Footy Classified`s Eddie McGuire reveals the exclusive details on the AFL`s plans for a fixture revamp. Read...

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Financial worries and fundraising rows inflamed boardroom battle that engulfed Sentebale, insiders claim. Read...

There’s been a lot of speculation on when, or if, Microsoft will throw its hat into the ring with an Xbox-branded handheld, either in console or PC form. Unconfirmed leaks indicate that something along those lines could be coming as soon as this year—and if a new promo from Asus is to be believed, they might be the ones to deliver it. Asus is one of the more visible brands that created handheld gaming PCs in the wake of the Steam Deck, with both the ROG Ally and the upgraded ROG Ally X. A new promo video that debuted on the company’s Twitter/X shows a telling little cartoon: the Omni mascot robot gets into a chamber with an ROG Ally and a Raikiri Pro, an Asus-branded PC/Xbox controller. The resultant mishap appears to splice them all together into a shadowy handheld with an Ally-style configuration and LED rings around the thumbsticks. The video in and of itself would only be mildly suggestive of Xbox-ness, but as Xbox Era notes, the post includes the hashtag #PlayALLYourGames, and Microsoft’s official Xbox Twitter account replied with a meme post. Between the rumors and the mild branding tag-team, there’s definitely something brewing here. I would guess that it’s a slightly tweaked version of the ROG Ally X, running Windows 11, which comes with some Xbox branding. The hashtag indicates to me that Game Pass streaming will be a big part of the package. Microsoft could bolster the partnership by giving the handheld pride of place in its retail and online stores, or by putting it into the same places you can buy Xbox consoles, like Walmart and Target in the US. Little snippets in the video—like “Marathon stamina,” “More capacity,” and “Faster speed”—could be indicative of hardware upgrades. Or meaningless fluff. Flip a coin. But I very much doubt that this is a full-blown “handheld Xbox” that plays game files intended only for the console. If nothing else, with most of Xbox’s biggest “exclusives” also available on PC either as standard games or streaming on Game Pass, it would be a lot of extra work to make a smaller, less-powerful Xbox console that would arguably be less capable than something like the Steam Deck, or even the older Ally designs. There’s no mention of a date in the video, even in preview form. (Oh, and in case you’re wondering: the post was made on March 31st. It could be April Fool’s related, but that seems unlikely given the lack of any real attempt at humor.) We’ll have to be patient to see what Asus—and Microsoft?—are cooking up. Read...

With Meshnet, the VPN service NordVPN offers a function for securely connecting multiple devices. If Meshnet is activated in the desktop app on the PC and on in the app on a mobile device, it works like a secure LAN connection. Up to 10 of your own devices or up to 50 other NordVPN users can be connected directly to each other. This makes Meshnet suitable for sharing files, teamwork, and multiplayer games, for example. With just a few taps, you can send a document, photo, or video from your smartphone to other users and devices — securely and encrypted directly. The action must be confirmed there and the file is saved locally moments later. Once set up, Meshnet works like a secure local area network (LAN): It connects PCs, smart phones, tablets, and other devices directly with each other via an app.NordVPN There are no restrictions on the size or type of file that can be transferred. On Windows computers, the Meshnet function is also available directly via the context menu from File Explorer. The function is part of all paid NordVPN subscriptions. NordVPN Read our review Best Prices Today: $3.39 at NordVPN (Monthly) Meshnet is also useful for online gamers. The gaming VPN can offer maximum speed with low latency. The lower the ping time, the better the gaming experience. If several gamers have connected to a multiplayer game via Meshnet, a secure, encrypted, and optimized connection is established between the computers. Further reading: I swore ExpressVPN was the best. Then I switched to NordVPN Read...

The Nintendo Switch 2 might be landing tomorrow—if not, then at least we should be getting details about pre-ordering and when to expect the handheld to arrive. If you plan on getting one, then it’s time to start preparing… and one thing you’ll want is extra storage space for games. That means you’re going to need a fast and spacious microSD card, and it just so happens that SanDisk’s special 256GB microSD card is only $21 at Amazon right now. This one’s licensed for the Nintendo Switch and themed with a Mario Super Star, plus performant enough to handle your games with aplomb. With a 22% discount, this is a fun and practical get. This SanDisk microSD card supports read speeds of up to 100 MB/s and write speeds of up to 90 MB/s, which is enough to move files and save data in a flash while reliably backing up all your game data. And even though rumors say that the Nintendo Switch 2 will feature a bit more storage space than the Switch, it’s way too easy to run out of space with how big modern games have gotten. One microSD card is the minimum! So take advantage of this timely deal and get yourself the 256GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch microSD card on sale before the Switch 2 launches. (Other themes are also on sale, but not at this price. The Pikachu version is $30 while the Fortnite Cuddle Team Leader version is $26. All of them have the exact same specs.) Add an extra 256GB to your Nintendo Switch 2 for just $21Buy now at Amazon Read...

