. A spokesperson even quipped: "It is not inappropriate to an organisation that's looking to have a firm grip on Government spend." 02. Flickering Lights Here's another packaging fail, this one related to text. Choosing the right font is only the start. A little kerning to add space between the 'L' and the 'I' would have been a good idea to prevent misreadings of the product name. Always run your design by several people and ask them what they see. Chances are they might have a very different interpretation from those who know what the message is intended to be. And tread very carefully when the word you're designing has any similarity at all to a word you want to avoid. 03. Lisa Jackson Deserves to Die This cover designer made a rather harsh assessment of the novel "As he watches, her body drifts below the water's surface, forever altered. Before he disposes of each victim, he takes a trophy. It's a sign of his power, and a warning…" We're not sure that this novel sounds like the best read out there, but we would never go so far as to demand this fate for the author. There are many ways to establish text hierarchy – through font, weight, colour, location of text – and sometimes tweaking more than one of these is necessary. In this case, switching from all caps to title case was not enough to prevent an unintended reading of this design, with title placed directly under the author's name. Remember that as a designer, you're not only responsible for how things look but also for their context and how they'll be read. 04. Tesco buttermilk Tesco buttermilk went viral after this mistake Perhaps one of the most notorious packaging blunders in history came from this own-brand buttermilk sold by Tesco in Ireland. This shot with crease in the right place went viral and was even picked up by several newspapers after it was taken at a supermarket in Dublin. Shopper Andy Burdens wrote on Reddit at the time: "They really made a cock and balls of this branding." Tesco changed the design after the media coverage of the blunder. The lesson here? No design is too small or routine to merit making a mockup – designer Oisín Hurst told Creative Bloq he designed the piece on a flat keyline and didn't mock it up, thinking, "it was buttermilk – what could go wrong?" 05. Mama's Baking Mama's in flames Logos often combine ideas taken from a brand's name or function. It makes sense then that this bakery in Greece would consider combining a representation of the eponymous 'mama' and the oven in which she presumably bakes her exquisite cakes and breads. The problem is that the position of the flame in the oven makes it look like something else. It's hard to imagine the designers weren't aware of how it looked and the design may have paid off, the bakery and cafe still proudly using the logo that has taken it to international internet fame. Another example of the need to be careful using simplified human figures In general, designers need to be careful with employing the human figure in logos as so many decisions can be misinterpreted, as is demonstrated very well by this 1970s logo for the Catholic Church Archdiocesan Youth Commission. We can perhaps ascribe it to more naive times. And after all, designers can't be expected to predict all future associations that will emerge related to their clients. 06. Thomson Reuters' values This one was a bit of a clanger for the media conglomerate Thomson Reuters. The idea was presumably to suggest that the concepts on the left are the group's core values, but the image looks like a Venn diagram, a type of diagram used to show logical relations between different sets through overlapping curves. Read this way, the graphic appears to show that there is very little overlap between the values on the left and the comparably minute values of Thomson Reuters. The Washington Post even picked up on the slip and praised the company for its honesty in the ironic headline, "In refreshing change of pace, company admits it's not innovative." The lesson here is to always step back and consider whether design elements you have chosen for purely aesthetic purposes may resemble any other visual language in common use. 07. Where Milan This Italian magazine thinks little of its cover model's reputation Well-heeled travellers will have been a little taken aback when they saw this edition of Where Milan, which is published by Proedi and distributed at many of the city's most exclusive hotels. Placement of the photo cutout layered over the title makes it seem that the publishers are calling into question the reputation of their own cover model. It's an Italian publication, so the designers could perhaps be forgiven for overlooking an error when working in a foreign language, but if you're aiming at a foreign language market, you need to be able to spot a howler like this. 08. CVS chewable hair, skin and nails For the cannibal in you Another packaging delight, this nutritional supplement from CVS appears to be marketed for Hannibal Lecter. The problem here stems from making assumptions about what the customer knows and following the format of other items in a range of products rather than adapting the design. For other supplements in this range at US pharmacy chain there's no confusion. The text can read Chewable Vitamin C and no unintentionally comic meaning arises, but with this product it may have been better to clarify in an appropriately sized type that the products inside are tablets avoid skin-crawling misinterpretations. 09. Graduate photography The future's bright for new graduates these days This is apparently an advert for a graduation day photography service. Getting on the career track maybe? The light at the end of the tract representing a new dawn? Whatever the original intention, there's no getting over the fact that this graduate does not come across as overjoyed about her prospects on the modern job market. In fact, it looks like she's about to end it all by walking straight into an oncoming train. The colour tones and even the choice of font seem to only back up the impression that the intended message is more about bereavement than celebrating graduation, with the light of the oncoming train perhaps also representing some hope that there may be some better world in the next life. Always consider the mood you want to convey and ensure colours, imagery and type are on message. 