YouTube can stream 8K videos to your Meta Quest 3 – even though its displays aren’t 8K

Following news that Meta’s Quest 3’s getting some big mixed reality upgrades including an AI that can recognize furniture and improved passthrough quality, there’s yet another improvement on the way this time for one of my favorite Quest apps: YouTube.

That’s because the VR version of the video-sharing platform now supports 8K video playback on Quest 3 – up from the previous max of 4K.

To turn it on make sure you’re running YouTube VR app version 1.54 or later, then boot up a video that supports 8K, tap on the gear icon, and where it says Quality you want to change the resolution to 4320p – or 4320p60 if you want 8K at 60fps instead of the usual 30fps. If 4320p isn’t an option in this list unfortunately the video you want to watch isn’t streaming in 8K.

There are a few extra caveats. First, you’ll want a strong internet connection, because even if the video supports 8K playback you’ll struggle to stream it over weak WiFi – unless you like waiting for it to buffer. Oh, and one other important detail; the Quest 3 doesn’t have 8K displays. But that's not as big a problem as it might seem.

Method in the 8K madness

The Quest 3 has two displays (one for each eye) that boast 2,064 x 2,208 pixels each; 8K resolution is 7,680 × 4,320 pixels. Even if we combine the two displays they still boast only just over 25% as many pixels as an 8K display.

So is 8K streaming pointless? Well, not entirely. 

A Meta Quest 3 owner watching a spatial video of their husky dog in a field

Spatial video is 3D, but not as immersive as 360 video (Image credit: Meta)

For flat YouTube videos, playing them in 8K probably is worthless on Quest hardware. The only advantage you might find is that you’ll be seeing a downscaled video – the opposite of upscaled, where a higher resolution source is played at a lower resolution – which can sometimes lead to a more detailed image than simply streaming a video at the lower resolution.

The real improvement can be found instead with immersive 360-degree videos. 

To explain things simply: when you see a flat video you see the whole resolution in that 16:9 frame. In 360 videos the resolution is spread across a much larger image, and you only see portions of that image based on where you’re looking. That’s why – if you’ve watched 360 videos in VR – 4K content can look more like HD, and HD content can look like blurry messes.

By bumping things up to 8K you’ll find that immersive 3D video should look a lot more crisp – as the sections you’re looking at are now effectively 4K. So while you're not seeing 8K, you're still getting a higher resolution.

This update may also be a good future-proofing update for the next Meta hardware. With rumors that a Meta Quest Pro 2 could up the display game for Quest hardware, there’s a chance that it'll get closer to having actual 8K displays, though we’ll have to wait and see.

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Apple shuts My Photo Stream on July 26, so make sure you don’t lose your photos

Apple has announced that it's shutting down its older My Photo Stream service on July 26, and encouraging everyone to move over to iCloud Photos. If you still use My Photo Stream, your files will remain available in the cloud for 30 days from July 26.

My Photo Stream was the forerunner to iCloud Photos. It was free to use but only covered a maximum of 1,000 pictures and video clips, keeping these files in sync across every Apple device you owned and on the web.

Apple hasn't given a reason for shutting down the service, but iCloud Photos is clearly the newer and more comprehensive option for photo and video backups – while also making some money for Apple in terms of storage fees at the same time.

“Moving forward”

“Moving forward, iCloud Photos is the best way to keep the photos and videos you take up to date across all your devices and safely stored in iCloud,” Apple said in an email sent out to anyone who is still making use of My Photo Stream.

While photos and videos won't be deleted from your actual devices, they will be removed from the cloud 30 days from July 26 (so August 25), and syncing will be switched off. No new uploads will be permitted from July 26.

The service launched alongside iCloud in 2011 and is something of a throwback to the time when tech companies were still figuring out how to get photo and video uploads to work in a speedy and seamless way.


Analysis: what you need to do

What Apple is doing here is phasing out the cloud storage and syncing service for your last 1,000 photos and videos. The original files – which in most cases will be on an iPhone, if they were captured with the iPhone camera – won't go anywhere.

Unless you want to risk losing all your precious memories if something happens to your phone, you really need to get your pictures and videos uploaded to the cloud for safekeeping. Apple is pushing its own iCloud Photos service, which works well: once you go past 5GB of files though, you'll need to start paying for storage.