The sentencing judge says Kyle Shaw made a `menacing threat` against Shirley Ballas and her family. Read...

The six-part series sees Mr Cain explore the issues faced by young men on the fringes of society. Read...

If you’re playing audio on a desktop replacement laptop with a six-speaker-strong configuration, something like the Razer Blade 18 with its four woofers, two tweeters, and additional three smart amps, then you’re probably not going to be lacking volume in your media. Then again, if you’re rocking a four-, or two-speaker system in a light and thin laptop, then even when Windows’ volume setting is 100 percent, your audio is likely to still be underwhelming at times. In that case you’re going to want to tune your volume past Windows’ 100 percent volume limit. Some guides recommend using Windows Volume Mixer to do this, but Windows Volume Mixer generally won’t give you the option to surpass 100 percent for each app or program. Changing the registry isn’t advisable either since it can cause system instability. You’re better off using the following methods… What to do… Method 1: Use VLC media player VLC media player is available for download on the Microsoft store so it’s readily available. Just a disclaimer: You may not want to raise the volume to VLC’s maximum 300 percent volume since this could damage your speakers. Here’s what to do: First download and install the VLC app from the Microsoft store. Select Tools from the top menu, then Preferences. Below Show Settings toggle All. From the left select Main Interfaces, then Qt. Scroll down on the right until you see the category Maximum Volume displayed. In the box, type the value of the volume setting above 100 percent you want. Now close the tab to save your new setting. Dominic Bayley / Foundry Method 2: Install a Chrome extension If it’s just a Chrome webpage you want to raise your volume in, then Volume Master will do the trick. This will work in YouTube too, so you can use it to view the channels you subscribe to. Search for Volume Master in the Chrome Web Store. Then click Add to Chrome to make it available in Chrome. Now click the Extension button (which looks like a puzzle piece) at the top of your screen to open the extension. Choose the tab for the media that you want to raise the volume in. Use the slider to boost the volume by a value up to 600 percent. Volume Master extension works in the Chrome browser.  Dominic Bayley / Foundry Method 3: Via an Equalizer tool Most equalizer apps have to be purchased, but Equalizer APO, is open source so it’s free to download. It’s not officially supported on Windows 11, but the Windows 10 version still works for most users. Here’s how best to use it. First download Equalizer APO. Extract the zip file and launch the installer. Follow the installation instructions until you see the window named Configurator. Select the playback device that you want the Equalizer APO device to use. This will be either your speakers or headphones. Once you’ve finished the installation restart your PC. Back in Windows open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Program Files\Equalizer APO\ and open the config folder. Open config.txt with the Notepad app and change the value displayed in dB. You can change this to a maximum 20dB, but you’ll probably find 10- or 15dB is an acceptable volume boost. Changing the preamp value in Equalizer APO’s config.txt. Dominic Bayley / Foundry Tip: For best results with each of these methods you’ll want to raise the volume in increments at first to find the maximum volume you can achieve before the sound gets distorted. Remember to listen to your media at safe levels that won’t damage your hearing or your device’s speakers. Further reading: Best budget computer speakers 2025: Solid PC audio for $100 or less Read...

There are so many benefits to a docking station for your laptop, especially if you feel like your laptop doesn’t have enough ports for all your peripherals and accessories. And if you don’t have one, today’s your lucky day because this super-fast Plugable Thunderbolt 4 dock is just $75 on Amazon right now. That’s a whopping 42% off! A Thunderbolt 4 port looks like a USB-C port, but it’s a magical all-in-solution that can connect everything from high-resolution displays and ultra-fast storage drives to power chargers, all through a single cable. And while Thunderbolt 4 ports have become increasingly popular on modern laptops, docks with such ports continue to be rather pricey. That’s why this deal is so dang hot. Plugable’s 3-in-1 model turns a single Thunderbolt 4 port into three, allowing you to connect even more devices to your laptop while delivering 60W laptop charging through the hub. (You will, of course, need a laptop with at least one built-in Thunderbolt 4 to take full advantage of this. If you only have a regular USB-C port, this dock may not perform optimally.) With this dock, you’ll be able to transfer files at 40Gbps and connect two 4K displays at 60Hz each (or one 8K display with a Windows device or two 6K@60Hz monitors with a MacBook). It also comes with a USB-C-to-HDMI-2.0 adapter, allowing you to hook up a 4K HDMI display through the dock despite it not having any HDMI ports. If you have a Thunderbolt 4 laptop and wish you had more ports, it doesn’t get better than this. Grab Plugable’s 3-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 dock for just $75 on Amazon (was $130) and come out a winner. Save 42% on this Thunderbolt 4 dock with HDMI adapter includedBuy now at Amazon Read...