10. The magic selfie stick That's not how it works Graphic designers producing promotional material and visuals for technical instructions can benefit from having a clear understanding themselves of how the product they're depicting actually works. When it comes to technology, if the visual material produced for the product doesn't get it right, what chance do the digital immigrants among the customer base have? Just as an aside, we love how retro this design for selfie stick packaging already looks. 11. Outon breathable shorts Windy shorts These cycling shorts let you fart while riding a bike. It's a neat feature, right? But really who decided it was a good idea to communicate the breathability of these padded shorts by overlaying some gas emerging from the padded rear end? Sometimes designers have to accept that no designing is needed at all and that conveying a message can be better accomplished by the accompanying text, with no need for added visual clarification. 12. Date format A little UI blooper to finish with. We're not sure why different parts of the world adopted different standard formats for expressing something as straightforward as the date and it is a phenomenon that causes problems for designers everywhere working on UI forms, but this is something that the designer should have foreseen. When you're working with dates or with any other variable content think through all of the possible scenarios that could arise. Related articles: 3 times big brands tried to be woke and failed miserably 10 painful UI fails 5 logo design fails View the full article

2019 was another banner year for bots, trojans, RATS and ransomware. Let’s take a look back. View the full article

Microsoft has just refreshed its range of Windows 10-based Surface devices and sitting at the top of the new models is this – the third generation of the Surface Laptop; Microsoft’s traditional ultraportable clamshell laptop. It doesn’t have a removable screen like its sister devices, but it still boasts a superb touch panel and you can use it with Microsoft’s Surface Pen stylus – as such it has a distinct differentiator versus Apple’s notebook lineup. Its closest competitor is undoubtedly Apple’s MacBook Air, though as with the specs across Apple’s MacBook Air range, some of the Surface Laptop configurations are similar to what you’d get inside the MacBook Pro. There are more rivals then ever in this space and Dell’s XPS 13 and HP’s Spectre range definitely join Apple and Microsoft’s efforts at the top table. The Surface Laptop 3 – like its predecessor – is available in 13.5 and 15-inch versions, but it’s the smaller model we’re reviewing. Although Microsoft’s Surface devices are available in various colour options, it’s the matt black model we’re looking at here. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3: Price The Surface Laptop 3 is a premium device and is priced accordingly. It sits above the Surface Pro in Microsoft’s range but underneath the Surface Book 2 with its detachable tablet display (where the whole screen comes off and can be used as an independent tablet). Our Core i5-based, 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD review model (£1,269) sits above the base level with its brushed black metal finish. The cheaper (£999) version uses Alcantara fabric around the keyboard and has a 128GB SSD instead. Further up the lineup you can upgrade to a Core i7 processor with 16GB RAM (£1,389), and you can also choose to upgrade the 256GB drive to 512GB (£1,679) or 1TB (£2,114). It doesn’t take a genius to deduce that the lower priced models represent decent value, but things start to get rather expensive further up the tree and you’re paying a lot for factory-fitted storage. Again you also need to pay £99 if you want to add the Surface Pen accessory but unlike with Surface Pro devices (which don’t have a trackpad) it feels less essential. You’ll probably want to get one to complete the experience, though. The metal version of the laptop is available in the aforementioned black, sandstone and platinum, while the Alcantara fabric is available in platinum and colbalt blue. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3: Power and performance In use, the Surface Laptop 3 always feels nible and quick – you’re certainly never left waiting for anything to happen. One of the advantages in buying the Surface Laptop is that you know it comes loaded with the very latest hardware under the hood. Both processor choices inside the 13-inch are from the latest 10th generation series of Intel Core processors – the 1.2Ghz Core i5-1035G7 used here and the upgrade option, which is the 1.3GHz Core i7-1065G7. Both are quad core chips, launched in late 2019. In Geekbench 4 and CInebench benchmarks, the Surface Laptop 3 comes out favourably thanks to its new processors – comfortably beating the MacBook Air and previous Surface Laptop 2. However, the increased performance does mean a little hit on battery life– we got around 8 to 9 hours in general use and that’s a touch under last year’s model and the Dell XPS 13, though it’s not that much to worry about (there’s also fast charging with this new model, too, so you can get it to 80 percent in an hour). It’s worth noting that if longevity is your wish, the MacBook Air has low power processors and will last significantly longer. The MacBook Pro is probably a better comparison in this instance and, again, you’ll get 8 to 9 hours out of that,. The 13.5-inch model has some disadvantages versus both the 15-inch model and some rival laptops in that it doesn’t have an option for dedicated graphics, instead sticking with Intel’s Iris Plus graphics. The 15-inch models boast AMD Radeon Vega or RX Vega graphics running alongside Ryzen 5 and Ryzen 7 processors. To be fair, that’s a similar situation on the MacBook Pro, where the 13-inch relies on Intel graphics with AMD Radeon Pro only available on the newer 16-inch (alongside Intel processors, though). Intel’s on board graphics are extremely capable these days, but you’re still going to want something with a bit more poke if you’re using it for intensive graphics or video work. As such, the Surface Laptop 3 isn’t a complete do-anything machine like the new 16-inch MacBook Pro or the more powerful versions of the Surface Book 2, but it’s not far off. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3: Display The 13.5-inch PixelSense display is unchanged from the previous two generations. This is a bit of a growing trend in the laptop space and clearly manufacturers feel boundary-pushing isn’t necessary at present. Remember that brighter and more pixel dense displays always have a hit on battery life, so it’s probably a compromise not willing to be made by consumers. The good news is that the 13.5-inch PixelSense display is still absolutely superb with a 2,256x1,504 resolution which works out at 201ppi. The one disadvantage of this display compared to some rivals such as the HP Spectre x360 is that it does not fold flat and that’s a little bit of a disadvantage for creatives. Microsoft would obviously argue that with the Surface Pro and Surface Book it offers other options for that market. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3: Other features So what else is new with this version of the Surface Laptop? One of the headline features is undoubtedly that Microsoft has joined rivals in including USB-C as a key method of connectivity on its latest Surface devices instead of Mini DisplayPort. However, it has decided to stick with its proprietary Surface Connect standard for charging. This is unnecessary and by having Surface Connect on board alongside a solitary USB-C and one USB-A port, it shows that Microsoft is hedging its bets rather than having the conviction of rivals to move to USB-C for power, data and video. Worse still is the fact that the USB-C ports included don’t include compatibility with Thunderbolt 3; that’s a big miss for those who need to speedily access large amounts of data. The trackpad has also been improved this time – it’s now 20 percent bigger than it was (not that it was small previously) – while Surface keyboards remain some of the best around. There’s also compatibility with the new Wi-Fi 6 standard, too. And yes, you get a headphone jack. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3: Should you buy it? The headline is that one of the best ultraportable laptops on the market just got better. There are still a couple of niggles – like the lack of Thunderbolt 3 support – but broadly the picture painted by the Surface Laptop 3 is a rosy one. It feels great to use and beats the MacBook Air on performance. However, it isn’t the cheapest as you move up the model lineup. And it will only appeal to a subset of the creative market, too - because it doesn't have the option to take things a step further with the graphics, its not an option when you compare it to the higher end versions of the Surface Book 2 and MacBook Pro series. In a way, plumping for a Surface Laptop means you're prioritising portability. That may be no bad thing if, say, you've got another machine that you can use as your main creative tool. Certainly, video editors will need to look elsewhere. But, as an ultraportable, there are few better on the market and there's not a lot to choose between this, the MacBook Air and another of our favourites, the Dell XPS 13. View the full article

With a plethora of digital portfolios, online magazines and social media profiles available at the click of a button, it's easier than ever to find inspiration from within the design world. But sometimes the sheer amount of noise and competing ideas can overwhelm and a spark is needed from elsewhere. Stepping away from the places you normally seek inspiration can open a whole world of creative resources and unexpected ideas. Here are seven of the best unexpected sources of inspiration that have fired designer's imaginations and a look at how they can inspire you more than any mood board. 10 apps for endless design inspiration 01. Nature Kingfishers inspired Japan's Shinkansen bullet trains This shouldn't be unexpected at all since the natural world has had a huge influence on many forms of design, from biomimicry in product design to skeuomorphic features in UI. Japan's streamlined Shinkansen bullet trains exist thanks to the fact that their engineer Eiji Nakatsu was a keen birdwatcher. He based the noses of the trains on the shape of kingfishers' beaks to reduce impact when trains enter tunnels, and he added structures to the pantographs to create small vortices mimicking the serrations on owls' feathers in order to reduce noise. Birds, trees, bugs, mountains and valleys – there's no end to sources of inspiration in the natural world, especially if you look at things close up and see the details in the colours, textures and patterns that many people don't give a second glance. Get up and get out, take a walk and see what nature can tell you. 02. Architecture The Centre Pompidou in Paris was the unlikely inspiration for Nike Air What do Nike Air trainers have to do with French Structural Expressionism? Everything, it turns out. Nike's vice president of design Tinker Hatfield, himself an architect, took his inspiration for one of the world's most popular sports shoes the landmark art gallery, the Centre Pompidou in Paris. Hatfield found his inspiration in the colours and exposed systems of Renzo Piano's airy "inside out" architecture, which reveals all the elements that would normally be hidden behind walls, including plumbing, ventilation shafts and the escalator. And who knows how the Star Wars stormtroopers might look had George Lucas not visited Catalan architect Antonio Gaudí's La Pedrera in Barcelona, with its twisted chimneys. No small number of architects have crossed into UI design attracted by its faster pace of development, and it's not surprising that they bring a keen eye for aesthetics. So look up and around you. Even if you're not near any famous buildings, there are likely minor architectural gems nearby that can offer inspiration in their forms, shapes, colours and other details. 