Other similar services that offer paid-for cloud storage include Google Photos and Dropbox. If you don't want to pay or store anything in the cloud, you need to make sure your photos and videos are regularly backed up to a computer or storage drive or two, preferably in a different location to where your iPhone normally lives.

There's more information in the official Apple support document about how the My Photo Stream shutdown is going to work, what you need to do with your photos and videos, and how to get them into iCloud Photos if you want to.

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Zoom will now let you live stream your boring old meetings to Twitch

If you're looking to liven up your next business Zoom meeting, the company has now revealed that users will be able to livestream video directly to popular online streaming platform Twitch.

In a blog post announcing a whole host of new upgrades and features, the video conferencing giant said that call hosts will now be able to livestream their meeting or webinar to Twitch directly, rather than manually configuring the stream as a custom livestreaming service.

Zoom says that the move will help its customers, “streamline the process of sharing content within their communities and extend their reach” although quite how interesting your weekly team catch-ups will be to a wider audience remains to be seen.

Zoom & Twitch

The feature is available to Zoom users everywhere now, but anyone looking to start a Twitch stream will need to have approval from the Zoom account owner or admin, which should help cut down on potential slip-ups.

Alongside the Twitch news, Zoom also announced users will soon be able to share computer audio and other content with breakout rooms.

This feature, which Zoom says will create, “a more cohesive experience for participants,”  can be enabled when the host begins to share content, or while sharing is in progress.

Livening up your video calls appears to be something of a trend for Zoom, which also recently announced new animated avatars. With choices ranging from cat to cow, raccoon, bunny, dog and more, the avatars not only replace the original video feed, but also mirror the user’s head movements and facial expressions courtesy of a few AI tricks.

Zoom has also given administrators the ability to configure  virtual backgrounds to reset to a chosen default after each meeting, reportedly to help avoid situations whereby sensitive data is exposed in a virtual background.

And when it comes to video, the company has also recently rolled out a feature that allows meeting hosts to add a video to the virtual waiting room. This video will play while participants wait to be allowed into the call, and admins can also now enable and disable the watermark feature in the middle of a meeting.

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How to watch the Bundesliga: live stream every match online this weekend

Germany has restarted its Bundesliga 2019/20 season ahead of every other major European league – masters of efficiency that they are, the country never fails to live up to antiquated stereotypes. It gives football fans a real glimmer of hope, though,  after the Covid-19 sports shutdown. Ready for the next kick-off? Saturday afternoon's fixtures saw title chasers Dortmund see off Wolfsburg 2-0 – while Friday night offered a Berlin derby where Hertha thrashed Union 4-0.The goals are coming thick and fast, so here's how to get a Bundesliga live stream and watch every match online this weekend – including for FREE!

Yes, it's finally time to banish those memories of Belarusian Premier League relegation six-pointers and Nicaraguan league cup clashes – top-flight European soccer is now back on the menu again and the first weekend of Bundesliga fixtures saw no less than 27 goals banged in. Now, a new round of matches is upon us as Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund continue their nearly neck-in-neck pursuit of the Salatschüssel.

You'll find a complete Bundesliga fixture list below, with the forthcoming batch of games serving as something of an appetizer for next week's big clash – Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday. That could well prove to be a Bundesliga title decider – but first Germany's top two teams face tricky opponents in Eintracht Frankfurt and Wolfsburg, respectively. 

Dortmund's trip to Wolfsburg looks particularly precarious, as the Lower Saxony side need a strong finish to the season to realize their ambitions of European football next season.

Dortmund, meanwhile, have slightly loftier aspirations – of being the team to break Bayern Munich's run of seven straight Bundesliga titles. And English football fans will be particularly interested in Dortmund's endeavours, as rising Three Lions star Jadon Sancho is part of a ferocious Dortmund attack that also features Norwegian wunderkind Erling Braut Haaland, German international Mario Götze, and Eden Hazard's younger brother, Thorgan. 

American soccer fans also have plenty of reason to want to tune in to the Bundesliga this weekend, with promising youngsters like Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen) and Weston McKennie (Schalke) plying their trade in the Bundesliga this season alongside USMNT veterans John Brooks  (Wolfsburg) and Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach)

With that in mind, here's this weekend's complete fixture list, followed by how to live stream the Bundesliga and watch every match online – including all the legitimate free viewing options available today. 