03. Travel Challenge your ideas by travelling And if not, then travel is another great source of inspiration. Fabric and wallpaper company C.W. Stockwell's timeless banana leaf print Martinique was developed by the company's owners and botanical illustrator Albert Stockdale following a trip to the Carribean in 1941. Sure, they could have found visual inspiration in photographs or books, but what they were really inspired to recreate was not just the imagery of the places they had visited, but the lush exuberance of their experiences there. Immersing yourself in another geography and culture away from your usual stimuli is a great way to broaden your visual library and also to challenge your assumptions about what works where. Break out of your comfort zone and open your eyes to new possibilities by taking in everything you see, from the fonts used on public transport systems to packaging design in shops, graffiti tags on walls and the shapes of new and exotic fruit in the markets. You never know when it might inspire something completely unrelated. 04. The High Street Despite the downturn the High Street still provides inspiration The High Street might be in decline but it can still be an immense source of inspiration. We often highly curate our own social experiences and consumption, which can limit our perspective. A trip to the High Street is a great way to stay in touch with pop culture and current affairs, which can all inspire great design and even architecture – architect Elenberg Fraser was reportedly inspired to design the Premier Tower under construction in Melbourne after seeing Beyonce's curves in a video in a shop. Touch things and see them in context. Notice what's on the covers of magazines you wouldn't normally read, and on T-shirts you wouldn't wear, and seek out charity shops and flea markets; they can produce inspiring ephemera and props. 05. Books Libraries are great archives of ideas The library is another place where you can discover sources of inspiration that you may not normally turn to, and more than could ever be on anyone's watch list. Decades' worth of books, newspapers, magazines and journals bring access to old typefaces and layouts that can provide great inspiration for novel period designs. Children's books are a great place to turn to for inspiration for illustration and colours, and it can also be good to have a knowledge of the classics. Gianni Versace turned to mythology when he needed a logo for his new couture line in the late 1970s and found the Medusa as the ultimate symbol of fatal attraction. Many libraries also stock other items such as board games, which can have inspiring layouts, colour schemes and other graphic elements. Time to renew your library card! 06. People People watching can be one of the greatest inspirations of all It's not only the objects around us that provide inspiration, but also people. The idea for the UX at the heart of Facebook's omnipresent News Feed came about less through thinking about technology and more through observing human social psychology, specifically the innate human love of gossip. Former Facebook head of brand design Paul Adams has said the News Feed was inspired by how people communicated in small towns in the past and that the company had aimed to create a digital version of the town square in which news would spread just as fast in a large online community as it would in a small town. Being aware of how people behave and interact can inspire compelling design that appeals to users. 07. Food It seems it's easier to create on a full stomach Philippe Starck's almost 30-year-old Alessi Juicy Salif remains an icon of industrial design, but where did he find the inspiration for a sculpture-like lemon squeezer that looks like a squid? From eating squid, it turns out. Starck jotted down the idea on a napkin after polishing off a plate of calamari with lemon on holiday on the Italian island of Capraia in 1989. If you're lacking inspiration, go for something to eat. Whether you go to Mirazur or your local kebab joint, think about the combinations of colours, textures, flavours and sensations to get the creative, as well as digestive, juices going. Related articles: Where to find logo design inspiration The best online art galleries for on-the-go inspiration 5 inspiring web design case studies View the full article

Christmas is almost upon us, which means the Boxing Day sales are imminent. Now, we don't know about you, but after a few days of indulging in rich food and lots of wine (or is that just us?) a comfy seat on the sofa and bit of retail therapy is just what we need to fend off those post-Christmas blues. The after Christmas sales offer a great opportunity to grab any creative kit you either didn't get from Santa, or have been saving for all year. Historically it's a time when retailers try to rid their shelves of 2019 stock and therefore drop prices staggeringly low. So if you've been holding out to get a new tablet, need a stylus for your new device or want some new creative software to kick the new year off, you've come to the right place. Here at Creative Bloq we're constantly scouring all the reputable retail sites for all the best offers across the Boxing Day and after Christmas sales, and curating the best savings just for you. Read on to find out how and where to get the best deals on a range of creative kit for designers of all kinds, from illustrators to graphic designers to 3D artists. Scroll down for a detailed look at how to make the biggest savings, or if you know what you want, use the quick links below to jump to all the biggest sales happening right now! We may be a week away from Christmas but it seems some retailers can't wait to get their Boxing Day sales started and are already offering some great savings – just in time for the big day. Here are where the best pre Christmas and Boxing Day sales are happening right now. Adobe Creative Cloud – Over 60% off Photoshop, Illustrator and more for students and teachers Amazon – Huge savings across the board in Amazon's last minute Christmas deals Currys – Save up to 70% on laptops, monitors and more Best Buy – Holiday deals for all, plus don't miss its 12 Days of Deals offer Walmart – Huge savings on iPads, monitors, Lego and much more John Lewis – Need some cheap Lego? This is the place to go Microsoft Store – Savings across the full Surface range Very – Unmissable deals on creative hardware AO – Huge discounts on a range of tech and electricals Argos.co.uk – top savings on monitors, electrical items and more for Christmas Simba Sleep – Huge savings on high-quality mattresses (because every creative needs a good night's sleep, right?) 01. Adobe Boxing Day sale and After Christmas sale Adobe has offered huge savings throughout 2019 Adobe Boxing Day sale – We're going out on a limb a little here as we don't actually know if Adobe has plans to get involved with the Boxing Day sales. However, if the past 12 months are anything to go by, there's a high chance the creative software giant will come up with some kind of offer over the holiday period. Black Friday saw Adobe reduce it's annual Creative Cloud subscription plan by a whopping 40%, so here's hoping the company follows suit to see in the new year. As always, if it does, we'll be the first to let you know. 02. Amazon Boxing Day sale and After Christmas sale Amazon Boxing Day sale – The Boxing Day sale fun on Amazon hasn't quite begun just yet, mainly because the company is offering some stellar discounts in its last minute Christmas deals. But Amazon is definitely a Boxing Day sale to watch out for if you're on the hunt for some new, cheap creative kit. We're expecting big savings on everything from iPads, graphics tablets, external hard drives, art supplies, Surface Pros and much, much more. 03. Apple Boxing Day sale and After Christmas sale Apple Boxing Day sale – We used to liken finding a discounted Apple device used to stumbling across a unicorn. Impossible, basically. But the last couple of years we've been pleasantly surprised by the, frankly, impressive savings that have come up. Black Friday 2019 saw retailers place huge reductions on a plethora of Apple products, most notably the new 2019 iPad, AirPods and 16-inch MacBook Pro. We're super hopeful similar offers will surface in the Boxing Day sales, so much so we've set up a dedicated Apple Boxing Day sale post to help you find the biggest savings on your device of choice. 04. Microsoft Boxing Day sale and After Christmas sale Microsoft Boxing Day sale – Microsoft released a range of new products in October, many of which we were surprised to see included in many great Black Friday offers. The Surface Pro 7 is hugely popular among creative professionals, as is Microsoft's new and improved Surface Book 2. There's also the Surface Pro X, which has, unsurprisingly, had zero discounts applied so far this year. But being that we weren't expecting the new products to see any reductions either, maybe the tech giant is waiting for the after Christmas sales to release a deal on its powerful new device (although we're not holding our breath). If the recent Black Friday offers on other Microsoft devices are anything to go by, we can expect to see some huge savings in the Boxing Day sales. 05. Walmart Boxing Day sale and After Christmas sale Walmart Boxing Day sale – If you're in the US, you'll want to bookmark this page. Walmart has been knocking it out of the park for the last few months when it comes to price cuts, and, from the looks of it, there's much more in store. The main after Christmas sale – or week, as Walmart is calling it – begins on the 26th, but you'll find lots of great deals now and up to the main event. Expect some very attractive deals on iPads, MacBooks, monitors, headphones and much more. 06. John Lewis Boxing Day sale and After Christmas sale John Lewis Boxing Day sale – John Lewis is already gearing up for the Boxing Day sales with some great offers (you can currently save big on some of the best Lego sets for adults). When it comes to creative gear, these guys have it in abundance, selling everything from Apple and Microsoft hardware, to art supplies and office furniture (new chair, anyone?). As one of the UK's most trusted retailers, you can be safe in the knowledge that any purchase made at John Lewis comes with an excellent guarantee (on some tech it can last up to 5 years) and its 'never knowingly undersold' promise. This means if you find the same product for a lower price at a UK mainland high street competitor, you can make a price match request. Winner. 07. Best Buy Boxing Day sale and After Christmas sale Best Buy Boxing Day sale – Another one for those of you in the US, Best Buy was on fire with deals in the lead up to and all throughout Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The most impressive discounts for creatives were undoubtedly on the Surface Pro 6 and 7, and various MacBook Pro models (including the 16-inch version). Best Buy has continued it's impressive deal momentum since then, right now offering a whole host of attractive holiday deals. And all of this bodes very well for the Boxing Day sales, which we predict will see some of Best Buy's biggest savings of the year. Can't wait until then? Check out Best Buy's 12 Deals of Christmas offers, plus save up to $500 on select Surface devices right now. The Boxing Day sales have evolved a bit in the last few years, and while the name refers to one specific day, the sales actually last much longer than just 24 hours. This year we're already seeing some retailers kick off their Boxing Day sales and we're still a week away from Christmas. The sales will almost certainly last up to the end of the year, when the New Year sales will come in to play. The short answer is that anytime between now and the beginning of January, you stand a good chance of making a great saving. However, make sure to research the items you want to buy first and check that whatever discount is being offered is actually a good deal. Boxing Day sales has never been a recognised retail event in the US. However, the 26 December usually marks the start of many US retailers 'after Christmas sales', which is basically the same thing. US-based retail giants like Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy are already offering some excellent last-minute Christmas deals, and we fully expect such offers to continue throughout the holiday period. Happy shopping! View the full article

Twitter for Android users are urged to update their app to fend off a security bug that allows hackers to access private account data and control accounts to send tweets and direct messages. View the full article