Bundesliga fixtures and results: all this weekend's games

There are nine Bundesliga fixtures scheduled across Friday, Saturday and Sunday this week – which started with the Hertha vs Union Berlin derby. Here's the full list, along with results and when you can watch the next matches in Germany, the UK and US. 

Friday, May 22

  • Hertha Berlin v Union Berlin:  4 – 0

Saturday, May 23

  • Wolfsburg v Dortmund: 0-2
  • Mönchengladbach v Leverkusen: 1-4
  • Freiburg v Bremen: 0-1
  • Paderborn v Hoffenheim: 1-1
  • Bayern v Frankfurt – 6.30pm CEST / 5.30pm BST / 12.30pm ET

Sunday, May 24

  • Schalke v Augsburg – 1.30pm CEST / 12.30pm BST / 7.30am ET
  • Mainz v Leipzig – 3.30pm CEST / 2.30pm BST / 9.30am ET
  • Koln v Dusseldorf – 6.30pm CEST / 5.30pm BST / 12.30pm ET

Get a FREE Bundesliga live stream in Germany this weekend

Sky Sports has the broadcast rights to the Bundesliga in Germany and it's going big on the restart, announcing that Saturday mid-afternoon fixtures are available to watch for free – both online and on TV – in Deutschland and neighbouring Austria.

This means its never been easier to watch the Bundesliga for free! Matches will be available to watch for free on German TV on the Sky Sports News HD channel, but even more conveniently online via the German Sky Sports website.

The Sky Sports News HD Bundesliga live stream is like a constant highlight reel, cutting between matches at the most opportune times so you never miss a moment of the action.

The eligible fixtures for Saturday, May 23 were:

  • Wolfsburg v Dortmund – 3.30pm CEST / 2.30pm BST / 9.30am ET
  • Mönchengladbach v Leverkusen – 3.30pm CEST / 2.30pm BST / 9.30am ET
  • Freiburg v Bremen – 3.30pm CEST / 2.30pm BST / 9.30am ET
  • Paderborn v Hoffenheim – 3.30pm CEST / 2.30pm BST / 9.30am ET

How to watch the Bundesliga from outside your country

If you're abroad and can't bear to miss out on Bundesliga football, don't worry. While you may initially encounter a problem watching your usual domestic coverage in the form of geo-blocking, there's an easy solution to this common annoyance. 

It's called a VPN and it's a clever bit of software that relocates your device back to your country of origin – thereby allowing you to regain access to the services you normally use (and almost certainly pay for) back home.

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How to watch the Bundesliga live in the UK

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If you're out of the UK or Ireland but have subscribed to a streaming service you want to access from abroad, remember you can always use a VPN to enjoy all the content you've already paid for back home.

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How to watch Gangs of London: stream the gangland drama online anywhere

Up for a journey into the hidden heart of the UK capital? Then Sky's hard-hitting and record-breaking new crime drama is what you need in your life – read on to find out how to watch Gangs of London from anywhere in the world, including free streaming details for every episode. 

This week, that means it's episode 5 airing on Sky – and it has been lauded by critics as the best in the series, so we know you won't want to miss it.

Created by The Raid director Gareth Evans and his cinematography partner Matt Flannery, this big-budget Sky/HBO Cinemax co-production is far from the straight-to-video fare we've come to expect from British gangster films.

The story takes off as crime lord Finn Wallace (Colm Meaney) is shot dead under mysterious circumstances, causing the network of alliances between London’s underworld to be be ruptured. 

Amidst the turmoil, Wallace’s heir Sean sets out to avenge his father and mentor, whatever the cost. He's played by Joe Cole, who you may recognize from Peaky Blinders – despite the London-setting, it's not the former West Ham United footballer. Also on the cast is Michelle Fairley as Marian Wallace, and it's another stellar outing from the actress perhaps best known as Catelyn Stark in Game of Thrones.

Keep read as we explain how to watch Gangs on London online no matter where you are in the world – including the best free viewing options.

How to watch Gangs of London for FREE in the UK 

How to watch Gangs of London from outside your country

As Gangs of London is a Sky Atlantic exclusive, anyone from the UK who's currently abroad won't find it being aired simultaneously in places like the USA, Canada or Australia. Moreover, trying to tune into Sky Atlantic like you would from home will likely be impossible because of geo-blocking restrictions.

We know that this might not be a likely scenario for many, due to coronavirus travel restrictions, but the fact is people are still being required to travel – and some are even regrettably stuck abroad during this difficult time.

Fortunately, there is a solution in the form of a VPN. This nifty bit of software changes your IP address so that you can access all the content you normally would at home, from anywhere in the world.

However, note that some services require you to verify local credit card or cable subscription details before gaining access, so make sure you have these to hand before signing up for anything.

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UFC live stream: watch Fight Night and PPV events online anywhere

UFC, or the Ultimate Fighting Championship in full, is the world's premier mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion, with stars like Conor McGregor, Jon Jones, and Holly Holm some of the biggest draws in all of sports. The often vicious and always unpredictable nature of MMA fights mean that title belts change hands regularly, usually at the promotion's monthly numbered PPV events, which resumed in May with UFC 249 and Justin Gaethje's stunning victory of Tony Ferguson.

Follow our guide and you'll see just how easy it is to find a reliable UFC live stream online and never miss a second of Octagon action ever again. Whether you're a dedicated UFC Fight Night fan or just tune in for the big cards, here's how to watch UFC events wherever you are.

The biggest UFC fights are reserved for its 'numbered' events. These take place once a month – so UFC 249 in May (delayed due to the coronavirus), UFC 250 in June and so on. They're typically available on a pay-per-view basis and held at big name venues in the US, though these are likely to be behind closed doors affairs for the time being.

On top of that, a second-tier of events exist called UFC Fight Nights. These are held on a weekly basis and occur all over the globe, usually featuring up-and-coming local fighters. They're still a darn big deal, though, being held at huge international venues with tickets changing hands for hundreds of dollars. 

Both types of UFC events are shown exclusively on the ESPN+ streaming service in the US and almost always take place on Saturdays. There's also a third series of Octagon bashes called 'UFC on ESPN' – these occur intermittently and air on one of ESPN's TV channels in America. For the events that matter most, follow our guide and find out the best ways to watch a UFC live stream wherever you are.

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How to watch One World: Together at Home – stream the concert live online right now

One World: Together at Home LIVE – This event is now underway and Jenifer Hudson has opened affairs with a breathtaking rendition of Hallelujah – a stunning cover of the classic Leonard Cohen song that's right up there with the seminal Jeff Buckley version.

This weekend's must-watch TV is as an absolute no-brainer as the music and cultural event of the century takes place tonight. Curated by Lady Gaga, it's the spiritual successor to Live Aid and features a historic line-up of acts all turning out to raise money for the WHO and coronavirus frontline workers around the globe. Here's how to watch the One World: Together at Home – stream the concert live and for free wherever you are in the world with our easy-to-understand guide

Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert, the One World: Together at Home line-up is beyond the wildest dreams of even the biggest festival promoters. There's musical legends in the form of Elton John, Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder; celebrity royalty like The Beckhams, Oprah and Samuel L. Jackson; and three of biggest acts of 2020 in event curator Lady Gaga, Billie Ellish and Taylor Swift.

Beyond that, disgruntled 90s youths get their fix thanks to Eddie Vedder, Billie Joe Armstrong and Alanis Morissette. Even classical music fans have a treat in store courtesy of Andrea Bocelli and Lang Lang, while those after an even smoother groove can look forward to Alicia Keyes, Usher, and Jenifer Hudson – by way of Pharrell, Rita Ora and Sam Smith.

And for those who prefer the firmly inoffensive, there's Chris Martin, Michael Buble and The Killers – because nothing screams 'lockdown' like a Mr Brightside singalong on Houseparty.

Heck, even the cast of Sesame Street is scheduled to appear! We're sure you'll want to tune in to this massive global event, which will see proceeds donated to the World Health Organization and frontline coronavirus healthcare workers, so without further ado – here's how to watch One World: Together at Home and stream the biggest concert of modern times for free no matter where you are in the world tonight.