Netflix is the birthplace of chaos engineering, an increasingly significant approach to how complex modern technology architectures are developed. It essentially means that as you’re binging on your favourite Netflix show, the platform is testing its software while you watch. (Take a look at alternative user testing software.) The practice of chaos engineering began when Netflix’s core business was online DVD rentals. A single database corruption meant a big systems outage, which delayed the shipping of DVDs for three days. This prompted Netflix’s engineers to migrate from a monolithic on-premises software stack to a distributed cloud-based architecture running on Amazon Web Services (AWS). While users of a distributed architecture and hundreds of micro-services benefitted from the elimination of a single point of failure, it created a much more complex system to manage and maintain. This consequently resulted in the counterintuitive realisation that in order to avoid any possibility of failure, the Netflix engineering team needed to get used to failing regularly! 10 painful UI fails (and what you can learn from them) Enter Chaos Monkey: Netflix’s unique tool that enables users to roam across its intricate architecture and cause failures in random places and at arbitrary intervals throughout the systems. Through its implementation, the team was able to quickly verify if the services were robust and resilient enough to overcome unplanned incidents. This was the beginning of chaos engineering – the practice of experimenting on a distributed system to build confidence in the system’s capability to withstand turbulent conditions in production and unexpected failures. Chaos Monkey’s open source licence permits a growing number of organisations like Amazon, Google and Nike to use chaos engineering in their architectures. But how chaotic can chaos engineering really get? Chaos Monkey is used by an increasing number of organisations Successful chaos engineering includes a series of thoughtful, planned and controlled experiments, designed to demonstrate how your systems behave in the face of failure. Ironically, this sounds like the opposite of chaos. However, practitioners must keep in mind that the goal is learning in order to prepare for the unexpected. Modern software systems are often too complex to fully interpret, so this discipline is about performing experiments to expose all elements of the unknown. A chaos engineering experiment expands our knowledge about systemic weaknesses. Before chaos engineering can be put into practice, you must first have some level of steadiness in your systems. We do not recommend inducing chaos if you are constantly fighting fires. If that’s in place, here are some key tips for conducting successful chaos engineering experiments: 01. Figure out steady systems Begin by identifying metrics that indicate your systems are healthy and functioning as they should. Netflix uses ‘streams per second’ – the rate at which customers press the play button on a video streaming device – to measure its steady state. 02. Create a hypothesis Every experiment needs a hypothesis to test. As you’re trying to disrupt the steady state your hypothesis should look something like, 'When we do X, there should be no change in the steady state of this system’. All chaos engineering activities should involve real experiments, using real unknowns. 03. Consider real world scenarios For optimal results, think: ‘What could go wrong?’ and then simulate that. Ensure you prioritise potential errors too. Chaos engineering might seem scary at first but when done in a controlled way, it can be invaluable for understanding how complex modern systems can be made more resilient and robust. Learning to embrace organised chaos will help your teams fully understand the efficiency and resiliency of your systems against hazardous conditions. This article was originally published in issue 324 of net, the world's best-selling magazine for web designers and developers. Buy issue 324 or subscribe to net today. Related articles: 3 big reasons Agile projects fail (and how to avoid them) 8 steps to inclusive web design 7 fantastic design fails – and what we can learn from them View the full article

It's nearly Christmas, in case you hadn't noticed. And in the spirit of festive cheer, Supremo has updated its popular online game, Its Centered That with a seasonal new look. The game challenges users to decide whether dots are in the centre of shapes. Previously, these were the usual standard shapes, triangles and the like. But now, you get to guess whether or not the dot is in the centre of robins, reindeer and Christmas presents (really, still just a square, but there's a bow to liven things up). You even get to click on Rudolf the green-nosed reindeer to say 'yes', the dot is in the centre. Or Rudolf the red-nosed reindeer to say 'no'. The game doesn't state that his name is Rudolf, but we will assume so (see our Christmas vectors if you'd like some more seasonal shapes in your life). Supremo's quiz is harder than it sounds, but it's game over once you get one wrong. Your failure is expressed in the somewhat upsetting form of a pooh emoji over your screen, and then a sad Santa, so you may end up trying over and over again until you up your score. And even the most experienced among you with the sharpest eyes for proportions may not have finely tuned your skills when it comes to identifying the centre of a reindeer. Unless you've been really concentrating hard on making your Christmas cards, that is. Check out the Its Centered That seasonal game here and let us know how you do on Twitter or Facebook. If you're after more festive fun, then see our review of IKEA's festive advert, or our analysis of this year's John Lewis TV ad. Read more: MPC Vancouver closes doors after Sonic fiasco Controversial 'Cocaine Santa' Christmas jumper becomes this year's hottest seller Burger King trolls banana artwork with a French fry View the full article

The news isn't known for being positive and sometimes it feels like the whole world is full of doom and gloom. Well, one illustrator decided to counteract the negativity and created The Happy Broadcast, designed to be anxiety-free news. Mauro Gatti describes his project as a "counter hate and fear culture project that features weekly illustrated positive news from around the world." Bright and personality-filled, they provide an antidote to the darkness of mainstream news. (If you'd like to create some illustrations of your own, check out our pick of the best Illustrator tutorials). Gatti engages with followers on Instagram to spread positive thinking Gatti began the project in early 2018 and now has over 220,000 followers on Instagram alone. As well as posting news-based illustrations, Gatti uses Instagram Stories to spread positivity, posting questions with a mental health focus and encouraging his followers to answer by posting responses. With topics spanning from animal preservation to equality law, a positive focus on news doesn't mean fluffy news stories. "We are often bombarded with fear-mongering and shocking headlines that make us feel that the world is falling apart," Gatti says. "While it’s important to report problems and issues, I believe there is so much good in this world that just needs to be found and promoted. "The Happy Broadcast also feature a guest artist each week and so far we've been able to collaborate with amazing artists from all around the world." The Happy Broadcast is a great example of how illustration can be used in sync with real life events. With illustration set to become more prominent in 2020, we wonder how else it'll be used by designers and artists. Read more: The 6 best Illustrator alternatives How to move from animation to illustration 6 websites that use illustration brilliantly View the full article

A tablet keyboard can transform your device into a mini laptop so you can work wherever you happen to be. It's a setup that works particularly well if you're a creative who spends a lot of time travelling, and makes replying to emails, preparing invoices and carrying out everyday admin far easier than typing on a touchscreen. If you've already got one of the best tablets with a stylus and want to add one of these accessories, there are two main types of tablet keyboard to consider: Bluetooth devices, and ones that connect directly using pin connectors. Bluetooth keyboards can be used with pretty much any device, but they require batteries that have to be recharged or replaced. Keyboards that use pins are only compatible with a specific tablet model, but without batteries, they are slimmer and lighter than their Bluetooth counterparts. When you're choosing a tablet keyboard, it's worth looking out for one with a built-in trackpad, which will make navigation feel more natural. Keyboards that double as stands are also a good choice, holding your tablet at a comfortable viewing angle while you type. Here, we've rounded up the very best tablet keyboards for every tablet (whether it's running iPadOS, Windows or Android), with options for every budget. The Apple Smart Keyboard for iPad connects to your tablet using Apple's proprietary Smart Connector, so you can simply snap it into place and start typing (there's no need to spend time pairing via Bluetooth). It works with the iPad 10.2 (2019), iPad Air (2019) and iPad Pro 10.5 (2019), and although it lacks a trackpad, it provides a full-sized keyboard for comfortable typing while adding barely any bulk or weight. The Smart Keyboard doubles as a thin, light cover for your tablet, but it won't protect the back of the device, so it's worth investing in a proper case as well to avoid scuffs and scratches. A great choice for frequent travellers who want to get more done on public transport and in shared workspaces. The Apple Smart Keyboard Folio is a seriously expensive piece of kit, but if you've already invested heavily in an iPad Pro for your creative work then the extra cost could be easy to justify - particularly as it'll help you get more value from your tablet. The Smart Keyboard Folio won't spoil your iPad Pro's looks thanks to its super thin design, and connecting it is a simple matter of bringing it close to your tablet's Smart Connector and letting the magnets do the work. Unlike the standard Smart Keyboard above, this one protects both sides of your tablet so there's no need for a separate cover. It's a shame that it lacks a trackpad at this price point, but it does hold your tablet at a convenient working angle. This particular Smart Keyboard Folio is designed for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, but a version for the 11-inch iPad Pro is also available. Built from premium materials, the Microsoft Surface Pro Signature Type Cover works hard to justify its price. The glass trackpad is a particularly welcome addition, and feels pleasingly smooth under your fingertips. This top-end tablet keyboard also features mechanical keys, which many designers find more pleasant to type on than spongy switches, and the whole thing is finished with either microfiber or Alcantara (a stain-resistant fabric often used in car interiors). There are Windows function buttons built in too, plus media keys. It's a shame that Microsoft Surface tablets don't come with Type Covers as standard, as they make using Windows applications feel much more natural. If you own a Surface Pro, it's a must-have. The Surface Go is essentially a miniature Surface Pro, so it comes as no surprise that the Microsoft Surface Go Signature Type Cover is a smaller version of the keyboard above. It packs all of the same features as its larger counterpart, including a smooth glass trackpad for accurate navigation, a full set of function keys, and media buttons. We also particularly like the backlighting, which makes it easier to use if you need to catch up on client emails last thing before bed. The only drawback (other than its rather steep price) is the fact that its mechanical keys can be a little on the noisy side, and might prove distracting if you're working anywhere particularly quiet. In a busy co-working space, you'll be fine. If your tablet doesn't have a proprietary keyboard cover, or your budget won't stretch to Microsoft or Apple's own peripherals, the Logitech Universal Folio could be the perfect solution. Although it's not the most stylish keyboard around, it's very versatile, working with any 9-10in tablet that supports Bluetooth 4, and holding it in place securely with adjustable corner fastenings. It's splash-proof too, in case of coffee spillages while you're preparing pitches on the train. The Logitech Universal Folio lacks a trackpad, but you do get dedicated function buttons, which help you work more effectively and avoid having to memorize awkward keyboard shortcuts. It runs on coin cell batteries, which Logitech says will last two years, but can't be recharged once they run down. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet Thin Keyboard is another premium tablet keyboard that uses a simple pin connection to avoid tricky Bluetooth pairing. It comes in three colors (black, silver and red), and you can even choose to have Lenovo's signature TrackPoint nestled among the blacklit keys in addition to the large trackpad that supports multi-touch gestures. It supports three keyboard positions too, so you can choose the most comfortable option whether you're working at a cafe, on your lap, or presenting to a client. It carries a premium price tag, but if you have a Lenovo ThinkPad X1 tablet then it'll be well worth the investment, effectively putting a full ThinkPad laptop at your disposal. True to its name, the Microsoft Universal Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard can connect to virtually anything, including PCs, Macs, phones, tablets and smart TVs, making it an ideal travelling companion. Once it's set up, simply opening the keyboard will put it in pairing mode so it can connect to your tablet automatically, and closing it will shut it down again to conserve battery power (it can be recharged when flat). Any hinge is a potential weak point with regular use, but Microsoft's heritage in PC peripherals shines through and this keyboard doesn't flex in use like some of the cheaply made copies available on Amazon. If you want a folding keyboard, this is our top recommendation. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Book Cover Keyboard borrows several design cues from Microsoft's Surface Type Covers. It links to your tablet via a magnetic pin connector, so you can start typing immediately, and browsing the web with the large trackpad. It also offers a full set of function keys for quick access to common tasks, plus a holder for the Samsung Galaxy S-Pen, if you have one. Unlike some folio keyboards, this one has a magnetic closure to keep your tablet's screen protected in your bag. It's a shame that the materials aren't quite as luxurious as Microsoft's (we're talking plastic rather than Alcantara and glass), but this is nevertheless a great addition to your Tab that'll let you leave your laptop at home for light work. The Logitech K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard works with PC, Mac, Chrome OS, Android and iOS, and connects via either Bluetooth or Logitech Unifying Receiver (a tiny USB device that's included with the keyboard). There's a lot to like about this versatile keyboard. It features a non-slip cradle for your tablet, hotkeys for switching between apps, and you a full number pad. It's powered by two pre-installed AAA batteries that are rated for three years, but can be easily replaced when necessary. If you're thinking of upgrading your tablet soon or want something that'll work well with your phone too, the K780 is a great choice. It's whisper quiet too, though you may prefer the more solid feeling of mechanical keys. Read more: View the full article

The Cats movie opened on 20 Dec, and to say it did not go down well would be an incredible understatement. However, within tsunami of criticism were comments on the unfinished-looking special effects – it aimed to join the ranks of the best 3D movie effects in 2019 and missed, badly. So egregious were the errors, that on the day of release, Universal notified thousands of cinemas that it would be sending out a new version of the film with updated CGI, in a move that is 'unheard of' for a film that's already been released. The news comes via a memo obtained by the The Hollywood Reporter, which detailed: "The updated movie will be available to download Sunday via a satellite server, while exhibitors who don't have access to the server will receive a hard drive by Tuesday, per Universal's note. The studio is asking that theaters replace the current print of Cats as soon as possible." Ouch. Cheap Disney Plus subscription is the best last-minute Christmas gift That hand doesn't look very cat-like, Judi Since the story broke, movie-goers have been taking to social media to share some of the VFX clunkers that made it into the original film (see our roundup of the worst CGI fails for more awkward errors). Jenelle Riley tweeted the image above with the comment: "This isn’t a joke: CATS was rushed into theaters before being finished so a new version is being sent to theaters with updated effects. How do you know if you have the old version? Look for Judi Dench’s human hand, wedding ring and all." "[It's] just not finished... I witnessed an entire man, knit cap and coat, just standing in a scene among a gathering of cats. I saw a terrifying grey statue looming over a character, only for it to blink and realise it’s a woman who is a cat, but they coloured her and then forgot to add fur," reported Gizmodo. Another Twitter user shared a screengrab – taken from the official trailer, nonetheless – that shows Rebel Wilson's Jennyanydots with a similarly un-cat-like hand-in-sleeve situation (read our take on the Cats trailers here). Another suspiciously human hand makes it on screen Cats Tom Hooper has been open about the last-minute rush to get all the effects finished in time. At the movie's premiere he announced he'd finished just hours beforehand, following a 36-hour final push. It's not the first CGI scandal of 2019, either. Earlier in the year, the huge backlash prompted by the Sonic the Hedgehog trailer prompted Paramount to go back to the drawing board and redesign the titular character in double-quick time, which may or may not have contributed to the VFX studio behind the film having to close its doors. And while it seems, from the almost unanimous critical mauling Cats is getting, that unfinished VFX isn't the sum of this movie's problems, it does seem another clear sign that if you're going to make a movie where CG plays such a pivotal role, it's vital to afford the team the time and resources to develop and complete that element properly. [Read the original Hollywood Reporter article] Read more: Lion King character redesigns highlight the problem with realistic CGI 35 greatest CGI movie moments of all time The best 3D modelling software 2020 View the full article