How to watch One World: Together at Home in the US – stream live and for free online

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Live stream One World: Together at Home and watch in Australia for free this weekend

How to watch One World: Together at Home – stream the conert from anywhere in the world 

The One World: Together at Home concert is being widely shown on free-to-air channels all over the globe, as well as being available for free online streaming via a number of popular services. However, if you can't access the platform you want due to geo-blocking restrictions, there's an easy solution.

Downloading a VPN will allow you to stream One World: Together at Home no matter where you are. This simple bit of software changes your IP address so that you can access content from anywhere in the world, simply by pointing yourself to the location where it's available.

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How to watch new Simpsons movie: stream Maggie’s Playdate with Destiny online free

The Simpsons is one of the jewels in the Disney Plus crown and fans are being rewarded for their loyalty with the release of a fresh short-film starring their favorite Springfield family. Read on and we'll explain how to watch The Simpsons: Maggie's Playdate with Destiny today – stream the new Simpsons movie wherever you are with the help of our guide. 

This isn't the first Simpsons episode to track the antics of Maggie, though. Back in 2012, we got treated to something similar in the form of 'The Longest Daycare' short. And before that, fans of the show learnt she was the silent assassin who (nearly) killed Mr. Burns in a famous two-part episode with eerie and hilarious parallels to the O.J Simpson trial.

Apologies if that ruined 1995 for you, but surely that can't class as a spoiler at this stage?

Whatever the case, it's safe to say that we're seriously excited about the release of the new Simpsons Maggie movie onto Disney Plus – which is currently offering a FREE 7-day trial and costs just $ 6.99/£5.99 a month otherwise. With that in mind, here's how to watch new Simpsons short Maggie's Playdate with Destiny online from nearly anywhere in the world.

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How to watch the Simpsons online: stream Maggie's Playdate with Destiny online for free

This is the best bit – Disney Plus now has the new Simpsons Maggie movie available to stream across all of its core services – including the US, UK and Australia.

That means there's no waiting around for global audiences – which has regrettably been the case with previous Disney Plus exclusives like new Pixar flick Onward and even Frozen 2.

It's doubly good because when you take out such wait times, Disney Plus has quickly emerged as one of the very best – and best value – TV streaming services on the planet. With a catalogue full of Pixar hits, Marvel epics and the entire Simpsons back catalogue, it's got pretty much every you need to survive a lockdown and still stay firmly in love with your TV.

Better still, can get a 7-day FREE TRIAL to Disney Plus, meaning you can enjoy the new Simpsons Maggie movie and all of the service's other content without paying anything! Binge as much as you want and it won't cost you a penny, provided you cancel in time.

Disney Plus has apps for iOS and Android (of course), and is available to watch online via the likes of Amazon Fire TV Stick, PS4, Xbox One and Roku streaming devices.

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India vs South Africa live stream: how to watch the 1st ODI from anywhere

After the Men In Blue got whitewashed by New Zealand in their last ODI series, will they take out their frustrations on the Proteas? You can watch all the cricket action of this ODI series, no matter where you are in the world, by following our India vs South Africa live stream guide below.

Now back on home turf, India now face a South Africa side that are on a high after a hugely impressive 3-0 series win over Australia.

India have a major boost, though, with the return of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shikhar Dhawan and Hardik Pandya – a key trio that have each recovered from injuries that kept them out against New Zealand. Meanwhile, the South African batting line up is bolstered by the return of Faf du Plessis.

The last time these two teams met in an ODI series was back in 2018, with India thrashing South Africa 5-1, but it seems unlikely this series will be a similalyr one-sided affair. 

The Coronavirus crisis has placed this series under threat, but with heavy rain expected throughout, the weather could prove a bigger danger to play being halted. Follow the instructions below to find out how to grab an India vs South Africa live stream from pretty much anywhere on Earth.

Live stream India vs South Africa from outside your country

In India, South Africa, Australia, the UK, or New Zealand and looking to find out how to watch the ODI matches between India vs South Africa? We've got all the details about the broadcaster with the rights to show the series in your region below. 

But if you're away from your home country – maybe abroad on business or on holiday – but still want to tune in to your domestic coverage of the match then you'll run in to issues. Because of broadcaster geo-blocking, you won't be able to watch online from overseas. By using a VPN however, you'll be able to watch the game without having to resort to watching a potentially illegal feed from a dodgy link.

How to watch India vs South Africa: live stream the 1st ODI in India

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